LPIN Bylaws

Libertarian Party of Indiana BYLAWS

March 2nd, 2024

ARTICLE I – NAME, IDENTITY, STRUCTURE, FUNCTION

Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be the Libertarian Party of Indiana, hereinafter referred to as the LPIN.

Section 2. Structure. The LPIN is a political organization constituted by its membership, governed by the Annual Business Meeting at its State Convention, responsive to its affiliated County Organizations, and directed by its State Central Committee according to these bylaws.

Section 3. Bona Fide Party. The LPIN is a bona fide political party under the laws of the state of Indiana, and as such is authorized to receive political contributions. The LPIN accepts political contributions in the name of the LPIN or the Libertarian Party of Indiana.

Section 4. Functions. The primary functions of the LPIN are to:

  1. nominate and run candidates for statewide, state legislative and U.S. Congressional offices in the state of Indiana
  2. serve as an affiliate organization of the national Libertarian Party, and
  3. charter and serve the needs of affiliated County Organizations throughout the state of Indiana.

Section 5. Ballot Device. The official ballot device of the LPIN and all candidates nominated by the LPIN or its affiliated County Organizations shall be a monochrome silhouette of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol which is also known as Lady Liberty.

Section 6. Address. The mailing address of the LPIN shall be as designated by the State Central Committee.

ARTICLE II – STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES

Section 1. Purpose. The primary purpose of the LPIN is to promote individual liberty and to eliminate the intervention of government in moral, social and economic affairs.

Section 2. Principles. The LPIN affirms the following principles:

  1. That all people possess certain unalienable natural rights, and that among these are rights to life, liberty, justly acquired property, and self-governance.
  2. That the only moral basis of government is the preservation and protection of unalienable natural rights.
  3. That no person or institution, public or private, has the right to initiate the use of physical force or fraud against another person, and that all people are bound, without contract, to abstain from infringing upon the natural rights of other people.
  4. That all people are entitled to choose their own lifestyles, as long as they do not forcibly impose their values on others.
  5. That the voluntary and unrestricted exchange of goods and services is fundamental to a peaceful and harmonious society.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership Requirements.

  1. Annual Membership. Membership in the LPIN is open to all residents of Indiana who contribute an amount equal to or greater than twenty-five dollars ($25). Payment of this contribution constitutes support for the Statement of Principles of the LPIN. Annual membership expires on the three hundred sixty-sixth (366th) day following the date of receipt of the resident’s last qualifying contribution.
  2. Lifetime Membership. Lifetime Membership in the LPIN is open to all residents of Indiana who contribute an amount equal to or greater than five hundred dollars ($500) for this explicit purpose. An Annual Member may petition the Treasurer to review their contributions for the last three hundred six-five (365) days including the date of the petition. If the Treasurer determines the petitioner has contributed equal to or greater than five hundred dollars ($500) the petitioner shall be granted a Lifetime Membership. All prior and future Lifetime Memberships shall be honored until canceled by the member or suspended in accordance with these bylaws.
  3. Honorary Lifetime Membership. Honorary Lifetime Membership in the LPIN may be grated to any resident of Indiana by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership at the Annual Business Meeting during the State Convention. All prior and future Honorary Lifetime Memberships shall be honored until canceled by the member or suspended in accordance with these bylaws.
  4. National Lifetime Membership. Membership is also open to all inhabitants of Indiana with a lifetime membership in the national Libertarian Party prior to January 1st, 2022.
  5. Non-Qualifying Contributions. Contributions to the LPIN in exchange for goods or services shall not be counted in determination of Membership Requirements.

Section 2. Membership Suspension. The State Central Committee shall have the authority to suspend, terminate or refuse any membership in the LPIN by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the entire membership of the committee. The State Central Committee 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 State Central Committee at one of its next two meetings, or to appeal at the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention. Upon such appeal, the State Central Committee or the Annual Business Meeting, as the case may be, may by majority vote reverse the suspension, termination or refusal of membership. Otherwise, the membership shall remain voided for a period of one year from the original vote, after which time the individual may re-apply for membership in the LPIN.

Section 3. Donor Status. Contributors to the Libertarian Party of Indiana may at their own request be considered Donors rather than Members. Donor status will be granted upon such request, regardless of the amount of yearly contribution. Donor status may be changed to Membership only at Donor’s request. Donor status does not imply support for a Statement of Principles, nor does it afford any Membership privileges.

ARTICLE IV – COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1. Chartering. The State Central Committee may charter affiliated County Organizations as provided for in this article. No more than one County Organization may be chartered in any one county. The name of the County Organization shall be in the form of the Libertarian Party of ________ County.

Section 2. Unchartered Counties.

  1. The State Central Committee shall exercise all powers and authority granted to regular party committees under the law in any county without a chartered County Organization.
  2. The Officers of the LPIN shall exercise all powers and authority granted to the officers of a regular party committee under the law in any county without a chartered County Organization.
  3. The State Convention and Annual Business Meeting of the LPIN shall serve to nominate candidates and exercise all powers and authority granted to conventions of a regular party committee in any county without a chartered County Organization.

Section 3. Purpose of County Organizations. Affiliated County Organizations shall be chartered for, but shall not be limited to, the following purposes:

  1. nominating candidates for public office;
  2. working to elect Libertarian candidates and promote Libertarian principles; and
  3. selecting representatives or delegates to appropriate LPIN activities.

Section 4. Temporary County Chairperson. To secure a contact person around whom a County Organization may be formed, the State Central Committee may appoint one LPIN Member inhabiting a county which does not have a County Organization to take the position of Temporary County Chairperson of the county. The State Central Committee may appoint, reappoint, replace or dismiss any Temporary County Chairperson by majority vote of the entire membership of the committee for a term of one (1) year from the date of such appointment. The Temporary County Chairperson will organize and conduct an organizing convention as allowed by the Standing Rules.

Section 5. Suspension of Affiliate. The State Central Committee shall have the authority to suspend, terminate or refuse affiliate status in the LPIN to a County Organization by a three-fourths (3/4) vote. The State Central Committee shall immediately notify both the Chairperson and Treasurer of such County Organization by mail or email of the suspension, termination, or refusal, and the reasons for such, affording the County Organization the right to appeal to the State Central Committee at one of its next two meetings, or to appeal at the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention. Upon such appeal, the decision of the State Central Committee or of the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention, as the case may be, shall be final and binding. If the decision is adverse to a County Organization, it will be binding for a period of one year from the appeal decision, after which time the County Organization may re-apply for affiliation with the LPIN. The State Central Committee shall notify all current Members of the LPIN within the affected county by mail or email of the disposition of the appeal. The State Central Committee has authority to notify other persons or entities, including the news media, of its decisions.

Section 6. Candidate Endorsement. No affiliated County Organizations shall endorse a candidate for statewide office who opposes a candidate that is nominated by the LPIN for such office.

Section 7. Reservation. Any decisions not forbidden to the County Organizations in these bylaws, Standing Rules or by the Indiana Election Code shall be reserved to the County Organizations respectively, or to the individual Members of the LPIN.

Section 8. County Business Meetings. County Organizations are authorized to charge annual dues, not to exceed the cost of an Annual LPIN membership, as a condition for non-LPIN members residing in the county speaking and voting in County Organization business meetings. No Member of the LPIN, who has been a Member of the LPIN for at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the start of the County Organization business meeting, residing in the county shall be denied the right to attend, speak and vote in a County Organization business meeting. The LPIN district Representative, or in their absence, a member of the State Central Committee designated by the district representative, may not be denied the right to speak on official LPIN business at any business meeting of a County Organization.

Section 9. County Conventions. Nomination of candidates for public office and election of delegates to the State Convention for the County Organization shall occur during a convention. No member of the LPIN, who has been a Member of the LPIN for at least sixty (60) consecutive days prior to the start of the County Organization Convention, residing in the county shall be denied the right to attend, speak and vote in any convention of a County Organization. The LPIN district representative, or in their absence, a member of the State Central Committee designated by the district representative, may not be denied the right to speak on official LPIN business at any convention of a County Organization. All members of the LPIN residing in the county and the LPIN Secretary shall receive notification of the date, time and location of any convention of the County Organization at least thirty (30) days prior to any convention of the County Organization.

Section 10. Officer Requirements. The Officers of all County Organizations must be members of the LPIN. A County Organization shall maintain a Chairperson and Treasurer, which shall not be combined.

Section 11. Removal of County Officers. The State Central Committee may remove any officer of an affiliated County Organization by a three-fourths (3/4) vote. The State Central Committee shall immediately notify all other officers of the County Organization of this removal, and the reasons for such, by mail or email. The State Central Committee shall also immediately notify all current Members of the LPIN within the affected county by mail or email.

Section 12. Choice of County. In case a Member of the LPIN inhabits more than one county, such person shall claim one county for purposes of voting in county conventions, and no Member shall claim to inhabit more than one (1) county in the same ninety (90) day period.

ARTICLE V – STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, OTHER COMMITTEES

Section 1. Membership Requirement. State Central Committee members must be LPIN members.

Section 2. Composition. Membership in the State Central Committee shall consist of four (4) Officers of the LPIN, one or more Directors appointed by the State Central Committee, and all District Members of the LPIN, one for each U.S. Congressional district within the state of Indiana and each elected in accordance with these bylaws.

Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of the State Central Committee is to control and manage all of the affairs and properties of the LPIN between State Conventions, consistent with these bylaws and the policies established at the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention.

Section 4. Responsibility. The State Central Committee shall have the sole responsibility for chartering affiliated County Organizations; approving applications for membership in the LPIN; calling conventions; resolving matters of succession of officers; dealing with members and affiliate County Organizations who are not true to the principles enumerated herein, and arranging, promoting and producing an annual State Convention.

Section 5. Officers.

  1. Four Officers. The Officers of the LPIN shall be a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. No offices shall be combined.
  2. Election of Officers. During odd-numbered years the Officers of the State Central Committee shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention. The Officer for any race shall be chosen by majority vote of secret ballots. If there is only one nomination for the office the election may be made by acclamation. If no candidate has attained a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes and any candidates with less than 5% shall be struck from subsequent ballots. This procedure shall be repeated after every ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote, until one candidate attains a majority. None of the above shall always be an option on these ballots. Officers shall take office upon the close of the Annual Business Meeting and serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the next Annual Business Meeting held during an odd-numbered year in which their successor is elected.
  3. The Chairperson shall be the chief executive officer of the LPIN, presiding over all meetings of the party, its state conventions and business meetings, and meetings of the State Central Committee. The Chairperson is the official spokesperson for the LPIN, subject to the dictates of the State Central Committee.
  4. Vice Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson shall serve as presiding officer in the absence of the Chairperson, and shall execute the duties of the Chairperson during any period of incapacity or vacancy. The Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for the committee work of the LPIN and shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees.
  5. The Secretary shall record the minutes of the Annual Business Meeting and all meetings of the State Central Committee. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the minutes of all meetings, correspondence, committee reports, any standing rules, Petitions for Affiliation from affiliated County Organizations, and these bylaws and amendments.
  6. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds, receiving and disposing of the funds at the discretion of the State Central Committee and subject to any standing rules. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer responsible for the filing of all campaign finance forms for the LPIN. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for maintaining an LPIN mailing list, including a list of Members of the LPIN, as well as the responsibility of notifying Members of the forthcoming expiration of their membership and seeking their renewal.
  7. Removal of Officers. Officers may be removed from the State Central Committee by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the entire membership of the committee. Directors may be removed from the State Central Committee by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the committee.
  8. The State Central Committee shall fill all vacancies of Officers and Directors by appointment. In event of dismissal, removal or resignation of any Officer or Director, the State Central Committee shall notify all Chairpersons of affiliated County Organizations of the vacancy. Such notification shall occur at least ten (10) days before the vacancy is filled.
  9. Interim Appointments. In the event of a vacancy or incapacity of an Officer the Chairperson may make an Interim Appointment to execute the duties of the Officer until the vacancy is filled or the incapacity ends. The Chairperson shall immediately notify the State Central Committee of any Interim Appointment, and the failure to provide notice shall invalidate such an appointment. The State Central Committee may override an Interim Appointment by the Chairperson or may make an Interim Appointment under this provision by a majority vote of the entire membership of the committee.

Section 6. Directors of the State Central Committee. The Officers and District Members on the State Central Committee may appoint Directors to the State Central Committee. Each appointment shall be by resolution and requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee for approval. A Director shall serve until the next election of Officers of the LPIN unless removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee. The resolution of appointment for each Director shall include a functional title and shall specify the responsibilities of the directorship. Directors may be paid and/or be granted voting rights at the discretion of two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee.

Section 7. District Members of the State Central Committee.

  1. District Members on the State Central Committee shall be elected by majority vote of District Committees of the LPIN. District Members shall take office upon final adjournment of the Annual Business Meeting and shall serve until the final adjournment of the next Annual Business Meeting.
  2. Appointment by Chairperson. In the event that the District Committee does not elect a District Member for the State Central Committee prior to the end of the Annual Business Meeting, the Chairperson of the LPIN may appoint the District Member with three-fourths (3/4) approval of the State Central Committee.
  3. The District Member represents their District on the State Central Committee and is responsible for: attending meetings and teleconferences as needed; communicating relevant information, needs, opportunities, and requests of support from their District to the LPIN Chairperson and the State Central Committee; communicating State Central Committee strategies and initiatives in their District, soliciting participation and support from their County chairs and members; and taking an active role in developing County Organizations in their District.
  4. District Members are expected to attend all meetings of the State Central Committee, and any District Member who misses more than 3 scheduled meetings will be required to be ratified by their district county chairs. The district county chairs will be able to elect a new member as a district representative. Failure to do so within 30 days of notice will allow the District Member to be removed from the committee without vote, the vacancy to be filled by the Chairperson of the LPIN with three-fourths (¾) approval of the State Central Committee. The Individual who was removed may be considered to fill the vacancy.

Section 8. Meetings of the State Central Committee.

  1. The State Central Committee shall meet as directed by the Chairperson or by request of one-third (1/3) of the members of the State Central Committee. At least one in-person business meeting will be held within forty-five (45) days after the State Convention and at least once each quarter.
  2. Rollcall Voting. Rollcall voting shall be used at the request of the Chairperson or one-third (1/3) of the voting members present.
  3. Electronic Meetings. The State Central Committee may conduct business other than bylaws amendments by electronic means. Roll call voting shall be used for all votes requiring more than a simple majority. Should roll call votes not meet the minimum number of votes required an e-mail vote request of the absent SCC members may be conducted in the following manner; the Secretary, or acting Secretary from the electronic meeting, shall e-mail motions made during the electronic meeting within 24 hours, to all absent SCC members. A response of aye, nay or abstain will be accepted. The period for voting on a motion shall remain open for a minimum of seven days or until votes cast determine the pass/fail status.
  4. Notice of Meetings. Notice of meeting dates, times and locations shall be available at least 30 days prior to each meeting date. Notice of emergency meetings shall be available at least 48 hours in advance.
  5. A quorum shall consist of five of the State Central Committee’s voting members. Once quorum is met at in-person meetings, additional State Central Committee members may participate via electronic means as if present in-person.
  6. Stand-In Proxy. A District Member, but not an Officer or Director, of the State Central Committee may appoint a Stand-In Proxy to attend, participate and vote on such District Member’s behalf at a State Central Committee meeting, provided that the Chairperson of the LPIN is given advance notice of such appointment prior to the meeting’s Call to Order and provided that such Stand-In Proxy is an LPIN member from the District who is not a member of the Central Committee.
  7. Majority Vote. A majority vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee shall prevail in questions of the expenditure of funds. h. Observation. The State Central Committee may enter executive session by majority vote to address employment, personnel, legal or strategic planning issues. Executive session proceedings shall be strictly confidential until otherwise determined by a majority vote of the entire membership of the committee. All other proceedings of the State Central Committee shall be open to members of the LPIN.
  8. Electronic Mail Ballots. Boards and committees may transact business by electronic mail. The Chairperson or Secretary shall send out electronic mail ballots on any question submitted by the Chairperson or co-sponsored by at least one-fifth (1/5) of the members of the board or committee/ The period for voting on a question shall remain open for seven (7) days, unless all members have cast votes, or have stated an intention to abstain or be absent during the voting period, by electronic mail to the entire board or committee. The outcome of each motion shall be announced promptly and recorded in the minutes of the next meeting. The number of votes required for passage of any motion shall be the same as that required during a meeting. Motions dispensed through electronic mail ballots satisfy the requirement of giving previous notice.

Section 9. Other Committees.

  1. The Chairperson or the State Central Committee may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary to conduct the business of the LPIN and its meetings.
  2. Electronic Meetings. Committees may conduct business by electronic means.
  3. Adoption of Rules. Committees may adopt rules governing their own internal conduct of business. Such rules shall be in harmony with these bylaws and LPIN Standing Rules, and shall be filed with the LPIN Secretary.
  4. District Committees. District Committees are established within each U.S. Congressional district in the state of Indiana for the purpose of electing District Members to the State Central Committee. Each District Committee shall be composed of all Chairpersons of County Organizations which each have representation within that U.S. Congressional district by the plurality of the county’s voters as of December 31st of the preceding year. County Chairpersons may vote on only one District Committee, determined according to the Congressional district in which the plurality of voters in a county live as of December 31st of the preceding year. Each District Committee will be chaired by the Chairperson of the County Organization from the county within said district with the largest number of Members of the LPIN as of December 31st of the preceding year. The District Committee shall meet as directed by the Chairperson, or by request of a majority of the members of the District Committee. Each District Committee shall meet at least one time each calendar year to elect its District Member to the State Central Committee. A quorum at any District Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of voting members of the District Committee. The District Member shall be a member of the LPIN and shall reside within the particular U.S. Congressional District. The District Member may be a County Chairperson, but it is not required. The District Committee shall notify the LPIN Secretary in writing of the election or removal of a District Member.
  5. Credentials Committee. A Credentials Committee shall be appointed to verify the membership of all Members of the LPIN attending the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention and of all Delegates at said Annual Business Meeting.
  6. Convention Committee. A Convention Committee shall be appointed to plan and produce each Annual Convention and Annual Business Meeting. The State Central Committee shall approve a budget, approve all contracts, and otherwise provide guidance and oversight as necessary.

 

Section 10. Authority of Contract. No one shall have the authority to contract for goods or services on behalf of the LPIN without prior written approval of the State Central Committee.

ARTICLE VI – CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS

Section 1. State Convention. The LPIN shall hold a State Convention during March, April or May of each calendar year. The agenda and format of the annual business meeting will be conducted according to these bylaws.

Section 2. Annual Business Meeting. The State Convention will include the Annual Business Meeting. The Annual Business Meeting shall be used to elect Officers of the LPIN; nominate candidates; elect Delegates and Alternate Delegates to national Libertarian Party conventions; amend these bylaws; take action on matters placed on the meeting’s agenda; formulate policy; adopt or amend standing rules and platform planks; receive and/or act upon reports; report on the business affairs of the LPIN; and exercise all other lawful powers not specifically delegated to the Officers or the State Central Committee by these bylaws.

Section 3. Notice. The dates of the State Convention and Annual Business Meeting shall be published no later than September 30th of the preceding year. The times, locations, proposed rules and the proposed agenda of the Annual Business Meeting and State Convention shall be published no later than forty-five (45) days before the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 4. Order of Business. The order of business of the Annual Business Meeting shall be as follows. After the Call to Order, the first item of business is to credential and seat Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting. The second item of business is to adopt rules for the Annual Business Meeting. The third item of business is to adopt an agenda for the Annual Business Meeting. The fourth item of business is the reading and approval of the minutes of the first preceding Annual Business Meeting. The State Central Committee, or a committee appointed thereby, shall submit proposed rules and an agenda for initial consideration. The Delegates shall adopt rules and an agenda for the Annual Business Meeting by majority vote. The fifth item of business is the financial report by the State Central Committee, including a statement of the business conducted since the preceding Annual Business Meeting.

Section 5. Quorum. A quorum of the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention shall be met with a minimum of (35) thirty-five seated delegates in attendance who represent a minimum of 10 different counties.

Section 6. Attendance and Participation. Attendance at the Annual Business Meeting is open to all and free of charge. The State Central Committee may charge a fee for other State Convention activities and services. Only Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting may speak and vote at the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 7. Membership Required. All Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention shall be Members of the LPIN for not less than sixty (60) continuous days as of the starting date of the State Convention and currently in good standing as of the starting date, subject to verification by the Credentials Committee, and must inhabit the counties for which County Organizations they serve as Delegate or Alternate Delegate. In case a Member of the LPIN inhabits more than one county, such Member shall choose one (1) county from which to serve as a Delegate or Alternate Delegate to the Annual Business Meeting, and no Member shall claim to inhabit more than one (1) county in the same ninety (90) day period.

Section 8. Selection of Delegates by County Organizations. Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention shall be selected by affiliated County Organizations according to their bylaws. Each affiliated County Organization shall be allocated one (1) Delegate for every ten (10) Members of the LPIN, or fraction thereof, who inhabit said county as of December 31st of the preceding year, plus one (1) Delegate for every thousand (1,000) votes cast, or fraction thereof, in said county for the Libertarian Party candidate in the last Secretary of State race. The Credentials Committee shall fill county Delegate vacancies with Members of the LPIN from said counties who have been appointed by the highest ranking county officer in attendance and are in attendance at the Annual Business Meeting, such approval by the Annual Business Meeting not to be unreasonably withheld. If an affiliated county cannot seat their allotted delegates from within their own county membership, they may seat an alternate from another affiliated county with that other county’s consent. The LPIN Officers, Directors, SCC Members, County Chairpersons, Temporary County Chairpersons, Libertarian Party National Committee Officers, LNC Regional Representatives, and LNC Regional Representative Alternates are automatically considered delegates, with voting and speaking privileges, and do not count against their home county’s delegate allocation.

Section 9. Selection of Other Delegates. Members of the LPIN attending the Annual Business Meeting from counties with no County Organization shall be allocated one (1) Delegate for every thousand (1,000) votes cast, or fraction thereof, in said county for the Libertarian Party candidate in the last Secretary of State race. Such members may submit to the Credentials Committee their request to be seated as Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting. The Credentials Committee shall bring the request to the full Annual Business Meeting during the meeting’s first item of business, approval of which should not be unreasonably withheld. After all Affiliated and Unaffiliated County Delegates have been seated, the Delegates may, by two/thirds vote, allow all properly submitted Alternate Delegates who have checked in and been verified by the Credentials Committee to be seated as full Delegates, provided they meet all other requirements.

Section 10. Nomination of Candidates. The Annual Business Meeting shall nominate candidates for statewide offices, state legislative offices, U.S. Congressional offices, county prosecutor offices, county judicial offices, unaffiliated county offices, and any other office allowed under the law. Any candidate so nominated must be a current member of the Libertarian Party of Indiana as defined in Article III of these bylaws.

The nominee for any race shall be chosen by majority vote. If no candidate has attained a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes and any candidates with less than 5% shall be struck from subsequent ballots. This procedure shall be repeated after every ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote, until one candidate attains a majority. None Of The Above shall always be an option on these ballots. A completed Candidate Application form is required before any candidate will be considered for nomination by the Annual Business Meeting or the State Central Committee.

Section 11. Motions in Writing. All motions to amend the rules and/or the agenda proposed by the State Central Committee, to amend these bylaws, and/or to adopt or amend a platform shall be in writing, submitted to the Chairperson sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the Annual Business Meeting.

All motions to amend the Standing Rules or bylaws shall be presented to the Bylaws Committee for any technical or conforming corrections. The Bylaws Committee shall present a written report to the SCC at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the Annual Business Meeting. The report shall include all proposed and duly made motions, presented in the order in which the Committee feels the motions should be presented. Each motion may also include a summary of the motion, along with any further proposed amendments or concerns that were not addressed prior to the Annual Business Meeting. The SCC shall only be empowered to approve or amend the presentation order and summary of any proposed motion to amend the Standing Rules or bylaws and shall not prevent motions from being considered at the Annual Business Meeting. The written report from the Committee shall be made available for the membership’s review with other LPIN Annual Convention materials.

The Bylaws Committee shall serve a term of 1 year, with the term ending immediately following the Annual Business Meeting. The SCC shall appoint members to the Bylaws committee with a minimum of at least one LPIN officer, SCC board member, and one LPIN member.

Section 12. Delegates to National Convention. In years when a national Libertarian Party convention is to be held, the Annual Business Meeting shall elect Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the national Libertarian Party convention. Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the national convention must be a current LPIN member and a Bylaws Sustaining Member (BSM) of the national Libertarian Party for not less than sixty (60) continuous days as of the starting date of the State Convention, and shall be elected in order of the number of votes they receive. Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the national convention of the Libertarian Party, not otherwise elected at the Annual Business Meeting but having met all other requirements, may be appointed by the LPIN Chair to fill any vacancies after the close of the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 13. Special Conventions and Special Business Meetings. Special Conventions and Special Business Meetings may be convened by the State Central Committee on its own initiative, or shall be convened by the State Central Committee upon written request or petition of over one-quarter (1/4) of all current Members of the LPIN. The State Central Committee shall provide notice of the dates, times, and location of Special Convention and Special Business Meetings to all Members of the LPIN at least fifteen (15) days prior to the events. Notice shall also set forth the subjects to be considered at such Special Conventions and Special Business Meetings. Such Special Conventions and Special Business Meetings shall otherwise be run in accordance with, and have the same authority as that set forth in, these bylaws for the annual State Convention and Annual Business Meeting.

ARTICLE VII – ADOPTION, AMENDMENTS, STANDING RULES

Section 1. Adoption of Bylaws. These bylaws shall be adopted when approved by a majority of the Delegates attending an Annual Business Meeting at a State Convention.

Section 2. Amendment of Bylaws. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership at a State Convention. These bylaws may also be amended at a meeting by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee. Amendments of these bylaws shall take effect immediately unless specified differently by the proposal.

Section 3. Standing Rules. Standing Rules may be adopted, amended or repealed by a majority vote of the entire membership at the Annual Business Meeting at the State Convention or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the State Central Committee. The Standing Rules of the LPIN shall be in harmony with these bylaws, shall be written, and shall be made available for general use by the membership.

Section 4. Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order as most recently revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters not covered by these bylaws or Standing Rules.

Section 5. Changes prior to the Annual Business Meeting. Any amendment, adoption, or repeal of a Standing Rule or these bylaws affecting the Annual Business Meeting within 30 days of the Annual Business Meeting by the State Central Committee shall not take effect until after the final adjournment of the Annual Business Meeting.

 

Approved at State Convention May 1999; as amended at the State Convention April 2001 and 2004; by the State Central Committee October 2005; at the State Convention April 2006, April 2010, March 2012, April 2013; by the State Central Committee February 2014 and February 21st 2015; at the State Convention April 2015 and April 23rd 2016; by the State Central Committee February 18th 2017; at the State Convention May 6th 2017, May 5th 2018, March 23rd 2019, March 7th 2020, March 27th 2021, and March 2nd 2024.

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