http://www.massgop.com/delegate

DELEGATE SELECTION PROCESS


Curious about the process of becoming a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer? See below for some information on how the delegate selection process works:

BASICS:
Massachusetts is allocated 42 delegates to the National Convention in Cleveland. Because our state awards its delegates proportionally, delegates will be allocated to different candidates based on the results of the March 1 primary. Those delegates are selected three different ways:
 
27 delegates will be elected at the nine congressional district caucuses. Click here for more information on the caucuses.
12 delegates ("at-large delegates") will be elected by the Massachusetts Republican State Committee
3 delegates are the members of the Republican National Committee from Massachusetts - the state chairman, and the National Committeeman and Committeewoman
 
Based on the results of the March 1 primary, the Massachusetts delegates will be allocated in the following way: 22 delegates for Donald Trump, 8 delegates for John Kasich, 8 delegates for Marco Rubio, and 4 delegates for Ted Cruz. The Allocations Committee of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee - which also includes representatives from the presidential campaigns receiving delegates - will determine the allocation of delegates elected for each method. The Allocations Committee will complete its work by mid-April, before the caucuses.
 
HOW TO RUN FOR DELEGATE:
Run For Congressional District Delegate:
There are 4 steps for running for congressional district delegate.
1. Have been registered as a Republican by February 10, 2016 (and continue to be registered as such)
2. Attend your congressional district caucus to place your name in nomination. Pre-register for your caucus here.
OR Inform the caucus chair in writing of your intention to stand for delegate if you cannot attend your caucus. Caucus chairs and contact information will be available shortly.
3. Win enough votes at the caucus to be elected delegate
4. Attend the National Convention

Run For At-Large Delegate
There are 4 steps for running for at-large delegate.
1. Have been registered as a Republican by February 10, 2016 (and continue to be registered as such)
2. Attend the State Committee meeting on May 25, 2016 to place your name in nomination
OR Inform the Massachusetts representative of the presidential campaign for whom you intend to stand for delegate of your intention to run.
3. Win enough votes at the State Committee meeting to be elected delegate
4. Attend the National Convention
 
FURTHER DETAILS:
Learn more about the MassGOP Delegate rules process through the following resources:
 
Massachusetts Republican Party Plan For The Selection Of Delegates To The Convention
 
2016 Congressional District Delegate Caucus Procedures [below}
 
Rules Of The Republican Party

Massachusetts Republican State Committee

Procedures for Caucuses to Select Delegates to the 2016 Republican National Convention

1)  Between April 3 and April 17, 2016, the Allocation Committee shall meet and determine the allocation for each candidate in each congressional district and at‐large.

2)  Before April 15, 2016, the MassGOP will advertise the dates of times of each Congressional District Caucus in the largest circulation newspaper in each congressional district, via email to the MassGOP’s “political list”, and via mail to the membership of each Republican Town and Ward Committee.

3)  By Tuesday, April 19, the chair will select the caucus chairs of each of the nine congressional districts.

4)  On Tuesday, April 26, the chair will direct state party staff to create a list of each voter registered as a Republican by February 10, 2016, using the voter file provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The list will be segmented by Congressional District and distributed to each of the caucus chairs.

5)  On Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 10am, caucuses will be held concurrently in each of the nine congressional districts.

6)  Check‐in for each caucus will begin at 9am. Each Republican entering the caucus will be required to show Massachusetts government issued photo identification. This will be checked against the registered voters list. Those appearing on the list will be allowed entry into the caucus. Those that do not appear on the list may show a voter registration card, a letter from the town or city clerk, or other official Massachusetts documentation that verifies their voter registration before February 10, 2016. Individuals without identification, or those that do not appear on the list and do not provide other proof of registration, will not be allowed admittance to the caucus.

7)  Each Republican entering the caucus will be required to sign the below statement. Upon signing the statement, each caucus participant will receive a “credential” to enter the caucus (either a physical credential, sticker, or handstamp), which will be used to identify those that are eligible to vote in the caucus.

I, ___________________________, am a registered Republican and was registered to vote on or before February 10, 2016. I live at ___________________________, in the city or town of _______________________, Massachusetts. Sign ____________ Date ___________

8)  At 10am, the caucus chair will call the caucus to order. There is no quorum requirement for congressional district caucuses.

9)  The caucus chair will announce the allocated delegate and alternate delegate positions to be selected at the caucus.

10)  The caucus chair will summarize these rules to the caucus.

11)  The caucus chair will announce the first allotment of delegates to be selected, and the number of delegates to be selected within that allotment. Allotments will be announced from largest to smallest.

12)  The chair will then open the floor to nominations. The chair will first accept and read nominations for candidates not present. Candidates not present may nominate themselves in writing to the caucus chair. Then, the chair will accept nominations for candidates that are present.

13)  All nominations must be seconded by those present. Candidates who are nominated and seconded may decline the nomination.

14)  Once nominations are closed, the chair will then announce the names of all nominated delegates for that allotment to the floor.

15)  Each nominee will then be given two minutes to speak and answer questions. Speaking will occur alphabetically by last name.

16)  The chair will once again repeat the names of all nominated candidates.

17)  The chair will then direct the distribution of paper ballots to each caucus participant. Caucus participants may vote for up to the number of candidates within the allotment being considered.

18)  After voting, each caucus member will place their ballot into a ballot box. Once all members have voted, the box will be shaken to mix up the ballots.

19)  Each nominated candidate may choose an observer to monitor the tallying of ballots.

20)  The ballots will then be called by a teller, and recorded by an assistant teller, on a teller’s report.

21)  Ballots may be challenged during the counting process. After the head teller calls the ballot for a candidate, any observer may say “challenge”. That ballot will not be tallied, and will be put aside. After counting all ballots and tallying the votes, if the number of challenged ballots is large enough that it could affect the outcome of a delegate or alternate delegate election, then the results of the vote will not be announced and the ballots will be taken before the allocation committee after the caucus to be adjudicated.

22)  The teller will hand a teller’s report to the chair, who will read the report and declare the results.

23)  The chair will entertain motions for a recount. If a motion is made and a majority of the body is in favor of a recount, then the ballots will be recounted in accordance with the process in step 21.

24)  The final results will be announced for the allotment.

25)  If there is more than one delegate allotment in the district, the process will be repeated for each delegate allotment.

26)  Once the process has been repeated for each delegate allotment, the same process will be repeated for each of the alternate delegate allotments, in the same order of allotments as the delegate allotments.

27)  The caucus chairman will report the results one final time to the entire caucus, and then a motion to adjourn the caucus will be heard.

28)  Caucus chairman will report the results of the caucus to the state chairman within 48 hours of the end of the caucus, but preferably within one hour.

29)  Within one week after the end of the caucuses, the state chairmen will report the results of the caucuses to the state committee.

also of interest...

GOP Convention Rules Maker Ron Kaufman Challenged in Massachusetts by Jack E. Robinson

Robinson returns to ensure Fair Deal at National Convention

BOSTON, March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the wake of concern among Massachusetts republican voters that incumbent Republican National Committeeman Ron Kaufman, who sits on the RNC's rules committee, is plotting to manipulate the convention rules to deny Donald Trump the Republican presidential nomination, long-time republican activist Jack E. Robinson today announced his candidacy for Massachusetts Republican National Committeeman.

"We cannot afford to have in Cleveland this summer a repeat of the 2014 MassGOP state convention, where ballot and tally sheet manipulation by Kaufman sought to keep Mark Fisher off the gubernatorial ballot," said Robinson.  "I am running to make sure that Donald Trump, who won 49% of the vote here three weeks ago, gets a fair deal."

Robinson's most recent project, Fair Districts Mass, is credited with creating voting districts during the last redistricting in 2012 to address under-representation of minority voters within Massachusetts congressional and legislative districts.

Robinson has started a Facebook page called Fair Deal Mass.  The election for Republican national committeeman will take place at the next MassGOP state committee meeting, scheduled for April 5, 2016.

Media contact:

David Rice