The name of this organization is the Libertarian Party of Colorado, Jefferson County, hereafter referred to as “LPCO JeffCo” or “the JeffCo Affiliate.” LPCO JeffCo is a Political Party Committee under the Fair Campaign Practices Act, duly registered with the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s Office and the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
1.2 Affiliation
The JeffCo Affiliate is an affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Colorado.
Article II: Statement of Principle
2.1 LPCO JeffCo opposes the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals.
2.2 LPCO JeffCo is committed to advancing individual liberty and limited government within Jefferson County, Colorado, and its constituent municipalities.
Article III: Purpose
3.1 To hold discussions, debates, and other events, aimed at deepening understanding of political philosophy and the issues of the day, and at educating the general public as to the blessings of Liberty, and the nature of the Libertarian Party
3.2 To recruit, promote, and assist libertarian candidates for local, state, and national offices within Jefferson County, CO.
3.3 To promote legislation and ballot initiatives which increase or protect individual liberty.
3.4 To oppose legislation and ballot initiatives which infringe on individual liberty.
Article IV: Membership
4.1 Eligibility
4.1.1 Any legally registered elector (“voter”) whose registered address is in Jefferson County Colorado, with “Libertarian” as their party affiliation is eligible to be a Member.
4.1.2 A registered Libertarian who resides in the state of Colorado and outside Jefferson County is eligible to be a Member of the JeffCo Affiliate if there is no active Affiliate in that person’s county of residence.
4.2 Annual Dues
Voluntary annual dues of $25 shall be solicited from the Membership at the JeffCo Affiliate’s annual meeting.
4.3 Rights of Members
4.3.1 All Members may represent themselves to the public as a “Member of the Libertarian Party of Colorado, Jefferson County”
4.3.2 All Members may attend all JeffCo Affiliate events.
4.3.3 All Members may nominate candidates for Director positions, vote in elections, introduce non-expenditure resolutions, and vote regarding the adoption of non-expenditure resolutions. **[Handwritten note: “in one contrib.”]**
4.3.4 Only dues-paying members who have contributed at least $25 to the JeffCo Affiliate within the immediately preceding 12 months are eligible to serve on the Board of Directors, or to vote on the expenditure of affiliate funds.
Article V: Board of Directors
5.1 Members of the Board
Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Communications & Membership Director
Campaigns & Outreach Director
Legislative & Fundraising Director
At Large
5.2 Director Elections
5.2.1 Directors shall be elected at the JeffCo Affiliate’s Annual Meeting. Each position shall be elected independently of the others, in the order listed above.
5.2.2 Directors shall be elected by approval voting, and NOTA (None of the Above) shall be an option for every Director position except for Chair and Treasurer, as these positions are required by state law. If NOTA wins an election, that position will remain vacant.
5.2.3 No individual may hold more than one director position simultaneously.
5.3 Term of Service
Members of the Board shall serve for one year, or until they are removed or replaced, or they vacate their position.
5.4 Vacant Board Positions
5.4.1 Any Director may voluntarily vacate their position at any time. A Director who intends to vacate their position should notify the Board in writing.
5.4.2 Any Director may be removed for cause by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the current Board. “For cause” includes, but is not limited to:
Abaondonment/Failure to Perform Duties
Illegal Activity
Conflict(s) of interest
5.4.3 If a Board position becomes vacant between Annual Meetings, the Board may appoint a replacement Director to serve out the remainder of that term.
5.4.4 If at any time a Board position besides the Chair or the Treasurer is vacant, the Chair may appoint a committee to discharge the duties of that position. Members of the Board may serve as committee members.
5.4.5 Pursuant to Colorado law, the JeffCo Affiliate shall at all times have a Chair and a Treasurer, who shall be recorded in the JeffCo Affiliate filing with the Colorado Secretary of State. If the Chair position should become vacant, the Vice Chair shall become the Chair for the remainder of that term; if the Treasurer position should become vacant, the Secretary shall become the Treasurer for the remainder of that term.
5.5 Times of Distress
If at any time the JeffCo Affiliate is unable to fill the Chair or Treasurer positions, or if the Board does not have enough members to reach quorum, or if the Board deems it necessary for any other reason, any member of the Board may request assistance from the State Board of the Libertarian Party of Colorado in the form of ex-officio Board Members to temporarily fill the Board and enable the JeffCo Affiliate to conduct its business.
5.6 Vested Authority
The Board shall have control and management of all affairs, properties, and funds of LPCO JeffCo, consistent with these Bylaws.
5.7 Respect for Members’ Rights
All member rights shall be respected at all times, and no part of these bylaws shall be construed to grant the power to ignore or override member rights.
Article VI: Duties of the Board
6.1 General Obligations
All Directors, apart from the Chair and Vice Chair, may form committees (including the appointment of committee chairs) to assist them in discharging their Bylaws-assigned duties. Each Director shall keep a continuity binder to assist incoming Directors in taking over from the previous Director. Continuity binders should include: a summary of current best practices; a list of important contacts; all websites managed by that Director position, with usernames and passwords.
6.2 Chair
The Chair shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the JeffCo Affiliate, holding the powers of administration with regard to the business affairs of LPCO JeffCo, and such other powers as may be delegated by the Board. Unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws, Special Rules of Order, or resolutions of the Board, the Chair is responsible for appointing the chairs of all committees. The Chair shall chair all monthly meetings and the Annual Meeting, and shall act as – or designate – the Affiliate Representative to the State Libertarian Party, when such a position is required by the State Party’s Bylaws. Within thirty (30) days of the adjournment sine die of LPCO JeffCo’s Annual Meeting, the Chair shall submit to the State Board any amendments to the JeffCo Affiliate’s Bylaws, contact information for all Affiliate Directors, and the meeting minutes from the Annual Meeting.
6.3 Vice Chair
The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of executive duties, and act as Chair in the temporary absence of the Chair. At least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the Vice Chair shall review each Director’s continuity binder and report the results to the Board.
6.4 Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining official Party records, including recording and publishing all meeting minutes, and shall act as recording secretary for all legal purposes. The Secretary shall maintain a Party calendar of all deadlines required by these Bylaws, and shall make all such deadlines known to the Board. The Secretary shall compile, maintain, and make available to the Board a publication listing all Standing Rules and Special Rules of Order adopted by the Board, if any.
6.5 Treasurer
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 at each 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 be responsible for maintaining the JeffCo Affiliate’s compliance with Colorado finance laws.
6.6 Communications & Membership Director
The Communications Director shall be responsible for all outward-facing communications, websites, multimedia, social media, and press releases.
The Membership Director shall be responsible for inward-facing communications between the JeffCo Affiliate and the Membership. The Membership Director shall also be responsible for managing and accessing membership records for internal party use, and coordinating membership data with the State Libertarian Party. The Membership Director shall take the lead in recruiting and training activists.
6.7 Campaigns & Outreach Director
The Outreach Director shall be responsible for booking and running outreach booths and community events, and for maintaining outreach materials.
The Campaigns Director shall keep track of current and upcoming political races in Jefferson County, and recruit candidates for those races. The Campaigns Director shall also facilitate coordination between candidates and campaigns, and shall be a resource for candidates in navigating compliance with campaign legal requirements, and in recruiting campaign volunteers.
6.8 Legislative & Fundraising Director
The Legislative Director shall be responsible for monitoring the activity of the Jefferson County Commissioners, and other governing authorities in Jefferson County. The Legislative Director shall also communicate with those authorities on behalf of the JeffCo Affiliate when necessary, and make regular summaries to the JeffCo Affiliate Board regarding the activities of said authorities.
The Fundraising Director shall be responsible for establishing and operating fundraising activities.
6.9 At Large
The At Large member of the Board shall assist other Directors in performing their Bylaws-assigned duties, and shall have all the same voting powers as other members of the Board.
Article VII: Meetings
7.1 Regular Meetings
Regular Meetings shall be held at least once per month, at the place and time that the Board shall designate. In-person attendance shall be provided for whenever possible, and electronic attendance may be provided at the Board’s discretion. Unless otherwise specified by the Board, the Regular Meeting shall be held at 7pm on the fourth Thursday of each month. The Board shall announce any change to the normal date or time of the Regular Meeting at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled meeting. Regular Meetings are open to the public.
7.2 Planning Meetings
The Board may schedule additional meetings to coordinate the planning of Regular Meetings and other JeffCo Affiliate events. These may take place in person or via electronic communication. Planning Meetings need not be open to the public, though participation shall be made available to any Member upon request.
7.3 Annual Meeting
7.3.1 The Annual Meeting shall be held in March of each calendar year. The date, time, and location of the Annual Meeting shall be announced to the Membership no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting in the manner specified in section 5.2. Amendments to these Bylaws may also be proposed at the Annual Meeting. New Directors assume their roles upon adjournment sine die of the Annual Meeting, and Bylaws Amendments take effect upon adjournment sine die of the Annual Meeting.
7.3.2 In-person attendance shall be provided for the Annual Meeting whenever possible, and electronic attendance may be provided at the Board’s discretion. If State law or a catastrophic event prevents the holding of the Annual Meeting as specified above, the Board may reschedule the Annual Meeting, and shall notify the Membership of the date, time, and location – including instructions for remote attendance – at least fifteen (15) days prior to the new Annual Meeting date.
7.4 Conducting Business
7.4.1 One-half (1/2) of the current membership of the Board shall constitute a quorum at all meetings for the transaction of business, except where a larger vote is required by these Bylaws. Both in-person and remote attendees shall be counted for quorum.
7.4.2 Motions and resolutions shall be adopted with a majority vote of the present Membership, except where a larger threshold is specified by these Bylaws.
Article VIII: Appointments to State and National Committees
From time to time the State and National Libertarian Parties will solicit appointees from LPCo JeffCo to National and State committees. Whenever such a solicitation is received, the JeffCo Affiliate will select an appointee at the next Regular Meeting. Appointees to State and National committees shall be elected using ranked-choice voting, and NOTA (None of the Above) shall always be an option. If NOTA wins, the JeffCo Affiliate will not appoint a representative to the committee in question.
Article IX: Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the JeffCo Affiliate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws, any Standing Rules, and any Special Rules of Order the Board of Directors may adopt.
If a new edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is released more than six (6) months prior to the Annual Meeting, it shall become the JeffCo Affiliate’s parliamentary authority upon the adjournment of that Annual Meeting.
If a new edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is released six (6) months or less prior to the Annual Meeting, it shall become the JeffCo Affiliate’s parliamentary authority upon the adjournment of the following year’s Annual Meeting.
Article X: Amending the Bylaws
Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any member of the Board of Directors, or by any five (5) members of general Jefferson County Membership. Amendments can only be adopted at the Annual Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Members in attendance. The Board will publish proposed Bylaws amendments to the Membership at least seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting, along with any Member submissions which have been made by that date.
Article XI: Severability
If any part of these Bylaws is to any extent determined to be invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, such part shall be excluded only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability; all other parts of these Bylaws shall remain in full force and effect, and to this end the provisions of these Bylaws are declared to be severable.
