I received this article from a local Republican activist who, obviously, isn’t satisfied with the way Fourth District Committee Delegates and Alternates are selected. As a committeeman myself, I have to say I agree. Last month the county party met to elect new officials: chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer. There was one slate of candidates, and any idea of presenting alternative candidates was strongly discouraged.
When I saw on the agenda that delegates would be elected, I passed a note to a friend of mine and asked if he would submit my name in nomination for delegate. Then I realized that the slate of delegates and alternates was pre-selected. The election was pro forma.
I agree with this writer that delegates and county party officers should be selected from the ranks of elected committeeman and committeewomen.
Who runs the Republican Party in Sedgwick County? On the surface a novice would say that the voters elect precinct committeemen and committeewomen. Then it would make sense that they get together and elect their executive committee from those who were elected by the voters … right? Okay, then they would also elect the Fourth District Committee Delegates and Alternates to represent the Republican voters at the state level from those elected by the voters. Keep in mind that we elect over 300 committee representatives every two years so there is definitely a large group to chose from.
SO … I ask why is it that of the current Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, only the Chair is an elected Precinct Committeeman?
ALSO … Why is it that out of 40 Delegates, 17 are not 2008 Precinct committee elected?
PLUS … Of the 40 Alternates, 16 are not 2008 Precinct committee elected?
AND … Why were people who are duly elected precinct committee people that have been delegates in the past taken off?
OH YEA … it is because a few people in a back room somewhere created a slate based on some God only knows criteria and presented it to the Precinct Committeemen and women as a SLATE to vote on.
So much for democracy and so much for running for office. Obviously the Republican positions of power are based on who you know and not on who the voters elected.