By-Laws of the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County

Article I: Name, Identity and Structure
Article II: Purpose, Functions and Principles
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Membership Meetings
Article V: Officers
Article VI: Conventions
Article VII: Adoption, Amendments, Standing Rules

Article I – NAME, IDENTITY, STRUCTURE

Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County (Florida), hereinafter referred to as the “LPPC”.
Section 2. Structure. The LPPC is a political organization constituted by its membership, directed by its officers, governed by its business meetings, and affiliated with the Libertarian Party of Florida, hereinafter referred to as the “LPF”.
Section 3. Bonafide party. The LPPC is a bonafide political party under the laws of the state of Florida, authorized to receive political contributions. The LPPC accepts political contributions in the name of the LPPC or the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County.
Section 4. Device. The official device of the LPPC and all candidates nominated by the LPPC shall be the silhouette of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol which is also known as “Lady Liberty”.
Section 5. Address. The mailing address of the LPPC shall be designated by the Chairperson of the LPPC.

Section 1. Purpose. The primary purpose of the LPPC is to promote individual liberty and to minimize the intervention of government in moral, social, and economic affairs by electing and appointing Libertarians to office.
Section 2. Functions. The primary functions of the LPPC are:

1. to recruit, nominate and elect candidates to all city, county, township, judicial, and town offices within Pinellas County;
2. to recruit and assist in the election of Libertarian candidates to state legislative and judicial offices affecting all or parts of Pinellas County; and;
3. to select and field LPPC delegates and alternate delegates to the annual business meeting of the LPF’s annual convention, hereinafter jointly referred to as “the state convention.”

Section 3. Principles. The LPPC affirms the following principles:

1. That all people possess unalienable natural rights, and that among these are rights to life, liberty, justly acquired property, and self-governance.
2. That the only moral basis of government is the preservation and protection of unalienable natural rights.
3. That no person or institution, public or private, has the right to initiate the use of physical force, coercion, or fraud against another person, and that all people are bound, without contract to abstain from infringing upon the natural rights of other people.
4. That all people are entitled to choose their own lifestyles, as long as they do not forcibly impose their values on others.
5. That the voluntary and unrestricted exchange of goods and services is fundamental to a peaceful and harmonious society.

Section 1. Membership Established. The LPPC hereby establishes membership in the LPF.
Section 2. Membership Requirements. Membership in the LPPC is open to all individuals registered as LPF.
Section 3. Membership Privileges. Members in good standing have the right to meaningfully participate in all meetings and conventions of the LPPC. Non-voting membership is open to any Libertarian residing at least part of the year in Pinellas County.
Section 4. Membership Suspension. The voting members at any LPPC business meeting or convention shall have the authority to suspend, terminate or refuse membership in the LPPC to any individual, who is otherwise a member of the LPF, by a three-fourths (¾) vote. In such event, the LPPC shall immediately notify the individual by certified mail of the suspension, termination or refusal, and the reasons for such, affording the individual the right to appeal to the LPPC at one of its next two business meetings. The voting members of the LPPC may uphold the suspension, termination or refusal by majority vote at said appeal. Upon appeal or the expiration of the time allotted for appeal, the decision of the LPPC to suspend, terminate or refuse membership in the LPPC shall be final and binding for a period of one year, after which time the individual may re-apply for membership in the LPPC by written request, subject to majority vote.

Section 1. Meetings. The LPPC must hold a business meeting each month at a regular date, time and location, including remote participation. Reasonable notice shall be given to all LPPC members. The Chairperson shall determine the meeting’s agenda, subject to change by majority vote at the meeting.
Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of the business meeting is to control and manage all the affairs and property of the LPPC consistent with these by-laws. All decisions over the expenditure of the LPPC property shall be by majority vote.
Section 3. Quorum. A quorum at the business meeting shall consist of four members of the LPPC.
Section 4. Executive Committee. An Executive Committee is created, consisting of the officers of the LPPC. The committee shall have the authority to manage and control the affairs and property of the LPPC by three-fifths (60%) vote of the officers, subject to approval at the next monthly business meeting.

Section 1. Seven Officers. The Officers of the LPPC shall be a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and three At-Large Representatives. No offices or duties shall be combined. The Officers in place at the time of adoption of these by-laws shall remain in office until the next regularly-scheduled election of Officers.
Section 2. Election of Officers. The Officers of LPPC shall be elected at the Annual Convention for a term of two years, with the Chairperson and Secretary being elected in the same year and the Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer being elected the following year in an alternating fashion. At-Large Representatives shall be elected annually for single-year terms. The Officer nominee who receives a majority of votes in each race shall be elected. Officers shall be selected by secret ballot unless there is only one nomination for the office, in which case election may be made by acclamation. Officers shall take office at midnight on the day of the Annual Convention and serve thereafter until midnight on the day of the Annual Convention at which their term expires. The person nominated must voluntarily accept the nomination before they can be voted on. Interim measures will include a single-year term for the Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer (or Chairperson and Secretary, depending on order of adoption).
Section 3. Roles and Responsibilities of Officers

1. Chairperson. The Chairperson shall be the head of the LPPC, presiding over all meetings and conventions of the LPPC. The Chairperson is the official spokesperson for the LPPC. The Chairperson may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary to conduct the business of the LPPC.
2. Vice Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson shall serve as presiding officer in the absence of the Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for the training and coordination of precinct committee persons in coordination with the Chairperson and individuals he/she deems fit.
3. Secretary. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all LPPC meetings and conventions. The Secretary shall be the custodian of these by-laws and their amendments, the minutes of all meetings and conventions, committee reports, standing rules, and correspondence designated by the Chairperson. The Secretary shall be responsible each year for notifying LPPC members by a method reasonably certain to reach each member of the forthcoming expiration of their LPPC membership, and shall be responsible for maintaining the current list of LPPC members.
4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer responsible for the filing of all campaign finance forms for the LPPC. The fiscal year of the LPPC shall begin on January 1st of each year and end on December 31st of the same year. The treasury of the LPPC shall be audited at the end of the fiscal year by either the executive committee or by a professional accounting firm selected by the executive committee. The audit will be reported to the general membership at the first regular business meeting following the audit’s conclusion.
5. At-Large Representative(s). The At-Large Representative(s) shall serve as a voting member(s) of the Executive Committee to populate a committee that has an odd number of members.

Section 4. Removal of Officers. Officers who are elected in convention may be removed only by ⅔ vote outside of a convention.
Section 5. Vacancies. In event of removal or resignation of any officer, the Chairperson shall notify all LPPC members in a reasonable time period. Such vacancies may be filled by majority vote in convention or at the next business meeting following the notice.
Section 6. Standing Rules. The Standing Rules of the LPPC shall be in harmony with these by-laws, shall be written, and shall be made available for general use. Standing Rules may be adopted by three-fourths (¾) vote at a business meeting or by two-thirds (⅔) vote at convention. Standing Rules may be repealed by two-thirds (⅔) vote at a business meeting or by majority vote at convention.
Section 7. Authority to Contract. The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer shall have the sole authority to expend LPPC funds for goods or services without prior approval granted at a regular business meeting. Such expenditures and authority to contract shall extend only to the day-to-day operations of the LPPC and shall be limited to $300.00.
Section 8. Meetings Open to the Public. All business meetings of the LPPC shall be open for observation by the public.
Section 9. Officer Meetings. A regularly scheduled meeting of the Officers shall be held at least once per calendar month. The Chair may call additional or emergency meetings at his/her discretion. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. A quorum shall consist of five three Officers of the LPPC. Officer meetings may be held in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the Chair. All officer meetings shall be open to all LPPC members, and a reasonable amount of time shall be allocated on the agenda for member comments. The date, time, location, and agenda of each regularly-scheduled Officers Meeting shall be made available to all LPPC members at least seven days in advance of the meeting. Each officer shall have one vote on all business matters, except in the event of a tie vote, the Chairperson’s vote shall prevail.
Section 10. Refer to Membership. At the discretion of the Chairperson, any motion may be transferred from the Officer’s Meeting agenda to the Membership Meeting agenda at any time for vote by the Membership. Additionally, any Officer may move that an item of business be Referred to Membership, and said item shall be transferred to the Membership Meeting agenda upon second and majority vote by the officers. If passed, the motion to Refer to Membership shall supersede and nullify the vote by the officers on the prior motion in question.
Section 11. Executive Session. The use of Executive Session by officers is prohibited, except for business regarding pending or potential legal action by or against the LPPC, or matters requiring disclosure of a member or employee’s confidential personal, medical or financial information.

Section 1. Annual Convention. The LPPC must hold an Annual Convention. The Annual Convention shall be used to nominate and elect Officers of the LPPC, make an annual reporting of the LPPC’s financial condition, amend these by-laws, and elect delegates and alternate delegates from the LPPC to the state convention. The Annual Convention shall nominate candidates for public office.
Section 2. Attendance and Participation. Attendance at the Annual Convention is open to all LPPC members and voters registered as Libertarians living in Pinellas County as per the Supervisor of Elections office. A nominal fee may be charged each attendee by the LPPC to defray the cost of the convention facilities. LPPC members in Pinellas County may speak and vote in said conventions on the nomination of candidates and the selection of delegates to the state convention. Only LPPC members may speak and vote in said conventions on the election of LPPC officers and amendments to these by-laws.
Section 3. Quorum. The quorum shall be eight members.
Section 4. Notice of Convention. The LPPC shall publish the date, time, location, proposed rules, and proposed agenda of the Annual Convention at least fifteen days prior to such convention by a method reasonably certain to reach such members.
Section 5. Duties of Officers. The Chairperson of the LPPC shall serve as the Chairperson of the LPPC Annual Convention. The Secretary of the LPPC shall serve as the Secretary of the LPPC Annual Convention. In the event that either the Chairperson or the Secretary of the LPPC is unable to serve respectively as Chairperson and Secretary of the Annual Convention, such positions and responsibilities shall devolve, in cardinal order, to the Vice Chairperson and Treasurer of the LPPC.
Section 6. Order of Business. The order of business of the Annual Convention shall include, but is not limited to the following:

1. After the Call to Order, the first item of business is to credential and seat LPF members residing in Pinellas County to the Annual Convention.
2. The second item of business is the reading and approval of the minutes of the first preceding Annual Convention.
3. The third item of business is to adopt rules for the Annual Convention.
4. The fourth item of business is to adopt an agenda for the Annual Convention. The Chairperson shall submit proposed rules and an agenda for initial consideration. The attending members of the LPF shall adopt said rules and agenda by majority vote. In the absence of the adoption of rules and/or an agenda, the Chairperson shall adopt rules and an agenda on his/her own initiative.
5. The fifth item of business is the annual financial report by the Treasurer of the LPPC.

Section 7. Motions in Writing. All motions to amend these by-laws shall be in writing and submitted to the Chairperson at least 15 days prior to the convention.
Section 8. Credentials. The Secretary shall be responsible for verifying the party registration and membership status of each voter at convention. No voting by proxy shall be permitted.
Section 9. Special Conventions. Special Conventions may be convened by a majority vote at the business meeting, or shall be convened by the Chairperson of the LPPC upon written request or petition of over one-half (½) of all current members of the LPPC. The Chairperson shall provide notice of the dates, times, location, and particular subject matter of Special Convention to all members of the LPPC at least fifteen (15) days prior to such event. Special Conventions are limited to the subject matter agreed upon, and shall otherwise be run by the same provisions which govern the Annual Convention.

Section 1. Adoption. These by-laws shall be adopted when approved by a majority of LPPC members attending an Organizing Convention. These by-laws shall take effect on the first Monday following their approval.
Section 2. Amendments. These by-laws may be amended by two-thirds (⅔) vote of LPPC members attending the Annual Convention. Every amendment shall take effect on the first Monday following the enactment.
Section 3. Affiliation with the LPF. The LPPC hereby ratifies the by-laws of the LPF, and authorizes the Officers to certify such by submitting a Petition for Affiliation and a copy of these by-laws to the LPF.