State Plan of Organization Opinion 2024-001

Date: January 29, 2024

Question From: Moore County Republican Party

Question(s) Presented:

1. Are the Moore County Precinct Chairs, who are elected at a
   Precinct Meeting, and the Presidents of the Republican Clubs,
   who are elected by their members, permitted to be Members of
   the Moore County Executive Committee if the County Plan of
   Organization does not authorize the County Executive
   Committee to elect them as Members?
2. If the answer to the previous question is “no,” can the Moore
   County Plan of Organization permit the Precinct Chairs,
   Republican Club Presidents, and Republican elected officials to
   be non-voting members of the Committee with the privilege of
   being recognized at Committee meetings for the purpose of
   making motions or debate?

Answered by: Russ Ferguson, NCGOP General Counsel. Dan Barry, NCGOP Plan of Organization Chairman

Answer:
No. Under Article III.A.1 of the State Plan of Organization, “[t]he County Executive
Committee shall consist of the County officers and other persons elected by the
County Convention in accordance with Article VII.B.2.b, and the County Finance
Chairman.” Article VII.B.2.b, in relevant part, further expands the County
Executive Committee beyond the officers to include 1) “5 or more” at-large
committee members who are elected by the County Convention and 2) any
additional members that a County Plan of Organization may provide for that are
elected by the County Executive Committee in addition to those members elected by
the County Convention.1

In short, under the State Plan of Organization, County Executive Committees are
comprised of: 1) officers elected by the County Convention, 2) the County Finance
Chairman, 3) the 5 or more at-large members elected by the county convention, and
4) any additional members that a County Plan of Organization may provide for that
are elected by the County Executive Committee in addition to those members
elected by the County Convention. Therefore, unless otherwise elected by the
County Convention or County Executive Committee, no additional individuals (i.e.
Precinct Chairs, Region Chairs, Auxiliary Chairs, etc.) are qualified as members of
the County Executive Committee, regardless of what an individual County Plan of
Organization provides.

County Parties may add additional Executive Committee members, provided such
additional members are elected by the County Executive Committee in compliance
with all applicable Plans of Organization.