Key Citations

• Article I defines the term "the Committee"

• Article III(B) states:  Ex-Officio members are non-voting members of the Committee except as otherwise specifically provided in these Bylaws.

  • This statement does not apply to standing Committees as per the Article I definition.

• Article V(A) states: The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees and of all subcommittees.

  • Likewise,  V(B)-(H) asserts that the co-chair and all vice-chairs shall be an ex-officio member of all committees

• Article VII(A)(1)  is silent as to the voting rights of ex-officio members.

• Article VII(A)(2)  is silent as to the voting rights of ex-officio members.

• Article VII(A)(3)  is NOT silent as to the voting rights of ex-officio members.  More particularly, ex-officio may not vote on the issues committee.

• Article XIV states:  Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the Committee and its standing committees, except as provided in these Bylaws or by law.

- Therefore, we assert that because  VII(A)(1) is silent, that RR shall determine if Ex-Officio members are voting members of the Policy Committee.

1. RR 50:16 states that RR 49:8-9 govern the rules affecting ex-officio members.

2. RR 49:8 provides a distinction as to if the ex-officio has obligations and is counted in quorum.  However, in all cases, RR 49:8 provides that ex-officio members of boards have voting rights.  Therefore, Ex-Officio of committees have voting rights as per RR 50:16.

Does the Co-Chair Have the Right to Vote on the Policy Committee?

Yes. The Co-Chair of the Michigan Republican Party has the right to vote on the Policy Committee.

The Foundation: What "The Committee" Means

Article I defines "the Committee" as "the Michigan Republican State Committee" - the organization's main body. Throughout the Bylaws, this term consistently refers to the State Committee in plenary session, not to the entire organizational structure including standing committees. This distinction is critical because Article III, Section B states that "Ex-Officio members are non-voting members of the Committee" - a restriction that applies only to the State Committee main body.

The Bylaws demonstrate this distinction clearly in Article V, Section A, which states the Chairman "shall preside at all meetings of the Committee" but "shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees." If "the Committee" included all standing committees, the Chairman would preside at all their meetings, not merely serve as an ex-officio member. This textual difference confirms that "the Committee" and "standing committees" are distinct entities.

The Co-Chair's Status on the Policy Committee

Article V, Section B establishes that "The Co-Chairman shall be an exofficio member of all committees of which the Chairman serves as an ex-officio member." Since the Policy Committee is a standing committee, and Article V, Section A makes the Chairman an ex-officio member of all standing committees, the Co-Chair is also an ex-officio member of the Policy Committee.

The Co-Chair's Membership Doesn't Violate Composition Rules

Article VII, Section C states that "the Policy Committee, Budget Committee, and Issues Committee must only consist of one regular member from each congressional district committee." This requirement does not exclude the Co-Chair's ex-officio membership for two reasons.

First, the Bylaws use the specific term "regular member" rather than simply "member." This distinction is intentional - "regular members" are the voting representatives elected from each congressional district, while ex-officio members serve by virtue of their office. The composition rule limits how many district representatives can serve, not whether officers can serve ex-officio.

Second, if ex-officio membership violated this composition requirement, the Bylaws would contain an irreconcilable conflict. Article V explicitly makes both the Chairman and Co-Chair ex-officio members of all standing committees, including the Policy Committee. It would be structurally impossible for the Bylaws to both mandate ex-officio membership in Article V and prohibit it in Article VII, Section C. The only logical reading is that Article VII, Section C's "regular member" requirement addresses district representation, while Article V's ex-officio provisions address officer participation - two separate categories of membership that coexist without conflict.

The Bylaws Are Silent on Policy Committee Voting Rights

Article VII, Section 1 (Policy Committee) contains no provision addressing whether ex-officio members may vote. This silence is significant when contrasted with Article VII, Section 3 (Issues Committee), which explicitly states: "Ex-Officio members are non-voting members of this committee." The Issues Committee's explicit restriction, combined with the Policy Committee's silence, demonstrates that when the Bylaws intend to restrict ex-officio voting on a standing committee, they do so expressly.

Robert's Rules Fills the Gap

When the Bylaws are silent on a procedural question, Article XIV provides the answer: "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the Committee and its standing committees, except as provided in these Bylaws or by law."

Robert's Rules 49:8 addresses ex-officio members who are elected officers: "In the executive board of a society, if the ex-officio member of the board is under the authority of the society (that is, if he is a member, an employee, or an elected or appointed officer of the society), there is no distinction between him and the other board members." Robert's Rules 50:16 confirms that "The rules affecting ex-officio members of committees are the same as those applying to ex-officio members of boards."

The Co-Chair is an elected officer of the Michigan Republican Party - clearly "under the authority of the society." Therefore, under Robert's Rules 49:8, "there is no distinction" between the Co-Chair and regular Policy Committee members, which means the Co-Chair has full voting rights.

Conclusion

The logical chain is clear: (1) Article III, Section B's non-voting restriction applies only to "the Committee" (the State Committee main body), not to standing committees; (2) the Co-Chair is an ex-officio member of the Policy Committee; (3) the Bylaws contain no provision restricting ex-officio voting on the Policy Committee; (4) Article XIV makes Robert's Rules the governing authority for procedural matters not addressed in the Bylaws; and (5) Robert's Rules 49:8 grants full voting rights to ex-officio members who are elected officers.

The Co-Chair has the right to vote on the Policy Committee.