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Libertarian Party
 
BYLAWS AND CONVENTION RULES
 
Adopted in Convention

Phoenix, Arizona

August 1985
 
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=BYLAWS OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY=
 
==ARTICLE 1: NAME==
 
These bylaws shall  govern the association  known as the  "Libertarian
Party," hereinafter referred to as the "Party."
 
==ARTICLE 2: PERIOD OF DURATION==
 
The duration of the Party shall be perpetual.
 
==ARTICLE 3: PURPOSES==
 
The Party is  organized to implement  and give voice to the principles
embodied in the Statement of Principles by:
 
--functioning as a  libertarian political entity separate and distinct
from all other political parties or movements;
 
--chartering  affiliate  parties  throughout  the  United  States  and
promoting their growth and activities;
 
--nominating candidates for President and Vice-President of the United
States, and  supporting  Party  and  affiliate  party  candidates  for
political office; and,
 
--entering into political information activities.
 
==ARTICLE 4: STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND PLATFORM==
 
1. The Statement  of Principles affirms that philosophy upon which the
Libertarian Party is  founded, by which  it shall  be  sustained,  and
through which liberty  shall prevail. The  enduring importance of  the
Statement of Principles requires that it may be amended only by a vote
of 7/8 of all registered delegates at a Regular Convention.
 
2. The Party  Platform shall include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  the
Statement of Principles  and the implementation of those principles in
the form of planks.
 
==ARTICLE 5: LIBERTARIAN PARTY PROGRAM==
 
1. Members of the Party shall be those persons whose national dues are current and who have certified in writing that they oppose the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.
 
2. Dues for membership in the Party shall be set by the National Committee.
 

==ARTICLE 6: AFFILIATE PARTIES==
 
1. No person,  group or organization  may use  the  name  "Libertarian
Party" or any  confusingly similar designation  except an organization
to which the Party grants affiliate party status.
 
2. The National  Committee shall charter  affiliate parties  from  any
qualifying  organization  requesting   such  status  in   each  state,
territory  and  the   District  of  Columbia.
Organizations which wish  to become affiliate  parties shall apply for
such status on  a standard petition  form as adopted by  the  National
Committee, which petition shall be signed by no fewer than ten members
of the Party residing in the appropriate state. Affiliate party status
shall be granted only to those organizations which adopt the Statement
of Principles.
 
3. There shall  be no more  than one affiliate party in any one state, territory, or the District of Columbia, 
and the affiliate  party shall determine who shall be its delegates to
all Regular Conventions.
 
4. No affiliate  party shall endorse  any candidate who is a member of
another party for public office in any partisan election. No affiliate
party shall  take  any  action  inconsistent  with  the  Statement  of
Principles or these Bylaws.
 
5. The autonomy  of the affiliate parties shall not be abridged by the
National Committee or  any other committee  of the  Party,  except  as
provided by these Bylaws.
 
6. The National Committee shall have the power to revoke the status of
any affiliate party,  for cause, by  a  vote  of  3/4  of  the  entire
National Committee. The  affiliate party may  challenge the revocation
of its status  by written appeal  to the Judicial Committee  within 30
days of receipt  of notice of  such  revocation.   Failure  to  appeal
within 30  days  shall  confirm  the  revocation  and  bar  any  later
challenge or appeal.  The National  Committee  shall  not  revoke  the
status of any  affiliate party within  six months prior to  a  Regular
Convention.
 
The Judicial Committee  shall set a date for hearing the appeal within
20 to 40 days of receipt of the appeal and shall notify all interested
persons, which persons  shall have the  right  to  appear  and  submit
evidence and argument.  At the hearing  the burden of persuasion shall
rest upon the  appellant. The Judicial  Committee shall either  affirm
the National Committee's revocation of affiliate party status or order
reinstatement of the  affiliate party. The  Judicial  Committee  shall
issue its ruling  within 30 days  of the hearing and  in no case later
than 90 days  prior to a  Regular Convention.  Failure of the Judicial
Committee to rule  within 30 days  shall constitute an affirmation  of
the National Committee's  revocation of affiliate  party status except
when the last day of the 30 day period falls within 90 days prior to a
Regular Convention, in  which case the Judicial Committee's non-action
shall result in reinstatement of affiliate party status.
 
==ARTICLE 7: OFFICERS==
 
1. The officers of the Party shall be:
 
:-- Chair,
:-- Vice-Chair,
:-- Secretary, and
:-- Treasurer.
 
All of these  officers shall be elected by a Regular Convention of the
Party, shall take  office immediately upon the close of the Convention
and shall serve  thereafter until the  final adjournment of  the  next
Regular Convention. No  person shall serve  as an officer who is not a
member of the Party.
 
2. No offices shall be combined.
 
3.  The  Officers  shall  be  full  voting  members  of  the  National
Committee.
 
4. The Chair  shall preside at all Conventions and all meetings of the
National Committee. The  Chair is the  chief executive officer of  the
Party  with  full  authority  to  direct  its  business  and  affairs,
including hiring and  discharging of National Committee volunteers and
paid personnel, subject  to express National  Committee  policies  and
directives issued in  the exercise of the National Committee's plenary
control and management of Party affairs, properties and funds.
 
5.  The  Vice-Chair  shall  be  the  chief  assistant  to  the  Chair,
performing such duties  as the Chair shall prescribe, and holding such
executive powers as  the Chair shall  delegate and shall  perform  the
duties of the  Chair in the  event that the Chair  is, for any reason,
unable to perform the duties of the office.
 
6. The Secretary shall be the recording officer of the Party and shall
perform such duties  as are assigned  by the  Chair  or  the  National
Committee. The Secretary  shall attend all  meetings of  the  National
Committee and  all  Party  Conventions  and  shall  act  as  Secretary
thereof, keeping such  minutes and records as necessary. The Secretary
shall make an  annual report to  the National Committee containing all
information required by the Committee.
 
7. The Treasurer  shall receive, expend  and account for the  funds of
the Party under  the supervision and  direction of the Chair  and  the
National Committee. The  Treasurer  shall  make  an  annual  financial
report to the National Committee and shall perform all duties required
of the office by applicable federal and state law.
 
8. The National  Committee may, for  cause, suspend any officer  by  a
vote of 2/3  of the entire  National Committee. The suspended  officer
may challenge the  suspension by an  appeal in writing to the Judicial
Committee within seven  days  of  receipt  of  notice  of  suspension.
Failure to appeal  within seven days  shall confirm the suspension and
bar any later challenge or appeal.
 
The Judicial Committee shall set a date for hearing the appeal between
20 and 40  days  of  receipt  of  the  appeal  and  shall  notify  all
interested persons, which  persons shall have  the right to appear and
present evidence and argument. At the hearing the burden of persuasion
shall rest upon  the appellant. The  Judicial Committee  shall  either
affirm the National Committee's suspension of the officer or order the
officer's reinstatement within  30 days of the hearing. Failure of the
Judicial  Committee  to  rule  within  30  days  shall  constitute  an
affirmation of the National Committee's suspension of the officer.  At
such time as  the suspension is final, the office in question shall be
deemed vacant.
 
9. The National  Committee shall appoint  new  officers  if  vacancies
occur, such officers to complete the term of the office vacated.

==ARTICLE 8: NATIONAL COMMITTEE==
 
1. The National Committee shall be composed of the following members:
 
a. the officers of the Party;

b. the immediate part[sic] Chair, for the two year term following the Convention at which a new Chair is elected; 
 
c. seven members  elected at  large  by  the  delegates  at  a  Regular
Convention; and
 
d. any additional members as specified below:
 
Any affiliate party  with 250 or  more of  the  total  national  party
membership (as determined  for delegate allocation)  shall be entitled
to one National  Committee representative and  one alternate for  each
250 of national membership.
Affiliate parties may,  by  mutual  consent,  band  together  to  form
"representative regions," and  each such "region"  with  an  aggregate
national party membership  of 250 or  more shall be  entitled  to  one
National Committee representative  and one alternate  for each 250
national party members.
"Representative regions" may  be formed or  dissolved once  every  two
years during a  period beginning 90  days before the beginning  of and
ending on the second day of the National Convention, and notice of new
formations or dissolutions  must be given  in writing to the  national
Secretary prior to  the close of  the Convention at  which  they  take
place.
With the proviso that: At the 1985 convention the existing regions and representation shall remain intact except where changes are made by mutual consent of the delegations of the affiliate parties by the end of the last day of the convention.
 
2. The National Committee shall take office immediately upon the close
of the Regular  Convention at which they are selected, and serve until
the final adjournment of the next Regular Convention.
 
3. A National  Committee member shall  be a member of  the Party,  and
shall not be  the candidate of  any  party  except  the  Party  or  an
affiliate.
 
4. The National  Committee may, for cause, suspend any member-at-large
by a vote  of 2/3 of  the entire  National  Committee.  The  suspended
member-at-large may challenge  the suspension by  an appeal in writing
to the Judicial  Committee within seven  days of receipt of  notice of
suspension. Failure to  appeal within seven  days  shall  confirm  the
suspension and bar any later challenge or appeal.
 
The Judicial Committee shall set a date for hearing the appeal between
20 and 40  days  of  receipt  of  the  appeal  and  shall  notify  all
interested persons, which  persons shall have  the right to appear and
present evidence and argument. At the hearing the burden of persuasion
shall rest upon  the appellant. The  Judicial Committee  shall  either
affirm the National  Committee's suspension of  the member-at-large or
order reinstatement of  the member-at-large  within  30  days  of  the
hearing. Failure of  the Judicial Committee  to rule  within  30  days
shall constitute an affirmation of the National Committee's suspension
of the member-at-large.  At such times as the suspension is final, the
office in question shall be deemed vacant.
 
5.  The  National   Committee   shall   appoint   new   officers   and
members-at-large   if   vacancies    occur,    such    officers    and
members-at-large to complete the term of the office vacated.
 
6. A National  Committee Regional Representative  may be  removed  and
replaced only by the act of the affiliate parties which constitute the
subject region. The  voting procedure for  the removal and replacement
of regional representatives shall be determined by the regions. In the
absence of any  such procedures, a  majority vote of the  state chairs
shall prevail.

7. The National Committee shall have control and management of all the affairs, properties and funds of the Party consistent with these Bylaws.  The National Committee shall adopt rules of procedure for the conduct of its meetings and the carrying out of its duties and responsibilities.  The National Committee may delegate its authority in any manner it deems necessary.
 
8. The National  Committee shall meet  at such times and places as may
be determined by:
 
:-- action of the Committee,
:-- call of the Chair, or
:-- written request of 1/3 or more of its members.

A written notice of the time and place of all meetings shall be mailed to each member of the Committee not less than 300 days prior to such meeting.
 
9. The National  Committee may,  without  meeting  together,  transact
business by mail.  The Secretary shall  send out mail ballots  on  any
question submitted by  the Chair or  by at least 1/5 of the members of
the Committee. Fifteen  days shall be  allowed for the return  of  the
votes cast, by  mail, to the Secretary during the period between the Regular Convention and the next general election, and 30 days shall be allowed at all other times.  If, at the expiration of the applicable period, a quorum of the Committee have not returned their votes, the measure being voted upon shall be deemed to have failed; in all other cases, a majority of the votes returned shall carry the measure, excepted where a higher threshold is required by the Bylaws.  The Secretary  shall preserve all  such votes until  the  next
meeting of the  National Committee, at  which  meeting  the  Committee
shall order the disposition of such votes.
 
10. A majority  of the membership  of  the  National  Committee  shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings.
 
11. Upon appeal  by 5% of  the Party members, the  Judicial  Committee
shall consider the  question of whether  or  not  a  decision  of  the
National Committee contravenes  specified sections of  the Bylaws.  If
the decision is vetoed by the Judicial Committee, it shall be declared
null and void.

==ARTICLE 9: JUDICIAL COMMITTEE==
 
1. The Judicial  Committee shall be  composed of seven  Party  members
elected at  each  Regular  Convention,  and  any  five  members  shall
constitute a quorum.  No member of  the National Committee  may  be  a
member  of  the  Judicial  Committee.  The  members  of  the  Judicial
Committee shall select  the  Chair  of  the  Judicial  Committee.  The
Judicial Committee shall take office immediately upon the close of the
Regular Convention at  which elected and  shall serve until the  final
adjournment of the next Regular Convention.
 
2. The subject  matter  jurisdiction  of  the  Judicial  Committee  is
limited to consideration of only those matters expressly identified as
follows:
 
a. suspension of affiliate parties (Article 6, Section 3),
 
b. suspension of officers (Article 7, Section 8),
 
c. suspension  of  National  Committee  members-at-large  (Article  8,
Section 5),
 
d. voiding of National Committee decisions (Article 8, Section 12),
 
e. challenges to platform planks (Rule 7, Section 7),
 
f. challenges to Resolutions (Rule 8, Section 7), and
 
g.  suspension  of   Presidential  and  Vice-Presidential   candidates
(Article 12, Section 5).
 
3. Within 90  days following the  Regular Convention at which elected,
the Judicial Committee shall establish Rules of Appellate Procedure to
govern  its  consideration   of  matters  within   the  scope  of  its
jurisdiction.  The existing  Rules shall remain  in effect  until  and
unless the Judicial  Committee  submits  new  proposed  rules  to  the
National Committee for  approval, which approval shall be deemed given
unless denied by  a 2/3 vote  of the National Committee within 60 days
of submission. A  copy of the  current Rules  of  Appellate  Procedure
shall be maintained  by the Secretary  at the Party  Headquarters  and
shall be available to any member, at cost.
 
==ARTICLE 10: FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING==
 
1. The fiscal term of the Party shall begin on January 1 of each year.
From January 1 until the National Committee has approved a budget, the
Treasurer may authorize  expenditures for any item incorporated in the
previous year's  budget  as  long  as  the  level  of  expenditure  is
consistent with that budget.
 
2. The National Committee shall cause an efficient double-entry system
of accounts to be installed and maintained.
 
3. All disbursements exceeding $20.00 shall be made solely by check.
 
4. The National  Committee shall  have  the  power  to  designate  the
depository of all  funds of the Party, and shall appoint such officers
and employees as  in its judgment  may seem advisable to  deposit  and
withdraw funds.
 
5. The Party  shall not borrow in excess of $2,000 total without prior
approval by 2/3 vote of the National Committee. This shall not include
current operating debt for trade payables.


==ARTICLE 11: CONVENTIONS==
 
===1. Regular Conventions:===
 
The Party shall  hold a Regular  Convention every two years, at a time
and place selected  by the  National  Committee.  Regular  Conventions
shall be held  sometime during the  period of July of  an odd-numbered
year through June  of an even-numbered  year. All business required to
be conducted at  Regular Conventions shall  be  conducted  at  Regular
Conventions only.
 
===2. Non-Regular Conventions:===
 
In any year which does not include a Regular Convention, a non-regular
convention may be held at the discretion of the National Committee.
 
===3. Delegates:===
 
a. Delegates shall be required to be members of either the Party or an
affiliate party. At  all Regular Conventions  delegates shall be those
so  accredited  who   have  registered  at   the  Convention.  At  all
Non-Regular Conventions, any person who wishes to attend may do so.
 
b. Any federal or state law to the contrary notwithstanding, delegates
to a Regular  Convention shall be selected by a method adopted by each
affiliate party; provided  however, that only  members of the Party as
defined in these  Bylaws, or members of the affiliate party as defined
in the constitution  or bylaws of  such affiliate party, or  those who
have made the  certification required by  Article 5 of  these  Bylaws,
shall be eligible  to vote for the selection of delegates to a Regular
Convention.
 
===4. Affiliate Party Delegate Entitlements:===
 
Each affiliate party  shall be entitled  to  send  delegates  to  each
Regular Convention on the following basis:

a. two "basic" delegates from each affiliate party; plus
b. one additional delegate  for each 20  members  of  the
National Party , plus 
c. one additional  delegate for each one percent (1%) (rounded) of the
total vote cast  for President in  that state or  district  which  was
received by the Party's most recent candidate for President.
 
===5. Ex-Officio Delegates:===
 
In addition, the  following persons  shall  be  ex-officio  delegates,
automatically entitled to delegate status:
 
a. National Officers;
 
b. National Committee members or their alternates;
 
c. All former Party nominees for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of
the United States; and
 
d. each state governor, U.S. Representative and U.S.  Senator who is a
Party member and not affiliated with any other party.
 
===6. Delegate Allocation:===
 
In  order  to   be  counted  for   delegate   allocation,   membership
applications must be  sent to the  National Headquarters by either the
individual member or the affiliate party and received or postmarked no
later than the  last day of  February of the Regular Convention year. The Secretary  shall make a count of the members qualified
under the requirements  set forth here  and shall compute the delegate
allocations for the  affiliate parties. Notification of the membership
totals and allocation  totals shall be  sent by the Secretary  to  the
Chair of each  affiliate party no later than April 1st of the year of a Regular Convention.
 
A list of  the names and  addresses of all  delegates  and  alternates
chosen by each affiliate party shall be sent to the Secretary no later
than one month  prior to start  of the first general  session  of  the
Regular Convention.  Amendments  to such lists  may  be  made  by  the
affiliate parties until the close of the Credentials Committee meeting
preceding the Convention.  The number of  alternates' names  submitted
shall not exceed  the  greater  of  50  or  the  number  of  delegates
allocated. 

===7. Delegate List:===
 
Any Party member  shall be  provided,  upon  request  and  payment  of
copying and mailing  costs, a list  of the names and  addresses of all
elected delegates to a Convention.
 
===8. Committees:===
 
There shall be  a Platform Committee, a Bylaws and Rules Committee and
a Credentials Committee  for each  Regular  Convention.  The  National
Committee shall appoint  a temporary chair  of each committee to serve
until each committee selects its own chair.
 
a. The Bylaws  and Rules Committee  shall consist of ten Party members
appointed by the  National Committee no later than three months before
a Regular Convention.  No more than  five of these  members  shall  be
members of the current National Committee.
 
b. The Platform  Committee shall consist  of 20  members  selected  as
follows:
 
--One member by  each of the  ten affiliate parties having the largest
memberships as determined  for Convention delegate  allocations. These
shall be selected  by each of  the affiliate parties no later than one
month prior to the Regular Convention.
 
--Ten members appointed  by the National  Committee, including no less
than five members  from states other  than the ten having  the largest
Party memberships. These  members shall be  appointed  no  later  than
three months prior to the Regular Convention.
 
c. The Credentials  Committee,  composed  of  ten  members,  shall  be
selected as follows:
 
--Five members chosen by the National Committee.
 
--One member by  each of the five affiliate parties having the largest
memberships as determined  for Convention delegate  allocations. These
shall be selected  by each of  the affiliate parties no later than one
month prior to the Regular Convention.
 
d. Ranked alternates may be named by the appointing bodies to fill any
vacancies in the Convention Committees.
 
===9. Quorum:===
 
A quorum shall  consist of  40%  of  the  total  number  of  delegates
registered in attendance at the Convention.
 
===10. Convention Rules:===
 
Conventions of the  Party shall be  conducted in accordance  with  the
current Bylaws and  Convention Rules, unless  otherwise amended  at  a
Regular Convention.
 
==ARTICLE 12: PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS==
 
1. Nominations of  candidates for President  and Vice-President of the
United States may  be made only  at the Regular Convention immediately
preceding a Presidential election.
 
2. No candidate  may be nominated  for President or Vice-President who
is ineligible under  the  United  States  Constitution,  who  has  not
expressed a willingness  to accept the nomination of the Party, or who
is not a member of the Party.
 
3. In  the  event  of  the  death,  resignation,  disqualification  or
suspension of the nomination of the Party's nominee for President, the
Vice-Presidential  nominee  shall  become  the  Presidential  nominee.
Two-thirds of the  entire membership of the National Committee may, at
a meeting, fill  a Vice-Presidential vacancy,  and,  if  necessary,  a
simultaneous Presidential vacancy.
 
4. The National  Committee shall respect  the vote of the delegates at
Nominating Conventions and  provide full support  for all nominees for
President and Vice-President  as long as their campaigns are conducted
in accordance with the Platform of the Party.
 
5. A candidate's  nomination may be  suspended by a 3/4  vote  of  the
entire membership  of  the  National  Committee  at  a  meeting.  That
candidate's nomination shall then be declared null and void unless the
suspended candidate appeals  the suspension to  the Judicial Committee
within seven days  of  receipt  of  notification  of  suspension.  The
resolution  of  suspension   must  state  the   specific  reasons  for
suspension and must be signed by each member of the National Committee
agreeing thereto. The  Judicial Committee shall  meet and act on  this
appeal within 30 days, and before the election.
 
==ARTICLE 13: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY==
 
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order,
Newly Revised shall  govern the Party  in all cases to  which they are
applicable and in  which they are  not inconsistent with  other  rules
adopted by the Party.
 
==ARTICLE 14: AMENDMENT==
 
1. These Bylaws  may be amended  by a 2/3 vote of the delegates at any
Regular Convention.
 
2. Article 4,  Section 1, shall  not be amended by a vote of less than
7/8 of all registered delegates at a Regular Convention.
 
==ARTICLE 15: PROMULGATION OF BYLAWS==
 
The National Committee  shall promulgate the Bylaws in accordance with
applicable law.   

=CONVENTION RULES OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY=
 
==RULE 1: ORDER OF BUSINESS==
 
The standing order  of business for  a Regular Convention shall  be as
follows:
 
:1. Call to order
 
:2. Credentials Committee report
 
:3. Adoption of agenda
 
:4. Treasurer's report
 
:5. Bylaws and Rules Committee report (Non-nominating conventions only)
 
:6. Platform Committee report (At non-Presidential nominating conventions only deletions may be considered.)
 
:7. Nomination of Party candidates for President and Vice-President (in appropriate years)
 
:8. Election of Party Officers and at-large members of the National Committee
 
:9. Election of Judicial Committee
 
:10. Resolutions
 
:11. Other business
 
==RULE 2: VOTING ELIGIBILITY==
 
1. The Secretary, acting on behalf of the Credentials Committee, shall
report the number  of delegates registered  in attendance and eligible
to vote directly  after the opening of the first business session, and
at the beginning of each succeeding session.
 
2. All delegates shall be eligible to vote on all matters. In order to
vote on a given matter, a delegate must be present on the floor at the
time the vote is taken. Each delegate present shall have one vote. Use
of the unit rule or unit voting is prohibited at national conventions.
 
3. Duly selected  alternates may be freely substituted for any members
of  their  delegation,   except  for  ex-officio  delegates,  who  are
temporarily  or  permanently  absent  from  the  floor,  provided  the
procedure has been clearly specified by the affiliate party in advance
of the Convention,  and the Secretary  has been provided with lists of
the affiliate party's  delegates and alternates  as well as a  copy of
the affiliate party's rules governing substitutions.
 
4. An alternate,  upon certification by the Secretary, may function as
a delegate whenever  a  delegate  of  the  same  state  has  not  been
registered in attendance.  This status shall continue until the absent
delegate registers in  attendance. If the  affiliate party has made no
provision for filling  delegate vacancies,  the  alternate  substitute
shall be decided by drawing lots.
 
5. If the  affiliate party has  made no other provision,  an alternate
may temporarily vote  in place of a delegate from the same state while
he or she  has the written  consent  of  that  delegate;  however,  no
delegate may cast more than one vote on a question.
 
6.  All  members  must  wear  the  identification  badge  issued  upon
registration in order to be admitted to the Convention Hall.
 
==RULE 3: VOTING PROCEDURE AND MOTIONS==
 
1. On all  matters, except the election of Party Officers and at-large
members of the  National Committee, and the nomination of Presidential
and Vice-Presidential candidates, voting will be by voice vote. If ten
or more delegates  object to the  Chair's ruling on the  outcome of  a
voice vote, a counted vote will be held.
 
2. The Chair  may require any motion offered from the Convention floor
to be in writing, signed by the mover and submitted to the Secretary.
 
==RULE 4: POLLING PROCEDURE==
 
1. The State  Chair shall serve  as chair of his  or  her  delegation,
unless that delegation  selects another of its members to serve as its
chair and so notifies the Secretary.
 
2. In cases  where a roll  call vote is required,  polling shall be by
state. The Secretary  will  ask  for  the  vote  from  each  state  in
alphabetical order, and  the chair of each delegation shall report the
vote for  that  state.   The  Convention  seating  will  be  by  state
delegation. If someone  challenges the vote  reported by  any  state's
chair,  the  Secretary  shall  poll  the  delegates  from  that  state
individually.
 
==RULE 5: COMMITTEE PROCEDURES==
 
1. A majority vote of those Committee members present is necessary for
a "do pass" recommendation, and in the case of the Platform Committee,
a majority must approve each specific plank separately.
 
2. Four or more members of the Platform Committee may join together to
issue a minority  report regarding any  plank reported to the floor of
the Convention. Two  or more members of the Bylaws and Rules Committee
or of the  Credentials Committee may join together to issue a minority
report regarding their business.
 
3. A member must be present in Committee to vote.
 
4. More than  1/2 of the membership of each committee shall constitute
a quorum.
 
==RULE 6: DEBATING AND VOTING -- BYLAWS AND RULES==
 
The Chair  of  the  Bylaws  and  Rules  Committee  shall  report  each
recommendation of the  Committee to the  Convention separately and may
explain the intent  or  purpose  of  the  proposed  amendment(s).  The
Convention Chair shall  open each  recommendation  to  discussion  and
amendment from the  floor. Each recommendation shall be considered and
adopted separately, with  a maximum of  ten minutes discussion on  any
recommendation.
 
==RULE 7: DEBATING AND VOTING -- PLATFORM==
 
1. The current  Platform shall  serve  as  the  basis  of  all  future
platforms. At  Regular  Conventions,  the  existing  Platform  may  be
amended. Additional planks,  or additions to  planks, must be approved
by 2/3 vote. A platform plank may be deleted by majority vote.
 
2. The Platform  Committee shall meet  before each Regular  Convention
and  prepare  a   report  containing  its   recommendations.  At   the
convention, the Platform Committee's recommendations shall be reported
to the floor  and debated and  voted  upon  separately.  The  Platform
Committee shall set forth the order in which each recommendation shall
be considered.
 
3. Recommendations for  which there is  no minority  report  shall  be
debated and voted upon in the following manner:
 
a. The Platform  Committee Chair, or  some other person designated  by
him or her,  shall have up to two minutes to explain the recommendation.
 
b.  The  Convention  Chair  shall  then  open  the  recommendation  to
discussion and amendment  for a period of 15 minutes. At the end of 15
minutes, a vote  will be taken  on whether to bring the recommendation
(as amended, if  this is the case) to a final vote. If a majority vote
is in favor  of immediate consideration,  the vote to accept or reject
the recommendation must  follow immediately. If  a  majority  vote  is
against immediate consideration,  the proposed recommendation shall be
tabled  for  later   consideration  after  all  other  recommendations
receiving a favorable  majority vote from  the Platform Committee have
been considered.
 
4. Recommendations for  which there is  a  minority  report  shall  be
debated and voted upon in the following manner:
 
a. Spokespersons for  both the majority  and minority positions  shall
each have two minutes to present their views.
 
b. The Chair  shall then open consideration of both positions for five
minutes during which  time  any  delegates  may  express  their  views
without offering amendments.  After five minutes, there will be a vote
on which of  the two reports  shall  be  considered  for  purposes  of
adopting a recommendation.  The report receiving the greater number of
votes shall then  be discussed and  voted upon in the manner described
in Section 3b.
 
5.  After  all   Committee  recommendations  have   received   initial
consideration, any delegate  may propose amendments  to the  Platform.
The delegate may  take up to  two minutes to  state  and  explain  the
proposal, with debating  and voting to proceed as described in Section
3b.
 
6. Finally, if  time permits, proposals  which were considered by  the
Platform Committee but  which received  an  unfavorable  vote  from  a
majority of the  Committee, may be considered, with a spokesperson for
the minority position  giving the reasons  in favor and  the  Platform
Committee Chair or  other  representative  of  the  majority  position
giving the reasons why it was voted down, before the proposal is taken
to the floor for debate.
 
7. Challenges of adopted Party planks believed by 10% of the delegates
to be in  conflict with the  Statement of Principles shall be referred
in writing, during  the Convention, to  the Judicial Committee by  the
delegates requesting action  for consideration.  The  challenge  shall
specify in what  manner the plank  is believed to be  in conflict. The
Judicial Committee shall  consider the challenge,  decide whether  the
Statement of Principles  is conformed to and report their findings and
reasons to the  Convention. If the  plank is vetoed  by  the  Judicial
Committee, it will  be declared null and void but can be reinstated by
a 3/4 vote of the Convention.
 
==RULE 8: RESOLUTIONS==
 
1. Resolutions must be approved by a 2/3 vote.
 
2.  Resolutions  must  not  be  in  conflict  with  the  Statement  of
Principles. Challenges of  such adopted Resolutions believed by 10% of
the delegates to be in conflict with the Statement of Principles shall
be referred  in  writing,  during  the  Convention,  to  the  Judicial
Committee by the  delegates requesting action  for consideration.  The
challenge shall specify  in what manner  the Resolution is believed to
be in conflict.  The Judicial Committee  shall consider the challenge,
decide whether the Statement of Principles is conformed to, and report
their findings and  reasons to the  Convention. If the  Resolution  is
vetoed by the  Judicial Committee, it  will be declared null  and void
but can be reinstated by a 3/4 vote of the Convention.
 
==RULE 9: NOMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES==
 
1. Presidential and  Vice-Presidential nominations shall  be from  the
floor.  Each  delegation  shall  tabulate  its  total  vote,  and  the
delegation chair shall  deliver a written total to the Secretary. When
all the delegations  have submitted their  votes, the Secretary  shall
declare the voting  closed. At this  point, an  announcement  of  each
delegation's  vote  total  shall  be  made  by  delegation  chairs  in
alphabetical order beginning with a randomly selected delegation.
 
2. The Party's nominee for President shall be chosen by majority vote.
If, after two  ballots, no candidate  has  attained  a  majority,  the
candidate with the  fewest votes on  the latest ballot shall be struck
from subsequent ballots.  This procedure shall be repeated after every
subsequent ballot in  which no candidate has received a majority vote,
until one candidate attains a majority.
 
3. The Party's  nominee for Vice-President shall be chosen by the same
procedure as for the Presidential nominee except that the Presidential
nominee shall have  the privilege of  addressing the Convention for  5
minutes, after nominations have been made but before voting has begun,
for  the  purpose   of  endorsing  or   objecting  to   any   of   the
Vice-Presidential nominees.
 
==RULE 10: ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND NATIONAL COMMITTEE==
 
1. Nominations for  Party Officers shall  be from the floor,  with any
national or affiliate party member eligible to run for any office. The
election shall be conducted in the following manner:
 
a. For each office, a majority vote will be necessary for election.
 
b. Each delegation  shall tabulate its  total vote, and the delegation
chair shall deliver  a  written  total  to  the  Secretary.  When  all
delegations have submitted  their votes, the  Secretary shall  declare
the voting closed.
 
c. At this  point, an announcement  of each  delegation's  vote  total
shall be made  by delegation chairs  in alphabetical  order  beginning
with a randomly selected delegation.
 
d. In cases  where no candidate receives a majority, runoff votes will
be held, dropping  the candidate with  the  fewest  votes  after  each
ballot.
 
2. Nominations for  the at-large members  of  the  National  Committee
shall be from  the floor, with all national or affiliate party members
eligible for nomination.  The  election  shall  be  conducted  in  the
following manner:
 
a. Each delegate  may cast up to seven votes, but no more than one vote
for any one candidate.
 
b. Each delegation  shall tabulate its  total vote, and the delegation
chair shall deliver  a  written  total  to  the  Secretary.  When  all
delegations have submitted  their votes, the  Secretary shall  declare
the voting closed.
 
c. At this  point, an announcement  of each  delegation's  vote  total
shall be made  by delegation chairs  in alphabetical  order  beginning
with a randomly selected delegation.
 
d. Those seven  candidates receiving the  highest vote totals shall  be
declared elected. If  a tie vote affecting the outcome of the election
occurs, another ballot  for the remaining  offices shall be held  with
each delegate allowed  to cast as  many votes as there  are offices to
fill.
 
3. Nominations and  elections for members  of the  Judicial  Committee
shall be conducted  in the  same  manner  as  specified  for  at-large
members of the National Committee.
 
4. Nominations for  each candidate may be made by any delegate present
on the floor,  provided he or  she  has  the  candidate's  permission.
Nominating speeches shall be limited in duration as follows:
 
a.  Chair:  one   five-minute  nominating  speech,   two  three-minute
seconding speeches;
 
b. All  others:  one  two-minute  nominating  speech,  two  one-minute
seconding speeches.
 
5. In the  event a region  has not otherwise provided for the election
of its regional  representative to the  National  Committee  then  the
delegates from the  region shall elect  its  regional  representative,
provided there are  at least five  delegates  present.  Each  Region's
delegates may elect  their  representative  in  whatever  manner  they
choose, provided all  delegates present from  that  region  are  given
equal voice in the selection.
 
==RULE 11: NONE OF THE ABOVE==
 
Votes cast for  "None of the  Above" in voting on the Party's nominees
for President and  Vice-President, the Party  Officers,  and  at-large
members of the National Committee, shall be considered valid. Should a
majority of the  votes  be  cast  for  "None  of  the  Above"  in  the
Presidential or Vice-Presidential  balloting, no  candidate  shall  be
nominated for that  office. Should "None of the Above" be selected for
any Party office,  that position shall  be declared vacant and none of
the losing candidates  for that position  may be selected to  fill the
vacancy for that term of office.
 
==RULE 12: AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES==
 
The Convention Rules  may be amended  by  a  2/3  vote  at  a  Regular
Convention.

[[Category:National Party Bylaws and Convention Rules]]