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Hello,
We wanted to take a moment to update you on a unanimous recommendation today by the Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee regarding our upcoming 2020 Indiana Republican State Convention. As we face the global COVID-19 pandemic, our rules committee has recommended the passage of these rules to ensure the party can appropriately carry out our state convention in a way that is fair and safe for all.
Throughout this process, we have given our best effort to approach any discussion in a transparent and fair way, including drastically increased communication with and guidance from every member of our State Committee and proactive outreach to county party chairs, including district committee conference calls with Chairman Hupfer.
Throughout every discussion, we have maintained two goals:
- If at all possible, given the facts on the ground, the Indiana Republican Party’s first goal is to host an in-person state convention as planned on June 20th.
- If the situation on the ground does not allow for some form of in-person voting on June 20th, the Indiana Republican Party is committed to offering a voting option to ensure our state convention delegates are given the best opportunity possible to select our party’s nominees for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
In full transparency, we want to share with you three documents:
- April 1 State Committee Memo: This memo was given to the State Committee on April 1st as a discussion document to lead the conversation on each item that needs to be considered given our postponed election date, and any potential impact to our state and national conventions that could come from the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that all possible outcomes are included here to ensure members understood the full scope for discussion purposes.
- April 15 State Committee Memo: This memo outlines the facts on the ground at the time, lays out in detail how a vote-by-mail alternative could work if necessary, and details other changes that would need to be considered, regardless of whether an in-person or a mail option is to move forward. The outline of a potential vote-by-mail convention includes pursuing options for some sort of virtual convention option for convention formalities (such as candidate speeches); a description of how vote counting could work in a way which mimics classic “round” convention voting and ensures that a winner must receive 50%+1 of delegates voting; an unbiased, fair process with outside vendors handling ballots (creation, mailing, receiving and counting) throughout the process; and candidate watchers included in counting, as would be done with an in-person vote.
- April 17 Temporary Rules as Recommended by the Rules Committee: These rules allow for continuing a duel track format to ensure the appropriate call can be made at the right time, and that the appropriate structure is built to handle a convention in whatever format is necessitated at the time. It is also important to note that these temporary rules would expire on October 1, 2020.
Throughout this process there has been and will continue to be a lot of misinformation spread around the state. We, however, want to be sure that we at the Indiana Republican Party are as clear and transparent as possible. Please take this information, review it, and do not hesitate to reach out to us to ensure you understand what exactly is being proposed and offer your input.
It is absolutely critical to our process that our delegates are heard and allowed to be engaged, and we will do everything in our power to protect their right to select our party nominees for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
This recommendation will be reviewed once again by the State Committee, and ultimately be voted up or down at an Indiana Republican State Committee meeting on April 29, 2020. We look for your input prior to this meeting.
Thank you,
Kyle Hupfer, Chairman, Indiana Republican Party
Mindy Westrick Brown, State Secretary, Indiana Republican Party
Jamey Noel, Chairman, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Ethan Manning, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Sharon Negele, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Mitch Harper, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Judy Buck, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Kyle Walker, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Nate Harter, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
Lesa Dietrick, Member, Indiana Republican State Committee Rules Committee
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