Rules and Procedures

Boys State Party Conventions

During the party convention time, a slate of candidates must be established as well as the party's leadership, platform and rally. To complete the slate of candidates, at a minimum, one ballot is required. As you will see, the conventions and debate have severe time constraints and necessitate the following rules and procedures to meet such demands.

Qualifying as Candidates for State Executive Branch

Each Boys State citizen may only run for his party’s nomination for one of the following offices: Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture. (Remember: a Boys State citizen may seek the office of Attorney General only if he has successfully passed the Bar Exam.)

All Boys State citizens seeking a statewide executive office must qualify by using the State Candidate Petition. Copies of the State Candidate Petitions are in the back of this manual. Boys Staters interested in running for Supreme Court, Party Chairman, Party Whip, Senate, House of Representatives, the Forum or Assembly do not have to use the State Candidate Petition.

To qualify to run as a party's nominee for a state executive office, the candidate must complete the State Candidate Petition for his party. Each petition must contain the following:

  1. Thirty (30) citizens’ signatures from the appropriate party.
  2. Signatures of citizens from at least four counties.
  3. No more than eight signatures of citizens within the same county.
  4. A Counselor’s signature certifying the candidate.

No delegate may submit a petition for more than one office.

Image
Party Convention Procedures
1. The Party Counselor convenes the Party Convention and provides an explanation of political parties in general and the purpose of Boys State's political parties.

2. Nominate and select the Party Officials.

3. Establish the Party's Platform and Rally/Debate Committee. (NOTE: These committees should form and begin conducting business immediately after the Party Chair has established their membership.)

4. Nominate and select state officials to represent the party during Boys State's general election. Nominations will proceed with Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture. (NOTE: The final ballot for statewide offices may not occur during the first scheduled party meeting.)

5. Prepare the Party Rally and Debate. The Rally Committee is responsible for developing a program, 20 minutes in length, which will allow for the presentation of the party's candidates and platform. Additionally, they are responsible for assisting the gubernatorial candidates in preparation for the 30 minute debate.

 

6. Vote upon the party's platform. Once the party's platform is complete, the Party Chairman may entertain a motion from the floor to adopt the work of the committee. Approval of the motion may be conducted by voice vote at the discretion of the Party Chairman.

7. Adjourn the party's convention.

Party Convention Rules
Rule 1
The Party Counselor has the authority to intervene in the activities of the convention at any time and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, the selection of the party's nominees. The Party Counselor shall be responsible for keeping conventions on schedule, and may adjust the rules as necessary. (Remember the Party Counselor's decisions are based on the good of Boys State as a whole.)
Rule 2
Each county will be considered a district for the purpose of caucusing and balloting. Delegates will be seated in their district (County seating formation) for the duration of the convention.
Rule 3
The County Party Chairmen or Clerk will be responsible for conducting the business of the convention in their county. These individuals will be known as District Chairs, and they alone will report the tabulation of ballots to the convention when called upon to do so.
Rule 4
Nominations of party leadership and nominees for state office shall be made through the District Chairs. Only the District Chairs may address the Presiding Officer at the Convention.
  1. The nominations for party leadership shall be made from the floor of the convention.
  2. The nominations for the cabinet level offices shall be made through the State Candidate Petition Process. NOTE: A delegate may not run for more than one office. (See Lieutenant Governor Selection eligibility for exceptions.)
  3. All State Candidate Petitions shall be submitted, through the District Chairs, to the Party Counselors when requested.
Rule 5
The Lieutenant Governor is chosen by the party’s gubernatorial nominee. He must be a member of the gubernatorial nominee’s party. The Lieutenant Governor selected will be shown on the ballot with the gubernatorial nominee as one choice for the voter. This selection is the only exception to the rule restricting a delegate from running for more than one statewide office. EXAMPLE: An unsuccessful candidate for his party’s nomination for a statewide office may be selected by the gubernatorial nominee to be his running mate for Lieutenant Governor.
Rule 6
Each District may only nominate one nominee for Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture. A delegate may have his name placed in nomination by another District; however, that District is subject to the appropriate nomination limit.
Rule 7
Each District shall cast and submit their vote count. Every individual in the District may cast one vote for Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture. Individuals are not required to vote during their District balloting process.
Rule 8
Any candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast by the convention on any ballot shall be declared the party's nominee for that post.
Rule 9
 In the case of a tie, a runoff election may be held, if time does not permit a coin flip shall determine the winner.
Rule 10
The State Party Chairman will conduct and be fully in charge of all state party activities with guidance of the Party Counselor.
  1. Any disputes that arise out of party business shall be resolved by the State Party Chairman.
  2. The State Party Chairman shall appoint: a secretary, a parliamentarian, at least two sergeants-at-arms and a timekeeper.
  3. The State Party Chairman shall appoint at least one delegate from each district to the party's platform and rally committees respectively. (Note: all delegates receiving appointments by the State Party Chairman remain eligible for nomination for all state offices.)
  4. The State Party Chairman may hold city or county office, but no other office.
  5. If a State Party Chairman cannot conduct the Party's business in an orderly fashion, the Party Counselor will appoint or conduct a special ballot to select a new State Party Chairman.
.
Rule 11
In the extraordinary event that time prevents the completion of the party's business, the Party Counselor, in consultation with the State Party Chairman, will determine the remainder of the party's nominees.