Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Colorado
[ Adopted in Convention March 8th, 2008 ]
Article I - PARTY AFFILIATES
Section 1: Organizations applying for charter as affiliates shall make such
applications on a standard petition form as adopted by the Board of Directors.
The petition shall include ratification of the Statement of Principles. The
petition and the ratification shall be signed by no fewer than five (5) Party
members.
Section 2: Affiliates shall make known to the Party the Affiliate
Representative to whose attention all Party business shall be directed. The
Affiliate Representative shall be a Party member.
Section 3: Affiliates may
choose to accept as "Associate Members," Libertarians who are members of the
National Libertarian Party, even though they have signed an approved voter
application form establishing their Party affiliation as "Unaffiliated" rather
than "Libertarian". If adopted, this policy must be included in the affiliates
Bylaws.
"Associate Members" may be allowed to vote at local affiliate meetings,
but shall not be allowed to vote at State Convention. "Associate Members" may be
allowed to receive newsletters and mailings from the affiliate, but would not be
allowed to serve as an officer of the Party, including at the affiliate level,
or seek nomination as a Libertarian Party candidate for any public office.
Article II - DUTIES OF THE BOARD
Section 1: The State Chair shall be the chief executive officer of the Party, holding the powers of administration pertaining to the ordinary business affairs of the Party and such other powers as may be delegated by the Board of Directors. The State Chair may appoint such Party functionaries as a recording and corresponding secretary, an office manager, and an events chair. The State Chair shall compile, maintain and make available to the Board of Directors a publication listing all "Standing rules" and "Special rules" adopted by the Board of Directors. The State Chair shall specify the date and time of the next Convention at least 45 days before it is convened. The State Chair, or his or her designee, shall be the person who shall communicate on behalf of the Party. The State Chair shall file any amendments to the Party's Constitution or Bylaws with the Secretary of State within fifteen days after such amendments are adopted.
Section 2: The Campaigns Director shall identify political races and co-ordinate candidate and issue development. The Campaigns Director shall be responsible for and coordinate all political campaigns of the Party. The Campaigns Director shall act as Chair in the temporary absence of the State Chair.
Section 3: Both the Western Slope Outreach Director and Front Range Outreach Director shall be responsible for recruiting members, developing membership education programs and publications, developing and supporting affiliate parties at all levels, communicating with affiliate representatives and county contacts on a regular basis, and providing assistance in filling positions other than those of Officers.
Section 4: The Publications Director shall be responsible for internal Party communications, such as publishing a periodic newsletter to members and any other publications authorized by the Board, and for a web site (to include the periodic newsletter and other useful information).
Section 5: The Media Director shall be responsible for external communications, such as writing and distributing news releases with the approval of the State Chair, setting up and operating a speakers bureau, and coordinating all contact with the news media.
Section 6: The Records Director shall be responsible for maintaining membership records, coordinating membership data with the National LP, providing information (such as mailing labels and precinct walking lists) as needed, and administering the Party's physical office space (including computer systems, telephone systems, and any paid positions). The Records Director shall act as recording secretary for all legal purposes.
Section 7: The Legislative Director shall be responsible for monitoring activity in the State Legislature, communicating with that body, developing issue oriented interest groups, and working with other organizations on areas of mutual concern.
Section 8: The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of all income and expenses associated with the operation of the Party and shall present a summary of all income and expenses incurred at the regular meeting of the Board. The income and expense summary may be limited to activity since the last regular meeting of the Board. The Treasurer shall also prepare budgets for the other board members or assist them in preparing their own budgets.
Section 9: The Fundraising Director shall be responsible for establishing and operating fund raising activities including, but not limited to, a monthly pledge program, and for reporting all income and expenses related to fundraising at the regular Board meeting.
Section 10: The Membership Director shall be responsible for categorizing and contacting current individual members (registered Libertarian voters) to ask/persuade the members to support the LPCO financially or actively and for monthly reporting the same to the Board and affiliates.
Section 11: Each Officer will be responsible for maintaining documentation within his or her area and will provide a written report to be passed on to the next Officer. He or she will not incur expenses beyond budget without approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 12: Each officer will be an ex-officio member of each Party Affiliate Board of Directors and shall actively participate in the Board meeting of at least one Party Affiliate each calendar year.
Article III - MEETINGS
Section 1: Any meeting to elect party officers, including Delegates, and any assembly to nominate candidates, shall be held at a public place at the time specified by the State Chair, and the time and place of such meeting shall be published once, no later than fifteen days before such meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in each county wherein Members reside.
Section 2: The Board of Directors shall convene in open meeting at such times and places as may be determined by action of the Board, by call of the State Chair, or by written request of one-third or more of the Board, to be acknowledged by any means by all members of the Board at least 48 hours prior to such meeting.
Section 3: More than one-half of the current membership of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at all meetings for the transaction of business, except where a larger vote is required by the Constitution. Any member of the Board may participate in a Board meeting or committee meeting by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment which allows all persons participating in the meeting to hear or otherwise communicate with each other.
Section 4: Any active member of the Party may attend the Board Meetings as an `alternate delegate' at the request of that Board Member who temporarily cannot attend. No alternate delegate may represent more than one Board Member at any board meeting. The Board Member who is being represented by an alternate must notify at least two other Board Members of the alternate.
Article IV - FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING
Section 1: The fiscal term of the Party shall end on the last day of March.
Section 2: The Board of Directors shall cause an efficient double-entry system of accounts to be established and maintained.
Article V - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 1: The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised 10th Edition shall govern the Party in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Party Constitution, Party Bylaws, and any standing rules and any special rules of order the Party or the Board of Directors may adopt.
Article VI - COMMITTEES
Section 1: The Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Platform Committee shall each consist of a Chair and four members selected by the Board of Directors and an additional member selected by each chartered Affiliate.
Section 2: The Board shall solicit applications for the members of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and Platform Committee and set the appointment date for these positions by announcement to all Party members at least six months prior to the Party Convention. The Board shall appoint a Chair and four members at an open Board meeting held at least one month after the final solicitation but no later than four months prior to the Party Convention. If no applications are submitted, the Board of Directors shall serve as the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and as the Platform Committee.
Section 3: Each chartered affiliate may appoint one member to the committees. Should an affiliate not appoint its delegate, the Board of Directors may appoint additional members.
The Board shall solicit one delegate from each chartered affiliate on the same schedule implemented by the Board pursuant to Section 2 above, and at its meeting for appointment of the members of the committees it shall confirm such delegates as have been certified by the Affiliate Representatives.
Section 4: Members of the Committees shall be members of the Party.
Section 5: Committees shall submit their final reports to the Board for publication to the membership not later than six weeks before the Party Convention. These reports shall be available in their complete form to any Party member upon request, and the Board may charge only the cost of reproduction and mailing. The Party Chair shall ensure that the committees' reports, and any reports of committee members submitted separately, are presented at the Convention.
Section 6: Chairs of committees shall be responsible for completion and reproduction at Party expense of their final reports, and of interim documents for committee use, and for scheduling of committee meetings. All committee meetings shall be open to Party members, who may request the committees' schedules from their respective Chairs.
Section 7: The Chair of each committee shall certify and cause to be published at Party expense a report representing each document in its entirety as approved by the Convention.
Section 8: Such other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the State Chair as the Board of Directors or State Convention shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the Party.
Article VII - ELECTION OF DELEGATES & ALTERNATES TO NATIONAL CONVENTIONS
Section 1: All delegates must be members of the state Party and must sign a statement to the effect that they support the Statement of Principles of the Libertarian Party.
Section 2: The Party Chair shall announce to the Convention body the number of delegates and the number to be selected by the Convention.
Section 3: Each Congressional District shall have one delegate, elected by District Caucus. The remaining delegate positions shall be open to nomination from the floor during the State Convention. Should a district not supply its delegate, nominations shall be taken from the floor to fill that position.
Section 4: Nominations for at-large delegate positions shall be received from the floor with no seconding required. Members may nominate themselves.
Each member in attendance at the Convention shall cast a single vote for each delegate candidate of his or her choice. The total votes cast by each member shall not exceed the number of delegates to be selected. Delegates shall be elected by a simple majority of those voting. Subsequent ballots shall be taken as necessary to fill any remaining delegate positions. In the event that there are more candidates receiving a majority vote than there are delegate positions to be filled, those candidates receiving the highest vote totals shall be elected.
Section 5: After the delegates are elected, alternates may be selected by a majority of those voting.
Section 6: The duly elected delegates shall immediately select a delegation chair and determine their own substitution procedures. Such substitutions shall be made without regard to Congressional District representation. A list of the delegates and alternates, and a description of the substitution procedures, shall be submitted by the delegation chair to the State Chair and the secretary of the national Libertarian Party within seven (7) days after the Convention is adjourned.
Section 7: Representatives and alternates to national Party committees and subcommittees shall be elected by one of the following methods:
If the number of representatives to national Libertarian Party Committees is known at the time of the Party Convention and the committees are to convene after the Convention, the Convention shall elect representatives and alternates in the same manner as and immediately after the election of at-large national convention delegates; otherwise the Board of Directors shall elect the committee representatives and alternates by majority vote.
Article VIII - AMENDMENTS
Section 1: Amendments to the Bylaws shall be in accordance with the Constitution.
