RNC delegate guidelines from Texas, 2016

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2016 Republican National Convention

Date July 18-21, 2016 Location Cleveland, Ohio

Candidates President Donald Trump Vice President Mike Pence

Delegates

Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • Delegate rules by state • State election law and delegates • Correll v. Herring • Delegates by state

Convention 2016 Convention Rules • Rule 12 • Rule 16 • Rule 40 • Conscience clause • Brokered conventions • RNC Rules Committee • Platform and Platform Committee • RNC Standing Committee on Rules • Republican National Committee

Previous party rules 2012 • 2000 • 1996

Ballotpedia's presidential election coverage 2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016

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This page provides known guidelines for Republican delegates representing Texas at the 2016 Republican National Convention, as compiled from the "General Rules for All Conventions and Meetings" and "Texas Delegate Selection Process to Republican National Convention." The full text of relevant regulations is reproduced below.

HIGHLIGHTS

Texas sent 155 delegates to the Republican National Convention in 2016: three automatic delegates from the Republican National Committee, 108 congressional district delegates, and 44 at-large delegates.

At the national convention, all delegates from Texas were bound on the first ballot unless their candidate withdrew from the race or otherwise released the delegates. A delegate was to remain bound on the second ballot if his or her candidate received at least 20 percent of the total vote on the first ballot. On the third and subsequent ballots, all delegates were to become unbound.

In 2016, Republican primary voters in Texas were able to select "Uncommitted" as an alternative to a named presidential candidate. If "Uncommitted" had been one of the top vote-getters in any district, then unbound delegates from Texas could have been allocated and sent to the national convention.

General Rules for All Conventions and Meetings

The text below has been reproduced verbatim from: General Rules for All Conventions and Meetings

General Rules for State Conventions

Rule No. 38 — National Convention Delegates and Alternates

Section I. Presidential Primary, Application of Rule

a. Presidential Primary: A Presidential Primary election shall be conducted by the Republican Party in the year 1980 and every fourth year thereafter in conjunction with the Party's General Primary Election for the purpose of permitting the qualified voters of Texas to express their respective preferences as to the nominee of the Republican Party to the office of President of the United States.

b. Application of Rule: Such Presidential Primary shall be held, and the delegates and alternates to the National Convention for that year shall be selected and elected, in the manner and at the times set forth in this Rule.

Section 2. Method of Qualifying as Presidential Candidate

a. Filing: Any person eligible to hold the office of President of the United States may qualify to participate as a Presidential candidate in the presidential primary by filing with the State Chairman, not later than the date and time specified for the General Primary Election ballot filing deadline in Section 172.023(a), TEC , a signed and acknowledged application for his or her name to be placed on the Presidential Primary ballot, accompanied by a supporting petition signed by a minimum of 300 registered voters of the state from each of a minimum of fifteen (15) Congressional Districts, or the payment of a filing fee of $5,000.

b. Signing Petition: A voter may sign only one (1) petition supporting one (1) candidate for President and may sign that petition only one (1) time. The name of any voter violating this provision shall be stricken from all petitions signed by that voter and shall not be counted for any purpose.

c. Form of Petition: The SREC shall prescribe the Ruin of all applications and petitions which are to be filed pursuant to this section and may by resolution provide for a method of verification of the petitions required here.

d. Withdrawal or Death of Candidate: A Presidential candidate may withdraw from participation in the Presidential Primary at any time by filing with the Secretary of the SREC a signed and acknowledged request to that effect. If a Presidential candidate dies or withdraws before the seventy-ninth (79th) day prior to Election Day, the name of the candidate shall not appear on the ballot. If a candidate dies or withdraws during the seventy-nine (79) days before Primary Election Day, the votes cast for that candidate shall be counted and the delegate and alternates, if any, allocable to that candidate under this Rule shall be elected by the appropriate Congressional District Caucus from any qualified persons and they shall be uncommitted delegates and alternates.

e. Replacement of Delegates of Withdrawn or Deceased Candidate: If a Presidential candidate withdraws or dies during the time between Primary Election Day and the convening of the State Convention, then any delegates and alternates to which such Presidential candidate would otherwise be entitled under this Rule shall lapse and the appropriate Congressional District Caucuses at the State Convention shall elect qualified delegates and alternates as uncommitted delegates and alternates in replacement of the delegates and alternates of such withdrawn or deceased candidate. For the purpose of this section, withdrawal shall be accomplished only by the candidate filing a signed and acknowledged request to that effect with the Secretary of the SREC.

Challenge to Petition: In the event of a challenge to a petition, the State Chairman shall follow the procedure for verification of signatures by means of statistical sampling as provided in Section 141.069 of the TEC.

Section 3. The Presidential Primary Ballot

a. Listing on Ballot: The names of the qualifying Presidential candidates shall be printed on the ballot as a separate race (and as the first race if not prohibited by law) on the Party's Official Ballot for the General Primary. The names of the candidates shall be listed in a vertical column under the heading "Preference for Presidential Nominee." The order of appearance on the ballot in each county shall be determined by lot in each county at a meeting of the County Executive Committee in accordance with Section 172.082, TEC.

b. Uncommitted: In addition to the ballot listing of the names of the qualifying Presidential candidates, there shall appear at the bottom of such listing of candidates on said ballot a place designated "Uncommitted" in accordance with Section 4 of this Rule.

c. Adjustment of Ballot for Various Methods of Voting: Appropriate changes shall be made in ballots for voting machines and electronic voting systems; consistent with the method of voting used.

d. Style of Names: The type for all names of qualifying Presidential candidates shall be uniform and of the same size and the SREC shall prescribe a sample ballot and the State Chairman shall furnish a copy of the sample ballot to each County Chairman at the time prescribed by the TEC for certifying the names to appear on the ballot.

e. Write-in Prohibited: Write-in voting for presidential candidates shall not be permitted, and any write-in votes shall not be counted for any purpose.

Section 4. Uncommitted Delegates and Alternates In addition to the foregoing, uncommitted delegates and alternates may be elected as follows:

a. District Delegates: In those Congressional Districts entitled to uncommitted delegates and alternates under this Rule, the Congressional District Caucus convened at the State Convention shall elect and submit to the Convention for confirmation, in like manner with other delegates and alternates, the name(s) and appropriate number of qualified voters who reside in the district and who voted in the Republican Presidential Primary and who sign a pledge declaring themselves uncommitted at the time of their election as uncommitted district delegates and alternates to the National Convention, and such persons shall be confirmed by the Convention as uncommitted district delegates and alternates.

b. Delegate Entitlement: For the purpose of determining entitlements under Sections 8 and 9 of this Rule, votes cast for "Uncommitted" on the ballot shall be considered as having been voted for a separate candidate.

c. At-Large Delegates: In the event a canvass of the Republican Presidential Primary vote on a state-wide basis demonstrates that the voters are entitled to one or more uncommitted delegates and alternates at-large under this Rule, the National Nominations Committee, as provided for under Rule No. 34A, shall nominate and include in its report to the Convention under Section 7, Subsection c, the appropriate number of qualified voters of the State who voted in the Republican Presidential Primary and who sign a pledge declaring themselves uncommitted at the time of their election, as at-large and uncommitted delegates and alternates to the National Convention.

Section 5. Canvass of Returns

For the purpose of selecting district delegates and alternates, the returns of votes cast for Presidential candidates in the Republican Presidential Primary shall be canvassed by the SREC at the same time as the returns for other offices and shall be canvassed and recorded by Congressional District. For the purpose of selecting at-large delegates and alternates, the returns shall be canvassed and counted on a statewide basis.

Section 6. Election of District Delegates and Alternates at State Convention

a. Number of District Delegates and Alternates: Three (3) district delegates from each Congressional District and three (3) alternates shall be elected at the State Convention required by Section 174.092, TEC, in accordance with this section and the entitlements set forth in Sections 8 and 9 hereof.

b. At the State Convention, each Congressional District shall meet and shall elect those district delegates and alternates to which a candidate is entitled under Section 8. Elections for a candidate's committed delegates and alternates shall be from person nominated from the floor at the said meeting, provided however, that said nominee agree to adhere to the pledge to the candidate required under Section 10 hereof. Nominations for uncommitted delegates, if there is such an entitlement, shall be provided under Section 4. Elections shall be by majority vote, one at a time, with all delegates being elected first and then all alternates. Those delegates and alternates elected by the Congressional District shall be submitted to the Convention, which shall confirm, and not amend, those district delegates and alternates who shall be the district delegates and alternates from Texas to the National Convention of the Republican Party, and shall be so certified in accordance with The Rules of the Republican Party.

Section 7. Election of At-Large Delegates and Alternates at State Convention

a. As provided for in Rule No. 34A, each Congressional District Caucus shall meet at the State Convention, and elect one (1) person to serve as a member of the National Nominations Committee from persons nominated from the floor at the said meeting. Election to this committee shall be by majority vote. In the same manner, each Congressional District Caucus may recommend the name of one (1) member for consideration by the National Nominations Committee as a National Convention delegate or alternate, but the National Nominations Committee is not required to accept such recommendation, in accordance with The Rules of the Republican Party.

b. At the State Convention, the National Nominations Committee shall meet to select nominees for all at-large delegates and alternate delegates, and consider the recommended names of members of the Congressional District Caucuses for possible selection as National Convention Delegates and Alternates. Those elected federal office holders who have access to the floor of the National Convention by virtue of their office shall be prohibited for selection as an at-large national delegate or alternate, by the National Nominations Committee.

c. Those at-large delegate and alternate nominees selected by the National Nominations committee shall be reported to the State Convention. This report shall not be amendable by the State Convention, but shall either be confirmed or rejected by the State Convention. If the report is rejected, it shall be immediately returned to the Committee for revision and then resubmitted to the State Convention, until the report is confirmed by the Convention. The at-large delegates and alternates shall also be bound by the pledge provisions of Section 10 of this Rule. At-large delegates and alternates nominated and elected from Texas in accordance with this Rule shall be certified as the delegates and alternates from Texas in accordance with The Rules of the Republican Party for the National Convention.

Section 8. District Delegate and Alternate Entitlements

For the purpose of determining the entitlement to district delegates and alternates by candidates, the provisions of this section shall apply as follows:

a. More than Fifty Percent (50%) of Vote Received by Candidate: A candidate receiving more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes in any Congressional District shall be entitled to three (3) delegates and alternates from that Congressional District.

b. No Candidate Receives Majority of Vote: If no candidate receives a majority of the votes in any Congressional District the plurality winner is entitled to two (2) delegates and alternates from that district and the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes receives one (1) delegate and alternate; provided, however, that if no candidate receives a majority vote in a Congressional District, and only one (1) candidate receives more than 20% of the Congressional District vote, such candidate shall be entitled to two (2) delegates and alternates. The remaining Congressional District delegate and alternate shall be awarded to the second (2") place candidate.

c. No Candidate Receives Twenty Percent (20%) of Vote: If no candidate receives more than twenty percent (20%), each of the three (3) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall receive one (1) delegate and alternate.

Section 9. At-Large Delegate and Alternate Entitlements

For the purpose of determining the entitlement to at-large delegates and alternates by candidates, the provisions of this section shall apply, as follows:

a. At-Large Delegates and Alternates Allocated by State Convention Caucus: The delegates elected to participate in the State Convention shall caucus by secret ballot and select a presidential candidate by plurality vote to receive the entitlement of a number of at-large delegates and alternates that will represent twenty-five percent (25%) (rounded down) of the total number of Texas delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention. The State Republican Executive Committee shall prescribe the process for each state convention delegate to cast their vote for their presidential preference by electronic or paper ballot. The National Nominations Committee shall canvass the vote and allocate the State Convention Caucus selection from among the at-large delegates prior to allocating the remaining at-large delegates as follows:

b. At-Large Delegates and Alternates Allocated by Presidential Primary:

1. More than Fifty Percent (50%) of Vote Received by Candidate: A candidate receiving more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast in the Presidential Primary canvassed on a statewide basis shall be entitled to all remaining at-large delegates and alternates allocated to Texas under The Rules of the Republican Party.

2. No Candidate Receives Majority of Vote: If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast statewide in the Presidential Primary, then the remaining at-large delegates and alternates shall be apportioned among the candidates receiving more than twenty percent (20%) of the statewide vote in the ratio which the number of votes received by each such candidate who received more than twenty percent (20%) of the statewide vote, bears to the total of all such candidates receiving more than twenty percent (20%) of the statewide vote, rounding fractional delegates and alternates upward to the next whole number beginning with the candidate receiving the largest number of votes. However, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast statewide in the Presidential Primary and only one candidate receives twenty percent (20%) or more of the statewide vote, then the remaining at-large delegates and alternates shall be apportioned between the candidate receiving more than twenty percent (20%) of the statewide vote and the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes, in the ratio which the number of votes received by each such candidate bears to the total votes for both such candidates, rounding fractional delegates and alternates upward to the next whole number beginning with the candidate receiving the largest number of votes.

3. No Candidate Receives Twenty Percent (20%) of Vote: If no candidate receives more than twenty percent (20%) of the votes cast statewide in the Presidential Primary, the remaining at-large delegates and alternates shall be apportioned among all candidates, beginning with the candidate receiving the highest number of votes and rounding fractional delegates and alternates upward to the next whole number, and then awarding delegates and alternates to the second highest candidate in the same manner, and so forth until the remaining at-large delegates and alternates to be apportioned have been fully awarded.

c. If, pursuant to Rules of the Republican Party Rule 17, either the chairman of the Republican National Committee or the Republican National Committee Standing Committee on Rules, determines that subsection (a) of this Section is

in violation of the Rules of the Republican Party, all At-Large Delegates and Alternates will be allocated in accordance with subsection (b) of this Section.

Section 10. Pledge of Delegates and Alternates.

a. Commitment to Candidate: By assenting to nomination on a Presidential candidate's slate, each delegate and alternate representing a Presidential candidate becomes pledged to the Presidential candidate on whose slate the delegate and alternate is nominated in accordance with Subsection b of this section.

b. Length of Commitment: A person who is elected as a delegate or alternate to the National Convention on the slate of a Presidential candidate by the State Convention to represent that particular Presidential candidate at the National Convention and who does not resign from the position is pledged to support that Presidential candidate at the National Convention until the candidate is nominated or until the delegate or alternate is released from the pledges as follows:

1. First Nomination Convention Ballot: A delegate or alternate shall be released from the pledge only in the event of death, withdrawal, or by decision of the candidate. For the first ballot taken at the National Convention to determine the nominee of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States, the totals of the votes of the members of the Texas delegation shall be announced as assigned in accordance with these Rules. No poll of the members of the delegation, except those delegates who are uncommitted, shall be taken for the announcement of the vote.

2. Second Nominating Convention Ballot: A delegate or alternate shall be released from the pledge if the candidate has failed to receive twenty percent (20%) or more of the total vote cast on the preceding ballot; or by the decision of the candidate;

3. Third and Subsequent Nominating Convention Ballots: All delegates and alternates are released from any pledge.

c. Uncommitted Delegates: Uncommitted delegates and alternates may vote as they choose on all questions and candidates presented at the National Convention.

Section 11. Delegate/Alternate Resignation

a. Written Notice: Any delegate or alternate may resign by giving written notice to the Delegation Chairman and the State Chairman at any time before the date of the National Convention.

b. Filling Vacancy: Should a vacancy occur in the at-large delegation after the date of the State Convention but prior to the convening of the National Convention, the Chairman of the National Nomination Committee of the State Convention shall fill such vacancy by appointing, in writing, any at-large alternate to fill any at-large delegate position. To fill the vacancy of an at-large alternate, the said Chairman may select any person eligible under this Rule to hold said position, inasmuch as possible under The Rules of the Republican Party. In the case of a vacancy in a district delegate position, the paired alternate shall be moved over, and the presidential candidate or his/her designated representative shall appoint a new alternate, with the condition that the person so appointed shall reside in the same Congressional District at the time of appointment as the Congressional District in which the vacancy occurred. In the case of a vacancy in a district alternate position, the presidential candidate or his/her designated representative shall appoint a new alternate, with the condition that the person so appointed shall reside in the same Congressional District at the time of appointment as the Congressional District in which the vacancy occurred. All appointments shall be made from those nominated at the convention, if possible. If no potential nominee exists, then the presidential candidate or his/her designated representative shall appoint as a new alternate anyone eligible under this Rule to hold said position, provided that said nominee(s) agree to adhere to pledge to the candidate required under Section 10 hereof.

Section 12. Delegate/Alternate Qualifications

Each nominee for delegate and alternate must have voted in the Republican Presidential Primary, and must be qualified to be a delegate or alternate under The Rules of the Republican Party.

See also

• Republican National Committee
• Republican National Convention rules, 2012
• Republican National Convention, 2016
• Types of delegates
• Presidential election in Texas, 2016