(a)      (1)      A principal political party shall elect the members of the county central committee at a primary election.

            (2)      Except as otherwise provided in this section or § 4-203 of this subtitle, the central committee for a county shall consist of the number of members determined by the party's constitution.

      (b)      (1)      Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the party central committee for each county shall select the chairman of that county's party central committee.

            (2)      In Baltimore County, the Chairman of the Republican Party Central Committee shall be elected at large.

      (c)      (1)      An individual elected to serve as a member of a party central committee shall be a resident of the county in which that central committee is located.

            (2)      (i)      An individual elected from a county who ceases to reside in that county shall be considered to have resigned and may not continue to serve on the central committee.

                  (ii)      An individual elected from a specific legislative district who ceases to reside in that district shall be considered to have resigned and may not continue to serve on the central committee.

      (d)      (1)      (i)      An individual selected to fill a vacancy in a party central committee shall be a resident of the county in which that central committee is located.

                  (ii)      An individual selected to fill a vacancy of a member elected from a specific legislative district in a party central committee shall be a resident of that legislative district.

            (2)      Upon relinquishing residency in the county or legislative district in which a member of a party central committee was selected to fill a vacancy, the member shall be considered to have resigned.

      (e)      (1)      Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a vacancy in the party central committee for a county, or for a legislative district of Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, or Baltimore County, shall be filled by the remaining members of the committee elected from that county or legislative district.

            (2)      If a political party does not have county central committees or central committees for legislative districts, vacancies shall be filled in accordance with party rules.

      (f)      (1)      Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the tenure in office of a member of the central committee of any political party shall:

                  (i)      begin at the time the results of that election are certified; and

                  (ii)      continue to the extent of any extension in time between primary elections by reason of any change in the date of holding primary elections by a political party in the State.

            (2)      The tenure in office of a member of the Republican Party Central Committee shall begin on the 14th day following the gubernatorial general election.

            (3)      For purposes of this subsection, upon relinquishing residency in the county, a member of a party central committee shall be considered to have resigned.