GA GOP State Convention Update  May 5, 2011   You may have received an email from one of the Candidates for State Party Chairmen that could be confusing.  Most of you have attended Conventions and are very familiar with the process; however, for those that have not, we want you to understand the process completely.   The Party Chairman requested that each District Chairmen give a list to the State Party of individuals in their districts that they would like to serve on the various committees at the State Convention.  These lists have been received and every district is represented on every committee.  The Committee members have been placed on the various committees and they have been notified.  These committees will be presented to the Executive Committee at the Executive Committee meeting to be held on the morning of May 13th (this is tradition for many years).  Following the Executive and State Committee Meeting, the committees will convene at 12:30PM.   The Rules of the Convention govern the Convention Process.  These Rules will be approved by the Executive Committee, State Committee and the Convention Body.  Due to the request of the candidates for Chairman and First Vice Chairman, a secret ballot will be requested.  The secret ballot voting process will be fully documented with appropriate controls to assure delegates’ votes are secure and accurately counted.  A complete explanation of the voting process will be given to the Convention Body prior to any voting taking place.  The voting stations will be set up at the State Convention for all to see and adequate ballot boxes will be available.  There will be security at the voting location to ensure that there be no questions of impropriety.  Each campaign will appoint their own poll watchers for the count.   Voting machines were considered; however, should additional nominations come from the floor, it would be impossible to recalibrate the machines in a timely manner as well as testing that they would correctly tabulate the votes.   The question of Block Voting – This has never been thought of or heard of at any Georgia Republican Party Convention.  Block Voting is prohibited by rule 9.6 of the Georgia Republican Party.  Also, it is not the Republican way of doing things.  We believe that each person has a right to their vote without any interference or harassment from anyone.  All State Party Rules will be followed to the letter at our Convention.   I look forward to seeing each of you in Macon.