BYLAW I: PURPOSE AND SCOPE
These bylaws shall govern the association known as the Libertarian Party of Mississippi (the “Party”).
BYLAW II: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
Definition of Member
A. To be a member of the Party, you must
- Be a resident of the State of Mississippi, and
- Pledge that you do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.
B. To be a voting member and delegate to the Annual State Convention, qualify to be nominated as a delegate to the National Convention, serve on standing committees, and/or be nominated for and elected to serve on the Executive Committee, one must be an annual dues-paying member by fulfilling one of the following obligations:
- Pay a one-time annual membership fee of $25.00 and certify the pledge as mentioned in BYLAWS II Section 1, A.1; or
- Contribute a total of $25.00 over a 6-month period to the Party, After the aggregate totals $25.00, the contributor shall be contacted by a representative of the Executive Committee to validate intention of membership. If contributor confirms intent, they will be entered into the roster as a member.
- If a dues-paying member fails to pay dues as provided above, the Secretary shall designate that member as a non-dues-paying member.
C. One may sign the pledge mentioned in BYLAWS II, Section 1, B and a statement of intent to be a member of the Libertarian Party of Mississippi via the website or a signed letter submitted to an Executive Committee member, to be sent to the Secretary for records, without paying dues to be a non-dues-paying member. Such members will not have the privileges mentioned in BYLAW II, Section 1, C, until such a time in which they pay the annual member fee and fulfill time requirements as mentioned in other sections of these BYLAWS.
D. Lifetime members of the National Party and whom were residents of the State of Mississippi as of midnight April 9, 2017 shall be considered members of the State Party.
E. A member of the Party may become a Lifetime Member of the Party (“Lifetime Member”) upon making a one-time payment of $500.00 to the Party. Lifetime Members shall be granted all rights and privileges of dues-paying members for life without having to pay annual dues, subject to revocation as set out in these Bylaws. Any payments collected from becoming Lifetime Members shall be earmarked for use by the Party to grow membership, as determined, by the Executive Committee.
Section 2
The amount of yearly dues dues-paying members are required to pay may not be changed except as an act of the yearly state convention of the Party.
Section 3
A. Membership may be indefinitely revoked for cause by a 2/3rds vote of the Judicial Committee.
B. 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 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 Members who are both dues-paying State Party Members and National Party 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, or 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. The Party Officers constitute the Executive Committee (the “Executive Committee”)
A. A simple majority is sufficient authority for the Executive Committee to act in all matters.
B. The Executive Committee may conduct business and act in all matters by telecommunications, mail, meetings, or by other electronic means, including over the internet.
C. Executive Committee meetings may be called by any member of the Executive Committee.
D. Reasonable notice of Executive Committee meetings shall be given to all party officers.
E. Scheduled Executive Committee meetings are open to all members of the Party, and all scheduled meetings shall be posted on the Party website, and/or any other official Libertarian Party of Mississippi platform, 10 days in advance.
F. The agenda for any upcoming Executive Committee meeting must be available to members no later than 2 days prior to the scheduled meeting.
G. Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings and any votes taken (whether in person, by mail or electronically) must be available to the membership.
H. Members of the Executive Committee are required to attend all scheduled meetings. If any member is unable to be in attendance, they should attempt to inform the other members. If a member misses 2 or more meetings the member may be voted out by a majority of the Executive Committee.
I. All Party Officers shall be a member of the Party as defined in Bylaw II.
J. All meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held using a parliamentary procedure such as Robert’s Rules of Order. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for qualifying candidates for offices of more than one county in the time and manner established by Mississippi state law
Section 2
All actions of the State, County and Campus party officers must support the Party Platform 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
A. If the office of Chairman becomes vacant, or if the Chairman is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, 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.
B. If any other officer position on the Executive Committee becomes vacant, the Chairman may appoint a current dues-paying member to fill the roll, whom may be confirmed by that office by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 4
When discussing matters of outreach and advertisements such as, but not limited to: Brochures, T-shirts, Web Design, other printed or electronic materials, etc.: No current member of the Executive Committee shall use their position to voluntarily promote a business in which they directly or indirectly receive financial compensation unless deemed allowable by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
BYLAW IV: ADMINISTRATION
Section 1
Any Party money spent must be authorized by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 2
The Treasurer shall keep, in an auditable fashion, a record of all Party money spent or received by the Party and make available a monthly financial report to all party members.
Section 3
A. The Executive Committee 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 Executive Committee at the annual Convention.
B. The Treasurer of the Party shall provide all financial records to the Audit Committee.
BYLAW V: COMMITTEES
Section 1
Ad-hoc Committees
The Executive Committee may authorize and establish Ad-hoc Committees as situations warrant. An Ad-hoc Committee is a temporary committee established by the Executive Committee to address a certain issue or topic.
A. The Executive Committee shall determine the scope, purview, and tenure of an Ad-hoc Committee. The Executive Committee may request regular status reports from the Ad-hoc Committee.
B. The Executive Committee has sole authority to establish, terminate, or permanently adjourn an Ad-hoc Committee.
C. The Executive Committee shall appoint the Chairman of an Ad-hoc Committee.
D. The Executive Committee shall appoint the members of an Ad-hoc Committee.
E. All members of an Ad-hoc Committee shall be members of the State Party.
Section 2
Standing Committees are established by these Bylaws and continue in perpetuity. Members of a Standing Committee are elected at the annual State Convention. Only dues-paying members of the State Party shall be eligible to sit on a Standing Committee.
Section 3
Judicial Committee
A. The Judicial Committee shall consist of 5 dues-paying members of the State Party elected at the annual State convention.
B. No member of the Executive Committee shall also be a member of the Judicial Committee.
C. The Chairman of the Judicial Committee shall be elected by the elected members of the Judicial Committee. In the event the Judicial Committee fails to elect a Chairman, the Executive Committee shall appoint one of the members of the Judicial Committee to act as Chairman.
D. The Judicial Committee shall sit in silence until called upon to convene.
- A simple majority vote of the Executive Committee may convene the Judicial Committee.
- The membership may convene the Judicial Committee by submitting a written statement to the Executive Committee signed by 20% of State Party members. The statement shall state the specific purpose for convening the Judicial Committee. Upon receiving a written statement to convene the Judicial Committee, the Executive Committee shall verify membership status of all signees. If all signees are State Party members, the Executive Committee shall convene the Judicial Committee for the purposes listed on the statement.
- The scope or limitations of a specific inquiry shall be established by the Judicial Committee.
- The Judicial Committee may request written statements or testimony from witnesses or concerned parties.
- The Executive Committee shall make all records available to the Judicial Committee. These records include, but are not limited to, membership reports, minutes of Executive Committee meetings, financial records, and committee reports.
- Upon completion of specific inquiries by the Judicial Committee, the Judicial Committee shall submit a written report to the Executive Committee stating its findings.
- The decisions of the Judicial Committee are limited to revoking membership of Party members or removing Party Officers from an elected position within the Party.
- Decisions of the Judicial Committee may be appealed to the membership at the next Annual Convention. A 2/3rds majority shall be required at the State Convention to overturn the decisions of the Judicial Committee.
Section 4
Bylaws Committee
A. The Bylaws Committee shall be the custodian of the Bylaws.
B. The Executive Committee shall request a minimum of 3 volunteers to sit as the Bylaws Committee. Volunteers to sit on the Bylaws committee shall be members of the State Party.
C. Changes to the Bylaws may be requested by the Executive Committee, by any member of the State Party, or by members of the Bylaws Committee.
D. All proposed changes must be submitted to the Bylaws committee at least 60 days prior to the State Convention. Only proposed changes submitted to the Bylaws committee will be presented for a vote at the State Convention. The Bylaws committee shall designate a committee member or another party member to present the proposed changes to the membership at the State Convention. In alternative, voting delegates can allow bylaw changes at the State Convention.
E. The Bylaws Committee may discard any proposed change(s) if the proposed change creates conflict with other areas of the bylaws.
F. All changes to these Bylaws at the annual State Convention must be approved by a 2/3rds vote of the voting delegates.
G. The Bylaws Committee may propose to the Executive Committee amendments to the Bylaws outside of the Annual Convention when any state law or regulations may affect the operation of the state party, any of its affiliates, or candidates for office in Mississippi. These proposed amendments must be submitted to the Executive Committee, which shall be convened within 1 week of submission of the proposed amendment, in an emergency session to vote on the proposed amendments. The proposal may also be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. A 7/8 vote of the entire Executive Committee shall be required to approve any such amendment by the Bylaws committee, including any alterations by the Executive Committee.
- Any changes made under Section H must be ratified by 2/3 of the voting delegates at the next Annual State Convention.
- Any changes not ratified by a 2/3 vote of the voting delegates at the next Annual State Convention is no longer a part of the Bylaws.
BYLAW VI: AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1
The Executive Committee shall promote and authorize county and campus Libertarian Organizations to be affiliated with the party.
Section 2
A. If no county executive committee is formed before an election, the Executive Committee may serve as the temporary county executive committee and exercise all of the duties of the county executive committee for the county election.
B. After the Executive Committee has fulfilled its duties as the temporary county executive committee, it shall select a county executive committee before the next county election.
Section 3
The chair or secretary of any county executive committee shall register its name with the Chair or Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Party within thirty days. The registration shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the chair or secretary listing the names of the members of the county executive committee and of the State Executive Committee, showing the chair and secretary and other officers of the county party, setting forth that the executive committee has been elected in accordance with the provisions of the Party.
Section 4
By majority vote of the Judicial Committee, the Executive Committee may revoke affiliate status for cause.
Section 5
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 VII: PARTY CONVENTION RULES
Section 1
Official Notice. The Executive Committee shall set the time, place and schedule of events for the annual state convention which shall occur before March 1 of every calendar year in which a Convention is held. 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 of the Party shall preside over the state convention.
Section 3
Convention Delegates. All delegates shall be duly registered as Voting Delegates except as provided in the Bylaws.
Section 4
Each Voting Delegate shall have one vote and be present on the floor when the vote is taken.
Section 5
Seniority Rules.
A. Only dues-paying Members are eligible to be Voting Delegates at the annual Convention.
B. No member shall be a Voting Delegate to any Party convention until 60 days have elapsed after their date dues-paying of membership.
C. No Party member shall be nominated as a member of the Executive Committee, or Voting Delegate to the National Convention until 60 days have elapsed after their date of dues-paying membership.
C. The application of Bylaw VII, Section 5, Sub-Section b and/or c, may be suspended at any Party 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 6
Quorum. A simple majority of all Voting Delegates registered at the convention shall be a quorum for all matters.
Section 7
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 8
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 9
A. Convention Business
B. The order of business shall include:
C. Call to Order – promptly at the time given by advanced notice.
D. Delegate Registration — A motion to suspend the seniority rules in accordance with Bylaw VII, Section 4, Sub-Section D, may be submitted. Afterwards the registration of Voting Delegates will be closed.
E. Chairman’s Report (required)
F. Secretary’s Report
G. Treasurer’s Report (required)
H. Reports by other Party officers (as recognized by the convention Chairman)
I. Other reports (as recognized by the convention Chairman)
J. Nomination and election of all Party officers (required) — The newly elected Party officers take office effective with the adjournment of the convention.
K. Nomination and election of delegates to the National Libertarian Party Convention (if so moved).
L. Other business (as recognized by the convention Chairman)
M. Adjourn
Approved by vote of the Voting Delegates at the State Convention February 24, 2024, in Flowood, MS.