- Preamble
We, the members of the Arizona Libertarian Party, hold that the only legitimate function of government is the protection of individual liberty and individual rights. We pledge ourselves to work by all peaceful means to eliminate the interference by government in the voluntary and contractual relationships among individuals.
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be "The Arizona Libertarian Party", hereinafter referred to as "the Party".
Article II. Purpose
The purpose for which the Party is organized is to implement and give voice to the principles embodied in the Statement of Principles of the Arizona Libertarian Party by:
(a) Nominating or endorsing Libertarian Party candidates for political office;
(b) Promoting, recognizing and coordinating regional divisions of the Party; and
(c) Supporting political information activities.
Article III. Organization
The Party shall be organized pursuant to the bylaws.
Article IV. Amendments
(a) The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all registered delegates to any convention of the Party if the text of the amendment has been distributed to the members of record 30 days prior to the convention or, a three-fourths vote of all registered delegates if it has not been distributed. Amendments to the constitution shall be ratified by two-thirds of the affiliated county parties using the procedure of each county for a bylaws amendment.
(b) The Bylaws of the Party may be amended by majority vote of all registered delegates to any convention of the Party and ratification by the Executive Committees of a majority of the recognized county affiliates.
(c) Ratifications by county affiliates must be completed within one hundred eighty days of adoption by the convention.
Article V. Conduct
(a) Other than the affiliations between the State Party and the County, City, District or other affiliated Parties, this Party is an independent organization and shall not be merged with or made subordinate or subsidiary to any other organization. The Party shall not be incorporated under government authority.
(b) The Party and the campaigns of its endorsed candidates shall be funded by voluntary contributions. Neither the Party, nor its candidates shall accept from government any grants, matching funds, or other similar contributions substantially derived from taxation or other coercive means.
(c) No resources of the Party shall be used to support any candidate whose campaign violates this constitution or the bylaws.
(d) No elected officer of the Party may be materially compensated for holding their office. The governing body of the Party may reimburse officers for actual expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of their office, and shall indemnify them against legal actions resulting from the performance of their duties.
Rules of the Convention. Adopted in Convention, February, 19th, 2000
1. Registration of Delegates:
a) A registered delegate shall be registered with the Clerk of the Convention in person to participate in convention business.
2. Quorum
a) A quorum shall consist of one-half of all registered delegates at the convention.
3. Supervision
a) The Governing Committee shall have supervision and management of the convention.
4. Program
a) The Governing Committee shall fix the official program of the convention.
b) Amendments shall be considered informally, unless otherwise directed by the Chair.
5. Assumption and Execution
a) All officers elected in convention shall assume office upon the final gavel of the convention.
b) All changes to the Platform and all resolutions passed by the convention shall become effective upon the final gavel of the convention, unless by their own terms, the effective date is otherwise.
6. Parliamentary Authority
a) The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, Simplified and Applied (ISBN 0-02-862749-0) shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution, Bylaws or these Convention Rules.
The Bylaws of the Arizona Libertarian Party Adopted in Convention, February 19th, 2000
SECTION I. MEMBERSHIP
1. Any qualified Libertarian elector residing within Arizona shall be deemed a member of the Party.
2. Any qualified Libertarian elector residing within Arizona shall be deemed a Member of Record of the Party if he or she signs the membership pledge, stating "I certify that I do not advocate the initiation of force or fraud for personal, political or social gain", and either:
(a) attended the previous regular State Convention, or
(b) pays yearly membership dues set by the convention.
3. Any person who has been denied their right to vote by virtue of a criminal conviction for a non-violent, victimless crime, or who is a resident alien, but otherwise meets the qualification of this section, shall be deemed a Member of Record.
SECTION II. COUNTY PARTIES
1. Any five or more Members-of-Record residing within a single county with no recognized County Party may file with the Governing Committee a written application for formal recognition. Such application shall bear the signatures of the members filing, the date of signing, the name of the county and a copy of the approved County Bylaws.
2. The Governing Committee shall duly recognize the County Party, provided the proposed County Bylaws are in compliance with this section.
3. To continue as a recognized County Party, for the purposes of the Bylaws, the County Party must:
a) communicate with the Governing Committee in some form at least once every quarter.
b) keep a current copy of the County Bylaws on file with the Governing Committee.
c) remain in substantial compliance with the constitutional laws of the State of Arizona, the Bylaws, the County bylaws and the Party Platform.
4. The Governing Committee may withdraw recognition of any County Party that has not complied with the requirements of Section II-3, at the next meeting of the Governing Committee provided, the Secretary has notified and warned the County Chair (or other designated member) upon notification of the meeting of the impending withdrawal of recognition.
SECTION III. ORGANIZATION of the PARTY
1) THE PRIMARY COMMITTEE
The Primary Committee of the Party shall consist of a Chair, Vice-chair, Treasurer, Secretary, the Chair of the State Committee and the Immediate Past Chair of the Party (if in good standing). The Primary Committee shall have day-to-day supervision of the operations of the Party.
(a) THE CHAIR
The Chair of the Primary Committee shall be the Chair of the Governing Committee and of the Party. The Chair shall preside at all Primary Committee meetings, Governing Committee meetings and all conventions of the State Party; shall have sole authority to determine the date, time and place of any and all Governing Committee and State Committee meetings and shall attend, call to order and dismiss all gatherings of the State Committee, have overall supervision of the activities of the Party and State Committee and see that all activities are in compliance with applicable statutes and the Party bylaws, act as general spokesperson for the Party; have overall responsibility for implementing resolutions adopted by the Convention and the Governing Committee, authorize all disbursements, ensure that all party activity is in substantial accord with the Party platform, that the Party is in substantial compliance with the constitutional laws of the State of Arizona and these bylaws, and act as (or have direct control of) the Executive Director.
(b) THE VICE-CHAIR
The Vice-chair of the Primary Committee shall be the Vice-chair of the Governing Committee and of the Party; shall perform the duties of the Chair of the State Party whenever the Chair is unable to do so, and shall become Chair upon the resignation or removal of the Chair.
(c) THE SECRETARY
The Secretary of the Primary Committee shall be the Secretary of the Governing Committee and of the Party; shall be the recording officer of the Party, attend all conventions and all meetings of the Governing Committee, keeping or making provision for keeping of such minutes and records as may be necessary, maintain a roll of the Members of Record and file such documents as required by constitutional law, with the advice and direction of the Chair. The Secretary shall notify all members of the Governing Committee of the date, time, place and agenda of a Governing Committee meeting at least seven days prior to such meetings.
(d) THE TREASURER
The Treasurer of the Primary Committee shall be the Treasurer of the Governing Committee and of the Party; shall receive all monies paid to the Party in accordance with the law, shall deposit them in such bank or banks as the Governing Committee may designate, and shall disburse said monies upon order of the Chair or the Governing Committee. The Treasurer shall report the financial condition of the Party to each general convention, and to the Governing Committee when called upon to do so and shall file such financial reports as required by law, with the advice and direction of the Chair.
(e) THE CHAIR of the STATE COMMITTEE
The Chair of the State Committee shall represent the Party before the State, perform the functions required of the office by law; shall be the Statutory Agent of the Party, cause defense of the Partys interests from legal action and other affronts and shall be an ex-officio member of the Primary Committee and of the Governing Committee.
(f) THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
The Immediate past Chair of the Primary Committee (if in good standing) shall be an ex-officio member of the Primary Committee and of the Governing Committee.
2) THE GOVERNING COMMITTEE
(a) The Governing Committee shall consist the officers of the Primary Committee as well as the Chair (or other designated member) of each recognized County Party and no more than 15 at-large members. Upon taking office, all Governing Committee members must be qualified Members of-Record, and shall remain so throughout their term.
(b) The primary function and responsibility of the Governing Committee shall be the attainment and retention by the Party, in every Arizona County, of all rights and privileges of a recognized political party under Arizona law. In addition, the Governing Committee shall;
i) exchange information among, and coordinate activities of the County Parties; and
ii) determine a method for filling vacant delegate positions at the national convention and notify the National Committee of such method, and may,
iii) as it deems necessary, employ and compensate an Executive Director or other persons to assist the Committee in any statewide activities of the Party, and
iv) give resolutions of direction to the Primary Committee.
(c) No Governing Committee resolution affecting the operation of the Party shall remain in effect past the next regular convention.
(d) A quorum of the Governing Committee shall be determined by a majority of the number of primary officers and recognized county parties, plus one-third of the at-large membership.
(e) Proxies shall be allowed at any Governing Committee meeting provided:
i) The proxy is presented to the Secretary prior to the commencement of the meeting;
ii) The proxy shall be valid only at the meeting for which it is given; and
iii) A notary public or two witnesses shall attest every proxy.
3) THE STATE COMMITTEE
(a) The State Committee ("the statutory officers") shall be determined in accordance with state law.
(b) The statutory officers and members of subsidiary committees shall perform only the functions expressly required of their offices by law; may take delivery of any and all correspondence, property and other items due the Party under law, from the State of Arizona and the various counties, and shall immediately forward them to the Chair of the Primary Committee unopened and unused.
4) TERMS in OFFICE
(a) The Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at every second general convention for a term of two years and the at-large members shall serve for a term of three years, with the exception that
(b) Upon the adoption of this clause, the offices of Vice-chair and Treasurer shall be vacated at the next regular convention, so that these offices shall be elected in odd numbered years, and the offices of Chair and Secretary shall be elected in even numbered years. From the at-large membership, the five members having the highest vote totals at the convention at which this clause is adopted shall retain their seats for a full three-year term. The five members with the next highest vote totals shall retain their seats for a term of two years. The remaining five seats shall be vacated at the first convention following the adoption of this clause; and thereafter, five at-large members shall be elected at each convention. All officers, except statutory officers, shall take office upon the close of the convention, and serve thereafter until the close of the next convention at which their position is elected.
(c) No member of the Governing Committee shall hold more than one post on the Governing Committee at any one time.
(d) No member of the Governing Committee or of the State Committee, whether elected publicly or in convention, shall be permitted to be an officer or member of any other organized political party during their term, and such membership shall be grounds for termination from the post.
(e) No member of the Governing Committee or the State Committee, whether elected publicly or in convention, shall perform any function or act which properly belongs to another officer under these Bylaws, and any such usurpation shall be grounds for termination from the post.
SECTION IV. STANDING COMMITTEES
(a) The Governing Committee may appoint Standing Committees for the purposes of legislative review, raising funds, recruitment of candidates, and other purposes as necessary.
(b) Unless the Governing Committee shall designate a separate committee, the Primary Committee shall comprise the Candidate Review Committee for the purpose of evaluating the party qualifications of all Libertarian candidates for federal or state level public office. Libertarian candidates for federal or state level public office should
i) have been a Member of Record for one year prior to the election; and must
ii) affirm in writing, within two weeks of filing nominating papers, a substantial commitment to the party platform (noting any exceptions they may take.
(c) The Governing Committee may, upon recommendation of the Candidate Review Committee, initiate the removal of any candidate from the election ballot who has not met the requirements of this section or has reneged on that commitment.
SECTION V. SPECIAL COMMITTEES
(a) The Governing Committee shall appoint a committee for the purpose of proposing adoption of a Party Platform and changes in the Constitution and Bylaws by the general convention, and other special committees as necessary. (b) All resolutions affecting the operation of the Party, adopted by the Governing Committee in the preceding year, shall be referred to the Platform and Bylaws Special Committee for consideration as permanent changes.
SECTION VI. CONVENTIONS
(a) The Governing Committee shall call a general convention in the first half of each year for the purpose of:
i) Electing members to the Governing Committee;
ii) Electing delegates to the National Convention, if necessary;
iii) Nominating presidential electors, if necessary;
iv) Focus on amending the party constitution and bylaws in even number years (specific amendments to the party platform may be considered if time permits);
v) Focus on amending the party platform in odd number years (specific amendments to the party constitution and bylaws may be considered if time permits);
vi) Adopting resolutions of direction to the Governing Committee;
vii) Endorsing candidates for political office;
viii) Conducting other proper business.
(b) The Governing Committee may call not more than one general convention during each calendar year.
(c) The Governing Committee may, by a two-thirds resolution, call a special convention for the purpose of conducting business reserved to the convention which the Committee deems will not admit delay.
(d) Members of Record may, by filing with the Secretary of the Governing Committee a petition bearing the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the Members of Record, call a special convention for the purpose of conducting any business which the petitioners deem necessary. The Secretary shall make available to the petitioners the current list of the Members of Record for this purpose. It shall be the responsibility solely of the petitioners to secure suitable accommodations for the convention and notify the Membership of Record and the Governing Committee, in writing, not less than twenty-one days prior. In the event petitioners are successful at the special convention, they may petition the Governing Committee for reimbursement of the convention expenses.
(e) A special convention petition or resolution shall state the time and place of the convention, the business to be conducted in convention, and no business shall be conducted other than that which the petition or resolution specifies. A special convention may exercise all powers of the general convention, recognize or disaffiliate a County Party, reverse Governing Committee action, remove officers and, upon two-thirds vote, bar a County Representative from participation in the Governing Committee.
(f) The Governing Committee shall have supervision and management of all conventions and shall fix the official program and order of business of general conventions.
(g) Voting on convention business shall be limited to Members of Record registered with the Clerk of the Convention. The Secretary shall close the membership roster two weeks prior to any convention until the close of the convention.
(h) A quorum shall consist of a majority of Members of Record registered with the clerk of the convention.
(i) Proxies shall not be allowed at any convention.
SECTION VII. VACANCIES
(a) The Governing Committee may, by a three-fourths vote, declare vacant any office in the Committee, except County Representative, upon the absence of the officer from two consecutive meetings of the Committee, or upon the officers failure to perform the duties described in Section III. (b) A vacancy occurring in the office of Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer or at-large members of the Governing Committee shall be filled by selection from among Members of Record at its next meeting.
SECTION VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The special convention rules adopted by the previous convention, or the rules contained in the latest extant edition of Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the State Party Constitution, or these Bylaws.
SECTION IX. NONE OF THE ABOVE
1) None-of-the-Above shall always be a valid choice in all Governing Committee elections.
2) If None-of-the-Above wins a plurality of the votes, that office shall be vacant and unfunded until the provisions of Section III, Subsection 4 have been complied with.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I, Elizabeth Brandenburg-Andreasen, Chair of the Arizona Libertarian Party, do hereby affirm that the governing documents of the Arizona Libertarian Party, namely, the Constitution, the Convention Rules and the Bylaws, as set forth above., were properly adopted in convention in Prescott, Arizona on February 19th, 2000, that I was witness to said adoption, and I further certify that I have read the above documents and that they represent true and correct copies of the Constitution, Convention Rules and Bylaws of the Arizona Libertarian Party.