§443.2. State central committee of a recognized political party with thirty percent or less voter registration; election; composition and apportionment

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a state central committee of a recognized political party with which thirty percent or less of the registered voters in the state are affiliated on the day of the close of registration for the gubernatorial general election shall be established, composed, apportioned, and elected as follows:

(1) All members of any such state central committee shall meet the qualifications established by the rules and regulations of the state central committee of that recognized political party.

(2)(a)(i) A governor who is affiliated with any such recognized political party, or his designee, shall be a member of such state central committee, with all the rights and privileges of an elected member of such committee. Each member of the United States Congress from this state who is affiliated with any such recognized political party shall be a member of such state central committee, with all the rights and privileges of an elected member of such committee.

(ii) Except as otherwise provided in this Subparagraph, all members of any such state central committee shall be elected at the same time as the presidential preference primary election. The term of office shall not extend for a period beyond the time for which the member was elected. Notwithstanding this provision, members elected in 1992 shall serve until noon on the second Saturday following the statewide presidential general election in 1996. Members elected in 1996 shall serve from noon on the second Saturday following the statewide presidential general election in 1996 until noon on the second Saturday following the presidential preference primary in 2000, thereafter members shall serve a four-year term.

(b) Candidates for membership on any such state central committee shall qualify for office pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 of this Title.

(c) If the number of candidates who qualified for office exceeds the number of candidates to be elected for that office, the candidate who receives the greater number of votes cast shall be elected. If two or more offices of the same character are to be filled, each candidate who received the greater number of votes cast, as compared with the number of votes cast for each other candidate, is elected until all offices are filled. If two or more candidates receive the same number of votes, and as a result thereof, the number of candidates who would otherwise be elected exceed the number of remaining offices, the offices shall be filled by a public drawing of lots among such candidates conducted by the state central committee at its organizational meeting held pursuant to Paragraph (3) hereof.

(d) If, after the close of the qualifying period, the number of candidates for an office for membership on the committee does not exceed the number of persons to be elected to the office, the candidates for that office, or those remaining after the death or withdrawal of one or more candidates, are declared elected by the people, and their names shall not appear on the ballot.

(3) The members who serve pursuant to Item (2)(a)(i) of this Section and the newly elected members of any such state central committee shall meet at the state capitol, shall take office, and shall organize the committee at noon on the second Saturday following the election of the newly elected members. A majority of the total of the members who serve pursuant to Item (2)(a)(i) of this Section and the newly elected members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. No member shall exercise the proxy votes of more than three other members at any meeting. A member of such state central committee may be present in person or by proxy. Proxies may be exercised in compliance with rules and regulations adopted by the state central committee.

(4) At the first meeting of any such state central committee, the members of the committee shall elect the officers provided for by the rules and regulations of the committee.

(5) A state central committee may adopt rules and regulations for its government that are not inconsistent with the laws of this state, and it may create any committee it deems necessary. The members of such a state central committee who serve on the committee pursuant to Item (2)(a)(i) of this Section shall serve with all rights and privileges on any executive committee or other committee which may be created by such a state central committee the purpose of which is to be responsible for the operations of such recognized political party. Rules and regulations establishing or changing the qualifications for membership on the state central committee or parish executive committees of such recognized political party shall be filed with the secretary of state within ten days after adoption and shall be published by such state central committee in the Louisiana Register.

(6) A vacancy occurs in the membership of any such state central committee when an elected member dies or no longer meets the qualifications for membership on the state central committee, or no one qualifies and is elected to succeed a member whose four-year term has expired. Any such vacancy in the membership of a state central committee shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by a member appointed by the state central committee.

(7) A state central committee shall adopt a plan to provide for the number of members of such committee and the apportionment thereof, and such plan shall be effective if the committee files a copy of the plan with the secretary of state not later than the ninetieth day prior to the opening of qualifying for the election of the members of such state central committee. If a state central committee does not adopt and file a plan as provided herein, the membership of such state central committee shall be composed of one hundred forty-four members with one member elected from each of the districts from which members of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Legislature are elected.

Acts 1987, No. 119, §1, eff. June 18, 1987; Acts 1990, No. 107, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, No. 201, §4, eff. Nov. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 300, §1, eff. June 15, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 469, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1181, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2003, No. 910, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2008, No. 136, §1, eff. June 6, 2008.