Republican Central Committee Meeting
Saturday, I attended the central committee meeting of the Republican party of Snohomish County of the state of Washington, as a duly elected member.
First, the outgoing county party chair gave a speech in which she talked about all the accomplishments of the county party, including getting a lot of local Republicans elected, winning the county for former-and-perhaps-future-governor-elect Dino Rossi, and upgrading the county offices from one computer to five, "all connected to a server, with security."
Then I was sworn in, along with the other Precinct Committee Officers, by chair of the county council, John Koster, and got a certificate signed by Sideshow Bob and everything. We raised our right hand and asked if we swear to faithfully execute our duties and to uphold the laws and bylaws, so help us God, and we said "I do." I wonder if "we do" would have been more appropriate, as we said it in unison.
We then heard the credentials (attendance) report. My district had 15 of 22 eligible PCOs attend (though probably 80 or even 100 PCO offices are available).
Now, a PCO is the smallest official unit of the state party. The PCOs elect the county officers, and the representatives to the state party (the committeeman and committeewoman), as well as their district officers (each district elects a Senate and two Reps to the state legislature; our district is one of the few in the Western part of the state that is represented by three Republicans).
We elected the new county chair, who is, this time, male. So therefore the vice chair must be female, and we then elected her. We then elected a commiteewoman and committeeman. As each was running unopposed (the committeeman was to have an opponent, but that didn't happen), the election was quick.
We also held an election between the committeeman and committeewoman to see which would serve on the state party's executive board, which -- among other things -- chooses the state party chair (currently Chris Vance, who has been in the news a lot lately). The committeewoman won.
We then adjourned to our district meetings, and elected a chair for each. Our district's candidate for chair was also running unopposed, and as the previous chair was not in attendance, the newly elected county chair (who is in our district) served as temporary chair, until the candidate was elected.
Then we all went home to watch the Seahawks lose.
First, the outgoing county party chair gave a speech in which she talked about all the accomplishments of the county party, including getting a lot of local Republicans elected, winning the county for former-and-perhaps-future-governor-elect Dino Rossi, and upgrading the county offices from one computer to five, "all connected to a server, with security."
Then I was sworn in, along with the other Precinct Committee Officers, by chair of the county council, John Koster, and got a certificate signed by Sideshow Bob and everything. We raised our right hand and asked if we swear to faithfully execute our duties and to uphold the laws and bylaws, so help us God, and we said "I do." I wonder if "we do" would have been more appropriate, as we said it in unison.
We then heard the credentials (attendance) report. My district had 15 of 22 eligible PCOs attend (though probably 80 or even 100 PCO offices are available).
Now, a PCO is the smallest official unit of the state party. The PCOs elect the county officers, and the representatives to the state party (the committeeman and committeewoman), as well as their district officers (each district elects a Senate and two Reps to the state legislature; our district is one of the few in the Western part of the state that is represented by three Republicans).
We elected the new county chair, who is, this time, male. So therefore the vice chair must be female, and we then elected her. We then elected a commiteewoman and committeeman. As each was running unopposed (the committeeman was to have an opponent, but that didn't happen), the election was quick.
We also held an election between the committeeman and committeewoman to see which would serve on the state party's executive board, which -- among other things -- chooses the state party chair (currently Chris Vance, who has been in the news a lot lately). The committeewoman won.
We then adjourned to our district meetings, and elected a chair for each. Our district's candidate for chair was also running unopposed, and as the previous chair was not in attendance, the newly elected county chair (who is in our district) served as temporary chair, until the candidate was elected.
Then we all went home to watch the Seahawks lose.
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
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