Registered Voter / Oath of Affiliation Elligibility Details from RPT -- VERY important read

County Chairs, please pass this email onto your temporary SD convention chairs.

There has been recurring questions regarding registered Texas voters who are new to your county and also state delegate nominees who miss the county convention and I thought it would be helpful to answer these questions to our entire group:

Regarding voters who are new to your county:  There has been some question about people who are qualified Texas voters but have moved to your county within the past 30 days and therefore are not qualified voters in your county.  As you know, in order to participate in the convention, you have to be a qualified voter of your county - a qualified voter is someone who has been registered to vote for at least 30 days.  In addition, anyone who is a resident of your county and able to vote a limited ballot is able to participate in your convention - this is a person who is NOT a qualified voter in your county, but is a qualified voter in another Texas County and has completed an application to register to vote in your county within the last 30 days, including the date of the convention is a person eligible to vote a limited ballot in your county.  Practically speaking, a person who comes to your convention with a valid voter registration card from another Texas County can complete a voter registration card for an address in your county and will be able to participate in your convention.

Please note that state law prohibits anyone other than a Deputy Voter Registrar from handling completed voter registration applications.  If someone shows up at your county convention to register to vote, only a deputy voter registrar may accept their completed application.

Regarding state delegates who miss the county convention: Some of you may have seen the email below from Governor Rick Perry that went out yesterday afternoon. We are very appreciative of the Governor's help in promoting our county and district conventions this weekend. However, we wanted to clarify that the email contains an inaccuracy about the RPT Convention process, and we wanted to bring this to your attention in case you received any questions. The item in question relates to how delegates and alternates are chosen this weekend. We visited with the Governor's staff and clarified that under RPT Rules, you do not have to attend this weekend's convention in order to be nominated and confirmed as a State Convention delegate or alternate. The Governor's staff is correcting the mistake before publicizing online any further. We just wanted to make you aware of this, in case you received any questions from your constituents.

Please note that on your delegate/alternate report you will flag these nominees as not having attended your county convention and we will get their oath of affiliation when they arrive at State Convention.

And, speaking of state convention, check out and "like us" on the RPT 2012 state convention Facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-2012-Republican-Party-of-Texas-State-Convention/204342813001984

Please let me know if I may be of further assistance as you prepare for tomorrow. Thanks again for all you are doing.

Beth Cubriel


From: Governor Rick Perry [mailto:campaign@rickperry.org]<mailto:[mailto:campaign@rickperry.org]>
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 5:01 PM
Subject: Shape Our State Republican Party Platform

[Texans for Rick Perry]<http://rmc.ms/click/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rickperry.org%2F%3Futm_source%3DRaconteurMail%26utm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_campaign%3DShapeOurStateRepublicanPartyPlatform&c=10591&m=58390256&u=0&t=CL&a=29395799%22>


Dear Republican,

Whether you're a longtime Republican grassroots activist, tea party patriot or TFRW volunteer, your work and energy are critical to the success of our party and to electing conservative candidates up and down the ballot.  To defeat socialism in Washington, DC, replace President Obama in the White House and keep our state and local governments strong, your efforts are critical.

The Texas Republican primary election is a little over a month away and thousands of us will gather in Fort Worth at the State Convention in June.  To become a State Convention Delegate or Alternate you must participate in either your County Convention or Senate District Convention this weekend.  To learn more about attending your convention this weekend, please visithttp://convention.texasgop.org/<http://rmc.ms/click/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fconvention.texasgop.org%2F%3Futm_source%3DRaconteurMail%26utm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_campaign%3DShapeOurStateRepublicanPartyPlatform&c=10591&m=58390256&u=1&t=CL&a=29395799%22>.  The Republican Party of Texas has put together an easy to use web page that will explain this process.  This is a great way to get involved at the local level, to become a Delegate to the State Convention, and to pass resolutions that you would like included in our State Party's Platform.

Speaking of resolutions, this week I announced my Texas Budget Compact, which I believe is critical to keeping our state budget balanced, keeping government growth and spending in check and keeping Texas jobs and economy growing.

The Texas Budget Compact includes truth-in-budgeting reforms to end payment deferrals and other budgetary shell games, a stricter spending cap and a renewed commitment to fund the priorities of our state without raising your taxes.  To learn more about the Texas Budget Compact, please click here http://www.rickperry.org/texas-budget-compact/learn-more<http://rmc.ms/click/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rickperry.org%2Ftexas-budget-compact%2Flearn-more%3Futm_source%3DRaconteurMail%26utm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_campaign%3DShapeOurStateRepublicanPartyPlatform&c=10591&m=58390256&u=2&t=CL&a=29395799%22>

If you agree with me on these fundamental issues, then I ask you to take the resolution below to your convention this weekend, get it adopted and send it to the State Convention.  It is important that Texans across the state stand with one voice to tell Austin that we want government to live within its means. This is a great way to effectively influence your State Party Platform and have your voice heard not only at the local level, but at the Texas Capitol as well. If you have questions, please go here:http://www.texasgop.org/resolutions<http://rmc.ms/click/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.texasgop.org%2Fresolutions%3Futm_source%3DRaconteurMail%26utm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_campaign%3DShapeOurStateRepublicanPartyPlatform&c=10591&m=58390256&u=3&t=CL&a=29395799%22>

Resolution language
TEXAS BUDGET COMPACT

Whereas Texas is a conservative state that taxes less per capita than almost every state in the nation;  and

Whereas the product of relative fiscal restraint has been a reasonably strong economy in Texas as compared with the rest of the nation; and

Whereas the future prosperity of Texas depends on not just continuing, but improving, the state's commitment to conservative budget principles; and

Whereas in recent years, while the national economy declined and revenues to government decreased, Texas budget-writers used a variety of accounting gimmicks to balance the buget; and

Whereas by delaying payments and spending dedicated funds on general government, lawmakers have pushed off certain financial obligations to the next budget period; and

Whereas the increasing cost of Medicaid will consume several billion dollars more of the current budget; and

Whereas until Washington acts to rein in the skyrocketing costs of Medicaid, Texas lawmakers will continue to be forced to make tough choices in order to balance the budget; and

Whereas Texans expect its government to live within its means just as they do in their businesses and homes; and

Whereas, Governor Rick Perry has proposed the Texas Budget Compact to control the cost of government;

Now therefore Be it resolved that we urge the Texas Legislature to follow the principles of that Compact such that they:
*         practice truth in budgeting;
*         support a Constitutional limit of spending to the growth of population and inflation;
*         oppose any new taxes or tax increases and make the small business tax exemption permanent;
*         preserve a strong Rainy Day Fund;
*         and cut the unnecessary and duplicative government programs and agencies.

Adopted this _____ day of ______, 2012, at the ________________________ Convention of the Republican Party of Texas.

As always, may God continue to bless you and the great State of Texas

[Governor Rick Perry]

Rick Perry

Political advertisement paid for by Texans for Rick Perry