GREEN PARTY OF PIMA COUNTY BYLAWS

The following bylaws were adopted Green Party of Pima County at the statutory meeting of the County Committee on December 12, 2000. Please see section VI for procedures to amend the bylaws. 

Contents:

I. Statement of Purpose

II. Official Membership and Definitions

III. Party Structure and Officers

IV. Required Meetings

V. Decision-Making Procedures

VI. Procedures for the Adoption and Amendment of Bylaws

VII. Impeachment and Removal of Officers

I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A. The Green Party of Pima County (hereinafter "GPPC") is a political party created to represent all voters resident in Pima County who have designated "Green Party" as their party preference on their voter registration.   

B. The GPPC shall foster, encourage, and promote the aims and objectives of the Greens, particularly in matters concerning candidates for political office, ballot initiatives, and other legislative matters affecting Pima County.

C. Present Arizona law (Statutes A.R.S. §§ 16-821 et seq.) require political parties to function at times in an undemocratic, hierarchical manner. While abiding by these laws, the GPPC will work through legislative channels to make such statutes more democratic. The GPPC shall seek consensus in its own decision making processes (as outlined in these bylaws) and respect the input and concerns of all Greens in Pima County.

II. OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP AND DEFINITIONS

A.  Throughout these bylaws, Pima County residents who have designated "Green Party" as their party preference on their voter registration constitute and are collectively referred to as the "Green Party of Pima County" or GPPC. 

B. The membership of the County Committee of the GPPC (hereinafter referred to as the "County Committee") shall consist of all qualified Green Party Precinct Committeepersons serving in Pima County, as addressed in A.R.S. §§ 16-821 et seq..

C. The membership of the Steering Committee of the GPPC (hereinafter referred to as the "Steering Committee") shall be composed of five County Committee Officers (Chairperson, 1st Vice-Chairperson, 2nd Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary) and four at-large representatives (two Outreach Representatives and two GPPC Representatives). All members of the Steering Committee (hereinafter referred to as "Party Officers") shall be elected pursuant to bylaw III.D.

D. Persons not properly registered as members of the GPPC may not seek or hold office in any GPPC committees.

E. No properly registered member of the GPPC shall be prohibited from attending any meeting of a committee of the GPPC or any general GPPC meeting, except as outlined in section IV.B.

F. The County Committee and the Steering Committee recognize that they serve the GPPC and, as such, are at all times fully accountable to the general membership of the GPPC.

III. PARTY STRUCTURE AND OFFICERS

 A. COUNTY COMMITTEE

1. Terms. Terms of office for all County Committee officers are for the period between duly noticed Statutory Meetings, which take place once per year. Elections for County Committee Officers shall take place at each Statutory Meeting. Newly elected officers shall take office immediately upon being elected. Outgoing officers shall promptly transfer all relevant documents and materials to incoming officers.

2. Resignation. Any officer may resign at any time. In addition, each officer will be given the opportunity to resign at each Regular Meeting of the County Committee.

3. Vacancies. Vacancies created by resignation or removal shall be filled pursuant to Bylaw III.D.

B. STEERING COMMITTEE

1. As defined in section II.C, the Steering Committee consists of the five County Committee Officers (Chairperson, 1st Vice-Chairperson, 2nd Vice-chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary) and the four At-large Officers (two Outreach Representatives and two GPPC Representatives).

2. All decisions regarding substantive actions and business of the GPPC shall be taken by the Steering Committee.

3. Terms of Office.

(a) County Committee Officers: see section III.A.1 above.

(b) Terms of office for Outreach Representatives are for the period between duly noticed Statutory Meetings. Elections for Outreach Representatives shall take place at each Statutory Meeting. Newly elected Outreach Representatives shall take office immediately upon being elected. Outgoing Representatives shall promptly transfer all relevant documents and materials to incoming Representatives.

(c) GPPC Representatives shall serve for the span covering twelve duly noticed meetings of the GPPC. At the twelfth meeting following the meeting at which the previous election took place, new GPPC Representatives to the Steering Committee will be elected. Newly elected GPPC Representatives shall take office immediately upon being elected. Outgoing Representatives shall promptly transfer all relevant documents and materials to incoming Representatives. The first and only the first GPPC Representative elected, however, shall serve for the span of eighteen meetings, in order to ensure a staggered succession among GPPC Representatives.

4. Resignation. Any officer may resign at any time. In addition, each officer will be given the opportunity to resign at each meeting of the Steering Committee.

5. Vacancies. Vacancies created by resignation or removal shall be filled pursuant to Bylaw III.D. A vacancy created by resignation or removal shall count towards the establishment of a quorum until such vacancy is filled.

C. DUTIES OF OFFICE

1. MEETINGS. All County Committee members shall attend duly noticed meetings of the County Committee when they are able. All members of the Steering Committee shall attend meetings of the Steering Committee.

2. COUNTY CHAIRPERSON. The Chairperson shall cooperate with the other members of the County and Steering committees in coordinating county-wide Party activities and is responsible for the following:

(a) The Chairperson shall notify each County Committee member of the time, date, and place of all meetings of the County Committee. Such notification shall be mailed to each County Committee ember at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting.

(b) The Chairperson may act as the spokesperson of the County and Steering Committees.

(c) The Chairperson may set the agenda for "Other Business" at Statutory and Regular Meetings.

3. FIRST VICE-CHAIRPERSON. The First Vice-Chairperson shall perform any duties specified in Bylaw IV.B.1 if the Chairperson is unable to perform them. The First Vice-chair shall also provide, within one week of any GPPC election, a certificate to the elected officer outlining at a minimum the following:

(a) The officer's name and office.

(b) The term of office.

(c) The duties of office.

4. SECOND VICE-CHAIRPERSON. The Second Vice-Chairperson shall perform any duties specified in Bylaw IV.B.1 if the Chairperson and First Vice-Chairperson are unable to perform them.

5. TREASURER. The minimum duties of the Treasurer are to oversee all financial matters regarding County and Steering Committee business in accordance with established financial regulations, including the filing of any and all reports and forms as required by state and county law, including tax forms.

6. SECRETARY. The minimum duties of the Secretary are: 

(a) To inform, within ten days, the secretaries of all related committees, including the GPPC, of a change or vacancy in a County Committee or Steering Committee office.

(b) To keep in a secure, organized, and verifiable manner the minutes compiled by the note-takers of the various committee meetings and to forward, within twenty-eight days, copies to the secretaries of all related committees, including the GPPC.

(c) To maintain all County and Steering Committee records.

(d) To handle County and Steering Committee correspondence.

(e) To file an Amended Statement of Organization with the Pima County Division of Elections whenever a Chairperson of the County Committee and/or a Treasurer of the County Committee is replaced.

7. OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVES

(a) The Minority Outreach Representative shall ensure that issues regarding the various ethnic, religious, national and other minorities present in our community are taken into account in the decision-making of the Steering Committee.

(b) The Gender Outreach Representative shall ensure that gender and sexual-orientation issues are taken into account in the decision-making of the Steering Committee.

(c) Both Outreach Representatives shall attend all Steering Committee Meetings and participate in that body's decision-making processes.

8. GPPC REPRESENTATIVES

(a) The GPPC Representatives shall ensure that the opinions, points of view, and concerns of the GPPC general membership are taken into consideration in the decision-making of the Steering Committee.

(b) The GPPC Representatives shall attend all GPPC meetings in order to meet and confer with the GPPC general membership. They shall also attend all Steering Committee Meetings and participate in that body's decision-making processes.

9. STATE COMMITTEEPERSONS are the representatives of the GPPC to the Arizona Green Party and shall ensure that the issues, concerns, and opinions of the GPPC are represented to, considered, and respected by the Arizona Green Party. State Committeepersons shall attend all meetings and conference calls of the Arizona Green Party and shall report directly to the Steering Committee.

10. LIMITATIONS ON OFFICE. No party officer may hold more than one elected GPPC Party Office at one time, except:

(a) Precinct Committeeperson. This position is open to any GPPC person who is statutorily qualified to serve.

(b) County Committee Officers are automatically placed on the Steering Committee and as such are not holding duplicative office.

(c) County Committee Officers or Outreach Representatives may also serve as State Committeepersons

D. ELECTION OF COUNTY COMMITTEE PARTY OFFICERS. The officers shall be elected in the following order.

1. THE CHAIRPERSON. The following procedure shall be used to elect a Chairperson at a duly noticed meeting of the County Committee:

(a) Any County Committee member may nominate a candidate to run for the position of Chairperson.

(b) All nominations must be seconded by at least one committeeperson of each gender.

(c) When a nomination has been made and seconded, the facilitator shall open the floor to discussion.

(d) Once all members desiring to speak have done so, the facilitator shall open the floor to additional nominations.

(e) The facilitator may request that speakers request a specific amount of time; speakers must then confine their comments to the specified amount of time.

(f) If the facilitator calls for an end to discussion on a particular nomination and no more than one-third of the Members present object, then discussion is ended and the floor is opened to further nominations.

(g) When there are no more nominations the County Committee shall elect a Chairperson. Each member votes by secret ballot for one candidate. The candidate with more than one-half of the votes becomes the new Chairperson.

(h) In the event no candidate receives over one-half of the votes cast, a run-off will be held between the two highest vote-getters. Members will be allowed time to caucus and for discussion before the run-off is held.

2. THE FIRST VICE-CHAIR AND SECOND VICE-CHAIR. The following procedure shall be used to elect a First and Second Vice Chairperson at a duly noticed meeting of the County Committee:

(a) Any County Committee Member may nominate a candidate to run for the position of Vice-Chairperson.

(b) All nominations must be seconded by at least one committeeperson of each gender.

(c) When a nomination has been made and seconded, the facilitator shall open the floor to discussion pursuant to bylaw III.G.

(d) When there are no more nominations the County Committee shall elect a First Vice-Chairperson and a Second Vice-Chairperson. Each Member votes by secret ballot for one candidate. The candidate with the most votes becomes the First Vice-Chairperson and the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes becomes the Second Vice-chairperson.

(e) Ties for either office will be resolved by a runoff. Members will be allowed time to caucus and for discussion before the runoff is held.

3. THE TREASURER AND SECRETARY. The following procedure shall be used to elect a Treasurer and a Secretary at a duly noticed meeting of the County Committee:

(a) A Treasurer shall be elected first, and then a Secretary.

(b) Any County Committee member may nominate a candidate to fill a position.

(c) All nominations must be seconded by at least one committeeperson of each gender.

(d) When a nomination has been made and seconded, the facilitator shall open the floor to discussion pursuant to bylaw III.G.

(e) When there are no more nominations the County Committee shall elect a Treasurer and a Secretary.

(f) The voting shall be by roll call unless one-half of the Members present indicate a preference for secret balloting.

(g) Ties for either office will be resolved by a runoff.

E. ELECTION OF AT-LARGE PARTY OFFICERS

1. OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVES. Separate caucuses shall be held at Statutory County Committee Meetings and may be held at other meetings where elections are held in order to choose Outreach Representative(s). Half the County Committee members present shall participate in the Gender Caucus, the other half in the Minority Caucus. The division shall be made by consensus. If only one caucus is being held, then at least half of the County Committee members present shall participate in that caucus. The following procedure shall be followed to elect Outreach Representatives: (a) The highest ranking officer of the County Committee in the caucus shall be the facilitator of the caucus. If there is no officer present in a given caucus, the caucus members shall select a facilitator by roll call vote or consensus.

(b) Any member of a caucus may nominate a candidate to represent that caucus. The candidate is not required to be a member of the County Committee but must be a member of the GPPC.

(c) All nominations must be seconded by at least two additional members of the caucus.

(d) When a nomination has been made and seconded, the facilitator shall open the floor to discussion pursuant to bylaw III.G.

(e) When there are no more nominations, the caucus shall elect a representative. Each caucus member votes by roll call for one candidate. The candidate with more than one-half of the votes becomes the new Outreach Representative.

(f) In the event no candidate receives over one-half of the votes cast, a run-off will be held between the two highest vote-getters. Members will be allowed time for discussion before the run-off is held pursuant to section III.G.

2. GPPC REPRESENTATIVES. The Pima County Greens Representatives must be GPPC members but shall not be members of the County Committee. They shall be elected as follows:

(a) When a vacancy for the position of GPPC Representative arises or at the end of the Representatives' term, the Secretary shall notify the GPPC membership by the most expedient means possible that new representative(s) are needed. At the next duly noticed GPPC general meeting, an agenda item shall be included regarding the election of new GPPC representative(s).

(b) Any GPPC member may nominate a candidate to fill a position.

(c) All nominations must be seconded by at least one GPPC member of each gender.

(d) When a nomination has been made and seconded, the facilitator of the meeting shall open the floor to discussion pursuant to bylaw III.G.

(e) When there are no more nominations the GPPC shall elect new GPPC representative(s).

(f) The voting shall be by roll call unless one-half of the members present indicate a preference for secret balloting.

F. ELECTION OF STATE COMMITTEEPERSONS. The following procedure shall be used to elect State Committee members:

1. All County Committee Members (Precinct Committeepersons) wishing to be State Committeepersons are automatically eligible for election to the state committee. Candidates shall so signify whereupon their names shall be place upon the ballot.

2. Should the number of open positions equal or exceed the number of candidates, all candidates are automatically elected State Committeepersons. The total number of State Committeepersons may not exceed one-third of the total number of County Committee Members.

3. Should the number of open positions be less than the number of candidates, an election shall be held using the following procedure: 

(a) Each member of the County Committee shall vote by casting votes equal to one-sixth the total number of County Committee Members. Each vote must be for a separate candidate.

(b) Those candidates receiving the most votes are elected to the state committee until all open positions are filled.

(c) In the event of a tie resulting in an inability to properly fill all positions, there will be runoff elections until all positions are filled.

G. LIMITED DISCUSSION shall take place as follows:

1. A time-keeper shall be chosen.

2. Any candidate for office may make a statement of up to five minutes.

3. Any other member may make a statement of up to two minutes on issues relating specifically to the qualifications of any candidate(s) running for office.

4. The candidate shall answer whatever questions the membership has.

IV. REQUIRED MEETINGS

A. LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT COMMITTEES. Legislative District Committees of the GPPC shall not be established until such time that Green Party members living in a given legislative district feel it would be useful to organize at that level and petition the County Committee to amend these bylaws accordingly, pursuant to Bylaw VI.

B. OPEN-MEETING POLICIES. All committee meetings are open to all GPPC members subject to the following:

1. GPPC members who are not members of the committee whose meeting they are attending may not take part in the discussion of the committee, except to make announcements, state opinions, pose questions at the start of the meeting. Such comments shall be made at the beginning of the meeting pursuant to a call to the audience made by the facilitator of the meeting and shall be limited to two minutes per non-member unless the Steering Committee chooses to extend the time by consensus.

2. Committee members shall be seated in an inner circle or shall otherwise occupy a cohesive space that facilitates discussion among members. Non-committee members shall be seated in an outer circle.

3. Committee members may, by consensus, decide to expel a non-committee member from a meeting if that person is causing undue disturbance during the meeting.

C. THE COUNTY COMMITTEE

1. STRUCTURE AND DECISION-MAKING. The County Committee shall operate pursuant to the procedures outlined in section V, unless otherwise indicated.

2. STATUTORY MEETINGS. Upon achieving ballot status, the County Committee is required by law to meet from time to time for the purpose of organizing and electing officers. These meetings shall take place after each general election, but no later than the second Saturday of January in the year following a general election. The order of business for County Committee statutory organizational meetings shall be:

(a) Call to order.

(b) Declaration of quorum

Call to the audience

(d) Treasurer's Report

(e) Election of Chairperson, 1st Vice-chair, 2nd Vice- chair, Treasurer, and Secretary pursuant to bylaw III.D.

(f) Election of Outreach Representatives pursuant to Bylaw III.D.

(g) Other business

(h) Adjournment

3. REGULAR MEETINGS. At least one Regular Meeting of the County Committee shall be held every three months. The first official Regular Meeting shall be held within six weeks of the GPPC achieving ballot status. The order of business for County Committee regular meetings shall be:

(a) Call to order

(b) Declaration of quorum

(c) Call to audience

(d) A brief report from each officer not to exceed five minutes in length and related only to the maintenance of membership in the various committees

(e) Resignations (Chairperson shall ask each officer if s/he is willing to commit to continue in his/her office for the next three months; 1st Vice-chair shall ask same of Chairperson)

(f) Confidence vote. A voice vote for each of the seven officers elected by the County Committee (the five Party Officers and the two Outreach Representatives) shall be taken. Should an officer receive a 35% vote of no-confidence as judged by the facilitator, the County Committee shall hold impeachment proceedings immediately pursuant to bylaws VII.C.1 - VII.C.3.

(g) Elections to fill vacant positions

(h) Other business

(i) Scheduling of next Regular Meeting

(j) Adjournment

4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special Meetings of the County Committee may be called at any time by a written request of a majority of the members of the Steering Committee or by a written request of not less than 1/3 of the membership of the County Committee. These requests shall be mailed or hand-delivered to the Chairperson, who shall set the meeting at a time and place best suited to achieve a quorum. The call for any special meeting must state the purpose of said meeting. No other business shall be conducted at a Special Meeting other than that stated in the written request. The order of business for Special Meetings shall be:

(a) Call to order

(b) Proof of proper call and proper notice of call of the meeting

(c) Declaration of quorum

(d) Call to the audience

(e) Business as stated in the call

(f) Adjournment

5. NOTICE. The County Committee Chairperson shall ensure that all County Committee members are notified in writing of each County Committee meeting not less than ten days prior to the date of the given meeting. Such notification shall include the time, place, and date of the meeting. Notice of Special Meetings shall also include the purpose for which the meeting is called.

6. PROXIES. No County Committee members shall be allowed proxies at any time for any reason for either GPPC or County Committee meetings.

7. QUORUM. Fifty-one percent of the membership of the County Committee must be present to constitute a quorum at any County Committee meeting. If a quorum fails to attend at the time and place fixed for any meeting of the County Committee, a simple majority of those present may adjourn the meeting after posting a prominent written notice at the meeting place.

D. THE STEERING COMMITTEE shall meet at least once per month at a time and place to be determined by the consensus of its members. Two-thirds of the membership of the Steering committee must be present at a Steering committee meeting to constitute a quorum. If a quorum fails to attend, a simple majority of those present may adjourn the meeting after posting a prominent written notice at the meeting place. No Steering Committee members shall be allowed proxies at any time for any reason for Steering Committee meetings.

1. STRUCTURE AND DECISION-MAKING. The Steering Committee shall operate pursuant to the procedures described in section V unless otherwise indicate.

2. The order of business for Steering Committee meetings shall be:

(a) Call to order

(b) Declaration of quorum

(c) Call to the audience

(d) A brief report from each officer not to exceed five minutes in length

(e) Resignations (facilitator shall ask each officer if s/he is willing to commit to continue in his/her office for the next three months; 1st Vice-chair shall ask same of Chairperson)

(f) Other business

(g) Adjournment, including scheduling of next meeting.

3. Failure to attend, in their entirety, two consecutive Steering Committee meetings or an aggregate of three Steering Committee meetings in one term shall subject a Steering Committee member to removal. Removal for failure to attend meetings is the sole exception to the removal process via the County Committee described in section VII and may be accomplished as follows:

(a) At the end of the agenda but before adjournment of the second consecutive or third aggregate Steering Committee meeting that a Steering Committee member has not attended, any present Steering Committee member may impeach the absent member by making a motion for his or her removal. The moving member shall cite the dates of the missed meetings.

(b) The Secretary shall provide the minutes of those meetings as promptly as possible. Once the Steering Committee has reviewed the minutes to verify the alleged absences, the Steering Committee shall vote on the removal.

(c) Removal under this section requires a unanimous vote of the Steering Committee, not including the impeached member.

E. GPPC MEETINGS.

1. GPPC meetings shall take place on the first Tuesday of every month at a time and place to be determined by consensus of those present at the last GPPC meeting.

2. GPPC Meetings shall be governed by the decision-making procedures described in section V.

3. There is no quorum requirement for GPPC meetings.

V. DECISION-MAKING PROCEDURES FOR ALL MEETINGS

A. DEFINITIONS

1. Unless otherwise indicated, all substantive decisions concerning actions of the group or committee in question shall follow the Consensus/supermajority procedure described in section V.B below.

2. All procedural matters relating to the implementation of the consensus/supermajority procedure shall be decided by a simple majority vote.

B. CONSENSUS/SUPERMAJORITY PROCEDURE

1. Statement of Agenda Item: what is the issue?

(a) Clarification of issue, if necessary

(b) Discussion of the issue, if necessary: what are all views?

2. Proposal: synthesis; what action should the body take?

(a) Discussion: speak to proposal, clarify proposal, weigh good points and concerns.

(b) Modify proposal or withdraw

3. Test for Consensus

(a) Restate proposal

(b) Call for concerns

(c) Call for objections within consensus, reservations, standing aside

(d) Call for blocks

(e) Attempt to incorporate objections of blockers

(f) Consensus reached

(g) If unable to achieve consensus, ask for a procedural vote to choose one of the following:

i. Supermajority vote on the issue: 80% in favor carries the proposal

ii. Table the issue

iii. Send the issue to committee

iv. Add more time to discussion

v. Implement Decision

C. MEETING STRUCTURE

1. A facilitator will have been chosen during the previous meeting. A meeting shall not adjourn before a facilitator for the next meeting has been chosen.

(a) The facilitator shall prepare a proposed agenda prior to the meeting.

(b) The facilitator shall finalize the agenda prior to beginning the meeting, adjusting agenda items as needed.

(c) The facilitator shall guide the meeting through the agenda.

(d) The facilitator shall not use his/her position to manipulate the outcome of decision-making process.

(e) Time limits shall be assigned to items on the agenda where appropriate.

2. A time-keeper will have been chosen during the previous meeting. A meeting shall not adjourn before a time-keeper has been chosen for the next meeting.

(a) The time-keeper shall advise the meeting when the time for a specific task has expired, as designated by the agenda.

4. A person to take minutes will have been chosen during the previous meeting. A meeting shall not adjourn before someone has been chosen to take minutes at the next meeting.

(a) The person taking minutes shall ensure that the Party Secretary receives the minutes prior to the next meeting.

VI. PROCEDURES FOR THE ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

A. INITIAL ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

1. Following the election of party officers at its first duly noticed statutory meeting, the inaugural County Committee shall adopt these bylaws.

2. Following adoption of the bylaws, any GPPC member may propose amendments to the bylaws for a period of two weeks. Proposals shall be made in writing and shall be mailed to GPPC, PO Box 6014, Tucson, AZ 85703 and shall be postmarked within the two-week period following the date of initial adoption.

3. The Steering Committee only shall decide whether to adopt all timely received proposals. Consideration shall occur at the new Steering Committee's first meeting at which their is a quorum and shall proceed pursuant to the procedure described in section VI.B.3.

B. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

1. Any GPPC member may propose an amendment to the bylaws. Such a proposal shall be made in writing.

2. SIGNATURES. The proponent of the amendment shall gather the signatures of twenty other GPPC members who support the proposal. The signatures and the proposal shall be forwarded to the Party Secretary.

(a) The Secretary shall verify that the signatories are validly registered GPPC members.

(b) If the Secretary is able to verify twenty signatures, he or she shall distribute copies of the proposal to all County Committee and Steering Committee members at least seven days before the next scheduled County Committee meeting.

(c) GPPC Representatives and Precinct Committeepersons are responsible for informing their constituents of the contents of the proposal.

3. APPROVAL. At the next scheduled County Committee meeting at which there is a quorum, the County Committee shall take the following action with regard to the proposed amendment:

(a) If County Committee members received copies of the proposal less than seven days before the meeting, they shall decide by consensus whether to consider the proposal or to table it. If they have had seven days, the proposal shall be an item on the agenda.

(b) The County Committee shall discuss the proposed amendment. Following discussion, the County Committee shall decide via the consensus/supermajority procedure outlined in Section V whether to approve of the proposal or not. The County Committee is hereby empowered to correct technical, non-substantive errors in the proposal if such errors are preventing approval of the proposal.

(c) If the proposal is not approved, the Secretary shall inform the proponent promptly of the decision in writing.

3. RATIFICATION. If the proposal is approved by the County Committee, the Steering Committee shall undertake the following at its next meeting at which there is a quorum:

(a) Members shall discuss the proposal.

(b) Following discussion, the Steering Committee shall decide via the consensus/supermajority procedure outlined in Section V whether to ratify the County Committee's approval of the amendment.

(c) If the Steering Committee does not ratify, the Secretary shall inform the proponent promptly of the decision in writing.

(d) If the Steering Committee ratifies the approved proposal, then the amendment shall take force immediately and shall supersede any conflicting language in the existing bylaws.

(e) The secretary shall incorporate the new bylaw into the body of the existing bylaws.

(f) The secretary shall ensure that the amended bylaws are posted on the web.

(g) Outreach Representatives and Precinct Committeepersons are responsible for informing their constituents of the amendment.

VII. IMPEACHMENT AND REMOVAL OF PARTY OFFICERS

A. WHO. In addition to the procedure outlined in section IV.B.3.f, any officer may be impeached by any member of the GPPC. Such an impeachment shall be in writing.

B. SIGNATURES. The proponent of impeachment shall gather the signatures of ten other GPPC members who support the removal. The signatures and the impeachment document shall be forwarded to the Party Secretary.

1. The Secretary shall verify that the signatories are validly registered GPPC members.

2. If the Secretary is able to verify ten signatures, he or she shall distribute copies of the impeachment to all County Committee members prior to the next scheduled County Committee meeting, whether it be a regular, statutory or special meeting.

3. GPPC Representatives and Precinct Committeepersons are responsible for informing their constituents of the contents of the impeachment.

C. REMOVAL. The County Committee shall undertake the following regarding the impeachment at its next meeting at which there is a quorum:

1. Members of the Steering Committee shall, at their discretion, hear evidence from any GPPC members who have information relevant to the impeachment. The members of the County Committee shall then discuss the impeachment.

2. Following discussion, the County Committee shall decide via secret ballot whether to remove the impeached officer.

3. A 75% supermajority is required to remove the officer.

4. If not present, the Secretary shall inform the removed officer in writing of the decision.

D. These procedures are entirely separate and independent from the procedures for removing a Steering Committee member for failure to attend meetings described in section IV.C.3.

ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

COUNTY COMMITTEE MEETING 12/12/2000

Signed by Matt Scholz, Chairperson, 12/20/00
Ann Samuelson, 1^st Vice Chair
Carolyn Campbell, 2^nd Vice Chair
Peter Hormel, Secretary
Jeff Simpson, Treasurer