The Fayette County

Republican Convention attracted a lighter than

normal turnout this year.

Conventions are

conducted during odd-numbered and presidential

election years. The main purpose of this year's

local convention was to select a slate of

delegates for the upcoming 3rd Congressional

District Convention April 15 in Columbus, Ga. and

the State Republican Convention May 19 and 20 in

Savannah.

Forty-three

delegates and five alternates were nominated to

represent Fayette County at the district

convention. Forty-three delegates and 29

alternates were selected to attend the State

Republican Convention. A designated number of

delegates and alternates are allotted to counties

based upon the number of votes cast for the

Republican candidate for president in the 1998

General Election.

The ultimate

purpose of the tiered convention process is to

select delegates for the National Republican

Convention in July, where the presidential

candidate for the party will be chosen.

Additionally, the process allows counties to

provide input to the final Republican Party

platform.

Platform and

resolution statements are passed at the district

convention that define the beliefs of the party.

These are passed to the state level where they

are considered by delegates at the State

Convention. At the State Convention, the state

platform and resolutions are adopted. The

resolutions and the state platform are forwarded

to the National Convention for consideration.

During county

conventions the local Republican Party also

honors the Republican of the Year, passes

resolutions, elects party officers and makes

changes to Fayette County Republican Party Rules

if needed. This year, Mike Amos was selected as

the Republican of the Year. Amos, along with

Danny Harrison, Peter Pfeifer and Lisa Brown,

also was honored as a Republican of the Quarter

in 1999. Party officers, who serve a two-year

term, were elected during the 1999 convention.

Four minor changes

were made to the party rules that brought them

into alignment with the state party rules.

Three resolutions

were passed at the local Fayette County

convention. A resolution commending Eric Dial,

Fayette County Republican chairman, for his

service to the local party was unanimously

passed. Resolutions to support the 1996

Republican Platform through the July National

Convention and to provide a unified commitment to

electing a Republican president also passed

unanimously.

The Fayette County

Republican Party meets first Saturdays for

breakfast at Baci Italian Restaurant at 9 a.m.

The meetings are open to all. For information

phone David Studdard at 770-461-7013, e-mail

[email protected] or visit www.fayettecountygop.org .

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