Nevada Capital Libertarian Party

Bylaws Committee Comments & Suggestions to be Considered

For Bylaws Amendments

General:  Style/format/consistency.  Alphanumeric Format  (Chicago Manual of Style).  Note use of “periods” and “capitals.”

I.                   Roman Numerals.

        A.    Capital Letters.

              1.      Numerals.

                     a)      Lower case letters w/parenthesis.

                            (1)   Numerals with double parens.

 Spelling and capitalization should be consistent.  (i.e., Bylaws is most commonly used spelling).

 Double space between paragraphs – easier to read and easier to find topics.

 Changed references to “affiliate” to NVCLP and “affiliated convention” or “affiliated regions,” etc. to be titled NVCLP, etc.

Specific:

Article II:  Principles.  Modified to make it less philosophical and to make it more direct and more specific.

Article III:  Purposes.  Eliminated last sentence.  Expanded first sentence to include electing Libertarians to office.

Article IV:  Membership.  Renumbered and reorganized.  Changed “Registered to Vote” to “Member Requirements.”  See also suggested (in red) change to proposed amendment to Article IV.A.1.  registered to vote in Douglas County, Carson City, or Washoe County, Nevada as a Libertarian or otherwise provides evidence of being at least 18 years old and legally ineligible to register to vote. 

Article V:  Executive Committee.  Renumbered and relettered.  General housekeeping (capitalization, spelling, punctuation) changes.  Section D.2 – Vice Chair was limited to only Ex.Com. meetings.  So, changed to “preside at meetings” assuming that was the intent.  Section D.3 – Eliminated requirement for secretary to send out membership notices of meetings and conventions (#1, we don’t always know who our members are OR how to reach them and #2, the meetings are open to everyone, not just members).  Changed “in compliance with Article Ten of the LPN constitution” to “as required by…..”  No need to monitor what a specific article says in another organization’s constitution.

Article VI:  Annual Convention.  Renumbered.  Paragraph B – changed “choosing” to electing.  Paragraph F.1 – changed “an officer election” to election for the Executive Committee.

Article VII:  Candidates for Partisan Public Office.  Retitled to omit “Partisan” as this section discussed both partisan and non-partisan offices.  Paragraph B – changed “Libertarian Party” to NVCLP and changed “non-partisan” to public.

Article VIII:  Executive Committee Meetings.  Eliminated “old paragraph D” which referred to terminating voter membership.  Didn’t know what voter membership is and unsure of definitions of “Abandonment” or “Official Revocation.”  Paragraph A – eliminated reference to evenly rotating Counties and specified monthly meetings within Washoe, Carson, and Douglas Counties.  Paragraph B – added “and other interested persons” as we felt meetings are not limited to NVCLP members only.  Paragraph C – changed some capitalizations and added in voting basis for vice chair if presiding as chair.  Paragraph E – eliminated requirement to notify national LP members living in our region to a simple requirement of posting meeting notices on line at least one week in advance.  Paragraph F – changed  requirement “to be approved by a majority of the members” to be approved by a majority of those members voting.  (Reason:  If have a quorum of five and chair can’t vote, then it could pass with a vote of 3 vs. 1.  And, three would not be a majority of the Ex.Com. members.)

Created a new Article X:  Duration of Organization.  This was added to avoid mishandling of monies if and at such time as the organization was abolished or restructured to accommodate other regional affiliates.

Nevada Capital Libertarian Party BylawsAs Proposed for Convention January 2010

Article I.  Name.

 The name of this organization shall be the Nevada Capital Libertarian Party, known hereafter as the “NVCLP.”

Article II.  Principles.

 We, the members of the NVCLP, advocate the American tradition of limited government and defend the rights of the individual to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of other to live in whatever manner they choose.  Further, we endorse the Libertarian political position on the moral principle of self-ownership where each individual has the right to control his or her own body, action, speech, and property.  Government’s only role is to help individuals defend themselves from force or fraud.

Article III.  Purposes.

 The purpose of this organization is to advance our principles through the political process by promoting Libertarian candidates for election to public office and the promotion of libertarian ideas and philosophy through outreach to the people in our communities.

Article IV.  Membership.

 A member of the NVCLP is a person who meets all of the requirements in both subsection A and B or subsection C of this article.

      A.        Member Requirements.

                 A person may be a member of the NVCLP if he or she is:

                         1.   registered to vote in Douglas County, Carson City, or Washoe County,       Nevada as 
                               a Libertarian or otherwise provides evidence of being at least 18 years old and legally
                               ineligible to register to vote.

                         2.   a current dues paying member of the NVCLP, and

                         3.   a Sustaining Member of the Libertarian Party of the United States of America.

       B.        Dues.

                   Membership dues shall be thirty dollars per calendar year.  Members joining in November or 
                   December shall be considered current for the following calendar year.

        C.        “1776 Brigade” membership offered by the Libertarian Party of Nevada.

                   A member in current good standing, who has been a member of the 1776 Brigade for at least the
                   past three months, and is a resident of Douglas County, Carson City, or Washoe County shall be
                   considered a member of the NVCLP.

Article V:  Executive Committee.

       A.        The NVCLP Executive Committee shall consist of four (4) officers, and three (3) board members.

       B.        The officers of the NVCLP shall be a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. There shall be
                     one (1) board member representing each of the three counties represented by the NVCLP.

       C.        The officers and board members shall be elected by a majority of the delegates to the NVCLP 
                    Convention, in odd numbered years, by the manner prescribed in Article VI, Sections E and F. 
                    The Executive Committee’s two-year terms of  office shall begin at the close of the convention at
                     which they were elected.

       D.        The officers and board members must be members of the NVCLP.  No member  shall hold more 
                   than one seat at a time on the NVCLP Executive Committee.  The officers shall perform the duties
                   prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the NVCLP.  These 
                   duties shall include the   following:

                   1.         Chair shall preside at all NVCLP meetings and conventions.  The chair  shall be an
                                ex-officio, non-voting member (except in the event of a tie) of  all standing committees. 
                                The chair may, by and with the consent of the Executive Committee, appoint positions or 
                                committees for such functions   as Outreach, Campaigns, Fundraising, Convention, or others
                                deemed  necessary to assist in the performance of the Chair’s duties.  In the event  of a 
                                 vacany in an officer position, the Chair shall, with the consent of the  Executive Committee 
                                 fill the vacancy by “Pro Tem” appointment, until   the next annual NVCLP Convention.

                   2.         Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of the Chair’s duties. The Vice Chair
                                shall  preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair.

                   3.         Secretary shall record and maintain records of Executive Committee  meetings and NVCLP 
                               Conventions, and all non-financial records of the   NVCLP including, but not limited to, these
                                Bylaws and all committee  reports.  The Secretary shall deliver the list of nominees for 
                                political office   to the convention of the Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) and submit the
                                certificate of existence to the LPN as required by the LPN within two weeks after the
                                NVCLP Convention.

                   4.         Treasurer shall maintain the NVCLP’s bank accounts, deposit all revenues, and pay all bills. 
                                A formal Treasurer’s report shall be presented  at the annual NVCLP Convention.  The
                                Treasurer shall maintain the    NVCLP financial records in accordance with the law and
                                generally accepted accounting principles.

       E.         The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the    NVCLP between its 
                    conventions, fix the hour and place of meetings and  conventions, and shall perform other duties as
                    are specified in these Bylaws.  The Executive Committee shall be subject to the Bylaws, and no acts
                    shall conflict   with action taken by the NVCLP  in a convention.

Article VI:  Annual Conventions.

       A.        In even numbered years, the NVCLP shall hold a convention at least 30 days prior to the LPN 
                  Convention for the purpose of choosing candidates for public office  and whatever business shall be 
                  deemed necessary and proper, including, but not  limited to, amending these Bylaws and filling 
                  vacancies in the Executive  Committee.

        B.         In odd numbered years, the NVCLP shall hold a convention at least 30 days prior  to the LPN
                    Convention for the purpose of electing the Executive Committee,   amending these Bylaws, and 
                     conducting whatever business may be deemed  necessary and proper.

        C.        All NVCLP members are qualified to be delegates to the annual NVCLP   Convention.

        D.        All NVCLP members shall be deemed to be adequately notified of the date and    location of the
                     NVCLP Convention as well as any proposed amendments to the     Bylaws if the same have been
                     prominently placed on-line at least 45 calendar  days prior to the convention.

        E.         All elections for the Executive Committee and candidates shall be by a simple majority vote by 
                    secret ballot.

        F.         Votes cast for “none of the above” (NOTA) shall be considered valid.  Should  NOT receive a
                     majority of the vote in balloting for any office or candidacy, the  names of all nominees shall be kept
                     on the ballot, but the nominations for that  office shall be re-opened for additional nominees and
                     another ballot taken.

                    1.        In  the elections for the Executive Committee, successive votes shall be taken until the
                               position is filled  by majority vote.

                     2.       In a nomination for public office, should NOTA receive a majority on two successive ballots,
                               then no  candidate shall be nominated for that office.

Article VII:  Candidates for Public Office.

       A.        The NVCLP may nominate its members for public office within the NVCLP  region by ballot at the 
                   annual NVCLP Convention during an even numbered year by the manner prescribed in Article VI,
                   Sections E and F.

        B.        No more than one candidate may be elected to be the nominee of the NVCLP for any public office.

        C.        The Secretary of the NVCLP, or the Secretary’s representative, shall deliver a list  of the nominated
                    candidates, including NOTA, to the annual convention of the  Libertarian Party of Nevada.

VIII:  Executive Committee Meetings.

        A.        Meetings of the NVCLP Executive Committee shall be held monthly within Douglas County, Carson
                    City, or Washoe County at such time and place as the  Executive Committee shall determine by vote.

        B.        Executive Committee meetings shall be open to all NVCLP members and other interested persons.

        C.        The Executive Committee shall consist of all officers and board members.  All Executive Committee
                    members, save the Chair or Vice Chair (if presiding as   Chair), shall each have one vote.

        D.        A quorum shall consist of five (5) Executive Committee members.  The Chair or Vice Chair must be
                    present.

        E.         Notice of meeting time and place shall be prominently posted on-line at least one week in
                    advance of the meeting.

        F.         A system of email voting shall be established by the Executive Committee so as to allow for voting 
                    on  issues between monthly Executive Committee meetings.   To pass, a measure must be approved 
                    by a majority of those members voting.

IX:  Amendments.

         A.        These Bylaws may be proposed for amendment by any NVCLP member at any  time, but may 
                     be  ratified only at the annual NVCLP Convention.

          B.        To be considered in convention, all Bylaws proposals and amendments thereto must be
                      presented  in writing to the Secretary 45 days before the annual NVCLP  Convention.

X:  Duration of Organization.

 The duration of the NVCLP is planned to be perpetual.  However, in the event of the dissolution of this organization, any remaining funds will be given to then current Libertarian candidates for public office or donated to the state or national Libertarian Party as determined by the Executive Committee.

XI:  Parliamentary Authority.

 The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the NVCLP in all cases to which they apply, and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or any special rules of order the NVCLP may adopt or any statutes applicable to the NVCLP.