SCC Member Handbook

Assembled by the Utah Republican Party

May 20, 2025

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State Governing Documents

Utah Election Code

The Utah Election Code is the compilation of state laws which govern Utah elections, voting systems, candidates, and political parties. See "Relationship with State Law”, also accessible online at Utah Code Title 20A.

Republican Party of Utah Platform

The Utah Republican Party maintains a platform of fundamental beliefs that help articulate its political philosophy. This platform is supplemented by resolutions from the State Central Committee (SCC) addressing current issues. The current platform is available at Governing Documents | The Utah Republican Party.

State Party Bylaws and Constitution

The Utah GOP’s Constitution and Bylaws are foundational documents governing the organization’s structure, operations, and procedures. They define roles, meeting and election rules, member rights, and amendment processes, promoting transparency, accountability, and unity in advancing Republican principles. As noted in the bylaws, wherever the State Party’s Constitution and/or Bylaws are silent, the party utilizes Robert’s Rules of Order. These documents are accessible at Governing Documents | The Utah Republican Party.

Introduction

The State Central Committee (SCC) is the principal governing and policymaking body of the Utah Republican Party. As outlined by the party’s governing documents and like any governing board, the SCC has an important role to oversee the party’s policies, priorities and elected leadership. The party’s elected leadership and staff, as applicable, run the day-to-day operations of the party. This handbook outlines the SCC’s powers, membership, meeting protocols, and operational guidelines to help ensure effective governance and alignment with the party’s mission to uphold conservative leadership and values in Utah.

Powers and Responsibilities of the SCC

The SCC serves as the chief governing body of the Utah Republican Party. Through its deliberations and decisions, it:

  • Sets strategic direction: The board helps define the party’s vision, priorities, and policy positions for the purpose of increasing the party’s influence and success in capturing partisan elected office.
  • Serves as spokesperson: Through its members and resolutions of the body, the SCC represents the core principles and values of the Utah Republican Party, thereby ensuring the party remains a beacon of conservative leadership.
  • Upholds and improves party rules: Ensures compliance with the party Constitution and Bylaws, including the compliance of its members and party members at large, and proposes improvements to those governing documents.
  • Provides oversight: Approves budgets, personnel appointments, and policy documents (per defined processes).
  • Manages resources: Supports fundraising efforts, volunteers its time and energy, and is fiduciary steward of the party’s assets.

As the party’s governing board, the SCC represents the interests of all members of the party, i.e., registered Republicans. Each member of the SCC has an obligation to faithfully stand for his or her constituency by whom he or she was elected. The SCC has a fiduciary duty of stewardship to preserve the long term health, sustainability, and influence of the Republican Party in Utah.

Membership

The SCC represents the breadth of experience and strength of the Utah Republican Party.

Voting Members

  • State Party Officers:
    • State Party Chair
    • State Party Vice-Chair
    • State Party Secretary
    • State Party Treasurer
  • National Representatives:
    • National Committeeman
    • National Committeewoman
  • County Leadership:
    • Chair and Vice-Chair of each of Utah’s 29 county Republican parties
  • County Representatives: Some counties, based on Relative Republican Strength, have additional SCC Members who are elected at county organizing conventions. These elected members are proportionally allocated according to a formula outlined in the bylaws.
  • Auxiliary Leadership: Presidents or Chairs of organizations designated as party auxiliaries by the SCC.
  • Elected Officials:
    • Republican Governor
    • Republican U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives
    • Republican State Attorney General
    • Republican State Treasurer
    • Republican State Auditor
    • Republican leaders of the Utah House and Senate

Proxy Representation

  • S. Senators and U.S. Representatives from the Republican Party may designate a voting representative to attend meetings in their absence, provided written notice is submitted to the state party Secretary prior to the meeting.
  • The Lieutenant Governor may attend and vote in the Governor’s absence.
  • No other proxy representation is allowed.

Meetings

Frequency and Scheduling

  • Regular Meetings: The SCC shall meet at least quarterly, providing opportunities for members to discuss critical matters, make decisions, and chart the party’s future.
    • Dates for the next three meetings are noticed on each SCC meeting agenda and on the party’s website.
  • Special Meetings: May be called by the State Party Chair or upon written request by 25 percent of voting SCC members to address urgent or time-sensitive issues.

Quorum Requirements

  • A quorum is defined as a majority of voting SCC members.
  • A quorum must be present (either in-person or electronically, where permitted) for official business to be conducted. This requirement ensures that decisions are representative and binding, reflecting the collective will of the party’s leadership.
  • If a quorum is not achieved, the meeting is informal and cannot take binding actions.

Notice of Meetings

  • Regular Meetings: The agenda must be postmarked or emailed to members at least 14 days prior to the meeting date, ensuring transparency and accountability. This means the Friday two weeks prior to the meeting. No business may be considered unless properly noticed on the agenda.
  • Special Meetings: The agenda must be postmarked or emailed at least seven days in advance.

Meeting Agenda

The State Party Chair proposes the agenda, which typically includes:

  • Opening prayer and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance
  • A brief reading of a Utah GOP platform plank (not to exceed two minutes)
  • Approval of the previous meeting minutes
  • Reports from officers, committees, and elected officials
  • Strategic updates and discussion
  • Business requiring prior notice (e.g., budgets, bylaw amendments, constitutional amendments)

Submitting Agenda Items:

  • SCC members must submit proposed items in writing to the State Party Secretary at least 28 days before the meeting ([email protected]). We typically request that these items are sent as a Google document with editing rights so that they can be properly formatted. If a title is not provided, the Secretary will craft one for the purpose of including the item on the agenda.
  • Committees and officers may submit materials no later than the Wednesday before the official notice is distributed.

Time Limit:

  • Meetings shall adjourn no later than four hours after adopting the agenda, unless extended by a majority vote of members present. Since some members may have a long drive home, we tend not to extend the meeting past the late afternoon or early evening at the latest.

Tips:

  • The party often provides lunch, through a sponsor, for SCC members at in person meetings. However, we recommend bringing snacks and water as this is not guaranteed.
  • The party is currently using a voting system that requires a smart phone for roll call votes. We recommend you bring your smart phone and a charging cord if necessary.
  • In some elections, we use paper ballots. We also recommend having a pen.
  • Sometimes, the meeting location may be too warm or too cold, with limited ability for the party to change the temperature. We recommend dressing in layers.
  • There is no dress code for SCC meetings, but most members are in smart casual.

Electronic Meetings

The SCC may conduct meetings with remote participation via secure Internet meeting services to ensure accessibility for all members.

Rules for Electronic Participation

  • Members must maintain active video and audio connections throughout the meeting. If a member has turned off their video, they must turn on their video to vote or speak.
  • Electronic credentialing begins sixty minutes prior to the meeting, requiring valid identification (e.g. driver’s license or party-issued ID), which will be presented using a camera on your device. You may have to wait to be let into the meeting if many members join at the same time; please be patient and have your ID ready.
  • Voting occurs via live video for transparency; secret ballots use anonymous electronic tools approved by the Secretary.
  • In order to comply with the bylaw requiring speakers for and against any agenda item, members online who wish to speak should raise their (emoji) hand and then put in the chat whether they are for or against the item and which item they want to speak to (e.g., a particular motion, an amendment etc.)
  • Members should ensure their display name on Zoom is their actual name, not “Mary’s iPhone” or “XYZ Business” so that we can correctly identify who is in the meeting.
  • A member may join the meeting on Zoom while on the way to the meeting, or having left the in-person meeting, if necessary.

Technical Issues

  • Members are responsible for their own internet and device functionality; poor connectivity does not invalidate meeting actions.
  • If the primary meeting site loses internet, in-person attendees may continue if a quorum remains present.

Restrictions

  • Non-SCC members are prohibited from accessing or participating in electronic meetings.
  • The party cannot accommodate Zoom participants when in Executive Session.

Voting and Accountability

  • Recorded Votes: A roll-call vote is only required upon request by 25 percent of members present or for amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws.
  • Unrecorded Votes: Other items that do not require a recorded vote are approved by the raising of credentials (in-person) or hands (on-video, not by emoji, online).
  • Unanimous Consent Votes: Recorded vote items may be passed via unanimous consent unless objected to by any member. Members who are not present are not recorded as having consented to the passage of the item.
  • Transparency: Roll-call votes are posted on the party website (utgop.org) within 14 days of the meeting.
  • Accuracy: In order to determine who participated in a consent vote, a member who leaves the physical meeting room (even to go to the bathroom or their car) will be “checked out” and hand over their credential. When they return, they will “check in” and receive their credential again. Members online who have their video off are counted as “checked out”. Members with their video on are counted as present in the room.

Committees

The SCC may establish standing and special committees to support its work, including:

  • Audit Committee: Oversees financial accountability and reports findings to the SCC
  • Budget Committee: Reviews and approves the annual operating budget for the party
  • Constitution and Bylaws Committee: Reviews and proposes updates to governing documents
  • Convention Committee: Plans and executes organizing and nominating conventions.
  • Executive Committee: Reviews and recommends the budget and auxiliary renewals to the full SCC. Handles items in between full SCC meetings

The State Party Chair appoints budget and Convention Committee members. Both of these must be made up by a majority of SCC members, are subject to SCC approval, and present reports at regular meetings.

Constitution and Bylaws, Audit, and Congressional District members of the Executive Committee are elected. The Executive Committee also has automatic members by virtue of their elected office, such as the Governor, Attorney General etc.

County Equivalent

Each county GOP tends to have a County Central Committee (CCC), which serves a similar function at the county level to the SCC at the state level.

Relationship to State Law

The party is a Qualified Political Party (QPP) under State Election Code.

  • Definition: A QPP is a registered political party that meets criteria outlined in Utah Code § 20A-8-101 and § 20A-9-101, ensuring it has sufficient support and organization to participate in elections. 

Privileges:

  • Ballot Access: QPPs can nominate candidates for primary and general elections, with their nominees automatically appearing on ballots. This includes access to the state’s primary election system, where Republican candidates are selected.
  • Convention and Primary Processes: QPPs can hold conventions (like the Utah GOP’s State Nominating Convention) to select candidates, though candidates can also qualify via signature gathering under SB54 (Utah Code § 20A-9-407 and § 20A-9-408). The Party organizes these conventions and sets internal rules, subject to state law. Candidates who file for office must file with the Lieutenant Governor (multi-county or statewide races) or the appropriate county clerk (single county races) as well as the party, and comply with timelines, rules and laws for both.
  • Party Autonomy: QPPs have authority to establish their own bylaws, constitutions, and procedures for internal governance (e.g., electing SCC members, party officers), as long as they comply with state election laws. If a party’s bylaws, constitution or procedures fail to comply with state election law, the party may lose its QPP status.

Obligations:

  • Compliance with State Law: The SCC must ensure party activities, such as candidate nominations and conventions, adhere to Utah’s election code. This includes filing deadlines, reporting requirements, and transparency in processes like delegate selection.
  • Financial Reporting: QPPs must submit financial disclosures to the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office, detailing contributions and expenditures (Utah Code § 20A-11-101 et seq.).

We encourage SCC members to familiarize themselves with Section 20A of Utah Code as it pertains to the state laws that apply to the party.

Relationship to Federal Law

The party also must comply with federal elections law and Federal Elections Commission (FEC) regulation.

Campaign Finance:

  • FECA: (52 U.S.C. § 30101 et seq.), enforced by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), regulates campaign contributions, expenditures, and reporting for federal elections (e.g., U.S. Senate, U.S. House). The Utah Republican Party must ensure that its activities supporting federal candidates (e.g., fundraising, advertising) comply with FEC rules, such as contribution limits (e.g., $3,300 per individual per election for candidates in 2025) and disclosure requirements. The party keeps under contract an accountant who supports compliance with quarterly FEC financial reporting.
  • Party Coordination: The SCC’s coordination with federal candidates or national party committees (e.g., Republican National Committee) must adhere to FEC’s rules on coordinated expenditures and independent expenditures. For example, the SCC may organize events or ads supporting federal candidates, but these must be reported to the FEC if they exceed thresholds.

Conclusion

The State Central Committee stands as the primary governing and oversight body of the Utah Republican Party, embodying the principles of republicanism, unity, and effective governance. Through its collective wisdom and dedication, the SCC advances the interests of Utah Republicans, ensuring that our party remains a beacon of conservative leadership and values. Members are entrusted with shaping the party’s future while upholding its commitment to individual liberty, limited government, and the well-being of Utahns. This handbook is intended to support, educate and assimilate newly elected SCC members to the functions and responsibilities of their roles.

For questions, suggestions, or additional resources, contact the Party Secretary at [email protected].