The TN Republican State Executive Committee met today. They re-elected Chairman Scott Golden and Vice Chair Jennifer Little.
Patrick Jaynes of Senator Alexander’s office, Susan Mills of Blount County Republican Women, Myself and Scott Golden, TN Republican Chairman.
Required Signatures for Public Office
This resolution asks the 111th General Assembly to increase the number of signatures required to run for public office to be equal to the level of office being sought.
Timing for Special Elections
This resolution asks the 111th General Assembly to create a requirement for a special election to be called in the case of a vacancy within forty five (45) days of the general election.
Tennessee Voter Registration
This resolution asks the 111th General Assembly to include a question regarding political party affiliation on Tennessee voter registration forms as well as requiring party registration in order to vote in a party’s primary election. This is the long debated resolution to close the Republican primaries.
On closing the primaries, the Knox County Delegation was split, District 6 members Matt Coleman and Michele Carringer voting NO. Carringer voting by proxy. District 7 members James Corcoran voting Yes, Jane Chedester voting NO and District 5 members Scott Smith and Amy Jones voting YES.
Chairman Golden said about the passing of the three mentioned resolutions, “These common-sense resolutions will help maintain the integrity of our elections and elect the best-qualified Republican candidates to federal, state, and local offices. We ask that the General Assembly consider and adopt the changes put forward by the State Executive Committee.”
Sources also indicated they voted to give the State Chairman the authority to shut down any county Republican Party for 30 days for cause. Not sure that cause was clearly defined. Also, the State Chairman may have authority to seize County party funds. Which in my opinion may not be a bad move based on the history of the Knox County Young Republican organizations, when one non conforming group was out of compliance and a new group that conformed to the Rules was established. The funds from the now rogue organization is not clearly accounted for, or were not the last time I talked to the group in conformity.
