Below are the rules for the House Republican caucus for when it meets to select its next leader. The rules were emailed by New Hampshire Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen to the candidates running for the leadership position and other people connected to the process.

Cullen's email also included the line, "In the interest of saving one of you time, I have included John DiStaso on this email." DiStaso is the senior political reporter for The New Hampshire Union Leader and author of the weekly column Granite Status. In today's column, DiStaso does not mention the rules or the race for House Republican leader.

Update: The rules are a draft version. Last night the candidates met to discuss the rules and some changes were made to the rules. These are not the final rules the caucus will follow.

2008 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS RULES

The rules of this Caucus shall be the rules of the 2008 New Hampshire House of Representatives, subject to the following additional rules:

PRESIDING OFFICER:  The presiding officer of the caucus shall be the Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party.  The presiding officer will appoint a Caucus Clerk, a Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms, and ballot clerks.

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE:  Only members-elect of the New Hampshire House of Representatives who ran as Republican nominees shall be eligible to participate and vote in the caucus.  Access to the Hall, including the gallery, shall be limited to Republican members-elect, caucus officials and such other officers and assistants as may be required by the Caucus Clerk and Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms.  The Caucus Clerk will prepare a checklist of those qualified to vote.

ELIGIBILITY FOR NOMINATION:  Nominations will be accepted on behalf of registered Republicans only.  Nominations must be moved and seconded.  The order of elections shall be Republican Leader first, House Clerk second, and House Sergeant at Arms third. 

NOMINATIONS:  First ballot nominating will be limited to 8 minutes for each candidate, including nominating, seconding, and remarks by the candidate.   Nominations for each office will be taken up in alphabetical order by last name of announced candidates who have informed the Chairman of the Republican State Committee of their candidacies as of close of business on Friday, November 21, 2008.  Any subsequent candidacies will be added to the speaking list after previously announced candidates have spoken.  Speeches on subsequent ballots will be limited to three minutes per candidate, with only the candidates permitted time to speak.  Candidates who wish to concede or withdraw shall speak first.  Remaining candidates shall speak in reverse alphabetical order of the speeches given in the round immediately prior.

BALLOTING:  The nomination of a candidate for office will be by a simple majority vote of those present and voting.  Balloting will be conducted by secret ballot.  On each ballot the Caucus Clerk will have printed, in alphabetical order by last name, the names of all announced candidates. There will be one blank line for write-in candidates.  A blank ballot, an abstention, or a vote of present will not be counted as a vote.  If more than two candidates are standing for an office, there will be no elimination of the low candidate after any ballot.  All candidates will remain in the running unless they withdraw of their own volition.  Balloting shall continue until a nominee is chosen.  If, after the announcement of the results, there is no candidate with a majority of votes, there shall be a 10 minute recess.  Each candidate may name two tellers to assist in counting the ballots.  Tellers must be members-elect.