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Libertarian Party of Iowa | May 16, 2008 |
BYLAWS OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF IOWA
BYLAW I: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Executive
Committee and all Party Conventions, keeping such records and minutes
as necessary. He or she shall make an annual report to the Executive
Committee; which report shall contain all information required by the
Executive Committee. He or she shall perform or make provisions for
the performance of any legal assistance the Party may require.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall receive all monies paid to the Party,
and shall deposit the same in such bank or banks as have been designated
by the Executive Committee, and shall disburse said monies upon order
of the Executive Committee. He or she shall make complete financial
reports to the Executive Committee, and at least annual reports to the
Membership. He or she shall perform all duties required of his or her
office by applicable federal and state law.
BYLAW II: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places
as may be determined by action of the Committee, by call of the Chairperson,
or by the written request of one-third or more of the Members of the
Executive Committee. A written notice of the time and place of all meetings
shall be mailed to each Member of the Executive Committee not less than
thirty days before said meeting.
Section 2. The Executive Committee may, without meeting together, transact
business by hard copy mail, electronic mail, or telephone by voting
on questions submitted to them by, or with the approval of, the Chairperson.
Ten days shall be allowed for the return of the votes cast, by any method,
to the Secretary. Methods of security, receipt, and verification shall
be left to the discretion of the Executive Committee. The method of
communication shall be selected by the individual Executive Committee
Member.
If, at the expiration of the applicable period, the majority of the
Executive Committee have not returned their votes, the measure being
voted upon shall be deemed to have failed; in all other cases, a majority
of the votes returned shall carry the measure, except where a higher
vote is required by the Constitution.
The Secretary must preserve all such votes until the next meeting of
the Executive Committee, at which meeting the Executive Committee shall
order the disposition of such votes.
Section 3. More than one-half of the Membership thereof
shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Executive Committee
for the transaction of all business.
Section 4. Executive Committee Members shall be prohibited from holding
office in, or taking part in a working committee of, another political
party; and from being members of a campaign committee for candidates
affiliated with any other political party.
Section 5. The Executive Committee shall define the process of accepting
application by members in good standing of the Party to establish a
local affiliate organization. Further, the Executive Committee shall
authorize said affiliate by a simple majority of the attending Executive
Committee Members.
BYLAW III: CONVENTIONS AND CAUCUSES
Section 1. The Chairperson of the Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee
and of the Platform Committee shall be the presiding officers of their
respective committees.
Section 2. A majority vote of those of the Committee Members present
is necessary for a "do-pass" recommendation, and in the case
of the Platform Committee, a three-fourths majority must approve each
specific Plank separately.
Section 3. The Committees shall report their recommendations to the
floor of the Convention in accordance with the Party Rules.
Section 4. Two or more Members of the Platform Committee may join together
to issue a minority report regarding any Plank to the floor of the Convention.
Two Members of the Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee may join
together to issue a minority report regarding their business.
Section 5. A Member must be present in Committee to vote.
Section 6. More than one-half of the Membership of each Committee shall
constitute a quorum.
Section 7. General requirements and procedures for any Party election
a. To be eligible for any Party office, a candidate must be a
member of the Party and reside in Iowa.
b. Nominations may be made by nominating committee and/or from
the delegates.
c. The names of all nominees, in the order nominated, will be
clearly listed in front of the delegates.
d. All votes for Party office will be by secret ballot.
e. Two tellers to tally votes will be appointed by the Chairperson
from among the delegates.
f. At the completion of each ballot, the tellers will place all
ballots in a pile and clearly identify them (e.g., 1st ballot for Chair).
These ballots will be turned over to the Secretary at the end of all
balloting for an office. The Secretary will safeguard the ballots and
make them available to any interested delegate at any time during the
course of the Convention. The ballots will be destroyed at the end of
the Convention.
g. Any delegate who inspects the ballots and determines that a
mistake has been made by the tellers, may bring the matter to the Convention's
attention at any time. A delegate may move that a discussion of the
discrepancy be placed on the Convention agenda and a simple majority
vote of the delegates will be sufficient to pass the motion.
Section 8. Procedures for election of Officers
a. Officers shall be elected in the order of Chairperson, Deputy
Chairperson of Membership & Development, Deputy Chairperson of Advocacy
& Public Policy, Deputy Chairperson of Campaigns & Electionsone of
which Deputy Chairpersons shall be elected Vice ChairpersonSecretary,
and Treasurer. The newly elected Chairperson shall nominate one of the
newly elected Deputy Chairpersons to be Vice Chairperson. In addition,
delegates may nominate one or both of the two other newly elected Deputy
Chairpersons to be Vice Chairperson.
b. After nominations have been closed, each nominee for an office
will have:
1. 2 minutes for supporting nomination/seconding speeches
2. 3 minutes for a personal speech
3. 2 minutes to answer questions from the floor
c. The Chairperson will appoint a timer.
d. The procedure for speeches will be:
1. All nominating/seconding speeches for all candidates
will be given.
2. Then all personal speeches will be given.
3. Then each candidate will stand before the delegates
for the two minutes of questions.
e. If, after a ballot, no candidate has attained a majority vote,
all nominees who have received less than 10% of the total vote shall
be struck from subsequent ballots. If, after two ballots, no candidate
has attained a majority vote, the candidate with the least votes shall
be struck from the subsequent ballots; this procedure shall be repeated
after each ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote,
until one candidate attains a majority.
Section 9. Procedures for election of the Executive Committee
a. Convention delegates shall elect one person to the Executive Committee
from each Congressional District, plus two persons to the Executive
Committee at-large. Congressional District candidates shall reside in
the District they seek to represent. If after Congressional District
elections, any Congressional District seat remains unfilled, it may
be filled at-large notwithstanding the residence requirement.
b. Each nominee for the Executive Committee will
have a total of three minutes at his or her disposal for nomination
speeches, a personal speech or for answering questions.
c. After all nominees have had an opportunity to speak, delegates
will vote by writing the name of each of the nominees for whom he or
she wishes to vote on the ballot provided. A delegate may not vote more
than once for any nominee on any single ballot.
Section 10. Nomination of Candidates for Political Office
a. The order of offices for which candidates will be selected
will be determined by the Executive Committee at a meeting prior to
the Convention or Caucus.
b. A candidate for political office must be a member of the Party.
c. Candidates for office will be nominated from the floor.
d. After nominations are closed, each candidate will have a specified
amount of time for nomination speeches and for a personal speech to
the delegates. The time limits will be set by the Executive Committee
at a meeting prior to the Convention or Caucus. The Chairperson will
appoint a timer.
e. After all formal speeches, delegates will have an opportunity
to make additional comments about candidates from the floor. Time limits
on this open discussion will be set by the Executive Committee at a
meeting prior to the Convention or Caucus.
f. Voting will be done in accordance with the Constitution, Article
IX.
Section 11. More than one-half of the delegates registered and in attendance
shall constitute a quorum for Convention business.
BYLAW IV: FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Party shall begin on the first day
of January.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall cause an efficient double entry
system of accounts to be installed and maintained.
Section 3. All disbursements shall be made solely by check.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have the power to designate
the depository of all funds of the Party, and shall appoint such officers
and employees as in its judgment may seem advisable to deposit and withdraw
funds from such depository.
Section 5. An Audit Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee
and an audit shall be conducted prior to each regularly held State Convention.
Section 6. The Party shall incur no debt without approval of 100% of
the full Membership of the Executive Committee.
BYLAW V: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the parliamentary
authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered in the
Constitution, Bylaws or Rules of the Party.
BYLAW VI: MEMBERSHIP FEES
Fees for membership in the Party shall be set by the Executive Committee
and amended from time to time as the Executive Committee deems necessary.
BYLAW VII: DELEGATE ELECTIONS
Section 1. Only those persons whose application for membership to the
Party has been postmarked at least one month prior to the first day
of the Convention can be Convention delegates. The Chair of the Credentials
Committee will be in charge of informing Party members of the requirements
for becoming a delegate. The Credentials Committee will determine which
Party members have gained delegate status and the Committee Chair will
publish the names and counties of all delegates by the beginning of
the first business session.
Section 2. Delegates to the (National) Libertarian Party Convention shall include the Chairperson, if this officer so desires. Other Delegates and Alternate Delegates shall be elected in the same manner as nomination of candidates, except that additional Alternate Delegates may be selected while the National Convention is in session by majority vote of all Delegates who are registered in attendance at the Convention.
Section 3. Delegates to a Caucus of Eligible Electors shall be limited
to those who possess all of the qualifications necessary to entitle
him or her to be registered to vote in Iowa. The only additional limitation
will be by rules set by the Executive Committee to allow the widest
and fullest Libertarian representation at the Caucus. The Executive
Committee shall use the Elections Laws of Iowa, especially 44.1, as
guidance in these limitations.
BYLAW VIII: LOCAL AFFILIATES
The Libertarian Party of Iowa shall have the right to recognize affiliates,
and develop relationships with those affiliates at the discretion of
the Executive Committee. Affiliates can also petition for recognition
at the annual convention, where recognition will be granted if approved
by a majority of the members present. The Libertarian Party of Iowa
may grant financial aid to affiliates with a 75% vote of approval by
the executive committee. Affiliates shall be defined according to bylaws.
BYLAW IX: MEMBERSHIP EXCEPTIONS
Grandfathering of National Life Members: Those 13 members who currently live in Iowa that obtained a lifetime membership from the national party during the time joint state / national lifetime memberships were available shall have voting member status with the state party without the necessity of paying dues to the state party each year.
Joint Membership Rate: Any two members that share the same mailing address may obtain voting member status for the same monetary amount set for a single membership.
A special college student rate: Any number of college students in an affiliate group enrolled at the same institution may become voting members for $50 per group, however no student shall be charged less than one-half the going rate of single membership. The money raised beyond the initial $50 shall be used by the affiliate group. A listing of members in the affiliate group must be presented to the secretary and Deputy Chair in Charge of Memberships at least one month prior to the state convention or April 1, whichever is earlier.
Adopted at the first Regular Convention of the Party on April 19, 1975
As amended by Conventions date July 10, 1976; April 16-17, 1977; January 29, 1978; June 23, 1979; April 3, 1982; and by the Executive Committee on July 31, 1977.
Libertarian Party of Iowa dissolved in 1985; re-established in 1987.
Constitution and By-Laws adopted on April 26, 1987; amended by Conventions date November 21, 1998, May 1, 1999 and April 14, 2007.