Article I
The Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance (also referred to as SEGRA) is a political organization to:
(a) advance true Conservatism and to elect true Conservatives at Local, State, and National levels of the Republican Party,
(b) provide, through this organization, a practical program for the betterment of the Republican Party within the counties of Georgia.
Article II
Mission, Purpose and Principles of SEGRA.
The Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance (SEGRA) is an independent grassroots organization, which has been founded to Identify, Educate, Nominate and Elect Conservative Constitutional Republicans to all levels of Government.
Article III
Powers and Officers
Section 1. Name
The name of the organization shall be the Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance. Aka SEGRA
Section 2. Jurisdiction
The jurisdiction Officers of the SEGRA shall reside within the Southeast Georgia Area.
Section 3: The powers of the SEGRA shall be as:
(a) To direct, manage, supervise and control its business, property and funds, and to carry out its objectives.
Section 4. Elected Officers
Officers of the SEGRA must be members in good standing of the SEGRA, registered voters in their respective counties, and Republicans by voter registration.
The elected officers of the SEGRA shall be a Chairman, First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Third Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer (known as the Executive Committee). The term of office will be one year and elections for the Executive Committee will be held in the Month of May each year.
If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, it becomes necessary to hold elections for certain positions, then this can be approved by a quorum vote of the Executive Committee. (Examples – Parliamentarian, Sergeant-at Arms, etc.,) When these elections are held it must be stated whether these positions will be members of the Executive Committee or not.
Section 5. Executive Committee Member Duties:
CHAIRMAN: The Chairman shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee, and any other such committees that may be formed, and any meetings of the SEGRA.
The Chairman shall be responsible for executing the rules, policies, plans, and strategies of the SEGRA. In particular the Chairman shall give special attention to assist candidates endorsed by the SEGRA to win elections.
The Chairman retains the authority to appoint members to necessary positions as needed by the organization. These appointments will not be part of the Executive Committee, however, will be subject to approval by a quorum vote of the Executive Committee. (Examples of these types of Appointments are Committee chairman, Assistant Secretaries, Parliamentarian, etc.)
In the event it becomes necessary to fill vacancies or vote on new members of the Executive Committee these positions will be announced at any scheduled or special SEGRA meeting and will be voted on by the full body of members of SEGRA at the next meeting after nominations. These will be subject to approval by a quorum vote of the body.
FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN: The First Vice Chairman shall devote special attention to ensure the morale and spirit of the SEGRA stays strong, encouraging good-will, demonstrating empathy with concerns expressed by SEGRA members in all SEGRA counties, and promoting harmony among all members. In the absence of the Chairman at any SEGRA events or functions (other than meetings), the First Vice Chairman shall be the ranking Executive Committee member. Additionally, the Chairman may assign oversight of key functions (Example – Education).
SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN: The Second Vice Chairman shall be primarily responsible for any events planned by the Executive Committee. This position will maintain oversight of key committees as assigned by the Chairman.
THIRD VICE CHAIRMAN: The third Vice Chairman shall be primarily responsible for managing key Committees as assigned by the Chairman. Additionally this position will be assigned the task of liaison with other local Republican Clubs and organizations.
TREASURER: The Treasurer shall have custody of and responsibility for the funds of the SEGRA and shall deposit said funds in a bank or banks selected by the SEGRA Executive Committee, which may be drawn as approved by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall secure an annual audit or review, and the same shall be presented to the Executive Committee at the first meeting following the audit or review. The Treasurer shall present at each Executive Committee Meeting a financial report summarizing income, expenses, assets, and liabilities of the SEGRA. The Treasurer shall give special care to assist the Chairman in procuring the resources the Chairman needs to execute direction or plans approved by the Executive Committee.
ASSISTANT TREASURER: In the absence of the Treasurer or in conjunction with the Treasurer due to workload, the Assistant Treasurer all the powers assigned to the Treasurer. This will be a voting position on the Executive Committee,
SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be the primary person responsible for ensuring any official communication of the SEGRA is made in a clear and timely manner. These include communication from the SEGRA to the public at-large as well as communications between the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall ensure that an accurate record is kept of all Executive Committee meetings, and any other meetings which involve Executive Committee members. The Secretary shall maintain a list of all dues paying members of the SEGRA and shall send out notices, when required, to remind such members that dues are payable by a certain date.
NOTICE: Any Executive Committee Member who misses two (2) consecutive meetings within a year shall automatically terminate, unless such non-attendance is excused by a vote of the Executive Committee.
SECTION 6: Liability of Officers: No officer shall be held personally responsible for any debts or obligations of the SEGRA except those personally guaranteed by the officer, and the SEGRA shall indemnify each officer against claims made against them arising from their legitimate and proper service to the SEGRA.
Article IV
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall exercise and act with the full authority of the SEGRA, and act in its best interest, except where such authority may be expressly reserved.
SECTION 1: Meetings:
The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings, in no case less often than once per month. Meetings may be held through in-person, mass email, telephone conference call, or other means of telecommunication if the Chairman does not object. Votes may also be held by telephone conference call, electronic mail or other means of telecommunication, at the direction of the person calling the meeting.
Section 2: Voting:
(a) In all voting, a majority shall rule, unless otherwise provided in the By Laws.
(b) In all meetings of the SEGRA each accredited member shall be entitled to cast one vote.
(c) There shall be no voting by proxy. No voting by Dominion Machine. No mail in balloting.
(d) There shall be no cumulative voting, nor shall any person vote as both a Delegate and Alternate.
(e) A quorum for the SEGRA assembled body shall consist of one-third (1/3) of SEGRA members, complied with registration requirements, and are actively attending.
SECTION 3: Quorum:
A quorum for the Executive Committee meetings shall consist of at least 60% of its voting members.
Article V
Inter-County SEGRA Committee
The SEGRA Executive Committee, at its discretion, may call for the attendance of these members at one or more of the Executive Committee meetings. And may also call for their assistance at any SEGRA meeting.
Article VI
Membership
Section 1. Qualifications: Any citizen of the United States over 18 years of age who resides in Southeast Georgia and has a general preference for, and sympathy with, the principles of the Republican Party and a desire to promote the purposes of this organization as set forth in Article II above, shall be eligible for membership in the SEGRA.
Section 2. All qualified applicants deemed to be of good character and to be of benefit to the advancement of the purposes of the club shall be admitted upon the submission of a completed membership application and payment of dues and such other fees that may be set by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Annual dues shall be payable on a schedule and in the amounts determined by the Executive Committee.
Article VII
Nomination and Election of Officers
Section 1: Eligibility: Any active member in good standing of the SEGRA shall be eligible to any elective office, provided that the person is qualified under these bylaws.
Section 2: Accredited Voters: Before the opening of rolls at a SEGRA meeting, the Secretary shall provide a list of the members as shown by the report of the Committee on Credentials. No member shall be allowed to vote unless their name appears on the list.
Section 3: Ballots: Voting on endorsements or for officers of the SEGRA shall be by ballot only, unless there is in the opinion of the Chairman a motion to hold the vote by standing agreed to by two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members or if the election is unopposed.
Article VIII
Endorsement of Candidates
Section 1: Two-thirds Vote of an Endorsing Candidate:
Endorsements of national and local candidates for public office may be made by electronic endorsement ballot or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at a physical meeting composed of equal representation of all Republican Alliances with the district (in whole or in part) from which the candidate proposed to be endorsed is to be elected, or the official proposed to be recalled is an elected official.
Endorsement may be for candidates for public office, for or against recall, initiative or referendum, or for Republican Party Office.
Section 2: Limitations on Endorsing:
SEGRA shall not endorse any candidate for any public office, whether partisan or non-partisan, unless such candidate is clearly affiliated with the Republican Party.
The SEGRA Chairman, upon being notified prior to an election, or between elections, of any alleged infraction of the By-Laws concerning endorsements shall immediately conduct an investigation of the alleged infraction and take whatever action is deemed necessary to protect the endorsement privilege and good name of the SEGRA.
Section 3: Endorsement by Electronic Ballot:
Endorsements shall be made only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of those SEGRA members voting.
If no candidate receives a two-thirds majority on the first vote, voting shall continue with the top two candidates remaining. “No endorsement” shall be an option on all ballots.
Electronic ballots shall be emailed to all SEGRA members and voting will remain open for an appropriate amount of time for all members to have a reasonable chance of casting their votes.
Article IX
Vacancies in Officers
Section 1: Chairman
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the SEGRA Chairman, the First Vice Chairman shall become Chairman. If the vacancy occurs within 60 days of the annual election of Officers in May then a new election need not be held until the annual election. If the vacancy occurs more than 60 days prior to the annual election, then an election needs to be announced at the next monthly meeting and final nominations and new elections for the meeting. Chairman and First Vice Chairman will be held the following month.
Section 2: Secretary:
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the SEGRA Secretary, the Chairman shall appoint a temporary replacement until a replacement can be elected. However, if for any reason the vacancy should persist past the election date, the Chairman of the SEGRA may appoint a replacement from among the membership of the SEGRA or any member of the SEGRA Executive Committee to serve until a qualified successor may be chosen by a SEGRA election.
Section 3: Other Officers:
In the event of a vacancy in one or more of the elected officers of the SEGRA, the Executive Committee shall elect a qualified member to fill the office until the end of the original officer’s term Should the majority of known officers become unable or unwilling to fulfill their roles as officers of the SEGRA, the Chairman/President of the SEGRA is authorized to appoint temporary officers and to call for the selection of permanent officers for the general reorganization of the SEGRA.
Article X
Termination of Membership
Section 1: Termination and Discipline of Individual Members:
(a) Any individual member of the SEGRA may have his/her membership terminated, or may otherwise be disciplined, after a hearing, by two-thirds (2/3) vote at a meeting of the Executive Committee where a quorum is present, provided that at least thirty (30) days before such action, notice of such intended action shall have been duly sent by certified mail by the Secretary of the SEGRA to said member, whenever the Executive Committee has determined that the named member has:
(1) Publicly supported or registered as a member of a political party other than the Republican Party.
(2) Used their name and title as a member of the SEGRA in publicly advocating that the electorate should not vote for the Republican nominee for any elected political office.
(3) Used their name and title as a member of the SEGRA to give support to or encourage the election of a candidate of another party to an elected public office where said candidate is opposed by a duly nominated Republican candidate.
(4) Used their name and title as a member of the SEGRA to prematurely endorse on behalf of the SEGRA prior to a proper act of endorsement by the SEGRA candidates running for office in the Georgia Republican Party.
(5) Publicly opposed all or part of the Principles of the Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance; or:
(6) Otherwise brought discredit or disrepute upon the SEGRA.
(b) If the Executive Committee shall terminate membership or shall otherwise discipline any such member, the Secretary of the SEGRA shall send notice of such action within fifteen (15) days by certified mail to said member. The member, within thirty (30) days from the date of mailing such notice, and not less than ten (10) days before the date of the first session of the next meeting of the GRA, may file with the Secretary of the SEGRA a written notice of appeal. This appeal shall be considered at the next meeting of the SEGRA, unless filed less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the first session thereof; in the latter instance said appeal shall be considered and decided by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee following that meeting.
(c) Any individual member so terminated from membership in the SEGRA shall immediately upon such termination cease to claim membership in, or holding of any office in or official relationship with the SEGRA, and shall immediately surrender to the Secretary of the SEGRA or their designated representative any and all documents, records, emblems, insignia, funds, or other devices or properties of any nature whatsoever belonging to the SEGRA. Said terminated member shall not thereafter use the name, emblem, or insignia of “SEGRA,” “Republican Wing of the Republican Party. “SEGRA.” “Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance,” in any manner whatsoever.
Article XI
Parliamentary Authority
The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically addressed in the Bylaws of the SEGRA, Southeast Georgia Republican Alliance.
Article XII
Amendments to Bylaws
Section l: Amendments to Bylaws:
Amendments to these Bylaws shall be made at a regular meeting of the SEGRA by a two-thirds (2/3) vote or by a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 2: Severability:
If any part, article, section, or subsection of these By Laws shall be held invalid, contrary to state or federal laws, contrary to the ByLaws of the SEGRA, or contrary to the rules for any reason, such holding shall not be construed to impair or invalidate the remainder of the By Laws, notwithstanding such holding.
Section 3: Publication:
At the conclusion of each Meeting where any amendments are made to the By Laws, the Secretary shall cause and supervise the printing of the By Laws as in effect at the end of that Meeting. Such amended By Laws shall be submitted to the Secretary of the SEGRA within (15) days of the Meeting amending and thereafter made available to SEGRA membership.