Guide to the convention
Just a few days until the 2013 Convention!
UPDATE: Ken Cuccinelli and the new nominees for LG & AG will be coming to the Fairfax County GOP headquarters for a 2013 ticket rally on Sunday! Join us at 6:15 pm on Sunday at 4246 Chain Bridge Road in Fairfax (map).
LOCATION: Convention activities will take place in the Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC) and the Richmond Coliseum, which are right next to each other. The convention itself will be in the Richmond Coliseum. Registration, the Friday night gala, and the Saturday morning breakfast will be in the Convention Center. The Coliseum address is 601 East Leigh St. (map) and the GRCC address is 403 N. 3rd St. (map). The convention is roughly a 1.5-2 hour drive from the 8th District. (The Prince William County GOP has a bus with a limited number of seats remaining departing from Dumfries at 7 am Saturday for $35.)
REGISTRATION: Registration for delegates opens at 8:00 am on Friday morning. Note that registration is basically a check-in for delegates; nobody can register as a delegate on site. Registration will be open from 8 am to 7 pm on Friday, so if you are coming down to Richmond on Friday, please consider checking in on Friday, so that you can go straight into the convention hall on Saturday and things can move efficiently. Registration will open at 7:30 am on Saturday and remain open until the end of the convention. A photo ID is required to check in. No delegates will be credentialed without photo ID.
VOTING: Though the convention will be called to order, voting on the candidates will not take place until Saturday. The convention will be called to order on Friday at 2 pm, at which time it is expected that rules for the convention will be voted on. After that, the convention should recess. On Saturday at 10 am, the convention will be called back to order. There is no definite timeline for voting, so be advised that you should plan to be in the Coliseum no later than 10 am to ensure you don’t miss your chance to vote due to last minute lines. Given the number of candidates, voting may require multiple ballots to reach a nominee, so the convention will continue until a nominee is selected, and will last into the afternoon or possibly the evening.
ATTENDEES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS/DISABILITIES: There will be handicapped seating areas in the Coliseum, and there will be drop-off and pick-up points outside the GRCC. If you require an accommodation, or will need a companion to come with you, please contact RPV at 804-780-0111, or email Kayleigh Hall at khall@rpv.org, or fill out this form (fill out the form before Friday; otherwise call or email).
GUESTS: If you are not a delegate, you can still attend the convention as a guest, you just will not have the ability to vote. Guest passes are available on site at the convention for $25.
FRIDAY SCHEDULE:8:00 am » Registration opens in the GRCC.
12:00 pm » Doors open for the Convention in the Coliseum.
2:00 pm » Convention called to order in the Coliseum.
7:00 pm » Registration closes for the day.
7:00 pm » Commonwealth Dinner in the GRCC Grand Ballroom.
9:00 pm » Hospitality suites hosted by various campaigns and organizations in the GRCC.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE:
7:30 am » Registration opens in the GRCC.
8:00 am » Doors open for the Convention in the Coliseum.
8:00 am » Convention Breakfast in the GRCC Grand Ballroom.
10:00 am » Convention called to order.
AGENDA: Available here.
FRIDAY NIGHT GALA: On Friday night at 7 pm in the GRCC Grand Ballroom is the Republican Party of Virginia Commonwealth Gala Dinner with keynote speaker Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. Tickets are $100.
HOSPITALITY SUITES: The campaigns and some organizations will host hospitality suites in the GRCC after the dinner on Friday night. The hospitality suites are a tradition offering delegates and guests a final chance to meet candidates and socialize. The hospitality suites will be open until midnight or later, depending on each suite.
SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST: On Saturday morning at 8 am in the GRCC Grand Ballroom is the Republican Party of Virginia Convention Breakfast with House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (7th District), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (6th District), and Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee. Tickets are $39.
DELEGATE PACKETS: Download here.
OTHER INFORMATION: Available here.