ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of the organization shall be Minnesota Eighth Congressional District Green Party
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The Minnesota Eighth Congressional District Green Party (hereinafter the "MN 8th CD Greens") is founded upon the four coequal principles of Ecological Wisdom, Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice and Nonviolence. The purposes of the MN Eighth CD Greens shall include, but not be limited to, perpetuating and implementing the following:
1. Ecological Wisdom;
2. Grassroots Democracy;
3. Social Justice;
4. Nonviolence;
5. Sustainability;
6. Personal and global responsibility;
7. Respect for diversity;
8. Feminism;
9. Community-based economics;
10. Decentralization.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Eligibility:
Membership in the MN 8th CD Greens may be claimed by any resident of the MN 8th Congressional District who is a member of the Green Party of Minnesota.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
Section 1: Minutes
a. Minutes shall be taken at all MN 8th CD Greens meetings, and shall subsequently be distributed to all members in attendance as is conveniently possible, and shall be made
available to other members on request.
Section 2: Annual Meetings
The MN 8th Congressional District Greens shall meet annually in May.
Section 3: Special Meetings
Special meetings of the MN 8th Congressional District Greens may be called by the Chair and Vice-Chair with 30-days notice.
ARTICLE V - VOTING
Section 1: Delegates
Any member of the MN 8th CD Greens who has been a member of the Green Party of Minnesota for at least sixty days - as documented in the state party's database - may serve as a delegate to the annual meeting. Any other resident of the 8th Congressional District, if vouched for by a delegate, may serve as a delegate by joining the Green Party of Minnesota. Only delegates who have been members of the Green Party of Minnesota for sixty days may vouch. Each delegate may vouch for no more than one individual.
Section 2: Delegate Votes
The total number of delegate votes to the annual meeting shall be one hundred, and shall be apportioned in the following manner- each county shall receive a whole number of delegate votes in proportion to the total vote cast within each county for the Green Party of Minnesota's highest ranking candidate for state constitutional office in the most recent state election, with the proviso that each county shall receive at least one vote. Each county's delegate votes shall be evenly divided among the delegates in attendance from that county.
Section 3: Voting
All decisions of the annual meeting shall be made on the basis of delegate votes. Election of officers shall be conducted by multiple ballot, with the lowest vote-getter eliminated on each ballot, until a candidate receives a majority of the delegate votes. In the case of a tie, the ballot will be re-cast one time. If the tie persists, the tie will be broken by the flip of a coin.
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
Section 1: Chair
A chair shall be elected by the annual meeting in odd numbered years to serve a two-year term. The term shall commence at the conclusion of the annual meeting at which the chair is elected. The chair shall organize and facilitate the annual meetings of the MN 8th CD Greens. The chair shall also serve as spokesperson for the MN 8th CD Greens.
Section 2: Vice Chair
A vice chair shall be elected by the annual meeting in odd numbered years to serve a two-year term. The term shall commence at the conclusion of the annual meeting at which the vice chair is elected. The vice chair shall work with the chair to organize and facilitate the annual meetings of the MN 8th CD Greens. The vice chair shall be responsible for the taking of minutes as well as keeping records. The vice chair shall be in charge of credentialing.
Section 3: Treasurer
A treasurer shall be elected by the annual meeting in odd numbered years to serve a two-year term. The term shall commence at the conclusion of the annual meeting at which the treasurer is elected. The treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the organization's financial records and filing required financial reports with the State of Minnesota.
Section 4: Representative to the State Coordinating Committee
A Representative to the Green Party of Minnesota State Coordinating Committee shall be elected by the annual meeting in odd numbered years to serve a two-year term. The term shall commence at the Summer Solstice of the year in which the representative is elected.
ARTICLE VII - ENDORSEMENTS
Section 1
The MN 8th CD Greens may grant endorsements to candidates seeking the position of 8th Congressional District Representative, to candidates seeking other offices within the 8th Congressional District where no affiliated local of the Green Party of Minnesota exists, or to candidates seeking other offices within the MN 8th Congressional District in districts that include more than one affiliated local of the Green Party of Minnesota.
Section 2
The chair shall appoint a screening committee comprised of members of the MN 8th CD Greens. The screening committee shall be charged with interviewing individuals interested in seeking the endorsement of the MN 8th CD Greens and researching the background of such individuals. The committee shall report its findings to the Annual Meeting of the MN 8th CD Greens. The chair will seek to appoint a screening committee that is diverse, both geographically and otherwise. Individuals seeking the MN 8th CD Greens endorsement are not required to screen with the committee.
Section 3
To receive the endorsement of the MN 8th CD Greens, a candidate must undergo a convention screening process. The screening will take place at an Annual Meeting. Any delegate to the 8th CD Greens present at the screening may ask questions of the candidate. The endorsement will be granted by a two-thirds majority of delegate votes.
Section 4
Endorsements will be made on the basis of the candidate's commitment to the Green vision (as embodied in the four pillars of the Greens: social and economic justice, ecological wisdom, grassroots democracy, and non-violence) as well as the candidate's commitment to building the Green Party.
Section 5
To receive the MN 8th CD Greens endorsement, the candidate must be a member of the Green Party of Minnesota for at least sixty days prior to the convention.
Section 6
Candidates who are seeking the nomination of another party shall not be endorsed by the MN 8th CD Greens unless they receive both two-thirds of the delegate votes at an annual meeting of the 8th CD Greens and the approval of the Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of Minnesota.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
These Bylaws may only be amended at an Annual Meeting of the MN 8th CD Greens.
Section 2
These Bylaws may be amended by two-thirds of the delegate votes at an Annual Meeting of the MN 8th CD Greens.
Section 3.
Amendments to the Bylaws shall take effect upon approval by delegates to the MN 8th CD Greens.
- Approved by the Minnesota 8th Congressional Green Party, Sat. May 3rd, 2003