At the Regular Convention in Pinconning on July 15th, the delegates present considered a bylaws committee report with Bylaws Committee Chair, Joshua Jongema, presiding. With lively debate and discussions in regards to the nature of these changes in the present condition of the Libertarian Party of Michigan (now OFFICIALLY abbreviated to “LPMI”), they passed the following proposals (GREEN Highlighted Language is new language, strikethrough+red highlighted language has been removed from the bylaws):
Compiler’s Resolution
“Resolved, that the committee or officer designated to prepare the true copy of this Bylaw as amended at this meeting, be authorized to correct article and section designations, spelling, punctuation, and cross-referencing and to make other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the intent of this meeting in connection with these proposed bylaw amendments.”
This language is not a bylaw, but a resolution giving authorization to change punctuation, grammar, etc without changing any substantial details of the affected bylaws.
I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the “Libertarian Party of Michigan,” hereinafter referred to as the “Party” or “LPMI”
III. OFFICERS
5.The first vice chair shall act as assistant to the chair and shall perform the duties of the chair in his or her absence. The first vice chair shall also act as “affiliates director” helping affiliates organize, forming new affiliates, helping student groups organize and forming new student groups. The first vice chair shall also be responsible for organizing seminars to make certain that affiliate officers have the information necessary to work effectively with the LPM and shall organize unaffiliated region caucuses.
10. A member of the Executive Committee who misses three consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee or fails to perform his or her fiduciary duties may be removed from the Executive Committee and replaced by a two-thirds vote at a regular meeting of the Executive Committee or a majority vote at convention following a motion for a vote of no confidence. All Executive Committee members must be notified of the intent to remove at least 14 days prior to the meeting. A Congressional district representative may be replaced by a majority vote of a congressional district caucus at any state convention. If the chair is so removed, the first vice chair shall assume the chair and a new first vice chair elected. If a Congressional district representative resigns or is so removed, then the Executive Committee must replace him or her with a person residing in the same Congressional district, who shall serve until the next state convention, at which time the caucus for that Congressional district shall select a replacement for the balance of his or her term.
11. If a board position becomes vacant, except in the office of chair, the LEC shall appoint someone to fill it. In the event of a vacancy of the chair, vice chairs shall be elevated and vacancies shall remain at the lowest office(s). The term of each will be until the next convention having sufficient notice for adding the election to its agenda. Officers elected to fill a vacancy shall serve until the next regular convention. Election of congressional district representatives shall be done by a congressional district caucus. Appointments of a congressional district representative must be of a person residing in that district.
12. If a member of the Executive Committee misses three consecutive regular meetings of the Executive Committee, their position on the Executive Committee shall be automatically vacated.
16. Members of a standing or special committee (except for the Judicial Committee or any committee related to disciplinary action) may be appointed by the Executive Committee, by a committee chair, or by the LPM Chair. All appointments must be approved by the Executive Committee. Appointments shall be made only at a meeting of the Executive Committee. Only voting members of the LPM shall be eligible for appointment as members of a standing committee. The Executive Committee may fix a maximum size to any committee (except for the Judicial Committee or any committee related to disciplinary action).
17. Resignations must be delivered in writing. They shall be considered accepted immediately upon delivery to the secretary or chair, or at a meeting of the Executive Committee.
VI. Conventions
3. The Party shall hold a special convention within 45 days upon the call of the Executive Committee or when petitions are submitted by 1030% of the current membership, specifying the purpose for the special convention. In the event a valid petition is submitted by members to the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee must issue the call to convention within 28 days. Unless two-thirds of the Executive Committee objects, the Executive Committee shall inform members of the subject of the petition, and with the circulator’s consent, the contact information of the circulator.
4.3. Prior to each state convention, the Executive Committee shall hold an unaffiliated region caucus for the purpose of selecting delegates for the state convention, from areas of Michigan that are not represented by any affiliate regions. The caucuses shall be held for each unaffiliated region, and may be done by electronic meeting. Each unaffiliated region shall be allotted delegates in the same manner as affiliates, and shall be based on the counties that comprise the unaffiliated region as designated by the Executive Committee. Only members who reside in an unaffiliated region may vote for the delegate selections for that region.
VIII. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership shall be granted to any person who affirms the Statement of Principles and whose LPM dues are current.
2. The party may offer life memberships which shall convey the same rights and privileges as any annual member whose dues are current. All previously issued life memberships shall be honored in the same manner.
XII. AMENDMENTS
1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present at a convention occurring in an odd-numbered year only.
2. In the event of a change in Michigan Law which substantially changes the meaning of these bylaws, the Executive Committee may schedule a special convention which shall only pertain to the bylaws amendments needed to address the effect of the aforementioned legal change. On even years this will require a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
XIII. USE OF PARTY RESOURCES
The Party does not support, condone, or give candidates of other political parties access to mailing lists, contact information, or administrative access to online social media accounts of the Libertarian Party of Michigan for use with their campaign nor give these to any person not authorized by the Party.
You can read the entire LPMI bylaws as amended here.
