# Amendment Procedures The procedures for amending the Rules of the Republican Party of the State of Delaware are outlined in **Article VIII: Amendment Procedures** of the provided document. Below is a detailed analysis of these procedures: ### 1. **General Requirement for Amendments** - **When Amendments Can Occur**: Amendments to the rules can only be made during an **Organizational Convention**, which occurs in odd-numbered years (Article VI, Section 2). - **Voting Threshold**: A **two-thirds (2/3) vote** of the delegates present and voting at the Organizational Convention is required to adopt an amendment (Article VIII, Section 1). ### 2. **Submission of Proposed Amendments** - **Subject Limitation**: Each proposed amendment must address **only one subject matter** (Article VIII, Sections 1 and 2). - **Originating Authorities**: Proposals for amendments can be submitted by one of the following: - A **petition signed by thirty (30) members** of the State Committee. - A **majority vote** of the State Committee. - A **majority vote** of the Rules Committee. - A **majority vote** of a Convention District (Article VIII, Section 1). - **Submission Deadline**: Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the **Rules Committee** no later than **seventy-five (75) days** before the Organizational Convention at which they are to be considered (Article VIII, Section 2). ### 3. **Role of the Rules Committee** - **Preparation for Convention**: The Rules Committee is responsible for preparing proposed amendments in the appropriate form for presentation at the Organizational Convention (Article VIII, Section 3). - **Reporting Requirement**: The Rules Committee must send its report, including the proposed amendments, to the **Convention District Chairpersons** at least **thirty (30) days** before the Organizational Convention (Article VIII, Section 3). - **Rules Committee's Own Proposals**: The Rules Committee may propose its own amendments or alternative amendments, provided these are also sent to the Convention District Chairpersons at least **thirty (30) days** in advance of the Organizational Convention (Article VIII, Section 4). ### 4. **Withdrawal of Proposals** - Proponents of an amendment may **withdraw** their proposed amendment at any time prior to the Organizational Convention (Article VIII, Section 3). ### 5. **Failure and Re-submission** - If a proposed amendment does not achieve the required **two-thirds vote** at the Organizational Convention, it **cannot be reconsidered** until the next Organizational Convention, and it must be submitted as a **new proposal** following the same procedures (Article VIII, Section 5). ### 6. **Effective Date of Amendments** - Unless otherwise specified, all approved amendments take effect **immediately following the final adjournment** of the Organizational Convention at which they are adopted (Article VIII, Section 5). ### 7. **Exception for Legal or National Party Compliance** - **Emergency Amendments**: If changes in **state or federal law** or **National Party rules** necessitate an amendment, a **two-thirds majority of a quorum of the State Committee** may amend the rules outside of an Organizational Convention (Article VIII, Section 6). - **Review at Next Convention**: Any amendment made by the State Committee under this exception must be considered at the **next Organizational Convention**. If it does not receive **two-thirds approval** at that convention, the amendment is **stricken** from the rules (Article VIII, Section 6). ### 8. **Special Case: Redistricting Amendments** - **Article XVI: Redistricting for 2022 Elections and Beyond** provides a specific process for amending **Article II** (Organization) to account for redistricting: - After redistricting legislation is adopted, the **Rules Committee** meets to prepare a report recommending changes to Article II and any related rules. - The **Executive Committee** reviews the report after at least **20 days** and votes on it. Only the **five region chairs** vote, and an affirmative vote of **four out of five** is required to amend the rules. - If the report is not approved, the Rules Committee issues a new report, and the process repeats until the rules are amended to reflect the redistricting. - Once the amendment is adopted, **Article XVI** becomes **null and void** and is stricken from the rules (Article XVI, Sections 2 and 3). ### Summary of Key Points - Amendments generally require a **two-thirds vote** at an **Organizational Convention** and must be proposed by an authorized entity at least **75 days** in advance. - The **Rules Committee** plays a central role in preparing and reporting amendments. - Amendments can be proposed or withdrawn before the convention, and failed amendments cannot be reconsidered until the next convention. - In exceptional cases (e.g., legal or National Party rule changes), the **State Committee** can amend rules with a two-thirds vote, subject to review at the next convention. - A specific process exists for redistricting-related amendments, involving the **Rules Committee** and **Executive Committee** with a high approval threshold. This framework ensures that changes to the rules are deliberate, transparent, and broadly supported, while allowing flexibility for legal or structural necessities like redistricting. If you have specific questions about applying these procedures or need further clarification, please let me know!