Party Constitution and Bylaws
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF PHILADELPHIA
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE
I - NAME
This
organization shall be known as the Libertarian Party of Philadelphia,
hereinafter referred to LP_PH.
ARTICLE
II - PURPOSE
The
purpose of LP_PH is to help elect and re-elect candidates who will implement
Libertarian policies, principally in Philadelphia.
ARTICLE
III - MEMBERSHIP
Any
person who endorses the purposes and principles of the Libertarian Party may
become a member subject to the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE
IV - ORGANIZATION
Section
1 - OFFICERS
The
officers of LP_PH shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. All of
these shall be elected by the membership present at the Annual Meeting of LP_PH
(see Article VI) and shall take office immediately upon the close of that
meeting. Additional officer positions may be created as deemed necessary.
Section
2 - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The
Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, the chair of any
standing or ad-hoc committee and one member-at-large elected by the membership.
Section
3 - APPEALS COMMITTEE
The
Appeals Committee shall be composed of three LP_PH voting members appointed by
the Executive Committee. The term of each member shall be consistent with the
term of the current Executive Committee. No member of this committee may serve
in any capacity on the Executive Committee. The Committee shall be the final
body of appeal in all matters concerning interpretations of the Constitution and
Bylaws.
Section
4 - QUALIFICATIONS
Each
member of the Executive Committee and the Appeals Committee shall be required to
maintain a membership in good standing with LP_PH. Any member ceasing to meet
this requirement shall not be eligible to vote on any matter that shall come
before the body of which he/she is a member.
ARTICLE
V - ANNUAL MEETING
LP_PH
shall hold an Annual Meeting to conduct such business as may properly come
before it at a time and place to be set according to the Bylaws and in
compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws. This meeting shall occur prior to
the date of the Primary Election of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and prior
to the Annual Convention of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania.
ARTICLE
VI - BYLAWS
The
Bylaws are subordinate to this Constitution.
ARTICLE
VII - AMENDMENTS
This
Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all members present at the
Annual Meeting. Amendments and/or notices of amendment must be submitted in
writing at least 10 days prior to the Annual Meeting to the Secretary.
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF PHILADELPHIA
BYLAWS
ARTICLE
I - MEMBERSHIP
Section
1 - Classes of Membership
To
establish and maintain membership in good standing, all must complete an
Application for Membership Form and pay such dues as are required by the
Executive Committee.
VOTING
MEMBER
A
voting member shall have the right to participate and vote on all matters
brought before the assembly of members at meetings of LP_PH and to hold any
office or chair any committee in the organization.
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
An
associate member may be any resident of the county with interest in the
Libertarian Party. They shall have the right to attend and participate in
assemblies of the general membership but may not vote on any matter brought
before the assembly or hold any office or chair any committee.
STUDENT
MEMBER
A
student member must be a student who endorses the purposes of LP_PH. A student
member shall have all the rights and benefits of a voting member and shall pay
one-half the dues established by the Executive Committee for a voting member.
Section
2 - Dues
The
Executive Committee from time to time shall determine the amount of dues
necessary for the membership classes.
Section
3 - Meetings
The
Chair shall determine the time and place for all meetings and the Secretary will
help to notify the members at least 7 days in advance of the meeting except for
emergency or urgent meetings. The Chair will preside at all meetings, will
prepare an agenda, enforce rules of order and, where necessary, invoke a time
limit for speakers. Motions and amendments, passed or failed, must be in written
form and given to the Secretary. A quorum for membership meetings shall be the
number of members in attendance.
Section
4 - Suspension of Membership
The
Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend a member for failure to
maintain all qualifications of membership or for cause by a two-thirds vote of
the Committee.
A
member may be suspended by the Committee for cause for:
a)
unreasonable behavior in meetings (e.g. by repeatedly
interrupting others or being loud or rude or negative)
b)
misrepresenting LP_PH
c)
endorsing or campaigning in the name of LP_PH purporting to
have been nominated or endorsed by LP_PH without having received such nomination
or endorsement
d)
for other reasonable cause
Once suspended, a member must immediately leave a
meeting.
Notification
of suspension shall be in writing and is subject to written appeal as described
in Article I Section 5 within fifteen days of notification. Failure to appeal
shall result in termination of membership.
Section
5 - Appeal from a Suspended Member
Upon
appeal by a suspended member, the Appeals Committee shall hold a hearing within
15 days concerning the suspension. Following the hearing, the Appeals Committee
shall rule either to terminate the member or to continue membership in good
standing. If the Committee fails to rule, the original decision stands.
ARTICLE
II - OFFICERS
All
officers shall be elected by majority vote of membership present at the Annual
Meeting. If LP_PH is being restarted after a period of inactivity, officers may
be appointed in a manner that is reasonable in all the circumstances. Additional
officer positions may be created by a majority vote at any regular meeting.
Duties of all officers as established by these bylaws may be augmented by
resolution at any regular meeting of the membership. All officers are required
to maintain membership in good standing with LP_PH.
Section
1 - Chair
The
Chair shall preside at all membership meetings of LP_PH and at all meetings of
the Executive Committee, act as chief executive officer of LP_PH and arrange the
place and time for meetings. The Chair shall make committee chair appointments
that must be approved by the Executive Committee. At any meeting, the Chair may
invoke a time limit for the meeting or for any subject matter being considered
at any meeting.
Section
2 - Vice Chair
The
Vice Chair shall act as assistant to the Chair, coordinate all party candidates
and activities, act as Chair in the absence of the Chair and assist the Chair in
preparations for meetings.
Section
3 - Secretary
The
Secretary shall record and maintain in good order the minutes of all meetings of
the membership and of the Executive Committee, notify members of meetings and
maintain a list of members.
Section
4 - Treasurer
The
Treasurer shall receive, disburse and account for the funds of LP_PH under the
supervision of the Chair and the Executive Committee, compile a quarterly report
consisting of a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement which shall be
available to the officers and members upon request, file all required financial
reports on behalf of LP_PH with government agencies and cooperate with the
Financial Committee in budget planning.
Section
5 - Suspension of an Officer
An
officer may be suspended from office by a two-thirds vote of the Executive
Committee for reasons described in Article I Section 4, for failure to fulfill
the duties of the office held or for other reasonable cause. The office of a
suspended officer shall be declared vacant unless the suspended officer appeals
the suspension to the Appeals Committee within 10 days of notification of
suspension. A suspended officer must immediately leave the meeting.
Section
6 – Appeals from a Suspended Officer
Upon
written appeal by a suspended officer, the Appeals Committee shall set the date
of a hearing. Following the hearing, the Appeals Committee shall rule within
three days to either uphold the suspension, thereby vacating the office, or to
restore the officer to full authority. Should the Appeals Committee fail to
rule, the original decision stands.
Section
7 - Vacancies of Office
All
recommendations to fill vacancies or appointments to new working committees
shall be made by the Chair with the approval by a majority vote of the Executive
Committee. It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee to appoint new
officers if vacancies or suspensions occur, such officers to complete the term
of office vacated. The Executive Committee may, at its discretion and upon
majority vote with a quorum present, leave an officer position, vacated for
above-mentioned cause, vacant until the term of office has elapsed.
ARTICLE
III- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The
Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of LP_PH, the chair of any
standing committee and one member-at-large elected by the membership at the
Annual Meeting. The member-at large must be a voting member and must not
concurrently hold any office or chair any committee. A quorum for the Executive
Committee shall be a majority of the Committee.
The
Executive Committee shall be responsible for the control and management of all
the affairs, properties and funds of LP_PH consistent with the Constitution,
Bylaws and any resolutions that may be adopted. Each member of the Executive
committee shall be required to maintain membership in good standing with LP_PH.
Section
1 - Meeting Notification
The
Executive Committee shall meet at such time and place as may be determined by a
call of the Chair or by the request of one third or more of the members of the
Executive Committee. Notice of the time and place of all meetings shall be given
to each member of the Committee not less than fourteen days prior to said
meeting unless an earlier date is agreed upon by a majority of the Committee. At
least one meeting must be held during each calendar quarter. Urgent or emergency
meetings may be requested by any member of the Committee and the Chair, at
his/her discretion, may call for such a meeting to be held.
Section
2 - Public Meetings
The
Executive Committee may hold public meetings during the year, which shall be
open to all registered Libertarian Party voters. Members in good standing of
LP_PH shall be notified of these meetings no less than fourteen days prior to
the meeting.
ARTICLE
IV - NOMINATIONS OF CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE
Candidates
for local office shall be nominated by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE
V - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert's
Rules of Order as newly revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all
matters of procedure not specifically covered in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE
VI - AMENDMENTS
These
Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all registered members at the
Annual Meeting of LP_PH. All amendments or notices of amendments shall be
submitted in writing at least 10 days prior to the Annual Meeting.
