 Constitution of the Libertarian Party of the District of Columbia Adopted March 8, 1995 Amended June 16, 2001, June 1, 2002, April 13, 2004 I. The name of the Libertarian Party organization for the jurisdiction of the City of Washington and the District of Columbia shall be the "Libertarian Party of the District of Columbia." A. The organization may abbreviate the name as the LPDC. B. Subordinate Libertarian Party organizations may be formed in each of the city's eight wards and they shall be known respectively as the "Ward __ Committee of the Libertarian Party of the District of Columbia" Wards may create their own Constitution and Bylaws and manage their own affairs. C. Only subordinate or affiliate organizations who have been recognized by an LPDC Business Meeting shall use the name. II. The purpose of the Libertarian Party of the District of Columbia is to promote libertarianism as expressed in the Statement of Principles of the Platform of the Libertarian Party of the United States. A. THE LPDC shall adopt only positions that are consistent with this document. B. On issues where the national party is silent, the LPDC shall be free to adopt and express libertarian positions upon a majority vote of the LPDC. C. Where the party shall adopt a position, per sections (A) and (B) of this article, by majority vote of a duly mandated and authorized quorum of members, those persons in the minority shall be entitled, should their numbers constitute forty percent or more when rounded to the next highest percentage divisible by ten, to publish a brief dissent concurrent with dissemination of the majority's position. III. A member shall be any person who has signed the membership certification, pays the combined state/national dues and resides in Washington, D.C. All members who documentation proves have been members for at least thirty days are entitled to participate in and vote at all Business meetings and conventions. IV. The affairs of the LPDC shall be managed by the Executive Committee as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. The Executive Committee shall consist of the State Chair, the State Vice Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and the chairs of the District's wards. A. The frequency, place and time of Business Meetings may be determined by act of the Meeting, call of the chair or call of any five LPDC members - but meetings shall be called not less than every other month. All Business meetings shall be open to all LPDC members and announced to members in writing postmarked at least ten days prior to the meeting. A quorum shall consist of at least four members. Decisions shall be reached by majority vote. B. Between Business Meetings the Executive Committee may conduct business by Executive Committee meeting, telephone or by written correspondence. No meeting shall be called without written notice distributed to all Executive Committee members at least 5 days prior to the meeting. A quorum shall consist of three Executive Committee members. All Executive Committee decisions and actions shall be reported in writing to the Business Meeting. C. In order to be elected as an officer one must be a member of the LPDC and a member of no other major D.C. party. Officers shall be elected in spring conventions each year for a term of one year. 1. The State Chair shall preside over meetings of the Business and Executive Committee, and state conventions and do any other such acts as necessary to carry out the mission of the Party as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. 2.The First State Vice Chair shall chair meetings in the absence of the State Chair and perform other acts as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. 3.The Second State Vice Chair shall chair meetings in the absence of the State Chair and First State Chair and perform other acts as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. 4. The State Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the LPDC and perform other acts as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. . 5. The State Treasurer shall keep an accounting of all funds of the LPDC, file all required legal forms with the Office of Campaign Finance and other governmental authorities as required by law, provide a report of the Party's finances to each Business Meeting and perform other acts as directed or approved by the Business Meeting. The LPDC shall not accept, deposit or expend funds during any time that it does not have a registered Treasurer. An audit committee shall be appointed by the State Chair to review the books of the Party within 30 days of each convention. 6. The positions of chair and treasurer shall not be held by the same person. 7. Members in each ward may elect a Ward Chair who will serve in that capacity on the Executive Committee. Ward Chairs also may be elected at duly called Ward meetings. A quorum shall consist of at least three members who live in the Ward. D. Officers may be removed for good cause by vote of three-quarters of the Business Meeting. Such removal must be proposed by either a majority of the Executive Committee or by five members. Advance notice that such proposal is to be included on the agenda of the Business Meeting shall be circulated by written correspondence to members fifteen (15) days before the meeting. E. In the event of death, resignation or removal of an officer, the Business Meeting shall appoint a member to serve in the office for the remainder of the term. F. The Business Meeting and/or the Executive Committee may approve member projects as LPDC projects or committees, appoint LPDC members to serve as project coordinators and establish any special committees deemed appropriate. V. The Business Meeting shall call an annual convention in the month of March each year and shall notify each member residing within the District of the time, date and place of the convention at least three weeks prior to the convention. A quorum shall consist of six members. Ward organizations may hold local conventions or conduct Ward business at the District convention. All conventions and meetings shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order when they are not inconsistent with these articles. Delegates to the national convention are elected by the LPDC convention. VI. This constitution may be amended by a 75% vote of the members attending an annual convention. Bylaws and operating policies may be adopted by the Business Meeting between conventions, but will not continue beyond the next convention unless ratified by a majority of members attending the convention. |