Libertarian Party of
Tom Green County, Texas
Bylaws............................................................................................................................ 1
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... 1
I. Statement of Principles............................................................................ 2
II. Name, Duration, Purposes, and Membership............................... 2
A. Name................................................................................................................... 2
B. Duration............................................................................................................. 2
C. Purposes............................................................................................................. 2
D. Membership...................................................................................................... 3
1. Definition....................................................................................................... 3
2. Nondiscrimination....................................................................................... 3
3. Dues................................................................................................................ 3
III. Party Organization................................................................................... 3
A. County Executive Committee......................................................................... 3
1. Composition.................................................................................................. 3
2. Terms of Office............................................................................................. 3
3. Method of Selection..................................................................................... 3
4. Duties............................................................................................................. 3
5. Vacancies and Removal from Office for Absences................................. 4
a. Vacancies..................................................................................................... 4
b. Removal from Office for Absences................................................................ 4
6. Meetings........................................................................................................ 4
7. Removal for Cause....................................................................................... 4
B. General Rules for the County Executive Committee................................. 4
1. Governing Authority................................................................................... 4
2. Powers of County Executive Committee.................................................. 5
3. Qualifications of County Executive Committee Members.................... 5
4. Meetings of the County Executive Committee........................................ 5
5. Quorum......................................................................................................... 5
6. Approval of Expenditures.......................................................................... 5
7. Voting............................................................................................................. 6
IV. Party Conventions..................................................................................... 6
V. Adoption, Status, Amendment, and Publication of Bylaws 6
A. Effective Date of Original Bylaws................................................................. 6
B. Permanent Amendments................................................................................. 6
C. Temporary Amendments................................................................................ 6
D. Amendments to Statement of Principles...................................................... 6
E. Effective Date of Permanent Amendments................................................. 7
F. Permanence, Superiority, and Enforcement of Bylaws............................. 7
1. Permanence................................................................................................... 7
2. Superiority..................................................................................................... 7
3. Enforceability................................................................................................ 7
G. Publication of Bylaws and Amendments.................................................... 7
VI. Certification................................................................................................. 7
WE, the members of the Libertarian Party of Tom Green County, Texas, defend the rights of the individual, and challenge the myth that the State should be omnipotent.
We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and to live in whatever manner they choose, as long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal rights of others. Governments throughout history have regularly operated on the opposite principle, that the State has the right to dispose of the lives of individuals and the fruits of their labor
We, on the contrary, deny the right of any government to do these things. Where governments do exist, they must not violate the rights of any individual; namely,
the right to life - accordingly, we support the prohibition of the initiation of physical force against others, whether by another individual or by the State;
the right to liberty of speech and action - accordingly, we oppose all attempts by government to abridge the freedom of speech and press, as well as government censorship in any form; and
the right to property - accordingly, we oppose all government interference with private property, such as confiscation, forfeiture, nationalization, and eminent domain, and support the prohibition of robbery, trespass, fraud, and misrepresentation.
Since governments, when instituted, must not violate individual rights, we oppose all interference by government in areas of voluntary and contractual relations among individuals. People should not be forced to sacrifice their lives and property for the benefit of others, but rather should be left free by government to deal with one another as free traders; and the resultant economic system, the only one compatible with the protection of individual rights, is the free market.
The name of this organization shall be the "Libertarian Party of Tom Green County, Texas", hereinafter referred to as "the Party".
The duration of this organization shall be perpetual.
The purposes for which this Party is organized is to implement and give voice to the principles embodied in the Party's Statement of Principles by:
Supporting candidates for State, County, and local offices in Tom Green County, Texas;
Promoting, establishing, and coordinating campaigns and campaign headquarters throughout Tom Green County;
Entering into political information and voter education activities; and
Affiliating with the National Libertarian Party and the Libertarian Party of Texas.
A member of the Party shall be defined as any qualified voter registered in Tom Green County, Texas, who:
Adheres to and supports the Party's Statement of Principles; and
Has not participated in the primary or convention of any other party during that voting year.
No eligible person's rights of membership and participation shall be denied or restricted because of race, sex, creed, or national origin. The term Chairman and the pronoun "his", as used herein, are gender neutral.
The Party shall charge no dues to its affiliated members; however, the Party may charge for subscriptions to Party newsletters.
The County Executive Committee of the Party shall be composed of:
A Chairman
A Vice Chairman
A Secretary
A Treasurer
A Member elected at large.
The term of office of all members of the Committee shall be from the final adjournment of the County Convention at which they are elected until the final adjournment of the next County Convention.
All members of the County Executive Committee shall be elected by majority vote of the members present at the County Convention.
a. The Chairman shall be the principal and presiding officer of the Committee and the Chief Executive Officer of the Party.
b. The Vice Chairman shall be the Chief Operating Officer of the Party; shall perform the duties of Chairman whenever the Chairman is unable to do so; and shall assist the Chairman.
c. The Secretary shall keep such minutes and records as are necessary; shall conduct balloting; shall give all notices required by these bylaws; shall maintain and certify the official copies of the Bylaws; shall maintain a roster of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the members of the County Executive Committee; shall cause the minutes or transcripts of meetings of the County Executive Committee to be furnished to the members of the committee as specified in these rules, and to members of the County Party as may request; and perform such other duties as the Chairman directs.
d. The Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Party; shall maintain Party bank accounts and other financial assets; shall ensure that the County Executive Committee is aware of the financial condition of the Party; shall issue financial statements to the County Executive Committee at least quarterly; shall ensure that Party funds are disbursed only according to these bylaws; and shall perform all other duties required of his office, or by action of the Executive Committee, or by these bylaws.
Should a vacancy occur on the County Executive Committee, the Committee shall elect a successor to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
If an officer is absent from two successive meetings of the Committee, at the call to order of the second meeting that position shall be declared to be vacant.
Whenever the County Executive Committee removes a member of the Committee, the Secretary shall officially notify that member of his removal.
Meetings of the County Executive Committee shall be held concurrently with the General Meeting of Members on the first Tuesday of each month.
No meetings of the County Executive Committee, or General Meetings of Members shall be held outside Tom Green County, Texas.
Notice shall be given by the close of each meeting as to the time and location of the next following meeting.
A member of the County Executive Committee may be removed for causes other than repeated absences from meetings by a three-fourths vote of the other members of the Committee.
Procedures set forth in the Party's parliamentary authority for disciplinary action shall be adhered to in order to protect the rights of both the accused and of the Party, including:
the appointment of an investigating committee;
the adoption of a resolution preferring specific charges;
setting a special Executive Committee meeting for a trial; and
the holding of a trial of the accused.
a. The rules contained in the current addition edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised are hereby adopted by reference to govern all meetings and proceedings of the County Executive Committee of the Party in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws, or any special rules of order the Committee may adopt.
b. The County Executive Committee may make additional rules for its conduct so long as said additional rules to not conflict with these rules.
a. In compliance with these Bylaws and the directives of Conventions, the County Executive Committee of the Party shall carry on the activities of the Party at its level between Conventions, and shall have the control and management of all Party affairs, properties, and funds at its level.
b. The Chairman of the County Executive Committee, subject to the approval of that Committee, or the County Executive Committee itself, may appoint or elect any such officers or assistants as may be deemed necessary to assist the Committee in its function and in making arrangements for Conventions at that level.
a. All Party officers and all members of the County Executive Committee must be affiliated members of the Party.
b. All Party officers and all members of the County Executive Committee must be residents of Tom Green County, Texas; and by moving out of Tom Green County, Texas, shall mean an automatic vacancy in that office.
c. No person shall hold more than one membership on the County Executive Committee, except that the same person may hold the offices of Secretary and Treasurer simultaneously, in which case no member at large shall be elected.
a. The County Executive Committee of the Party shall meet concurrently with the General Meeting of Members, on the first Tuesday of each month, and at such other times as may be required by these bylaws, the action of the Committee itself, the call of its Chairman, or the action of the Convention which elected it.
b. The County Executive Committee shall be required to meet upon the written request of one-third or more of its members.
c. Minutes or a transcript shall be taken at all meetings of the County Executive Committee, and a written copy shall be furnished to each member of the Committee within thirty days after the meeting.
d. All meetings of the County Executive Committee of the Party, except for executive sessions solely for the holding of a trial and possible removal of a member, shall be open to attendance by the public and the press.
e. The Secretary shall prepare and issue a press release at least three weeks prior to each meeting, for the purpose of advertising the Party, and inviting the press and public to the meeting.
Except as specifically provided otherwise in these bylaws, a majority of the membership, excluding vacancies, shall be the quorum at all meetings of the County Executive Committee.
a. Approval of expenditures of funds by the County Executive Committee shall require a favorable vote of a majority of the membership of that Committee, excluding vacancies.
b. No funds shall be expended without the advance approval of the County Executive Committee, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws.
a. Unless otherwise specified in these bylaws, the method of voting in all meetings of the County Executive Committee may be by a voice vote, a show of hands, a written secret ballot, or a roll call vote.
b. The method used shall be left to the discretion of the Chairman, unless the Committee shall vote otherwise.
c. One-fifth of the membership of the Committee shall be sufficient to order a roll call vote.
d. All votes taken shall be counted by the Chairman and the Secretary.
e. The use of proxies or proxy voting is prohibited.
A County Convention will be held in even numbered years in conjunction with the regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
The County Convention shall be composed of all delegates thereto who were duly elected by their Precinct Conventions that year. In the event Precinct Conventions are not held, the Delegates shall be the General Membership of the Party.
The County Convention shall elect delegates to the State Convention, and any appropriate District Conventions.
The General Rules for the County Executive Committee shall also govern County Conventions.
These Bylaws shall be finally effective upon the final adjournment of the County Convention at which they are adopted.
These Bylaws may be permanently amended, altered, or repealed by a two-thirds vote of a County Convention.
Between County Conventions, these bylaws may be temporarily amended for good cause by a vote of four-fifths of the entire membership of the County Executive Committee, provided each member of the Committee shall receive written notice including the full text of any proposed amendment at least two weeks prior to any meeting held to consider temporary amendments to the Bylaws.
All such temporary amendments shall remain in effect only until the final adjournment of the next County Convention after their adoption, and they must be presented to that Convention for approval in the form of proposed amendments to the Bylaws.
If any temporary amendment is rejected by a County Convention following its temporary adoption, neither that amendment nor any other having substantially the same effect may be considered again until the next County Convention thereafter.
Whenever the Party, by a two-thirds vote at a County Convention, amends the permanent Statement of Principles of the Party, such vote shall also constitute automatic amendment to the Preamble to these Bylaws to comply with the amended Statement of Principles.
Any permanent amendments to these Bylaws shall become effective upon the final adjournment of the County Convention at which they are adopted.
These Bylaws shall continue in force until rescinded or permanently changed by action of a County Convention or as temporarily amended by the County Executive Committee, as provided herein.
These Bylaws, as permanently amended by County Conventions, shall constitute the permanent and continuing Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Tom Green County, Texas, wholly superseding, amending, nullifying, and rescinding all previous Bylaws, resolutions, regulations, and customs, of whatever type or kind.
These Bylaws, as amended, are enforceable by mandamus proceedings as provided under Texas Law
The Membership of the Party shall be notified of amendments to these Bylaws (whether permanent or temporary) within thirty days following the adoption of such amendments.
The County Executive Committee shall have copies of these Bylaws made and shall furnish such copies to any person on request; provided, however, that persons to whom copies of these Bylaws are furnished may be required to pay the expenses incurred in making and mailing his copies.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Tom Green County, Texas, currently in effect as temporarily adopted pursuant to these Bylaws on August 3, 1999; and as permanently adopted at Convention in San Angelo, Texas on March 18, 2000.
Jim Turner_____________________
James Turner, Secretary