League of Women Voters of Lafayette, LA

The name of this organization shall be The League of Women Voters of Lafayette. This local League is an integral part of the League of Women Voters of the United States and of the League of Women Voters of Louisiana.

ARTICLE II

Purpose and Policies

Sec. 1. Purpose. The purpose of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette shall be to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation in government.

Sec. 2. Policies.

a. The League of Women Voters of Lafayette may take action on local governmental measures and policies in the public interest in conformity with the Principles of the League of Women Voters of the United States.

b. The League of Women Voters of Lafayette shall not support or oppose any political party or candidate.

ARTICLE III

Membership

Sec. 1. How Composed. The membership of the League of Women Voters of

Lafayette shall be composed of voting members and associate members. Any person who subscribes to the purpose and policies of the League shall be eligible for membership.

Sec. 2. Types of Membership.

a. Voting members shall be citizens of the United States of America of voting age .

b. Associate members shall be all other members.

Sec. 3. Dues. Annual dues shall be payable October first. Any member who fails to pay dues three months after they become payable shall be dropped from the membership rolls. The dues notice shall be sent to the membership starting 60 days prior to the end of the membership year.

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Sec. 1. Enumeration and Election of Officers. The officers of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer who shall be elected for terms of two years by the general membership at an Annual Meeting and take office at the close of the Annual Meeting. The President and Treasurer shall be elected in the even-numbered years. The Vice-President and Secretary shall be elected in the odd-numbered years. Officers and Directors may also chair committees.

Sec. 2. The President. The President will preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Board of Directors. The President may, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, sign or endorse checks, drafts and notes. The President shall appoint the chair and members of special committees with the Board’s approval, shall be ex officio a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee, shall have all such usual powers of supervision and management as may pertain to the office of President, and perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the League of Women Voters of Lafayette. Electing a Co-President is also an option.

Sec. 3. The Vice President. The Vice President shall in the event of absence, disability or death of the President, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of that office, until such time as the Board of Directors shall elect one of its members to fill the vacancy. The Vice President shall perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the League of Women Voters of Lafayette.

Sec. 4. The Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors, shall notify all Officers and Directors of their election, and shall sign with the President all contracts and other instruments when so authorized by the Board. The Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the organization. The Secretary shall be the official custodian of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette’s records. The Secretary shall periodically collect and place such records in the ongoing collection of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette in the Archives of Edith Garland Dupre Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Archival records shall include, but not be limited to annual meeting minutes, by-laws, and annual budgets. The Secretary shall perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the League of Women Voters of Lafayette.

Sec. 5. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due, shall be the custodian of these monies, shall deposit them in a bank designated by the Board of Directors, shall disburse same only upon order of the Board, shall present statements to the Board at the regular meetings, and shall make an annual report to the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the League of Women Voters of Lafayette.

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors

Sec. 1. Number, Manner of Selection and Term of Office. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers of the League, plus at least one Director appointed by the Board and at least one not appointed by the Board. The Director(s) shall be elected by the general membership at each Annual Meeting, shall serve for a term of one year, and may be eligible for reelection. The term(s) of office of the appointed Director(s) shall be one year and shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual Meeting. The outgoing President shall automatically become a member of the Board for a period of one year. The Lafayette League’s members who are also members of the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Louisiana shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette.

Sec. 2. Qualifications. No person shall be elected or appointed or shall continue to serve as an officer or director of this organization unless such person is a voting member of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette. Candidates for office shall meet established qualifications and consent to serve if elected or appointed. Candidates must be informed of the responsibilities of the respective office prior to agreeing to serve.

Sec. 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors by reason of the resignation, death or disqualification of an officer or elected member may be filled, until the next Annual Meeting, by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors. Three consecutive absences from a Board Meeting of any member without a valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.

Sec. 4. Powers and Duties. The Board of Directors shall have full charge of the property and business of the organization, with full power and authority to manage and conduct same, subject to the instructions of the general membership. It shall plan and direct the work necessary to carry out the Program as adopted by the National Convention, the State Convention, and the Annual Meeting. The Board shall create and designate such special committees as it may deem necessary.

Sec. 5. Meetings. There shall be at least six regular meetings of the Board of Directors annually. The President may call special meetings of the Board of Directors and shall call a special meeting upon the written request of three members of the Board. Special meetings of the Board may be held by e-mail, or telephone with a confirming letter.

Sec. 6. Quorum. Four members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI

Financial Administration

Sec. 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette shall commence on the first day of October in each year.

Sec. 2. Budget. A budget for the ensuing year shall be submitted by the Board of Directors to the Annual Meeting for adoption. The budget shall include support for the work of the League as a whole.

Sec. 3. Budget Committee. A Budget Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the Annual Meeting to prepare a budget for the ensuing year. The proposed budget shall be submitted to all members one month before the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall not be eligible to serve as chairman of the Budget Committee.

Sec. 4. Audit. Before the installation of a new Treasurer, an audit or review shall be conducted.

ARTICLE VII

Meetings

Sec. 1. Membership Meetings. There shall be at least four meetings of the Membership each year. Time and place shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Any other necessary meeting may be called by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 2. Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting shall be held between September 1 and September 31, the exact date to be determined by the Board of Directors. The Annual Meeting shall elect Officers and Directors, adopt a budget, adopt a local current Program for the ensuing year, and transact such other business as may properly come before it.

Sec. 3. Quorum. Twenty-five percent of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a general meeting of the membership.

ARTICLE VIII

Nominations and Elections

Sec. 1. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three or more members, one of whom shall be a member of the Board of Directors, and at least one of whom shall not be a member of the Board of Directors. The Committee members’ names shall be submitted to the League members by the Board of Directors at least two months in advance of the Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. The Chairman of the Committee shall be selected by the members of the Committee.

Sec. 2. Report of The Nominating Committee and Nominations from The Floor. The report of the Nominating Committee of its nominations for Officers and Directors shall be submitted to all members one month before the date of the Annual Meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the Annual Meeting. Immediately following the presentation of this report, nominations may be made from the floor by any voting member, provided the consent of the nominee shall have been secured.

Sec. 3. Elections. The election shall be by ballot, except when there is but one nominee for each office. In that case, it shall be allowable to move that the Secretary cast the ballot of the Annual Meeting for each candidate. A majority vote of those qualified to vote and voting shall constitute an election. Absentee and proxy voting shall not be permitted.

ARTICLE IX

Program

Sec. 1. Current Program. The Current Program shall consist of such local governmental issues as the Annual Meeting shall choose for action.

a. The Board of Directors shall consider the recommendations sent in by voting members two months prior to the Annual Meeting and shall formulate a proposed Current Program.

b. The proposed Current Program shall be sent to all members one month before the Annual Meeting.

Sec. 2. Member Action. Members may act in the name of the League of Women Voters of Lafayette only when authorized to do so by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 3. Local League Action. The League of Women Voters of Lafayette may take any local action not inconsistent with its policy and the position taken by the League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters of Louisiana as stated in the Program.

ARTICLE X

National Convention, State Convention

Sec. 1. National Convention. The membership (or the Board of Directors) before the date on which the names of the delegates must be sent to the League of Women Voters of the United States shall elect delegates to that Convention in the number allotted the League of Women Voters of Lafayette in the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of the United States.

Sec. 2. State Convention. The membership (or the Board of Directors) before the date on which the names of the delegates must be sent to the League of Women Voters of Louisiana, shall select delegates to the State Convention in the number allotted to the League of Women Voters of Lafayette.

ARTICLE XI

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition, shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XII

Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members at the Annual Meeting, provided the amendments were submitted to the membership in writing at least one month in advance of the meeting.

Revised, July, 2007