The name of the corporation shall be the Libertarian Party of Idaho, hereinafter referred to as the "Party."
The purpose for which the Party is organized is to implement and give voice to the Statement of Principles of the National Libertarian Party by:
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a) Nominating candidates for political offices.
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b) Promoting Libertarian Party activities and party membership.
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c) Entering into political information activities.
Toward these ends, the Party shall be affiliated with the national Libertarian Party.
All bylaws sustaining members (BSM) of the Party shall enjoy full rights as stated in these Bylaws.
Bylaw Sustaining Member (BSM) is defined as a person who:
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a. Has signed a statement agreeing with the Non-Aggression Principle (NAP); and
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b. Has paid minimum dues required for membership to the State Party within the last 12 consecutive months, or is a lifetime member; and
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c. As defined by Idaho State Law is either
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A Qualified Elector registered as Libertarian or Unaffiliated; or
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A resident of Idaho, who is not registered to vote.
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Classes of membership. The classes of membership and dues shall be initially determined by the Executive Board. Subsequent changes in classes and dues are subject to a majority vote of all delegates present and voting at a Regular Conventions.
Dues paid by any member of the party shall secure the membership of that person until that same date the following calendar year, so long as that person remains in good standing with the Party.
Lifetime Membership: A Bylaws Sustaining Member (BSM) who donates more than or equal to a preset amount within a calendar year, set by the Executive Board, shall automatically become a lifetime member. This membership will be contingent upon the person to maintain all qualifications of a Bylaws Sustaining Member at all times.
The officers of the Party shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Only Party members in good standing shall be eligible to fill these offices. The Vice Chair and the Secretary shall be elected at a Regular Convention of the Party on even numbered years and the Chair and the Treasurer Shall be elected at a Regular Convention on odd numbered years by attending Party delegates and shall take office immediately upon the close of such convention and serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the next Regular Convention occurring on an even numbered year. If, for any reason, a Regular Convention is not held during an appropriate year, all officers of the party shall be elected at the next available Convention, including, but not limited to, a Delegate Selection Convention, or a Regular Convention occurring on an odd numbered year.
No offices shall be combined.
Duties of the officers:
The chair shall preside at all conventions and at all meetings of the Executive Board. The chair shall be the chief executive officer of the Party.
The Vice-chair shall act as assistant to the chair, and shall perform the duties of the Chair in the event the chair is, for any reason, unable to perform the duties of that office.
The Secretary shall be the recording and corresponding officer of the Party, and shall provide or make provision for all legal services to the Party, under the direction of the Executive Board. The Secretary shall also have the power to appoint any other qualified member as an assistant in carrying out the functions of this office.
The Treasurer shall receive, expend, and account for the funds of the Party under the supervision and direction of the chair and the Executive Board. The records for such funds shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and the Treasurer shall make available to the Executive Board quarterly financial reports, such reports to include a Statement of Operations and a Balance Sheet.
Upon being suspended or vacating an office, an officer must render to the Executive Board within three days all materials concerning the Party he has in his possession.
All meetings of the Executive Board shall be open to all members of the Party. Discussion from non-committee members shall be entertained only by majority vote of the Executive Board.
An officer may be suspended, that is, denied the authority to perform his specific functions, by a two-thirds vote of the State Central committee. The office of a suspended officer shall be declared vacant unless the suspended officer appeals his suspension. The State Central Committee shall appoint new officers if vacancies or suspensions occur, such officers to complete the term of the office vacated, or the time during which the suspension is in effect, as applicable. In the absence of a functioning State Central Committee, the Executive Board shall appoint the new officer(s).
Regular Conventions shall be held each year, in the final two weeks of the month of April, or in accordance with the Election Laws of the State of Idaho. All Party business and affairs required herein shall be transacted. The regular convention location shall rotate between regions, when meeting in-person. Such conventions shall be held at the time and place selected by the Executive Board.
In the event that a National Convention shall be held within 45 days following the state party Regular Convention, the Executive Board shall solicit the membership for nominees for delegates to the National Convention, and shall submit a preliminary delegate list to the national party no less than 45 days prior to the national convention. Final delegates shall then be selected at the Party Regular Convention.
Convention attendees may not vote unless they were members in good standing of the Party as of the end of January prior to the convention.
Quorum for Regular Conventions shall be more than one half of the eligible members in attendance according to the Credentials Report at the start of that Regular Convention. Quorum shall be established by counting all physical and remote delegates credentialed at the time of call to order.
The Executive Board of the Party shall be composed of the following:
The four elected officers of the Party, and Regional Chairs for each region, elected at the Regular Convention by each Region's caucus.
Each Regional Chair shall represent a specific region of the state and shall be responsible for appointing a Regional Committee to organize and carry forward the goals of the state party within that region. Regional Chairs must reside in the region they represent and must be elected at the Region's caucus by the delegates residing in that region.
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a) Region 1: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone (10).
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b) Region 2: Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley, and Washington (10).
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c) Region 3: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Butte, Camas, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Custer, Franklin, Fremont, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Lemhi, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Oneida, Power, Teton, and Twin Falls (24).
The Executive Board shall meet at such times and places as may be determined by action of the Board, by call of the Chair, or by written request of one-third or more of the members of the Board.
The Executive Board may, without meeting together, transact business by email, voting on a question submitted to them by the Chair or co-sponsored by three (3) members of the Executive Board. Ten days shall be allowed for the return of votes thereon by e-mail to the Party Secretary.
If at the expiration of the applicable period, the majority of the Executive Board have not returned their votes, the measure being voted on shall be deemed to have failed. The Secretary must preserve all such votes until the next meeting of the Executive Board, at which meeting the Executive Board shall order the disposition of the votes.
To afford all Board members the ability to participate in meetings, meetings shall be conducted at a location with technological services available. A "speakerphone" and a telephone connection capable of conference calling shall be the minimum facility requirement. Alternative methods, such as those using the Internet, must receive unanimous approval of those Board members that are responsible for providing equipment at the primary and remote locations. The Board and general members attending an Executive Board meeting shall be individually and severally responsible for any facilities, equipment, transportation, Internet, telephone company, and/or other charges required for their participation at or from a particular meeting location.
Provisions shall be made for observation of Board meetings by the general membership at the primary and at any, and all, remote locations.
The Bylaws of the Party are also the governing documents of the State Central Committee. The four officers of the Party (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) are the officers of the State Central Committee.
The State Central Committee shall in addition consist of all legislative district chairmen, all county central committee chairmen, and all state committee persons selected by the county central committees. Each of the above members of the state central committee shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the state central committee and the State Conventions as delegates.
The County Central Committee in each county shall consist of the precinct committeemen representing the precincts within the county and the county chairman elected by the precinct committeemen. The precinct committeemen within each county shall meet at the county seat within ten (10) days after the primary election and at the time and date designated by the incumbent county chairman, and shall organize by electing a chairman, vice chairman, a secretary, a state committeeman, a state committeewoman, and such other officers as they may desire who shall hold office at the pleasure of the county central committee or until their successors are elected.
When a vacancy exists in the office of county central committee chairman, it shall be the duty of the state central committee chairman to call a meeting of the precinct committeemen of the county, and the precinct committeemen shall proceed to elect a chairman of the county central committee for the balance of the unexpired term.
The county central committee shall fill by appointment all vacancies that occur or exist in the office of precinct committeeman who shall be a qualified elector of the precinct.
If a county central committee does not exist, the precinct committeemen within that county shall form one based on state law to the maximum extent practical.
In the event there are no duly elected precinct committeemen within that county, the dues paying members of the Party residing within that county shall select precinct committeemen for the purpose of this and the following Section. The selection process of precinct committeemen shall mimic the election process provided for in state law to the maximum extent practical.
The Legislative District Central Committee in each legislative district shall consist of the precinct committeemen representing the precincts within the legislative district, and the legislative district chairman elected by the precinct committeemen. The precinct committeemen within each legislative district shall meet within the legislative district within eleven (11) days after the primary election, the meeting time and place to be designated by the incumbent legislative district chairman. At this meeting the precinct committeemen shall organize by electing a chairman, vice chairman, a secretary and such other officers as they may desire, who shall hold office at the pleasure of the legislative district central committee or until their successors are elected.
When a vacancy exists in the office of legislative district central committee chairman, it shall be the duty of the state central committee chairman to call a meeting of the precinct committeemen of the legislative district, and the precinct committeemen shall proceed to elect a chairman of the legislative district central committee for the balance of the unexpired term.
If a legislative district central committee does not exist, the precinct committeemen within that legislative district shall form one based on state law to the maximum extent practical.
The filling of vacancies in the slate of candidates shall be by the County Central Committees, Legislative District Central Committees, and State Central Committee as provided by Idaho law.
The Finance chair shall have the responsibility of increasing the treasury of the Party, and for such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board. With the help and cooperation of the Executive Board, the Finance chair shall select a working finance committee to assist in the fulfillment of such chair's duties.
The Membership chair shall have the responsibility of increasing the membership of the Party, and for such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board. With the help and cooperation of the Executive Board, the Membership chair shall select a working membership committee to assist in the fulfillment of such chair's duties.
The statement of Principles of the Platform affirms the philosophy upon which the Libertarian Party is founded, by which it shall be sustained, and through which Liberty shall prevail.
The Party shall adopt the platform at its Regular Convention in 1976. The platform shall not be inconsistent with the Statement of Principles adopted by the national party. The platform shall include a Statement of Principles and proposals in the form of planks.
The platform, exclusive of the Statement of Principles, shall be adopted on a plank-by-plank basis by the delegates in attendance at the 1976 Regular Convention. Each plank must receive approval by a vote of two-thirds of the voting delegates for inclusion in the Platform.
The platform may be amended at each succeeding Regular Convention after 1976 by deletion, substitution, or addition of any plank. A plank may be deleted by a simple majority of the Convention delegates. The substitution of a new plank for an old plank, or the addition of a new plank, shall require approval by a vote of two-thirds of the delegates present and voting.
There shall be a Bylaws and Rules Committee consisting of seven party members appointed by the Executive Board.
A Judicial Committee shall be composed of five members: any three will constitute a quorum.
Three of the Judicial Committee members shall be elected at a Regular Convention, by the body, in the even numbered years, and two of the Judicial Committee members shall be elected at a Regular Convention, by the body, in the odd numbered years.
If the Judicial Committee members fail to be elected in a given year, they shall be elected at the next Regular Convention, being made separate and distinct from the even or odd members normally elected in the current year, so that at the next year's Regular Convention it will be clear which Judicial Committee members are standing for election.
If the Judicial Committee has a vacancy the remaining members of the Judicial Committee shall have authority to appoint an acting Judicial Committee member until such time, either by special convention or regular convention, that the seat can be filled; within 90 days of vacancy but not sooner than 30 days.
A member of the Judicial Committee may not serve on the Executive Board. The Judicial Committee may be tasked by the State Central Committee or the Executive Board with examining, reviewing, taking testimony, holding hearings, and resolving or making recommendations for the following: member complaints;
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A. member disputes;
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B. ambiguities or conflicts within or between the Bylaws or other governing documents, procedures, or practices;
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C. disaffiliation of a County Affiliate;
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D. calls for censure or removal of an officer;
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E. expulsion of a member;
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F. and proposing amendments to the Bylaws or other governing documents
At such time that the Judicial Committee becomes established according to the requirements of these Bylaws, it shall function as follows:
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a) Take disciplinary actions against any other party member in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, except as otherwise provided herein by the Party Bylaws.
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b) Challenges of adopted Party planks believed by a delegate to be in conflict with the Statement of Principles shall be referred in writing, during the Regular Convention, to the Judicial Committee by the delegate requesting action for consideration. The challenge shall specify in what manner the plank is believed to be in conflict, The Judicial committee shall consider the challenge, decide whether the plank in question conforms to the Statement of Principles, and make a report stating the justification of their decision to the floor of the convention. If the plank is found to be in conflict by the Judicial Committee, it shall be declared null and void, but can be reinstated in the platform by a three-fourths vote of the Regular Convention delegates.
The Publicity chair shall have the responsibility for publicizing the Party and its activities and for such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board. With the help and cooperation of the Executive Board, the Publicity chair shall select a working publicity committee to assist in the fulfillment of such chair's duties.
The purpose of this committee is to review legislative proposals and make recommendations for rejection or support. The Committee's primary purpose is to ensure that the Party's stance on a legislative proposal meets the state and national platform principles. The Committee may consider party member and/or third party organization input. The Committee may also provide technical support in drafting of proposals or bills where appropriate.
The Finance chair, Membership chair, and Publicity chair, and all other offices shall be appointed at the first meeting of the Executive Board after their election.
The Chair shall have the power to form other committees by choice, or by the direction of the Executive Board, and appoint committee directors.
The fiscal term of the Party shall begin the first day of July and end the 30th day of June.
The Executive Board shall cause an efficient double entry system of accounts to be installed and maintained.
All disbursements exceeding $25.00 shall be made solely by check.
The Executive Board shall have the power to designate the depository of all funds of the Party, and shall appoint such officers and employees as its judgment may deem advisable to deposit and withdraw funds from said depository.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised current edition shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Bylaws or Rules of the Party.
These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Party by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting or in the Call to the next meeting.
The standing order of business for a Regular Convention shall be as follows (those items designated "contingent" will only be taken up if the appropriate subject matter is available for consideration):
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Call to Order
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Credentials Report
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Adoption of Agenda
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Treasurer's Report
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Audit Committee Report (contingent)
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Bylaws and Rules Committee Report (contingent)
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Election of Officers
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Election of Region Representatives
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General Election Candidate comments
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Platform Committee Report (contingent)
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Candidate endorsement
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Resolutions
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Other business
Nominations shall be made from the Convention floor by delegates at a convention. All balloting shall be done by county roll-call vote of delegates.
Nominations and elections, in addition to the list of candidates nominated, there shall be an automatic nomination for NONE OF THE ABOVE. When any candidate, including NONE OF THE ABOVE, receives less than 10% of the total vote, that candidate shall be stricken from subsequent ballots.
When NONE OF THE ABOVE receives a majority vote, all candidates on that ballot shall become ineligible for re-nomination for the same office at the same convention. The next order of business shall be the re-opening of nominations from the floor for the office, and election shall proceed according to these Convention Special Rules until such time as the vacancy has been filled or the convention elects by a two-thirds vote not to select a candidate.
Endorsements of candidates for political offices may be made at a Convention of the Party.
No candidate may be endorsed who is ineligible by law to serve in the office which he is seeking.
Endorsements or nominations shall be made from the Convention floor by delegates at a convention. All balloting shall be done by county roll-call vote of delegates.
The Party shall not support the candidacy of any candidate for office opposing a Libertarian candidate endorsed by a convention; nor shall it endorse any candidate for President or Vice-President other than the candidate selected by the delegates at the national party convention.
The number of delegates shall be those allowed by the national Party and at least an equal number of delegates alternates.
Delegates and alternates to the National Party Regular Convention shall be nominated from the floor of the state Delegate Selection Convention. The delegate nominees receiving the highest vote shall go to the national Party convention as delegates. Any Party member in good standing shall be eligible to be an alternate to the National Party Regular Convention.
Delegates shall be required to be bylaw sustaining members of the Libertarian Party of Idaho for a minimum of 60 consecutive days prior to the start date of the regular convention.
At all regular conventions delegates shall be those so accredited who have registered for the convention.
Any Party member may attend any Regular National Convention as an observer.
Prior to each duly called national Regular Convention, the Secretary shall certify the delegates and alternates to the National Convention at least twenty days prior to the Convention to the national Party Secretary, and offer such proof as the National Party shall require that the selection of said delegates and alternate delegates was made in compliance with the Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Idaho.