bylaws

RULES OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS (BYLAWS) ARTICLE I: PURPOSE AND NAME
We the members of the Libertarian Party of Montgomery County (LPMC), a chartered county affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Texas (LPT), support the principles stated in Article I of the Rules of the LPT.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
Any person registered to vote in Montgomery County can become a member of the LPMC by signing an affidavit under oath that he or she has not participated, nor intends to participate, in the primaries, conventions, or official meetings of any other political party during that election year, as defined by the State Election Code. Such oath shall be administered, and such affidavit taken by the person's Precinct Chair, the LPMC Chair or Secretary, or any LPMC member appointed to take such oaths by the LPMC Chair. The official administering the oath and taking the affidavit shall thereupon issue to the voter a certificate of affiliation as provided in Article 13.01a(5) of the Texas Election Code. The certificate issued to the voter shall serve as evidence that said voter is affiliated with the LPMC. If any LPMC member, after such affirmation, is discovered to have participated in any other party's primary or convention during that voting year, the LPMC membership of that said person shall be considered to have ceased. The LPMC shall charge no dues to its members; however, the LPMC may charge for subscriptions to LPMC newsletters.

ARTICLE III: ELECTED OFFICERS AND ELECTION MEETINGS
A. Positions: The elected officers of the LPMC shall be: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
B. Duties:
      1. Chair: The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the LPMC and shall perform such duties as usually pertain to the office of chair, and shall perform other such duties as are assigned to the Chair by the LPT State Executive Committee.
      2. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall act as the assistant to the Chair and shall perform the duties of the Chair in his or her absence, and shall also perform other such duties as are assigned by the LPT State Executive Committee.
      3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep an accurate and complete record of the proceedings of all official meetings of the LPMC, and shall keep these records up to date and in order in the master file containing the official minutes of the LPMC. The Secretary shall also keep a record of LPMC members and dates of their affiliation.
      4. Treasurer: The Treasurer, or the Treasurer's designated agent, shall receive and give receipts for all monies paid to the LPMC, and shall deposit same in such bank(s) as shall have been designated by the LPMC.
C. Nominations: Nominations of all officers elected by the LPMC shall be from the floor. No nominating committees are permitted.
D. Elections: The elections for county officials, terms of office, and voter eligibility are set by the State Election Code.

ARTICLE IV: APPOINTED OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES The Chair, with a simple majority of the other three elected officers and the Immediate Past Chair, may appoint, title, or remove other members of the LPMC to provide leadership or assistance in accomplishing the objectives of the LPMC. Examples would be: Newsletter Editor, Volunteer Chair, Headquarters Manager, Finance Chair, Membership Chair, or Media Coordinator.

ARTICLE V: COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (CEC) A. The Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past Chair shall sit as the County Executive Committee of the LPMC. No new positions may be created on the CEC except by vote at County Conventions. B. All CEC members shall have one vote in Committee, except that the Chair shall vote only to resolve a tie. A telephone or mail vote is allowed if all the members of the CEC agree; otherwise a dissenting member may call for a meeting of the CEC or an LPMC Membership Business Meeting.
C. The CEC may, at the direction of the LPMC members, perform any duty or assume any responsibility belonging to the LPMC for any period of time within the administration of a given CEC, all such authorization to expire upon the installation of a newly elected CEC.
D. All meetings of the CEC shall be open to all members of LPMC and the public. Only the CEC may offer and vote on motions brought before the Executive Committee. Members of LPMC other than members of the CEC may join in discussion at the discretion of the Chair, but all others are excluded unless specifically invited to participate by the Chair.

ARTICLE VI: MEMBERSHIP BUSINESS MEETING (MBM) A. Initiation: The Chair, two members of the CEC, or a petition by ten (10) LPMC members of record can require the Chair or Secretary to call an LPMC Membership Business Meeting (MBM).
B. Purpose: The MBM shall be called to solicit a consensus of the membership with respect to important issues, or to provide a mechanism by which the LPMC membership can give more explicit direction to the policies and specific actions of the CEC.
C. Notice: Written notice of the time and location of an MBM is required to be postmarked and mailed to the LPMC members of record at least five (5) days prior to the meeting.
D. Voting Eligibility: Members eligible to vote on motions before an MBM shall be members of record with the LPMC chair or LPMC Secretary as of seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE VII: VOTING PROCEDURES A. Quorum: At all Membership Business Meetings a quorum consisting of at least ten (10) qualified voting members of record of the LPMC in good standing shall be required to conduct official business.
B. Voting: At all LPMC meetings, a motion shall be passed on the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the qualified voting members of record present and voting. Secret ballots are required if requested by any qualified voting member.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENT PROCEDURES A. Proposed amendment to these Rules, if approved by the CEC shall be entered on the agenda of the next meeting of the LPMC, and the Secretary shall mail the text of such approved amendments not less than seven (7) days prior to that meeting to the members of record of the LPMC. Publication of the approved amendment and notice of the meeting in the regular LPMC newsletter shall satisfy this mailing requirement.
B. Any member may propose any amendment to these Rules at any official LPMC meeting if such amendment is presented in writing to the Secretary of that meeting, and if consideration of such amendment is requested by five (5) members or by ten (10) percent of the members, whichever shall be less.
C. In any of the above amendment procedures, a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those members voting shall be necessary for adoption.

ARTICLE IX: VACANCY AND SUCCESSION A. In the event of the temporary inability of the Chair to perform the Chair's duties, said duties shall devolve upon the Vice-Chair. If there is more than one Vice-Chair, then said duties shall devolve upon the Vice-Chair designated by the CEC.
B. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Chair, the Vice-Chair as defined in ARTICLE IX:A. shall serve as Chair until the next regular election of officers.
In the event of vacancy of any other elected officer, the CEC may select any LPMC member to fill such vacancy until the next regular election of LPMC officers.

ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition) shall be the only Parliamentary Authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered in these Rules. The Secretary or a designated alternate shall act as parliamentarian.

Adapted from rules of HCLP (JJK 11/19/92) by DLR (4/17/94). Updated 9/18/97, 6/18/03, 5/21/07.