§ 3-5-21 — Party conventions to nominate of presidential electors; candidates; organization; duties

Presidential electors shall be nominated by each political party in a manner governed and prescribed by the rules of that state executive committee and not inconsistent with the rules of that national political party. If party rules do not provide procedures to nominate presidential electors, then candidates for presidential electors shall be nominated by the delegated representatives of the political party assembled in a state convention to be held during the months of June, July, or August next preceding any general election at which presidential electors are to be elected. The state executive committee of the political party, by resolution, shall designate the place and fix the date of the convention, shall prescribe the number of delegates thereto, and shall apportion the delegates among the several counties of the state in proportion to the vote cast in the state for the party's candidate for Governor at the last preceding general election at which a Governor was elected. The state executive committee shall also ascertain and designate all offices for which candidates are to be nominated at the convention.

At least 60 days prior to the date fixed for holding any state convention, the chairman of the party's state executive committee shall cause to be delivered to the party's county executive committee in each county of the state a copy of the resolutions fixing the time and place for holding the state convention and prescribing the number of delegates from each county to the convention. Within 10 days after receipt of the copy of the resolutions, the party executive committee of each county shall meet and, by resolution, shall apportion the delegates to the state convention among the several magisterial districts of the county, on a basis of the vote received in the county by the candidate of the party for Governor at the last preceding general election at which a Governor was elected, but in such apportionment of county delegates each magisterial district shall be entitled to at least one delegate to the state convention. The party's county executive committee shall call a meeting of the members of the political party in mass convention in the county, which meeting shall be held at least 30 days prior to the date fixed for the state convention and at which meeting the members of the political party in each magisterial district shall elect the number of delegates to which the district is entitled in the state convention.

The meeting place in the county shall be as central and convenient as can reasonably be selected, and all recognized members of the political party shall be entitled to participate in any mass convention and in the selection of delegates. Notice of the time and place of holding the county mass convention and of the person who shall act as temporary chairman thereof shall be given by publication as a Class II-0 legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for the publication shall be the county. The first publication shall be made not more than 15 days and the second publication shall be made not less than five days prior to the date fixed for holding the convention. The notice published shall specify the number of delegates which each magisterial district in the county is entitled to elect to the state convention.

Upon assembling, the mass convention of the county, shall choose a chairman and a secretary, who, within five days after the holding of the convention, shall certify to the chairman of the state executive committee of the political party and the chairman of the county committee of the political party, the names and addresses of the parties selected as delegates to the state convention.

If, after the election, a vacancy exists for a delegate from any magisterial district, the party's county executive committee, within 10 days after the mass convention, shall appoint a member of the political party in the magisterial district to fill the vacancy, and shall certify the appointment to the chairman of the state executive committee of the political party.

All contests over the selection of delegates to conventions shall be heard and determined by the party executive committee of the county from which the delegates are chosen, and the county executive committee shall, upon written petition of any contest, meet for a hearing and make a determination within 10 days after the holding of a county mass convention. The circuit court of the county and the Supreme Court of Appeals of the state shall have concurrent original jurisdiction to review, by mandamus or other proper proceeding, the decision of a county executive committee in any contest.

The delegates chosen and certified by and from the several magisterial districts in the state and, in the event of any contest, those prevailing in the contest, shall make up the state convention. The number present of those entitled to participate in any convention shall cast the entire vote to which the county is entitled in the convention, and it shall require a majority vote to nominate any candidate for office.

All nominations made at state conventions shall be certified within 15 days thereafter, by the chairman and the secretary of the convention, to the Secretary of State, who shall certify them to the clerk of the circuit court of each county concerned, and the names of the persons so nominated shall be printed upon the regular ballot to be voted at the ensuing general election, except that the names of the presidential elector candidates shall not be printed thereon.

The delegates to any state convention may formulate and promulgate the party platform or declaration of party principles as to them shall seem advisable.

Legislative History

2011 Reg. Sess., SB613; 2003 Reg. Sess., HB3070; 1984 Reg. Sess., SB634; 1980 Reg. Sess., HB960; 1967 Reg. Sess., SB270; 1963 Reg. Sess., SB2; 1961 Reg. Sess., SB94; 1941 Reg. Sess., HB207