The PARTY of PRINCIPLE

BYLAW I: PURPOSE AND SCOPE

These bylaws shall govern the association known as the “Libertarian Party of Mississippi” hereinafter referred to as the “Party”

BYLAW II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. All members of the Party shall be required to sign the following membership pledge: “I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.”

(a) A “Basic Member” is a member who has signed the pledge of non-initiation of force.

(i) A “Basic Member” is not a “Voting Member”.

(b) A “Sustaining Member” is a member who has contributed at least $25 to the National Libertarian Party annually and at least $25 to the Party annually.

(i) A “Sustaining Member” must sign the pledge of non-initiation of force.

(ii) The Executive Committee at its discretion may wave the requirement for $25 to the Party for those within the Party that have contributed considerable service to the Party.

(iii) A “Sustaining Member” shall also be a “Voting Member”.

(c) A “Subscribing Member” shall be a member who has contributed at least $25 to the National Libertarian Party annually, and at least $10 per month to the Party.

(i) A “Subscribing Member” must sign the pledge of non-initiation of force.

(ii) A “Subscribing Member” shall be a “Voting Member”.

Section 2. The amount of yearly dues required may not be changed except as an act of the yearly state convention of the Party, IAW Bylaw VII, Section 1.

Section 3. Membership may be indefinitely revoked for cause by unanimous vote of all Party officers sitting as a Judicial Committee.

a. Request for membership revocation must be submitted in writing to each member of the Judicial Committee, and to the member whose membership is being questioned.

Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall provide a copy of the membership list to each party officer. With the approval of the Executive Committee, the membership list may be provided to other groups, such as the National Libertarian Party, a Libertarian Party candidate, or a campaign committee.

Section 5. Only Sustaining Members and Subscribing Members shall be elected as delegates to the National Convention.

BYLAW III : PARTY OFFICERS

Section 1. State party officers are; Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, one District Representative for each of the congressional districts, and two Party Delegates At Large. Officers shall serve until the next annual state convention.

Section 2. All actions of the State, County and Campus party officers must support the Party Platform, the Constitution and Bylaws of the Party, and also uphold the pledge of non-initiation of force. No party officer shall endorse a non-Libertarian candidate for public office who is opposed by a Libertarian candidate.

Section 3. If office of Chairman becomes vacant, or is unable to fulfill the duties as Chairman, then the order of succession as acting Chairman is; Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, District One Representative; Followed by the remaining District Representatives in numerical order.

Section 4. The State Executive Committee, consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary-Treasurer, herein after referred to as the Execomm are authorized to act in the name of the Party in all matters subject to the following rules;

(a) A simple majority is sufficient authority for the Execomm to act in all matters.

(b) If a vacancy occurs in the Execomm, the Chairman or acting Chairman may appoint a Party Officer to fill the position. If the other member(s) of the Execomm object to the appointment, the appointment must be approved by the majority vote of Party Officers.

(c) The Execomm may conduct business by telecommunications, mail, meetings, or by other electronic means.

(d) Execomm meetings may be called by any member of the Execomm.

(e) Reasonable notice of Execomm meetings shall be given to all party officers.

(f) Scheduled Execomm meetings are open to all members of the Party, and all scheduled meetings shall be posted on the Party website 10 days in advance.

(g) Minutes of Execomm meetings and any votes taken by mail or telecommunications must be published in the next issue of the Party newsletter or on the Party website, at least in summary form.

(h) If any action, appointment or proposed action of the Execomm is objected to by
three party officers or by 1/10 of the Voting Members of the Party, then the matter shall be submitted to a mail ballot of the entire Party membership or be deferred to the next yearly state convention.

(i) The Execomm may, at its sole discretion, refuse to accept any applications for candidacy of any state or local office. Decisions under this section may be appealed to the Judicial Committee.

Section 5. The Judicial Committee shall consist of all Party Officers as defined by BYLAW III Section 1.

a. A simple majority of the Judicial Committee shall be sufficient on all appeals.

b. It shall take unanimous vote of the Judicial Committee to revoke membership for cause.

c. The action of the Judicial Committee may be appealed to the next annual convention where 3/5ths majority of the voting delegates may reinstate membership.

BYLAW IV: FINANCES

Section 1. Any Party money spent must be authorized by a majority vote of the Execomm.

Section 2. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep, in an auditable fashion, a record of all Party money spent or received by the Party.

Section 3. The Execomm shall appoint a 3 person Audit Committee no later than 90 days prior to the annual convention. The Audit Committee shall audit the financial records of the Party beginning with the ending date of the previous Audit, and submit the findings of the audit to the ExeComm at the annual Convention.

a. The Secretary Treasurer of the Party shall provide all financial records to the Audit Committee.

BYLAW V : AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1. The Execomm shall promote and authorize county and campus Libertarian Organizations to be affiliated with the party.

Section 2. Affiliate organization Executive Committees may be appointed by the Party Execomm until the affiliate organization has five party members, after which the affiliate should elect its officers.

Section 3. The Execomm may revoke affiliate status for cause.

Section 4. No person, group or organization may use the name “Libertarian Party of Mississippi” or any confusingly similar designation except as authorized by the Party.

BYLAW VI: ANNUAL PARTY CONVENTION RULES

Section 1. OFFICIAL NOTICE – The Execomm shall set the time, place and schedule of events for the annual state convention. At least 30 days advanced notice must be provided to the Party members concerning these arrangements. In addition, public notice must be given as required by the state election code. All Party conventions are open to the public.

Section 2. CONVENTION OFFICERS – The current Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer of the Party shall preside as Chairman and secretary respectively of the annual state convention.

Section 3. CONVENTION DELEGATES – All Voting Members shall be duly registered as Voting Delegates except as provided in Section 4. Each Voting Delegate shall have one vote and be present on the floor when the vote is taken, except that written and signed proxies are allowed when voting on amendments to the Party Constitution.

Section 4. SENIORITY RULES

(a) Only Supporting and Sustaining Members are eligible to be Voting Delegates at the annual Convention.

(b) No Party member shall be a Voting Delegate to any Party convention until 60 days have elapsed after their date of membership.

(c) No Party member shall be nominated as a member of the Executive Committee, or Voting Delegate to the National Convention or candidate for public office until 60 days have elapsed after their date of membership.

(i) Candidates may petition the Judicial Committee for a waiver of this requirement.

(d) The application of Bylaw VI, Section 4, Sub-Section b, may be suspended at any Party convention provided that the suspension is submitted as the first order of business and is favored by 3/5 of the Voting Delegates. If this section is suspended, then those Party members affected must be duly registered as Voting Delegates as the second order of business.

Section 5. QUORUM - A simple majority of all Voting Delegates registered at the convention shall be a quorum for all matters.

Section 6. VOTING PROCEDURE – On all matters not requiring a greater number, a simple majority of Voting Delegates present and voting shall be required for the passage of any matter.

Section 7. SPEECHES AND DEBATE – Each Voting Delegate shall be limited to five minutes on any issue unless otherwise specified by the Chairman or determined by majority vote.

Section 8. ORDER OF BUSINESS – The order of business shall be:

Call to Order – promptly at the time given by advanced notice.

(1) Delegate Registration- A motion to suspend the seniority rules in accordance with Bylaw 6, Section 4, Sub-section d, may be submitted. Afterwards the registration of Voting Delegates will be closed.

(2) Chairman’s Report (required)

(3) Secretary-Treasurer’s Report (required)

(4) Reports by other Party officers (as recognized by the convention Chairman)

(5) Other reports (as recognized by the convention Chairman)

(6) Nomination and election of all Party officers (required)- The newly elected Party officers take office effective with the adjournment of the convention.

(7) Nomination and election of delegates to the National Libertarian Party Convention (if so moved).

(8) Nomination of candidates for public office (if so moved)

(9) Other business (as recognized by the convention Chairman)

Adjourn

BYLAW VII : AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by 2/3 majority vote of the Voting Delegates at the annual state convention of the Party.

Approved by vote of the Voting Delegates at the State Convention on 16 April 2011