By-Laws of LPVC approved May 1, 2010

By-Laws of the
Libertarian Party of Vigo County
As amended at County Convention May 1, 2010


Article I: -- Name, Identity and Structure
Article II: Purpose, Functions and Principles
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Business Meetings
Article V: Officers
Article VI: Conventions
Article VII: Adoption, Amendments, Standing Rules
Article VII: Vigo County Amendments


ARTICLE I - NAME, IDENTITY, STRUCTURE

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

Section 2. Structure. The LPVC 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 LPVC is a bona-fide political party under the laws of the state of Indiana, authorized to receive political contributions. The LPVC accepts political contributions in the name of the LPVC or the Libertarian Party of Vigo County.

Section 4. Device. The official device of the LPVC and all candidates nominated by the LPVC shall be a monochrome silhouette of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol which is also known as Lady Liberty.

Section 5. Address. The mailing address of the LPVC shall be that designated by the Chairperson of the LPVC.


ARTICLE II - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, FUNCTIONS AND PRINCIPLES

Section 1. Purpose. The primary purpose of the LPVC 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 LPVC are: (a) to recruit, nominate and elect candidates to all city, county, township, judicial, and town offices within Vigo County; (b) to assist the LPIN in the recruitment, nomination and election of candidates to state legislative and judicial offices affecting all or parts of Vigo County; and (c) to select and field LPVC delegates and alternate delegates to the annual business meeting of the LPIN’s annual convention, hereinafter jointly referred to as "the state convention."

Section 3. Principles. The LPMC affirms the following principles:

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

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

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

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

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


ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership Established. The LPVC hereby establishes membership in the LPVC.

Section 2. Membership Requirements. Membership in the LPVC is open to all residents of Vigo County who are also current members of the LPIN. The LPVC may add a charge for members not in the LP or LPIN.

Section 3. Membership Privileges. Membership in the LPVC shall be required to speak and / or vote in all Business Meetings and conventions of LPVC.

Section 4. Membership Suspension. The voting members at any LPVC Business Meeting or convention shall have the authority to suspend, terminate or refuse membership in the LPVC to any individual, who is otherwise a member of the LPIN, by a three-fourths (3/4) vote. In such event, the LPVC shall 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 LPVC at one of its next two Business Meetings. The voting members of the LPVC may uphold the suspension, termination or refusal by majority vote at said appeal. Upon appeal or the expiration of the time allotted for appeal, the decision of the LPVC to suspend, terminate or refuse membership in the LPMC shall be final and binding for a period of one year, after which time the individual may re-apply for membership in the LPVC by written request, subject to majority vote.


ARTICLE IV - BUSINESS MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings. The LPVC shall hold Business Meetings from time to time as called for. Reasonable notice shall be given to all LPVC members. 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 the affairs and property of the LPVC consistent with these by-laws. All decisions over the expenditure of LPVC property shall be by majority vote.

Section 3. Quorum. A quorum at the Business Meeting shall consist of two members of the LPVC.

Section 4. Executive Committee. An Executive Committee is created, consisting of the officers of the LPVC The committee shall have the authority to manage and control the affairs and property of the LPVC by unanimous vote of the officers subject to the approval of the next monthly business meeting.


ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

Section 1. Four Officers. The Officers of the LPVC shall be a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Officers in place at the time of the adoption of these by-laws shall remain in office until the next regularly-scheduled election of Officers.

Section 2. Election of Officers. During odd-numbered years, the Officers of the LPMC shall be elected at the Annual Convention for terms of two (2) years. The Officer nominee who receives the most votes in each race shall be elected. Officers shall be selected by secret ballot unless there is only one nomination for the office, in which case election may be made by acclamation. Officers shall take office at midnight on the day of the Annual Convention and serve thereafter until midnight on the day of the next Annual Convention held during an odd-numbered year.

Section 3. Roles and Responsibility of Officers.

a. Chairperson. The Chairperson shall be the head of the LPVC, presiding over all meetings and conventions of the LPVC. The Chairperson is the official spokesperson for the LPVC. The Chairperson may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary to conduct the business of the LPVC.

b. 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.

c. Secretary. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all LPVC meetings and conventions. The Secretary shall be the custodian of these by-laws 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 LPVC
members by a method reasonably certain to reach each member of the forthcoming expiration of their LPVC membership.

d. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer responsible for the filing of all campaign finance forms for the LPVC. The Treasurer shall be
responsible for maintaining the current list of LPVC members and for providing this list to the Secretary prior to the annual expiration of memberships. The fiscal year of the LPVC shall begin on January 1 of each yr. ending on Dec. 31st of the same year. The treasury of the LPVC shall be audited at the end of the fiscal yr. by either the Exec. 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 4. Removal of Officers. Officers who are elected in convention may be removed only by 2/3 vote in convention.

Section 5. Vacancies. In event of removal or resignation of any officer, such vacancies may be filled by majority vote in convention or at the next Business Meeting following the notice.

Section 6. Standing Rules. The Standing Rules of the LPVC, shall be in harmony with these by-laws, shall be written, and shall be made available for general use. Standing rules may be adopted by three-fourths (3/4) vote at a Business Meeting, or by two-thirds (2/3) vote at convention. Standing Rules may be repealed by two-thirds (2/3) vote at a Business Meeting, or by a majority vote at convention.


Section 7. Authority to Contract. The Chairperson and the Treasurer shall have the sole authority to expend funds for goods or 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 LPVC and shall be limited to $250.00.

Section 8. Meetings Open to the Public. All Business Meetings of the LPVC shall be open for observation by the public.


ARTICLE VI - CONVENTIONS

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

Section 2. Attendance and Participation. Attendance at the Annual Convention is open to all LPIN members living in Vigo County. A nominal fee may be charged each attendee by the LPVC to defray the cost of the convention facilities. LPIN members living in Vigo County may speak and vote in said conventions on the nomination of candidates and the selection of delegates to the state convention. Only LPVC members may also speak and vote in said conventions on the election of LPVC Officers and amendments to these by-laws.

Section 3. Quorum. A quorum necessary to nominate candidates to any public office or to elect delegates and alternate delegates to the state convention of the LPIN shall consist of two (2) members of the LPIN who reside in Vigo County. A quorum necessary to elect any officers of the LPVC and to amend these by-laws shall consist of two (2) members of the LPVC. A quorum needed at any convention to remove an LPVC officer shall consist of fifteen (15) members of the LPVC. (And agreement of a majority of the Executive Committee.)

Section 4. Notice of Convention. Regardless if all convention decisions pertain exclusively to LPVC members, the Chairperson shall publish to all members of the LPIN who reside in Vigo County 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 LPVC shall serve as the Chairperson of the LPVC Annual Convention. The Secretary of the LPVC shall serve as the Secretary of the LPVC Annual Convention. In the event that either the Chairperson or the Secretary of the LPVC is unable to serve respectively as Chairperson and Secretary of the Annual Convention, such positions and responsibilities shall devolve, in cardinal order, to the Vice Chairperson and Treasurer of the LPVC.

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 Vigo 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 fourth item of business is to adopt an agenda 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 majority vote. In the absence of the adoption of rules and/or an agenda, the Chairperson shall adopt rules and an agenda on his own initiative. The fifth item of business is the annual financial report by the Treasurer of the LPVC.

Section 7. Motions in Writing. All motions to amend these by-laws shall be in writing and submitted to the Chairperson at least fifteen (15) days prior to the convention.

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

Section 9. Nomination of Candidates. In appropriate years the Annual Convention shall nominate candidates for all city, county, township, town and judicial offices within Vigo County. In appropriate even-numbered years, the Annual Convention shall assist the LPIN by slating candidates to state legislative and state judicial offices affecting all or parts of Vigo County. The qualifying nominee who receives the highest number of votes in each race shall be declared the nominee of the LPVC.

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 LPVC 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 highest-ranking officer of the LPVC 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 LPVC upon written request or petition of over one-half (1/2) of all current members of the LPVC. The Chairperson shall provide notice of the dates, times, location, and particular subject matter of Special Convention to all members of the LPVC 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. These by-laws shall be adopted when approved by a majority of LPIN members attending an Organizing Convention. These by-laws shall take effect on the first Monday following their approval.

Section 2. These by-laws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of LPVC members attending the Annual Convention. Every amendment shall take effect on the first Monday following the enactment.

Section 3. Affiliation with LPIN. The LPVC hereby ratifies the by-laws of the LPIN, and authorizes the Officers to certify such by submitting a signed Petition for Affiliation and a copy of these by-laws to the LPIN.


ARTICLE VIII – VIGO COUNTY AMENDMENTS

Section 1. All decisions will be subject to approval of the Executive Committee of the LPVC.

Section 2. All county officers, except a “rules” (as in Robert’s rules of Order) person must have run as a Libertarian.