Conventions
Party conventions are held regularly in the state, per party bylaws. The State Platform convention, which meets once every even-numbered year between the primary and general elections, is used to adopt a state platform. There is a State Delegate Convention, which meets every presidential year prior to the Republican National Committee; during this convention, delegates and alternate delegates are elected to the Republican National Convention. The State Officer's Convention, which meets in June each odd-numbered year, is used to elect party leadership, including Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The party provides notice for meetings and conventions. The Parliamentary practice is Roberts' Rules of Order, which governs all conventions and meetings and allows the state chairman to appoint a parliamentarian for any State Central Committee meeting or convention. [4]
Committees
The State Central Committee is made up by the county chairman, state committeemen and committee women, and finance chairman for each county. This committee is the governing body the MTGOP and makes up all the rules and policies for the state party.
The State Executive Board is made up of the state chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer, finance chair, the national committeeman and committeewoman, and five regional chairs, who are elected by county chairmen. The main purpose of this committee is to execute the policies and programs of the MTGOP between meetings of the State Central Committee. The terms of these members last as long as the chairman's term and can also end by resignation.
County Central Committees are found in each county in Montana and consist of elected or appointed committeemen and committeewomen from each precinct of the county, who hold office for two years. The committee elects county chairman and vice chairman, secretary and treasurer, state and Congressional committeeman and committee woman, finance chairman, and anything else that seems important. It can adopt its own rules and come up with a county executive committee that executes the counties rules and policies.
There are also other committees such as the Rules Committee, for which members are appointed by the chairman to consider or recommend rules and rule changes. Any other special committee such as the Rules Committee can be appointed by the chairman if needed. [4]
Elected officers
The chairman is the leader of the party and is responsible of the hiring and firing of any employees. The chairman can appoint all committees except the executive committee. The chairman has the power of supervision and management. The chairman also works with the treasurer to make sure the right resources are provided. Vice chairman performs all the duties assigned by the chairman. Secretary keeps the minutes for all meetings and anything assigned by the chairman. Treasurer controls the financial record keeping and practices of the party. Assistant treasurer is there to become familiar with the responsibilities of the treasurer and will perform any duties assigned by the chairman and treasurer. [5]
Appointed officers
Executive director is appointed by the chairman after approval from the executive committee. The main duty is to preserve all permanent records of the State Central Committee and any other duty assigned by the chairman. finance chairman is appointed exactly like the executive director. The main duty of this officer is to raise funds for the Republican Party.
General Counsel is also appointed the same way as the first two officers. The main duty of the General Counsel is to advise the chairman, State Central Committee, and all other officers and committees on all legal matters. The General Counsel is licensed to practice law within the state.
There can be other types of officers that are appointed by the chairman. These types are only appointed if needed for a particular purpose. [5]
Nominations
The State Central Committee will appoint a nominee to fill a vacancy for a party candidate and the person who receives the most votes is the nominee. If one or two Congressional Districts for the state need to be filled, a committee appointed by the County Central Committee will make the appointment and the person with the most votes wins the nomination. The votes entitled to the certain members shall be weighted by comparing the Republican primary vote in each county and the Republican primary vote for the office being voted for. For each two percent or less of the total vote, there are four votes awarded to the county. Anything higher than two percent will be awarded an extra vote. The delegates at the meetings will divide the votes to each county and then the delegates will individually cast their votes. [5]
Voting trends
Montana is considered to be a moderately Republican state. [6] There is a small percentage of Hispanic and African American votes. There is a significant number of votes from the Native American population as well. [7] Montana has voted Republican in almost every single presidential election after the national Democratic landslide of 1964, with the sole exception of Bill Clinton's narrow plurality victory in 1992. [8] Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won Montana in 2020 with 56.9% of the total statewide vote over Democrat Joe Biden, who received 40.5%.
During the 2022 midterms, the Republicans gained super-majority status in the state legislature, capturing 34 of 50 senate seats and 68 of 100 house seats.
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