Rules of the 2010 Nevada State Democratic Convention

By Nevada Democratic Party

June 26, 2010
As adopted unanimously by the Standing Convention Committee on Rules

A.    Allocation of Delegates

Each county shall be entitled to one (1) delegate for each 150 registered voters of that party, or major fraction of such number, residing in such county, but each county shall be entitled to at least one delegate.

B.    Delegate and Alternate Eligibility

All delegates and seated alternates to the state convention must be registered Democrats residing in the county which they are representing at the convention.

Alternates shall be seated as follows:
•    Delegates who have not preregistered for the convention shall have until 11:00 am on Saturday, June 26, to register. After 10 am the credentials committee shall begin seating alternates based on the estimated number of vacancies available for each county.  Any delegate who has not registered by 11:00 am on Saturday shall be considered to have vacated his/her position.

C.    Consent Agenda

There may be a consent agenda for this state convention. Items may be placed on the consent agenda by either the Chairman of the Nevada State Democratic Party or the standing committee on rules. All items on the consent agenda shall identify who placed the item on the consent agenda.

The consent agenda shall be raised after the appointment of permanent convention officers and shall be brought to a vote after the appointment of permanent officers. The consent agenda shall pass upon a majority voice vote of convention delegates. If the consent agenda fails to pass, each item on the consent agenda shall be voted on individually at a time to be determined by the permanent chair of the state convention. Such items shall pass by majority vote.

D.    Report of Credentials Committee

The Permanent Chair shall recognize the Chair of the credentials committee for its report on the attendance of delegates to the Convention.  

Fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the registered delegates shall constitute a quorum for the Convention.  Once a quorum has been certified, the business of the convention cannot be subject to the suggestion of a lack of quorum.  

E.    Platform

The platform [or each major section of the platform], as proposed by the standing platform committee, shall be voted upon by majority vote by convention delegates as a whole.

Any proposed amendments to the platform must be made to the platform committee before they may be brought to the floor. Any amendment rejected by the platform committee may only be brought to the floor for a vote, just prior to the vote on adopting the platform, with the signatures of 50 convention delegates in favor of the amendment. In case of a challenge to the signatures, the credentials committee shall verify the names.   

Such amendments shall be limited to ten (10) minutes of debate, with the chair of the convention allowed to extend that debate by another ten minutes at his/her discretion. Any time extensions beyond that shall be in ten (10) minute increments at the discretion of the convention body and shall require a 2/3 vote to continue debate.

F.    Election of At-Large Members to the Executive Board

All candidates for at-large executive board must be registered Democrats as of May 1, 2010 and reside in their county for at least 30 days. All candidates must file their intent to run as an at-large member of the executive board by 5 pm on Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

The Clark, Washoe and Regional caucuses shall meet during the convention to elect their at large members of the Executive Board (Executive Committee).  

In the case of a tie between two or more individuals a coin toss shall determine the winner.

Per the Charter at-large members to the executive board shall not exceed 14. The state convention as a whole shall elect 14 at-large executive board members of which eight (8) must be from Clark County, four (4) must be from Washoe County and two (2) must be from the remaining regional counties.

The election of at-large executive board members shall be by publicly verifiable paper ballots customized to the candidates in each of the three caucuses. All ballots are to be secured until voting.

A tellers committee shall be appointed by the chair of the convention to count ballots and shall ensure an accurate counting and reporting of results. Any candidate for at-large executive board shall be allowed to observe the counting process or have one (1) representative observe for them. The tellers committee shall make an initial count of the ballots. Results of this initial count shall be made official unless there is a discrepancy of 3% or less between two candidates in which case there shall be an automatic recount. The tellers committee may opt for a second count at their discretion if they feel it is in the best interest of the integrity of the results.

All ballots shall be stored and made available for inspection by delegates and seated alternates or their authorized representatives upon request.

G.    Amendments to the By-Laws and/or Charter of the Nevada State Democratic Party

There shall be no amendments to the By-Laws or the Charter of the Nevada State Democratic Party at the State Convention.

H.    Election of Members to the State Central Committee

All current members of the State Central Committee shall be given an opportunity to state their intention to serve another term as a committee member. The members of the State Central Committee shall be elected during county caucuses, during the convention.  Members to the state central committee shall be elected as a nominated group by a majority vote at the caucuses.  A person does not need to be present at the convention to be elected.  

I.    Parliamentary Authority

The 2010 Democratic State Convention shall be governed in the following order of authority: these convention rules, the Charter and Bylaws of the Democratic National Committee, the Delegate Selection Rules for Nevada, the Nevada State Democratic Party Charter, the Nevada State Democratic Party By-Laws and Robert’s Rules of Order (most recently revised).

The parliamentarian of the state convention, appointed by the Chairman of the State Party, shall be the arbiter of any parliamentary questions or interpretations.


J.    Permanent Officers

The Chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party shall appoint three (3) permanent officers for the convention. Such officers shall be a permanent chair, a permanent secretary and a parliamentarian. These officers appointed by the Chair shall be ratified by the convention body as a whole. Additionally, the Chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party may appoint additional officers to assist these permanent officers with their duties at his discretion.

The Permanent Chair, once confirmed by the convention, shall be responsible for presiding over the state convention until adjournment and will be the presiding officer. The Permanent Chair shall have all powers included in this document as well as the powers and duties found in section K under parliamentary authority. In particular, the Permanent Chair may recognize speakers and motions as consistent with parliamentary authority at his discretion and may limit debate to a certain number of speakers on either side of an issue as well as the time for each speaker.

The Permanent Secretary shall be responsible for taking the minutes of the State Convention and shall assist the Permanent Chair with his or her duties as requested.

The Parliamentarian shall be the arbiter of any parliamentary questions or interpretations.

K.    Etiquette and Civility

All delegates and guests are entitled to attend and participate in the convention free of harassment or intimidation.  Anyone harassing or attempting to intimidate any delegate or guest to the convention shall be ejected from the convention immediately and shall forfeit any fees paid for the convention or other convention activities.
Any intentional disruption of any convention activities may result in immediate ejection from the convention, including the forfeiture of any fees paid for the convention or other convention activities.
Guests invited to speak to the convention shall not have their remarks or presentations interrupted or interfered with in any manner, including auditory or visual distractions from the floor. Violation of this rule may result in immediate ejection from the convention, including the forfeiture of any fees paid for the convention or other convention activities.
Conversation on the floor should be kept to a minimum out of respect for guests, delegates and speakers. Those guests or delegates wishing to converse should exit the floor.
L.    General Provisions
All votes taken by the State Convention shall be by voice vote unless noted otherwise in these rules. If the presiding officer is unable to determine the outcome from a voice, vote a vote of standing division shall be taken. The presiding officer, at his or her sole discretion, may request a vote by ballot only when deemed absolutely necessary.
Unless otherwise directed by the presiding officer, debate shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) delegates for and against any particular motion. The time limit for each person shall be two (2) minutes. The presiding officer may extend this time or the number of speakers at his or her discretion.
At the discretion of the Convention Chair, the convention floor can be limited to delegates to prevent any confusion during voting.  
In the interest of conducting the important business before the convention and in respect of the time of those in attendance, no speakers may be added to the agenda following its adoption. Any motion to add a speaker will be deemed out of order.
M.    Restrictions on Potential Recesses of the State Convention
The Convention may not be adjourned with intent to reconvene at another place or time for any reason other than:
1.    Declaration of a State of Emergency by the Governor of the State of Nevada, the Clark County Sheriff, or another public official of relevant jurisdiction and authority, or;   
2.    By a vote of 80% of the credentialed delegates to the convention.
Should a motion to reconvene be passed by the Convention, said motion must restrict the location to Clark County, Nevada and must be completed no later than July 31, 2010.
Once passed, this provision is not subject to a subsequent suspension or amendment to the rules.
N.    Suspension of the Rules

These rules of the 2010 Democratic State Convention may only be suspended by a vote of three fourths (3/4) of all state convention delegates. These rules may only be suspended in the instance where an unforeseen circumstance in these rules has prohibited the convention from conducting its required business. Under no circumstances may these rules be suspended for taking any action contrary to expressed intent or will of these rules.

Either the parliamentarian or the permanent chair of the convention may rule any motion to suspend the rules out of order based on the above criterion.