ARTICLE I: NAME, IDENTITY, AND STRUCTURE

ARTICLE II: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, FUNCTIONS, AND PRINCIPLES

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLE IV: BUSINESS MEETINGS

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS

ARTICLE VI: CONVENTIONS

ARTICLE VII: ADOPTION, AMENDMENTS, AND STANDING RULES

 

ARTICLE I – NAME, IDENTITY, AND STRUCTURE

Section 1 – Name. The name of this organization shall be the Libertarian Party of Gibson County (Indiana), hereinafter referred to as the "LPGC".

 

Section 2 – Structure. The LPGC is a political organization constituted by its membership, directed by its officers, governed by its business meetings, and affiliated with the Libertarian Party of Indiana, hereinafter referred to as the "LPIN".

 

Section 3 – Bona-fide Party. The LPGC is a bonafide political party under the laws of the state of Indiana, authorized to receive political contributions. The LPGC accepts political contributions in the name of the LPGC of the Libertarian Party of Gibson County.

 

Section 4 – Device. The official device of the LPGC and all candidates nominated by the LPGC shall be a partial outline of the state of Indiana with the silhouette of Gibson County behind the LP torch.

 

Section 5 – Address. The mailing address of the LPGC shall that designated by the chairperson of the LPGC and is currently set as the home address of the current chairperson.

 

ARTICLE II – STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, FUNCTIONS, AND PRINCIPLES

 

Section 1 – Purpose. The primary purpose of the LPGC is to promote individual liberty and to eliminate the intervention of government in moral, social, and economic affairs.

 

Section 2 – Functions. The primary functions of the LPGC are: (a) to nominate candidates to public office; (b) work to elect Libertarian candidates and promote Libertarian principles, and (c) to select representatives or delegates to appropriate LPIN activities.

 

Section 3 – Principles. The LPGC affirms the following principles:

1. That all people possess certain unalienable natural rights, and that among these rights to life, liberty, justly acquired property, and self-governance.

2. That the only moral basis of government is the preservation and protection of these unalienable natural rights.

3. That no person or institution, public or private, has the right to initiate the use of physical force or fraud against another person, and that all people are bound, without a contract, to abstain from infringing upon the natural rights of other people.

4. That all people are entitled to choose their own lifestyles, as long as they do not forcibly impose their values on others.

5. That the voluntary and unrestricted exchange of goods and services is fundamental to a peaceful and prosperous society.

 

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 – Membership Requirements. Membership in the LPGC is open to all inhabitants of Gibson County, and unaffiliated adjacent counties. A member of the LPGC must also be a member of the LPIN and/or the National Party. Dues to be a delegate with voting rights at county meetings will be one dollar per month or 12 dollars at the annual convention. Payment of this contribution constitutes support for the Statement of Principles of the LPGC, LPIN, and/or the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party. Membership in the LPGC is annual and expires on the three hundred sixty-sixth (366th) day following the date of receipt of the inhabitant’s prior qualifying contribution.

 

Section 2 – Membership Privileges. Membership in the LPGC guarantees the member the right to vote in all Business Meetings of the LPGC.

 

Section 3 – Membership Suspension. The LPGC will have the authority to suspend, terminate, or refuse any membership in the LPGC by a three-fourths (¾) vote. The LPGC will immediately notify the individual by certified mail of the suspension, termination, or refusal and the reasons for such, affording the individual the right to appeal to the officers of the LPGC at the next scheduled Business Meetings. Upon such appeal, the LPGC and its members may by ¾ths vote reverse the suspension, termination, or refusal of membership. Otherwise, the membership will remain voided for a period of one year from the original three-fourths (¾) vote, after which time the individual may reapply for membership in the LPGC.

 

ARTICLE IV – BUSINESS MEETINGS

Section 1 – Meetings. The LPGC shall hold a Business Meeting each month at a regular date, time and location. Members will be notified of the agenda at least three days prior to the meeting. The Chairperson shall determine the meeting’s agenda, subject to change by majority vote at the meeting.

 

Section 2 – Purpose. The purpose of the Business Meeting is to control and manage all of the affairs and property of the LPGC consistent with these bylaws. All decisions over the expenditures of LPGC property will be by majority vote.

 

Section 3 – Quorum. A quorum at the Business Meeting shall consist of three (3) members of the LPGC.

 

Section 4 – Executive Committee. An Executive Committee is created, consisting of the officers of the LPGC. The committee shall have the authority to manage and control the affairs and property of the LPGC by a majority vote of the officers, subject to approval and the next Business Meeting.

 

Section 5 – Meetings Open to the Public. All Business Meetings of the LPGC shall be open for observation by the public.

 

ARTICLE V – COUNTY OFFICERS

Section 1 – Membership Requirements. LPGC officers must be current members of the LPGC as well as members of the LPIN and/or the National Libertarian Party.

 

Section 2 – Purpose. The purpose of the LPGC officers is to control and manage all daily affairs and properties of the LPGC in keeping with these bylaws.

 

Section 3 – Election of Officers. During odd-numbered years the officers of the LPGC will be elected at the annual convention on or before May 20th by members of the LPGC. The officer for any race will be chosen by a majority vote of secret ballots. If there is only one nomination for the office, the election may be made by acclamation. If no candidate has attained a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes and any candidates with less than 5% will be struck from subsequent ballots. This procedure will be repeated after ever ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote until one candidate attains a majority. None of the above will always be an option on these ballots. Officers will take office upon the close of the convention and will serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the next convention held during an odd-numbered year.

 

Section 4 – Officers. The officers of the LPGC shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, and Treasurer. Only the office of Secretary may be combined with either the office of Treasurer or Vice Chairperson.

1. Chairperson – The Chairperson shall be the head of the LPGC, presiding over all meetings, conventions, and external activities of the LPGC. The Chairperson may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary to conduct the business of the LPGC.

2. Vice Chairperson – The Vice Chairperson shall serve as presiding officer in the absence of the Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson shall be responsible for the training and coordination of precinct committee persons.

3. Secretary – The Secretary shall record and be the custodian of these bylaws and their amendments, the minutes of all meetings and conventions, committee reports, standing rules, and correspondence designated by the Chairperson. Based on information from the Treasurer, the Secretary shall be responsible each year for notifying LPGC members by first-class mail of the forthcoming expiration of their LPGC membership.

4. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer responsible for the filing of all campaign finance forms for the LPGC. The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining the current list of LPGC members and for providing this list to the Secretary prior to the annual expiration of memberships. The fiscal year of the LPGC shall begin on May 20th of each year and end on May 19th of the following year. The treasury of the LPGC shall be audited at the end of the fiscal year by either executive committee or by a professional accounting firm selected by the executive committee. The audit will be reported to the general membership at the first regular business meeting following the audit’s conclusion.

 

Section 5 – Removal of Officers. Officers who are elected in convention may be removed only by a 2/3 vote in a special convention.

 

Section 6 – Vacancies. In the event of removal or resignation of any officer, the Chairperson will notify all LPGC members by first-class U.S. Mail of such vacancy. Such vacancies may be filled by majority vote in a special convention or at the next Business Meeting following the notice.

 

ARTICLE VI – CONVENTIONS

Section 1 – Annual Convention. The LPGC shall hold an Annual Convention during the 2nd quarter of each calendar year. The annual convention shall be used to elect Officers of the LPGC; to nominate candidates of the LPGC; to make an annual reporting of the LPGC’s financial condition; to amend these bylaws, and to elect delegates and alternate delegates from the LPGC to the state convention. During years in which an election is held, the annual convention of the LPGC shall nominate candidates for public office. During odd-numbered years, the annual convention shall elect the officers of the LPGC.

 

Section 2 – Attendance and Participation. Attendance at the annual convention is open to all LPIN members. A nominal fee may be charged to each attendee by the LPGC to defray the cost of convention facilities. LPIN members residing in Gibson County may speak and vote in said conventions on the nomination of candidates and the selection of delegates to the state convention. Only LPGC may also speak and vote in said conventions on the election of LPGC officers and amendments to these bylaws.

 

Section 3 – Quorum. A quorum is necessary to nominate candidates to any public office or to elect delegates and alternate delegates to the state convention of the LPIN and shall consist of three (3) members of the LPIN who reside in Gibson County. A quorum necessary to elect any officers of the LPGC and to amend these bylaws shall consist of three (3) members of the LPGC. A quorum needed at any convention to remove an LPGC officer shall consist of three (3) members of the LPGC.

 

Section 4 – Notice of Convention. Regardless if all convention decisions pertain exclusively to LPGC members, the Chairperson shall publish to all members of the LPIN who reside in Gibson County or, unaffiliated adjacent counties in Indiana, the date, time, location, proposed rules, and proposed agenda of the annual convention at least thirty (30) days prior to such convention by a method reasonably certain to reach such members, including by newsletter.

 

Section 5 – The Chairperson of the LPGC shall serve as the Chairperson of the LPGC annual convention. The Secretary of the LPGC shall serve as the Secretary of the LPGC annual convention. In the event that either the Chairperson or the Secretary of the LPGC is unable to serve respectively as Chairperson and Secretary of the annual convention, such positions and responsibilities devolve, in cardinal order, to the Vice Chairperson and Treasurer of the LPGC.

 

Section 6 – Order of Business. The order of business of the annual convention shall include, but is not limited to the following: after the call to order, the first item of business is to credential and seat LPIN members residing in Gibson County to the annual convention. The second item of business is the reading and approval of the minutes of the first preceding annual convention. The third item of business is to adopt rules for the annual convention. The Chairperson shall submit proposed rules and an agenda for initial consideration. The attending members of the LPIN shall adopt said rules and agenda by a majority vote. In the absence of the adoption of rules and/or an agenda, the Chairperson shall adopt rules and an agenda on their own initiative. The fifth item of business is the annual financial report by the Treasurer of the LPGC.

 

Section 7 – Motions in Writing. All motions to amend these bylaws shall be in writing and submitted to the Chairperson at least 30 days prior to the convention. The Chairperson will notify the LPGC members by email or U.S. Mail of said motions at least 15 days prior to the convention.

 

Section 8 – Credentials. The Treasurer shall be responsible for verifying the LPGC and LPIN membership of each speaker and/or voter at the convention, as the case may be, according to the subject matter of the decision to be taken. No voting proxy shall be permitted.

 

Section 9 – Nomination of Candidates. The annual convention will nominate candidates for city, county, township, town, and judicial offices within Gibson County. In appropriate even-numbered years, the annual convention shall assist the LPIN by slating candidates to state legislative, state judicial and U.S. Congressional offices affecting all parts of Gibson County. The qualifying nominee who receives the highest number of votes in each race shall be declared the nominee of the LPGC. 

 

Section 10 – Election of Delegates to LPIN Convention. If the annual convention is held prior to the state convention of the LPIN, it shall be used to elect delegates and alternate delegates to such state convention. If the annual convention is held after the state convention, a prior business meeting of the LPGC shall be used to elect said delegates. Any delegate positions which are not filled by these methods prior to the state convention shall be filled by the appointments of the highest ranking officer of the LPGC in attendance at the state convention.

 

Section 11 – Special Conventions. Special Conventions may be convened by a majority vote at the Business Meeting or shall be convened by the Chairperson of the LPGC upon written request or petition of over one-half (½) of all current members of the LPGC. The Chairperson shall provide notice of the date, time, location and particular subject matter of the Special Convention to all members of the LPGC at least fifteen (15) days prior to such event. Special Conventions are limited to the subject matter agreed upon, and shall otherwise be run by the same provisions which govern the Annual Convention.

 

ARTICLE VII – ADOPTION, AMENDMENTS, AND STANDING RULES

Section 1 – Adoption of Bylaws. The bylaws shall be adopted when approved by a majority of LPIN members attending an Organizing Convention. These bylaws shall take effect on the first Monday following their approval.

 

Section 2 – Amendment of Bylaws. These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of LPIN members attending the annual convention. Every amendment shall take effect on the first Monday following the enactment.

 

Section 3 – Affiliation with LPIN. The LPGC hereby ratifies the bylaws of the LPIN and authorizes the Officers to certify such by submitting a signed Petition for Affiliation and a copy of these bylaws to the LPIN.

 

Section 4 – Standing Rules. The Standing Rules of the LPGC shall be in harmony with the bylaws, shall be written, and shall be made available for general use. Standing rules may be adopted by three-fourths (¾) vote at a business meeting, or two-thirds (2/3) vote at a convention. Standing Rules may be repealed by two-thirds (2/3) vote at a Business Meeting, or by a majority vote at a convention.

 

Section 5 – Authority to Contract. The Chairperson and the Treasurer shall have the sole authority to expend LPGC funds for goods and services without prior approval granted at a regular Business Meeting. Such expenditures and authority to contract shall extend only to the day-to-day operations of the LPGC and shall be limited to $100.00.

 

Section 6 – Deadlines. Unless otherwise provided, all deadlines set by these bylaws or Standing Rules will be 11:59 PM CST on the day in question.

 

Approved this 20th day of May 2018 by unanimous vote of the LPIN members attending the LPGC Organizing Convention.