The American Solidarity Party of Georgia
ARTICLE I: Preamble and Purpose
The American Solidarity Party of Georgia (hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter”) is a State Party affiliated with the American Solidarity Party (“National Party”) organized for the purposes of promoting the principles and objectives of the American Solidarity Party, as outlined in the platform of the National Party, electing duly nominated, designated or endorsed candidates to public office, and performing official actions within Georgia consistent with these purposes.
ARTICLE II: Chapter Membership
Section 1: Membership
Any individual who is a currently registered and dues-paying member of the National Party (i.e. eligible to vote in National Party elections) and is a resident of the State of Georgia may participate as a voting member of the chapter.
Section 2: Privileges of Members
Members are entitled to:
- Vote in the election of Officers and in nominations of candidates for public office.
- Exercise any other duties or privileges as provided elsewhere in these Bylaws or designated by the State Committee.
Section 3: Nominations of Candidates for Public Office
In order for the Chapter to nominate or endorse a candidate for public office a vote shall be held by email with all of the members of the state using ranked pairs. A “Do not nominate” option must be included in the poll if there are multiple options. If there is only one potential nominee the ballot should be yes/no.
An election must be held within sixty (60) days if either: (a) the state committee authorizes a candidate as a potential nominee or (b) a petition is received from voting members either constituting 5% of voting membership or five members, whichever is fewer.
ARTICLE III: State Committee
Section 1: State Committee
The Chapter shall have a State Committee (hereinafter “the Committee”). The number of the State Committee Members shall be an odd number with a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of fifteen (15). The Committee may increase or decrease the number of officers by amendment of the Bylaws, but no decrease shall shorten the term of any incumbent officer.
Section 2: Qualifications
Officers of the Committee must be at least eighteen (18) years of age, must be residents of the state of Georgia, and are expected to be members of the National Party.
Section 3: Election and Term of Office
New officers shall be elected by the members of the Chapter in an election duly called and organized by the Committee. Each officer shall be elected to a term of two years or one year.
Vacancies on the Committee may be filled by vote of the remaining members of the Committee for no more than ninety (90) days, until the election of his/her successor. Individuals filling vacancies will not have voting rights on the Committee.
Section 4: Election Procedures
Any member of the Chapter may nominate a candidate to the slate of nominees for a position on the Committee by presenting a written nomination to any current member of the Committee up to twenty four (24) hours before the election. All members of the Chapter have the right to vote on the membership of the Committee.
Elections shall be held annually in (October) with half the usual number rounded down elected to two (2) year terms. Any additional open seats shall be elected to one (1) year terms.
The annual election must always elect one (1) more person than is remaining on the committee from the previous year and additional one (1) year seats shall be created as necessary until this is true. (This would occur if the state committee chose to decrease the size of the committee.)
Section 5: Removal
Upon the vote of a two-thirds (⅔) majority of the officers then in office, the Committee may remove any officer with or without cause at any regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee, or any special meeting of the Committee called for that purpose.
Section 6: Resignation
Any officer may resign from the Committee at any time by delivering a resignation in writing to the Committee. The resignation shall take effect on the date specified in the notice, but in no case more than sixty (60) days from the day the notice is given. The acceptance of the resignation, unless required by its terms, shall not be necessary to make the resignation effective.
Section 7: Vacancies
Vacancies shall be filled by a special election within ninety (90) days of the time the vacancy is created.
Section 8: Place and Time of Meetings
The Committee shall hold regular meetings (not less than quarterly) for the transaction of business, unless quorum cannot be met. The location of the regular meetings shall be at such time, place, and manner as determined by the Committee. All meetings of the Committee, may be conducted by electronic or telephonic means, exclusively or in combination with physical meetings, so long as the electronic or telephonic means is reasonably expected to be accessible to all participating members without cost to such members.
Section 9: Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chairman or a simple majority of the Committee and shall be held at such time and place as those calling it shall designate.
Section 10: Quorum and Voting
The presence of a majority of the Officers then in office shall constitute a quorum of the Committee for the transaction of business. Officers are required to attend all normally scheduled committee meetings. If an absence is unavoidable a proxy should be designated by the absent member of the Committee and the proxy shall be provided extensive notes on the announced agenda.
ARTICLE IV: Officers
Section 1: Officers and Duties
At the Chapter’s first meeting after the election, the Committee shall elect officers of the Chapter from among its ranks to fulfill the roles, consisting of Chair, Executive Vice Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The remainder of the members of the State Committee shall be Officers-At-Large. The term of office for officers shall be one year. The State Committee may elect such other officers as it determines necessary.
The officers individually shall have the duties and responsibilities as outlined below:
Chair
The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Committee.
The Chair may designate an Officer to fulfill the duties of any other Officer who is absent from a meeting for the duration of that meeting; and,
Perform all duties incident to the office of Chair.
Executive Vice Chair
The Executive Vice Chair shall have duties as assigned by the Chair and the State Committee, and assumes the Chair’s duties if he/she is unable to serve.
Vice Chair
The Vice Chair shall have duties as assigned by the Chair and the State Committee, and assumes the Chair’s duties if he/she and the Executive Vice Chair are unable to serve.
Secretary
The secretary shall be responsible for recording the minutes of the meetings and the maintenance of party records and any other functions he/she is tasked with by the state committee.
Officer(s)-At-Large.
Officers-At-Large shall have duties, individually or collectively, as assigned by the Chair and State Committee. Additional titles or functions can be created at the discretion of the state committee.
Section 2: Change of Officers
Upon the vote of a simple majority of the committee members then in office, the State committee may change the officer assignments of any member of the state committee.
Section 3: Resignation
Any officer may resign from their office without resigning from the Committee at any time via written resignation to the Committee, effective as specified in the notice. The acceptance of the resignation is not necessary to be effective.
Section 4: Vacancies
If an officer position becomes vacant it shall be filled by the state committee as soon as possible.
Section 5: Compensation
No officer shall be compensated for his/her service as an officer of the Committee.
ARTICLE V: General Provisions surrounding elections.
Section 1: Timeline
All elections shall have at least three (3) weeks notice.
Ballots shall remain open for one week.
Section 2: Method
Elections shall be held by email.
Section 3: Calculation of Results
All elections shall utilize ranked pairs for vote calculations.
Section 4: Regular Vacancies
In the event that vacancies on the state committee are due to a shortage of candidates at the regularly scheduled election holding a special election to fill out the remaining seats will be at the choice of the state committee.
Section 5: Cool Off Period
Individuals must be a member as defined in article II, section 1 of these bylaws for at least forty eight (48) hours before the start of the election to be eligible to vote.
ARTICLE VI: Amendment of bylaws
Section 1: Amendment
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the state committee followed by a simple majority confirmation vote of the state membership.