Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Washington State

As amended in convention, May 1, 2004

Article I: Membership

1. Anyone meeting the requirements of membership as determined by the State Executive Committee and residing in the State of Washington is hereby a member of the Party.
2. Dues paying Party members as determined by the State Executive Committee shall receive a subscription to the Party newsletter, plus other incidental benefits to be determined by the State Executive Committee.
3. An individual may maintain only one membership in the Party.
4. Any member may require that his or her membership information may not be distributed to any organization not affiliated with the Libertarian Party of Washington State (LPWS). An affiliate of the LPWS is defined as the Libertarian National Committee, and chartered regional chapters of the LPWS.
5. Any member has a right to contact the general membership of the Party concerning Party business; the State Executive Committee shall establish procedures for so contacting the membership.
6. Any LPWS member may obtain upon payment of reasonable cost the name, addresses, phone number, and e-mail addresses on announcement lists when available of all or any members.

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Article II: Party Officers

1. Generally:
1. Any Officer who may have a conflict of interest in discharging his or her duties as an Officer shall fully advise the State Executive Committee regarding the possible conflict.
2. Each Party Officer will be responsible for maintaining documentation within his/her area of responsibility.
3. Each officer will be responsible for transferring all records and accounts pertaining to his/her area of responsibility within thirty (30) days after the election or appointment of his/her successor.
4. Each Party Officer will provide a written report to be presented at the annual Party Convention and passed on to the next Officer.
5. No Party Officer may incur expenses beyond budget without approval of the State Executive Committee.
2. State Chair:
1. The State Chair shall be the chief executive officer and chief spokesperson of the Party, holding all powers pertaining to the ordinary business affairs of the Party.
2. The State Chair may appoint, hire and discharge Party volunteers and paid personnel, such as an office manager and an events chair, consistent with any express State Executive Committee policies.
3. The State Chair may contract for products and services, consistent with any express State Executive Committee policies. 
4. The State Chair shall be a voting member of the Strategic Planning Committee.
3. Vice-Chair:
1. The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the State Chair in the event of his/her resignation, incapacity, death, suspension, or absence.
2. The Vice-Chair shall be a voting member of the Public Relations and Campaigns Committees.
4. Treasurer:
1. The Treasurer shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining a system of accounts in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practices.
2. The fiscal year of the Party shall begin on August 1^st of each year.
3. In the event the Treasurer is unable to perform the duties of the office the records of the Party shall revert to the State Chair.
4. The Treasurer shall make Party financial records, excluding the names of contributors, available to any Party member in good standing at a reasonable time and place upon fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice.
5. The Treasurer shall be a voting member of the Finance and Policy Committees.
5. Secretary:
1. The Secretary will be responsible for recording the minutes of the State Executive Committee meetings and Party conventions.
2. The Secretary will ensure that draft copies of convention minutes are available to Party members within Thirty (30) days following a convention.
3. The Secretary shall notify State Executive Committee members of the time and location of meetings.
4. The Secretary shall be a voting member of the Membership and Policy Committees.
5. The Party Secretary is responsible for Party membership records, Party archives, and all other records not otherwise provided for in the Controlling documents.

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Article III: State Executive Committee

1. Meetings:
1. The State Executive Committee shall convene only in open meeting. Within a properly announced open meeting, a closed "Executive Session" may be convened to discuss the following confidential matters: contracts worth more than $1000 per year, personnel and/or disciplinary matters requiring State Executive Committee action, and pending or active litigation. The purpose of the private session shall be announced prior to convening privately, and no votes may be taken until the open meeting is reconvened, at which time motions and discussion may or may not proceed.
2. The State Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly, as may be determined by the Committee, or by a call of the State Chair, or by written request of one-third (1/3) or more of the members of the Committee.
3. A quorum for State Executive Committee meetings will consist of at least half the current total Committee members. If neither the Chair nor the Vice Chair is in attendance, a simple majority of attending members may elect a Presiding Chair pro tem.
2. Rules and Procedures:
1. All State Executive Committee members shall be notified of the time and location of meetings no less than twenty-one (21) days in advance; provided that, in the case of emergency meetings called by the State Chair seven (7) days shall be adequate. Emergency meetings may be held online or via telephone, to consider a single question, if a recorded vote includes at least 2/3 of State Executive Committee members, and with Meeting Minutes recorded and filed.
2. The State Executive Committee may adopt such rules of procedure as it deems necessary.
3. In case of a dispute between Party members of the same region for the same seat on the State Executive Committee, the undisputed State Executive Committee members present shall determine by majority vote which member shall be seated for that meeting. In the event of an appeal to the Judicial Committee, if the wrong person was seated, official action taken or business conducted at the subject meeting shall not be affected.
4. Any petition to the Judicial Committee to expel a member from the Party shall be preceded by a written motion to the State Executive Committee summarizing the reasons for expulsion. The motion will require two seconds to be considered. Any Party member subject to a motion for petition to expel shall receive a copy of the written motion 30 days before the matter may be considered by the State Executive Committee and given a reasonable opportunity to be heard in a regular meeting of the State Executive Committee before a dispositive vote is taken. In the event a motion for petition to expel a member passes the State Executive Committee, the State Executive Committee shall select one of its members to represent the State Executive Committee in its petition to the Judicial Committe.
3. Committees:
1. The State Executive Committee shall establish and maintain the following Standing Committees: Campaigns, Membership, Public Relations, Finance, and Policy. Standing Committee Chairs will be appointed or terminated by the State Chair, with the approval of the State Executive Committee.
2. Standing Committees shall have the powers of investigation, supervision, and review of the Party activities within their area of responsibility, and shall have access to all records of the Party. Standing Committee Chairs hold primary responsibility for staffing their Committees, and/or forming and staffing committees.
3. The responsibilities of the standing committees will be, but are not limited to, the following:
1. The Campaigns Committee will identify political races and coordinate candidate and issue development.
2. The Membership Committee will recruit new members, develop membership educational programs and publications, and assist in organizing regional organizations.
3. The Public Relations Committee will coordinate news media, disseminate information within and for the Party, and operate a speakers’ bureau.
4. The Finance Committee will have the primary responsibility for fund raising.
5. The Policy Committee has primary responsibility for creating and maintaining a Policy Manual.
6. The Strategic Planning Committee will create, maintain and update a 5-year Strategic Plan, for approval by the State Executive Committee.
4. The State Executive Committee may establish Temporary Committees, by approving a written and amendable delegation of powers and/or function. Standing Committees may form Temporary Subcommittees on the same basis. Temporary Committees will expire after 12 months, unless renewed by the originating body. Temporary Committee Chairs will be appointed or terminated by the State Chair, with the approval of the State Central Committee.
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Article IV: Statutory State Committee

1. Meetings:
1. The Statutory State Committee shall convene only in open meeting.
2. The Statutory State Committee shall meet during January of each odd-numbered year, and as may be determined by the Committee, or by a call of the State Chair.
3. A quorum for the Statutory State Committee meetings will consist of at least half the current total Committee members.
4. Except for the meeting held during January of each odd-numbered year, and provided that proper notice and open access is given, the Statutory State Committee may, in its discretion, meet on-line.
2. Rules and Procedures:
1. Notice of the Statutory State Committee meeting held in January of each odd-numbered year shall be made seven (7) days in advance to all Statutory County Committees lawfully organized pursuant to Chapter 29.42, R.C.W.  Notice of the time, location and agenda of all other Statutory State Committee meetings shall be made no less than twenty-one (21) days in advance.
2. The presiding officer at Statutory State Committee meetings shall ensure that minutes are regularly taken and that the minutes shall be available to any Party member upon request.
3. The Statutory State Committee may adopt such additional rules of procedure as it deems necessary.
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Article V: Judicial Committee

1. Generally:
1. Members of the Judicial Committee shall serve for a term of three years.
2. No member of the Judicial Committee may sit in judgment of an appeal of a ruling or action of the State Executive Committee or the Statutory State Committee, which occurred while that member served on either Committee.
3. The Judicial Committee shall, when required by its duties, have access to all written records of the Party and Party committees concerned.
4. A ruling of the Judicial Committee may be overturned by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the delegates at a convention.
2. Chief Justice:
1. The Chief Justice may not serve consecutive terms as Chief Justice.
2. The Chief Justice will receive all appeals and petitions, and schedule hearings so as to obtain a quorum of the Judicial Committee.
3. Timing and Notification:
1. The Chief Justice must notify the Party Officers within seven (7) days that an appeal or petition has been received, and provide the substance.
2. The Chief Justice shall provide at least fourteen (14) calendar day’s notice to all interested Parties to a hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by all Parties concerned.
3. Hearings must be held within forty-five (45) calendar days from the time a written request is received by the Chief Justice, unless otherwise agreed to by all parties concerned.
4. The Judicial Committee must provide a ruling within fifteen (15) calendar days of the conclusion of a hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by all parties concerned.
4. Hearings:
1. In hearing a petition to expel a member from the Party, a quorum of the Judicial Committee will consist of 7/8 of its members. In all other matters, a quorum of the Judicial Committee will consist of a simple majority.
2. All parties to a hearing will have the right to represent their interests in the manner of their own choosing, consistent with the rules, guidelines, and principles of the Judicial Committee.
3. With the consent of all parties, the Chief Justice may call for written arguments and a mail ballot of the committee. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the Judicial Committee must provide a ruling within sixty (60) calendar days of the date of the original appeal or petition.
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Article VI: Regional Organizations

1. The State Executive Committee will promote and charter regional organizations.
2. Organizations applying for regional organization status will petition the State Executive Committee. The petition will explicitly ratify the Statement of Principles of the National Party and will be signed annually by no fewer than five (5) Party members residing in that region.
3. The State Executive Committee will have the power to suspend regional organizations by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Suspension is subject to written appeal to the Judicial Committee within thirty (30) calendar days of notification of suspension. Upon failure to appeal, the charter of the regional organization will be revoked. The State Executive Committee will not suspend any regional organization within a period of four (4) months prior to the annual convention. A regional organization may be suspended from the Party for the following reasons:
1. Violating the Statement of Principles.
2. Endorsing or supporting a candidate in opposition to one nominated by a recognized branch of the Libertarian Party.
3. Failing to hold a local meeting within the region at least once every calendar quarter.
4. Upon appeal by the regional organization, the Judicial Committee will conduct a hearing. Following the hearing, the Judicial Committee will have thirty (30) calendar days to decide either to revoke the charter of the regional organization, or to continue the charter. Until the Judicial Committee decides, the regional organization charter will continue to be in force.
5. Members of the Party residing in unchartered regions may petition the State Executive Committee for recognition as chartered regions; such petitions must identify boundaries such as county lines, and must meet requirements set forth in the controlling documents.
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Article VII: Statutory

1. A Statutory County Committee may petition for Regional Organization status under Article X of the Party Constitution and Article VI of these Bylaws. The petition will explicitly ratify the Statement of Principles of the Party and will be signed by no fewer than five (5) Party members who are also Statutory County Committee members residing in that county.
2. A Statutory County Committee shall conduct business related to statutory powers only in open meeting.
3. The presiding officer at Statutory County Committee meetings shall ensure that minutes are regularly taken and that the minutes shall be available to any Party member upon request.
4. The Statutory County Committee may adopt such additional rules of procedure as it deems necessary.
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Article VIII: Party Conventions

1. Generally:
1. The annual Party convention shall be held in the first or second quarter of the calendar year, or a date selected by the State Executive Committee.
2. Credentials for any convention will be determined by the Credentials Chair, consistent with the controlling documents of the Party.
3. A quorum for the convention business shall consist of no less than 3% of the total current Party membership.
2. Convention Committees:
1. The convention committees are the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Platform Committee, Nominating Committee, Credentials Committee, and Rules and Resolutions Committee.
2. Convention Committee Chairs will be appointed or terminated by the State Chair, with the approval of the State Executive Committee. The State Chair will announce at the State Party convention that the State Chair will appoint the Convention Organizing Committee Chair and the chairs of the convention committees at the first scheduled State Executive Committee meeting to occur fifteen (15) days or more after the State Party convention. In addition to a Committee Chair, each committee may consist of up to twelve (12) Party members, selected by the State Executive Committee. After that State Executive Committee meeting any unfilled positions may be filled by either the State Executive Committee or by the respective convention committee chairs.
3. All convention committee meetings will be open to all Party members, who may obtain the committees schedules from their respective chairs.
4. Chairs of the convention committees will be responsible for completion and reproduction at party expense of their final committee reports.
5. The chairs of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Platform Committee will certify and cause to be published at Party expense each document in its entirety as amended by the convention.
6. The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying candidates for internal Party positions (such as state officer or Judicial Committee member) and should only do so for positions which do not have announced candidacies within 30 days of the annual Party convention.
7. Each committee, except the Nominating Committee, shall submit a written report to the Party Secretary not later than thirty (30) days prior to the Party convention.
8. Convention committee reports shall be available, upon request, to any Party member.
9. The State Chair will ensure that the committee’s reports, and the reports of committee members submitted separately, are presented at the convention.
3. Elections for National Party conventions:
1. All delegates and representatives to national conventions of the Libertarian Party must be members of the State and National Parties.
2. The State Chair will announce to the convention body the total number of delegates and representatives to national party convention committees, and the number to be selected by the State Party convention.
3. Nominations of delegates from the floor shall not require seconds. Members may nominate themselves.
4. After the election of delegates, alternate delegates may be elected.
5. After the election of delegates and alternates, representatives to national committees may be elected.
6. The duly elected delegates present at the convention will select a Delegation Chair and determine their own substitution procedures.
7. A list of the delegates and alternates, and a description of the substitution procedures, shall be submitted by the Delegation Chair to the State Chair and the National Secretary within seven (7) calendar days of the convention.
4. Elections for Judicial Committee members:
1. Three (3) new Judicial Committee members shall be elected at each annual Party convention by single transferable vote. In the event of a resignation or vacancy on the Judicial Committee, a member shall also be elected to complete the term of the original member.
2. Nominations of qualified candidates will be accepted from the floor. Members may nominate themselves. All nominations require a second.
3. The Rules Committee will determine procedures for electing Judicial Committee members.
5. Nominating and Endorsing candidates:
1. Only the party’s regional organizations and convention delegates have power to nominate Libertarian Party candidates for partisan offices, and to endorse candidates for non-partisan offices.
1. Delegates may nominate and endorse candidates for any office.
2. After the convention adjourns, power to nominate and endorse will transfer from delegates to the Campaigns Committee, but regional organizations also retain their power to nominate or endorse even after the convention adjourns.
3. In the event more than one regional organization, or regional organizations and the Campaigns Committee, or the convention, nominates more than one candidate either before, at, or after the convention, then all such candidates become nominees and are authorized to appear on the Libertarian Primary ballot. But if there is no primary election, then the following rules apply to determine the party nominee for the general election:
1. That candidate winning approval by a majority of the convention delegates or of the Campaigns Committee is the party nominee unless a regional organization covering the entire jurisdiction served by a candidate shall have also nominated a candidate, in which event the regional organization’s candidate shall be the party nominee.
2. In the event two or more regional organizations cover the entire jurisdiction served by a candidate and nominate different (by geographical area) shall be the Party nominee.
2. The nomination of a Libertarian Party candidate or endorsement of a non-partisan candidate during or after the convention may be withdrawn for cause by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of State Executive Committee members.
3. "None of the Above" (NOTA) may be nominated, seconded and supported on the same basis as an actual candidate, for either partisan or non-partisan endorsements. If "NOTA" wins a majority of votes, there shall be no endorsement for that office.
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