Rival factions battle for control of N.H. Young Republicans group
Rival groups fighting for control of the New Hampshire Young Republicans Federation have scheduled competing meetings in July to pick up the pieces left by the failed effort to elect new officers in April.
Yesterday, the outgoing chair of the group announced the organization’s executive board has called a meeting for July 18. “This meeting will be a continuance of the meeting of April 18, 2015,” the announcement read, “which the NHYR chairman adjourned because of uncertainty regarding the eligibility of those persons in attendance to vote or otherwise conduct the business of the NHYR.”
That “uncertainty” was caused by an influx of new member applications, received either just before or just after the deadline, that would have more than doubled the group’s membership. In the announcement, the NHYRF board said they are extending the deadline for joining the group as a voting member to July 1.
Not so fast, responded Bob Burns, Northeastern Regional Director for the national organization that charters the state chapter. Burns posted a public message on Facebook telling members, “If you received an email telling you that the New Hampshire young Republicans are having an election July 18 this email was false.”
“Bob Burns and I are in disagreement about how to move forward with the election for the next executive board of the NH Young Republicans,” explained outgoing NHYRF chair Molly Sanborn.
“After a number of delays in the process,” she continued, “I have decided as the current Chair of the organization to move forward with a meeting on July 18th for this purpose. Any other meeting attempting to hold these elections is not sanctioned by the NH Young Republicans.”
Details on the “other meeting” she referenced were provided by former GOP gubernatorial candidate Andrew Hemingway.
“The NH Young Republicans lost their charter and as of today are not a legitimate organization. This is unfortunate,” he wrote. “Let’s fix it…join us on July 11th as we recharter and recharge this organization into one that wins elections by reaching the next generation of voters with a positive vision built on liberty!”
“Molly I’m regional director for the Young Republican national Federation, I am moving forward to recharter the organization according to the bylaws,” Burns added. “Unlike you I don’t just make up the rules as I go along.”
“This is why I left and never plan to return,” one activist wrote, “the fighting, hostility, and absolute unprofessionalism.”
Stay tuned.