IDAHO, USA — This story originally appeared in The Idaho Press.
Important party decisions will be made late this week, as Idaho Republicans gather for the 2024 Idaho Republican Convention.
The convention is slated to begin Thursday in Coeur d’Alene and run through Saturday.
During the event, party delegates from around the state will propose rules, resolutions, platform planks, and vote on executive leadership. Also on the agenda are workshops on grass-roots activism, strategic metals, “the dangers of ranked choice voting” and various training sessions.
The party rules and policies aren’t law but can be a driving force in Idaho’s deep red political atmosphere and, to many lawmakers, serve as a touchstone. They also determine how Republican primaries are held and who may participate.
Here are key decisions that will be taking place over the next few days.
PLATFORM
The current Idaho GOP platform is 18 pages long and is an attestation to uphold certain values in a variety of arenas including education, agriculture, energy, the economy, family, law and order, and elections. Republican elected officials sign off on the plank, certifying that they agree with it, or in some cases they will point out the planks that they don’t agree with.
At the convention, delegates may propose language and planks or amend existing planks. At the 2022 convention, the platform was changed to clearly say that the state supports criminalizing all abortions with no exemptions, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.
At that convention, there was also language added saying that parents had a duty to raise their children, not the state, and that children’s gender assigned at birth is essential to their identity, among other changes.
The platform has been a central topic of discussions as there have been platform compliance hearings held by local central committees in which members may question or censure state lawmakers for voting in a way that the committee deems out of line with the platform.
RULES
As a private organization, the party may determine how it governs itself and runs its primaries or caucuses.
The controversial platform compliance hearings came as a result of a rule change at the 2023 winter meeting.
At the 2022 convention, there was a rule approved that created restrictions over who may vote in primaries, which included disqualifying voters who affiliated with the party less than 12 months before even-numbered primary elections.
Committees will begin reviewing proposed rules, resolutions and platform changes on Thursday morning. All delegates will vote on them Friday and Saturday.
Rules adopted by the delegates will need approval from the state central committee. Approved platform planks and resolutions will immediately go into effect.
LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
Two years ago, Dorothy Moon unseated Tom Luna for the chairperson position and all other incumbent leaders were defeated by their challengers.
This year, former senator Mary Souza has announced she will challenge Moon for the chairman position.
Souza cited growing extremism and division in the Idaho Republican party as the central reason she is running for chairperson.
Delegates will make their leadership choices Saturday.
Proposed resolutions, rules and planks are posted on the party’s website at idgop.org/2024-idaho-gop-convention.
Members of the media will not be allowed in rooms or areas where committee debates and votes are taking place.
The event, which is largely taking place at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and North Idaho College, kicks off with committee meetings at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, Thursday. The last general session on Saturday is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. until the convention adjourns.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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