GRLP Bylaws

Greater Rochester LP Bylaws

PREAMBLE

Whereas the Libertarian Party is comprised of individuals, each of whom has the exclusive right his or her own political views, this local chapter shall be open to all people who desire significantly more freedom than is currently permitted by the government.

1: PURPOSE

1.1: The Greater Rochester Libertarian Party (GRLP) is a chapter of the Libertarian Party of New York.
1.2: The purpose of the GRLP is to promote and extend the rights of individuals using political means and education.
1.3: The GRLP holds that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.
1.4: Section 1.3 above shall constitute a pledge to be signed by all officers of and candidates endorsed by the GRLP.

2: MEMBERSHIP

2.1: Classes of membership
2.1.1: A member is any person who resides in Monroe, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans, Wayne, or Ontario County who pays annual dues of the US Dollar value of 0.5 Troy ounces of .999 fine silver. A member shall have voting privileges.
2.1.2: A supporter is any person who resides outside of the above counties who pays annual dues of the US Dollar value of 0.5 Troy ounces of .999 fine silver. A supporter shall have no voting privileges.
2.1.3: A student member is any person who resides in the counties above who joins the GRLP and is currently enrolled in an accredited college or high school. Student members are not required to pay dues and have no voting privileges. A student member may attain voting privileges by paying dues and becoming a regular member.
2.2: At his sole discretion, the Treasurer may accept payment of dues in the form of silver coin, however he shall ensure the authenticity of the coin and silver content thereof.
2.2.1 If any coin is found to be deficient, the membership of the person who paid with it shall be revoked until dues are repaid in US currency.
2.3: Political action membership
2.3.1: Any member or supporter may become a premium member or supporter by contributing the US Dollar value of 0.5 Troy ounces of .999 fine silver annually, in addition to any applicable dues, to a campaign fund to be designated by the GRLP.
2.3.2: Any member or supporter may become a defender of liberty member or supporter by contributing the US Dollar value of 1.25 Troy ounces of .999 fine silver annually, in addition to any applicable dues, to a campaign fund to be designated by the GRLP.

2.4: The Dollar value of silver shall be the closing bid price of silver on the New York Spot Market on the last business day of the calendar year and recalculated annually with such price and corresponding Dollar values of each membership status posted on the GRLP website at the earliest practical time and included with all membership information.
2.5: The GRLP shall maintain, in the form of an internal document, a manual relating to the censure of members. Adoption and modification of this manual shall be made as if it were an amendment to these bylaws.

3: OFFICERS

3.1: All officers of the GRLP must sign the pledge stated in 1.3.
3.2: At the annual convention, officers shall be elected by a secret ballot, majority vote of GRLP members present; no proxy voting is permitted.

3.2.1: Every ballot must have an entry for None Of The Above (NOTA).
3.2.2: A Chairperson, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a State Representative shall be nominated and elected. A person may serve in multiple offices; however the Chair may not also serve as the Treasurer.
3.2.3: Duties of officers
3.2.3.1: The duties of the chair shall be to act as administrator and spokesperson, and to preside at meetings of the GRLP.
3.2.3.2: The chair shall appoint committee chairs, including town and other local committees. Appointments of the chairperson of the GRLP shall be subject to nullification by a majority vote of the GRLP membership at a membership meeting.
3.2.3.3: The duties of the treasurer shall be to collect, hold, and disburse funds, maintain records of all financial transactions, to provide annual financial reports, and determine quorums.
3.2.3.4: The duties of the State Representative shall be to attend meetings of the LP State Committee, and to represent the GRLP and vote at said meetings with the best interests of the GRLP as prime consideration.

3.3: Nominations and elections may be held at a membership meeting to replace an officer unwilling or unable to complete his or her tenure. The voting procedure used to elect officers at the annual convention shall be followed.
3.4: Prior to any election, the secretary shall notify the membership of any members who may be subject to censure and the grounds therefor.

4: MEETINGS

4.1: An annual convention shall be held by May 1st
4.1.1: All members of the GRLP shall be notified of the annual convention at least 30 days in advance.
4.2: Membership meetings may be called by any officer by notifying all members at least 14 days in advance.
4.2.1: A quorum at a membership meeting shall consist of 1/3 of the membership of the GRLP, except that at the founding convention, March 31, 2007, no quorum shall apply.
4.3: No decisions requiring a vote shall be made without a quorum.
4.4: Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, except that there shall be no proxy voting.
4.5: Any member engaging in conduct at a meeting which is likely to reflect negatively on the GRLP in front of guests or new members may be asked to leave or discontinue such conduct.

5: EXPENDITURES

5.1: No expenditures of the funds of the GRLP shall be made without the acquiescence of the Chairperson and the Treasurer.

6: ENDORSEMENT

6.1: Candidate Selection Committee
6.1.1: The GRLP Chair will appoint at least three GRLP members as the Candidate Selection Committee (CSC), with one designated as committee chair.
6.1.2: All CSC members shall serve at the pleasure of the GRLP Chair, and none shall be the GRLP Chairperson or any member to be considered for nomination.
6.1.3: Any person seeking the endorsement of the GRLP for public office must be approved by an absolute majority of the CSC and, except as provided for in Section 6.1.8, must be a member in good standing of the GRLP.
6.1.4: The CSC will meet at the call of its chairperson and will establish its own evaluation procedures, which may include personal interviews.
6.1.5: The primary criterion for endorsement will be the candidate's general agreement with libertarian principles, however there shall be reasonable flexibility for candidates who may disagree with specific planks in the Libertarian platform, provided the candidate is reasonably libertarian leaning.
6.1.6: The committee will consider only persons nominated by the procedure prescribed in section 6.2 of these bylaws.
6.1.7: Candidates may appeal committee decisions to the general membership, which, with at least a 60% vote at a membership meeting, may overturn the decision of the CSC.
6.1.8: If a potential candidate who resides outside the area covered by the GRLP seeks nomination to run for an office in a political unit that intersects with the area covered by the GRLP:
6.1.8.1: That person must be endorsed by all county organizations of the LPNY which intersect with that political unit; and
6.1.8.2: That person must be a member in good standing of the county organization, if any, covering the area where he or she resides, or if none, the LPNY.

6.2: Nominations
6.2.1: Any GRLP member or supporter in good standing can nominate a candidate, including him/herself.
6.2.2: All nominations require a second by another GRLP member or supporter.
6.2.3: Notification of nominations must be made available to the general membership within a reasonable period prior to the meeting of the CSC.
6.2.4: Any endorsed candidate may have that endorsement revoked, by 3/4 vote at a membership meeting, at any time prior to ballot access if that candidate is arrested or publicly engages in behavior that embarrasses the Libertarian Party.

7: SECESSION

7.1: In the event GRLP members from any county or counties other than Monroe are eligible under LPNY bylaws and choose to secede from the GRLP, the GRLP and these bylaws shall remain with Monroe County and all remaining counties.
7.2: Upon secession of any county or counties from the GRLP, section 2.1.1 of these bylaws shall automatically be amended to exclude such county or counties.
7.3: Common funds shall be divided in proportion to members in good standing continuously for at least two years prior to secession.

8: BYLAWS

8.1: These Bylaws shall take effect immediately if accepted by majority vote of LPNY members present at the founding convention on March 31, 2007.
8.2: Except as provided in 7.2, amendments to the bylaws shall be made by open vote at a membership meeting if a majority of voters so approves and if the proposed amendments were communicated to the entire membership in writing 14 days prior to the meeting.
8.3: The text of the proposed amendments may be altered at the meeting only by verbal consent of all members present.

Amendments:
June 12, 2007: to establish the office of secretary.
May 12, 2008: to allow endorsement of candidates residing outside of the GRLP region, but whose political unit intersects with the GRLP region.
December 31, 2008: to establish our dues in silver.
September 8, 2009: to allow members to pay dues in silver coin.
January 12, 2010: to authorize the creation of a manual relating to the censure of members.