Previous Revision: January 20, 2024

Libertarian Party of Duval County Bylaws

Article I: Offices

The principal office of the Libertarian Party of Duval County (Duval LPF) is in Duval County, Florida. Its principal office may be changed to another location within the county by amendment of these Bylaws, or by the Duval LPF Executive Committee (EC) without amendment of these Bylaws. Duval LPF may also have offices at other locations, within or outside of its state of incorporation.

Article II: Purpose

The object and purpose of the Duval LPF is to engage in political action in Duval County, Florida. This includes serving as an affiliate organization of the Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) in state politics and acting as a nucleus for organizing LPF members, and voters registered as LPF in matters of county-wide political action.

Article III: Definitions

Unless the context otherwise requires it, the following words and phrases have specific meanings:

  1. “Libertarian Party” (LP): national Libertarian Party.
  2. “LPF’: Libertarian Party of Florida.
  3. “Executive Committee” (EC): refers to the officers of Duval LPF as defined in Article IV, Officers, and in Florida Statutes.
  4. “Officer”: Executive Committee Member.
  5. “Written notice”: Any official notification sent by an Officer, including publications on the Duval LPF public and functioning websites.
  6. “Bylaws”: this document, the Bylaws of the Duval LPF.
  7. “Meetings”: includes Business, Organization, and Special Meetings as defined in Article VI, Meetings.
  8. “Non-Aggression Principle” (NAP): “I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.”
  9. “Quorum”: at least 3 EC Officers or 2 Officers and at least 7 attendees that are registered to vote as LPF.

Article IV: OFFICERS eligibility

  1. Eligibility Requirements:
    1. (a) Residence in Duval County, Florida. (b) Member of Libertarian Party of Florida, as verified by an EC Member.
  2. Revocation
    1. Officers may be considered for revocation if:
      1. They fail to maintain eligibility requirements above.
      2. Two-thirds vote of attending Officers at a regular Meeting shall be required to procedurally remove an Officer from the EC.

Article V: Officers And Their Duties

1) Officers of the Duval LPF shall include the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, and they

must be members of the state Libertarian Party of Florida.

Duties:

Attend Meetings, lead chapter, and fulfill specific officer roles as defined below.

  1. Elections
    1. At each annual Organization Meeting EC positions shall be filled by simple majority vote of Officers, and attendees that are registered to vote as LPF.
    2. Officer Terms:
      1. One year, unless otherwise specified by law.
      2. No limit on number of consecutive terms.
  2. Vacancies outside of regular elections can be via:
    1. Resignation: via Officer’s written notice of resignation to another Officer.
    2. Standard Recall: two-thirds majority vote of Officers and attendees that are registered to vote as LPF, at a regular Business Meeting.
    3. Emergency Suspension May Be Petitioned By:
      1. Any attendee that is registered to vote as LPF, with the support of 1 EC Officer.
      2. A Special Meeting to consider suspension of officer duties until Officers and attendees registered to vote as LPF vote at the next regularly scheduled Business Meeting.
      3. Emergency suspension of an Officer, shall requires the vote of three- fourths of the Officers to pass. Officers under consideration for suspension shall retain their right to vote.
    4. Replacements
      1. Chair shall have authority to appoint an Officer replacement to fill vacated offices.
      2. Appointments shall require confirmation at next regular Business Meeting. Duval residents registered to vote as LPF, with email addresses in the voter registration files, should be notified of vacancies and new officers, as soon as reasonably possible, by at least email. Reasonable efforts should be made to notify by other means, where email address is not available.

The duties and responsibilities of specific EC officers shall be:

Chair

Leadership: preside over Meetings and act as spokesperson overseeing the preparation and submission of all reports required by the state LPF and applicable Federal, State, and local laws; specifically including the oversight and submission verification of: a) annual Supervisor of Elections (SOE) re-affiliation documents composed of b) annual financial audit prepared by Treasurer c) Officer List prepared by Secretary d) any other SOE requirements, e) affiliate organization relationships: f) maintaining the Duval LPF affiliate status with state LPF:

1. Annual submission of Petition to Affiliate Form & SOE Audit to secretary@lpf.org between January 1 & March 31.

2. Keeping open communications with the Libertarian National Committee, the state LPF, and all LP Duval organizations or committees.

Vice-Chair

  1. Performing the duties of the Chair in conjunction with, or in absence of, the Chair

Secretary

  1. Maintaining official records and documents.
  2. Preparing an Agenda document before each meeting, and take minutes at meetings, including roll-call, and publish Agenda and Minutes on the Duval LPF website. Notifications and Reports:
    1. Notification of new officer elections to Supervisor Of Elections and secretary@lpf.org within 5 days of election.
    2. Submitting Officer list to SOE annually between January 1 & March 31.
    3. Performing duties of Chair in absence of Chair and Vice-Chair.

Treasurer

  1. Funds: collect, maintain, and disburse on behalf of LP Duval.
    1. Budgets: prepare, propose, and maintain, including Organizational Meeting budget submission.
    2. Records: maintaining financial records in a manner at all times ready for inspection by any Officers of the EC.
    3. Legal: fulfill legal Treasurer duties as defined in Section 106.03 of the Florida Statutes.
    4. Duties: perform duties of Chair in absence of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.
    5. Reports:
      1. Prepare and submit Financial report for each regular Business Meeting made available to all Officers during the meetings, or no later than 5 days after them, with an explanation for delay.
      2. Annual financial audit to be submitted between January 1 & March 31 to the SOE.
      3. Any other financial reports and audits required by State or Federal Law, and the state LPF.

Article VI: Meetings

  1. Definitions
    1. Business Meetings
      1. Regular monthly meeting of Officers and Duval voters registered as LPF.
      2. Meetings on Specific dates, at the discretion of the Chair.
      3. Attendance not restricted, open to the public.
    2. Organizational Meetings
      1. Annually in March.
      2. Officers shall be elected as per Article IV.
    3. Special Meetings
      1. May be called by the Chair or a majority of the officers, as need arises.
  2. Notices Written Notice of Meetings must be emailed to Officers, and to LPF voters with email addresses on the Duval SOE voter registration list, and posted on the Duval LPF website at least 3 days prior to the meeting. Additional forms of communicating about this meeting to registered LPF voters may also be used, unless otherwise specified in Bylaws.
  3. Procedure of Meetings:
    1. Conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (RRNR), except where such rules conflict with Bylaws.
    2. Officers, and attendees registered to vote as LPF, can vote, be recognized and propose motions, unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws.
    3. At the acting Chair’s discretion, attendees not qualified to vote may be recognized.
    4. May be held in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the Chair.
    5. Regular Business Meetings shall include:
      1. Agenda and Previous Business Meeting Minutes by the Secretary.
      2. Financial report by the Treasurer in the Agenda and Minutes.

Article VII: Raising and Expending Funds

  1. Funds shall be raised by means of solicited donations and the sale of logo merchandise.
  2. Expenditures may only be authorized by a majority vote of Officers and LPF registered voters present at any official business meeting, or by the Chair in accordance with the following limitations:
    1. No more than $150 in any calendar month, not to exceed $500 for any annual Chair’s term.
    2. Chair must notify all affiliate officers prior to expenditure (approval not required).
    3. Officers may impose a spending pause to address any undesired spending with the body at the next available business meeting. The EC and attending registered libertarian voter may vote to restrict further spending by monetary amount or time, not to exceed beyond the remainder of the term.

Article VIII: Vacancy in Nomination

  1. Should a vacancy in nomination occur as defined in Florida Statutes, the Executive Committee shall call a special meeting and select a nominee by majority vote.

Article IX: Amendments to Bylaws

  1. Require two-thirds vote of Officers and voters registered to vote as LPF attending any regular or special meeting.
  2. Take effect immediately upon passage, unless otherwise specified in the amendment.
  3. The content of the proposed amendments must be emailed to Officers, and to LPF voters with email addresses on the Duval SOE voter registration list, and posted on the Duval LPF website at least 7 days prior to the meeting. Additional forms of communicating about this meeting to registered LPF voters may also be used.

Article X: Preemption and Supremacy

The LP Duval is an affiliate of the LPF, which is an affiliate of the LP. These parent organizations hold supremacy and preemption. Any of the Bylaws of the LP Duval that run contrary to any of the bylaws or constitutions of the LPF or LP are therefore null and void.