Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Libertarian Party of Oregon, hereinafter referred to as the LPO.

Article II – Purposes

The LPO is a political party the exclusive purposes of which are the election of libertarians to public office and statutory and constitutional changes that increase personal, social, and economic freedom and minimize the initiation of force against any individual or group of individuals.

Article III – Statement of Principles

The Statement of Principles of the LPO shall be the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party.

Article IV – Membership

Sec. 1. Classes of Membership.

There shall be three classes of membership: Registered, Regular, and Honorary Lifetime. An individual may simultaneously belong to more than one class of membership. Each class of membership is distinct and no class of membership confers the rights or duties of any other class of membership except as may be specifically provided for in these bylaws.

Sec. 2. Registered Members.

The registered members shall be those individuals who have affiliated with the Libertarian Party in the process of registering to vote in the State of Oregon. Registered members shall have the right to vote in nominating the LPO's candidates for public office, other than President and Vice-President of the United States, as specified by these bylaws. No other rights or duties are granted to registered members.

Sec. 3. Regular Membership.

Any individual having attained at least fifteen years of age who has agreed to the statement “I hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose” and whose membership dues are current and who has no outstanding debts to the LPO shall be a regular member, unless membership has been resigned, or terminated in accordance with these bylaws. Amendments to the bylaws shall not foreshorten any existing membership. No individual who can be shown to the satisfaction of the Judicial Committee to have knowingly submitted false information to the Secretary of State may become or remain a regular or honorary lifetime member of the LPO.

Sec. 4. Honorary Lifetime Membership.

The LPO may, by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee meeting with all members present, confer honorary lifetime membership upon any person who has made an exceptional contribution to the success of the LPO and who has signed the declaration in Sec. 3. Honorary lifetime members shall have all the rights of regular members, but shall neither be liable to pay dues nor be counted in the quorum requirement at annual business conventions. Any requirement of regular membership shall be met by honorary lifetime membership.

Sec. 5. Term of Membership and Dues.

The term of regular membership shall be a calendar year. Annual dues for regular membership shall be fifty dollars. The term of registered and honorary lifetime membership shall be indefinite. No dues shall be charged for registered or honorary lifetime membership.

Sec. 6. Resignation from Membership.

Each member shall have the right to terminate his or her own membership by written notice to the Chairperson and Secretary.

Sec. 7. Termination of Membership.

The Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote, whether or not an investigating committee has reported, bring charges against any member for conduct injurious to the LPO or its purposes or for violating the rights, conferred by these bylaws, of another member. However, charges may not be brought during a period beginning with the first day of each calendar year and ending with the close of the immediately following annual business convention. The bringing of charges by such a vote suspends the membership of the accused until disposition of the charges by the Judicial Committee. When membership is suspended, the member may exercise none of the rights of membership except the due process rights of an accused in disciplinary hearings. Written notice of specific charges must be submitted to the person charged and to the Judicial Committee and shall otherwise be kept confidential. A member charged has the right to a hearing before the Judicial Committee within thirty days of a request made within seven days of the date the notice of charges was sent. Membership shall be terminated immediately if the Judicial Committee finds that the member has engaged in conduct injurious to the LPO or its purposes or violated the rights conferred, by these bylaws, of another member; otherwise membership shall be reinstated.

Article V – Affiliate Organizations

Sec. 1. Parent Organization.

The national Libertarian Party is the parent organization of the LPO.

Sec. 2. Subsidiary Organizations.

There may be only one county party for each county and each county party may conduct political activities in only one county. The Executive Committee may promulgate standing rules concerning the chartering of affiliate organizations including county parties of the LPO. The Executive Committee may adopt a standing rule delegating to each affiliated county party the authority to call a convention of registered members to nominate candidates for public office corresponding to districts wholly within the county subject to the provisions of Article XI.

Article VI – Officers

Sec. 1. Officers and Duties.

The officers of the LPO shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer and no others. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the LPO.

Sec. 2. Eligibility.

Each officer of the LPO shall be both a regular member and a registered member of the LPO.

Sec. 3. Ballot Election, Term of Office.

The officers of the LPO shall be elected by ballot at each annual business convention held in odd-numbered years for a term of two years beginning at the close of the annual business convention at which they were elected and ending at the close of the next annual business convention held in an odd-numbered year, unless no successor is elected at that convention in which case the term shall continue until a successor is elected. A vacancy shall occur in the event of death, resignation, termination, notification of a lapse in LPO regular membership not remedied thereafter within 30 days, registration with a political party other than the Libertarian Party, or conviction of a felony involving the initiation of force or fraud against any individual. The Executive Committee may temporarily fill a vacancy until an election can be held at the next annual business convention.

Sec. 4. Office-Holding Limitations.

No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible for election to a third consecutive term in the same office. No member may be an officer and at the same time either a member of the Judicial Committee or an officer of a county party organization or any affiliated organization.

Sec. 5. Chairperson.

The Chairperson shall be the Chief Executive Officer and spokesperson of the LPO.

Sec. 6. Vice-chairperson. 

The Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for assisting county parties and duties the Chairperson may delegate with the consent of the Executive Committee.

Sec. 7. Secretary.

The Secretary shall maintain the governing documents and official records including but not limited to those of all county organizations of the LPO and records of the decisions of the Judicial Committee of the LPO. County organizations of the LPO shall transmit to the Secretary copies of their governing documents and minutes within seven days after they are adopted or amended. The Secretary shall make available for inspection at each Executive Committee meeting and each convention the governing documents and official records of the LPO.

Sec. 8. Treasurer.

The Treasurer shall maintain a system of double entry bookkeeping in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and shall receive, disburse, and account for the funds of the LPO under the supervision and direction of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall present a written report at each meeting of the Executive Committee. At each annual business convention, the Treasurer shall present a written report including a balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow statement for the previous fiscal year. The Treasurer shall make available for inspection all financial records to the Audit Committee, to the other officers, and as required by any standing rules the Executive Committee may adopt. Expenditure of funds shall be made only in conformance with any standing rules the Executive Committee may adopt.

Sec. 9. Assistant Treasurer.

The Treasurer may appoint, with the consent of the Executive Committee, an Assistant Treasurer, who need not be a member of the LPO, who shall have the powers and duties of the Treasurer, other than those conferred by membership of the Executive Committee, in the event that the Treasurer is incapacitated, absent, or unavailable. Appointment as Assistant Treasurer shall not confer membership on the Executive Committee nor shall it confer any rights or duties as an officer of the LPO except the power to file statutory campaign finance reports.

Article VII – Executive Committee

Sec. 1. Powers and Duties.

The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the LPO between its annual business conventions, fix the hour and place of its meetings and of conventions, and perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws.

Sec. 2. Composition.

The members of the Executive Committee shall be the four officers and two representatives from each qualifying county. To qualify, an Oregon county must be represented by at least five regular members present when county representatives are elected at an annual business convention.

Sec. 3. County Representatives.

Regular and honorary lifetime members shall caucus at each annual convention to elect their county representatives and may vote only for representatives of the county corresponding to their address on file with the LPO 30 days before the convention. County representatives shall serve terms beginning at the close of the annual business convention at which they were elected and ending at the close of the next annual business convention. In the event a position of county representative becomes vacant during a term, the remaining representative from that county shall select a regular member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term by providing written notice to the Chairperson and Secretary.

Sec. 4. Eligibility.

Members of the Executive Committee shall be regular members of the LPO and shall not be registered to vote as an affiliate of any political party other than the Libertarian Party. One person may hold more than one position on the Executive Committee; however, no person shall have more than one vote.

Sec. 5. Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be convened within two hours of the close of each annual business convention and at least quarterly as called by the Executive Committee. Special Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Chairperson, and shall be called upon the written request of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee. Notice of the time and place of each meeting shall be sent to each member of the Executive Committee no fewer than fourteen days prior to the day of the meeting. One-fifth of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Article VIII – Finances

Sec. 1. Budget.

Adoption or amendment of a budget shall require a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee by roll call.

Sec. 2. Debt.

No person shall authorize any financial encumbrance of more than five hundred dollars unless authorized by a budget.

Sec. 3. Audit.

The members of the Executive Committee, excluding the officers, shall, at least 30 days prior to the annual business convention, appoint an Audit Committee of three members. The Audit Committee shall examine the financial records of the LPO and report to the annual business convention.

Article IX – Judicial Committee

Sec. 1. Composition and Duties.

The Judicial Committee shall consist of five members. The Judicial Committee shall perform any duties prescribed by the bylaws and shall be the final body of appeal in all matters requiring interpretation of the bylaws, rules, or resolutions of the LPO and any county parties, subject to the provision that a decision of the Judicial Committee may be overruled by a three-fourths vote of the membership assembled in convention at the next annual business convention.

Sec. 2. Eligibility. 

Each member of the Judicial Committee shall:

(a) be a regular member of the LPO;

(b) not be a member of the Executive Committee;

(c) not be an officer of any affiliated organization; and

(d) not be registered to vote as an affiliate of any party other than the Libertarian Party.

Sec. 3. Election.

Members of the Judicial Committee shall be elected at the annual business convention in even-numbered years and shall serve until the final adjournment of the annual business convention two years later, unless no successor is elected at that convention in which case the term shall continue until successors have been elected. Vacancies shall be filled by the remaining members of the Judicial Committee until their successors are elected at the next annual business convention. The Judicial Committee shall elect its own chairperson.

Sec. 4. Jurisdiction.

The Judicial Committee shall hold a hearing:

(a) On charges brought against a member pursuant to Article IV, Section 7;

(b) On any question within its jurisdiction under these bylaws referred to it by a majority of the members of the Executive Committee, or by a resolution of an annual business convention; and

(c) On any question within its jurisdiction under these bylaws that two or more members of the Judicial Committee agree to hear.

Sec. 5. Interpretation.

Provisions of these bylaws which require a greater consensus to amend shall prevail over provisions which require a lesser consensus to amend. The Judicial Committee shall apply the Principles of Interpretation of the parliamentary authority. If an ambiguity cannot be resolved by application of the Principles of Interpretation, the Judicial Committee shall resolve the ambiguity in accordance with the party's Statement of Principles.

Sec. 6. Meetings.

The Judicial Committee may transact any business that may come before it in conformance with these bylaws by teleconference or videoconference.

Sec. 7. Removal.

A member of the Judicial Committee may be removed from office only by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee confirmed by unanimous vote of the other members of the Judicial Committee.

Article X – Business Conventions

Sec. 1. Time and Place.

The annual business convention shall be held during the month of March at an hour and place to be determined by the Executive Committee, as follows: a) in presidential election years, in Multnomah County or Washington County or any county adjacent to Multnomah County or Washington County or both; b) in years immediately following a presidential election, in Lane County, Douglas County, or any county adjacent to Lane County or Douglas County or both; c) in gubernatorial election years, in Marion County or Polk County; d) in years immediately following a gubernatorial election, in Grant County or any county adjacent to Grant County. The Secretary shall provide forty-five days' notice to the regular and honorary lifetime members of the hour and place.

Sec. 2. Business.

In odd-numbered years, the convention shall elect the officers of the LPO and consider amendments to these bylaws. In even-numbered years, the convention shall elect the Judicial Committee and consider amendments to the Platform. Each convention shall elect county representatives to the Executive Committee in accordance with the procedure specified in Article VII, Section 2.

Sec. 3. Eligibility.

All regular and honorary lifetime members shall be eligible to vote on all questions, except that members may vote in caucus for county representatives to the Executive Committee only for the county corresponding to their address on file with the LPO thirty days prior to the convention.

Sec. 4. Quorum.

The quorum requirement shall be the lower of thirty or one-fourth of regular members, with the exception that the quorum for election of county representatives to the Executive Committee shall be five regular or honorary lifetime members whose address on file with the LPO thirty days prior to the convention corresponds to that county.

Article XI – Nominating Conventions

The Executive Committee may convene a Special Convention only for the purpose of nominating LPO members to public office. All registered members who are registered in attendance shall be eligible to vote for offices representing districts in which they are registered to vote. Regular members and honorary lifetime members who are not registered members shall have the right to observe. Notice shall be given in accordance with any requirements of the Oregon State Election Code and, not fewer than thirty days before the convention, in writing to all regular members. Quorum shall be a majority of the registered members registered in attendance.

Article XII – Elections

Sec. 1. General Provisions.

All elections shall be by approval voting ballot, under which members may cast one vote for each of as many candidates as they favor. A majority shall be required to elect. Proxy voting, absentee voting, and cumulative voting are prohibited.

Sec. 2. Nominating Conventions.

If one or more registered members receives a majority for any public office, then the registered member with the most votes shall be the nominee. If no registered member receives a majority but one or more regular members receive a majority for a public office, then the regular member receiving the most votes shall be the nominee.

Article XIII – President and Vice-President

The LPO shall notify the Secretary of State of Oregon that the candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States selected by the national Libertarian Party are the nominees of the LPO.

Article XIV – Platform

The LPO Platform shall indicate to the voters the position of the LPO on political issues in Oregon not addressed by the national Libertarian Party platform. It may be adopted, amended, or rescinded only by the members assembled in convention in even-numbered years. A two-thirds vote shall be required to adopt or amend a plank. A majority vote shall be required to rescind a plank.

Article XV – National Convention Delegates

Sec. 1.

Delegates and alternates to a national convention of the Libertarian Party shall be selected by the Executive Committee from among individuals who are:

(a) a regular member of the LPO;

(b) a sustaining member of the national Libertarian Party; and

(c) not registered to vote as an affiliate of any party other than the Libertarian Party.

Sec. 2.

In the event that the presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in either of the two immediately preceding presidential elections qualified for taxpayer subsidies by virtue of his or her vote total in the general election, the only persons eligible to be delegates or alternates to a national convention or to participate in their selection shall be those who, in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements in Sec. 1 of this Article, have for at least four years been:

(a) a regular member of the LPO; or

(b) a sustaining member of the national Libertarian Party.

Article XVI – Election Code Superseded

In accordance with the rights of political parties recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States in Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central Comm., 489 U.S. 214 (1989), any provision of the Oregon State Election Code regarding internal party governance that conflicts with the provisions of these bylaws of the LPO is hereby superseded.

Article XVII – Distribution of these Bylaws

An official copy of these bylaws, dated and signed by the officers, shall be posted to the website of the LPO.

Article XVIII – Amendment

Sec. 1. Ordinary Procedure.

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at two successive annual conventions held two years apart, in odd-numbered years, except as otherwise provided in this article. However, amendments to Article XV shall take effect four years following adoption.

Sec. 2. Exceptional Procedure.

Articles II, III, IX, XII, XIII, and XVIII of these bylaws may be amended only by a four-fifths vote at two successive annual conventions held two years apart, in odd-numbered years.

Sec. 3. Emergency Procedure.

The Articles not specified in Sec. 2 of this Article may be amended by a nine-tenths vote at any annual business convention only if the full text of the proposed amendment is included in the notice of the convention by order of the Executive Committee upon a nine-tenths vote.

Article XIX – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the LPO in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the LPO may adopt.

Provisos:

1. At the 2013 convention, the quorum requirement in Article VII, Sec. 2 and Article X, Sec. 4 shall be three rather than five members for caucuses to elect county representatives to the Executive Committee.

2. Article VI, Sec. 3 shall apply only to offices held following the adoption of these bylaws.

3. Five members of the Judicial Committee shall be elected at the 2013 business convention to a term ending upon the close of the 2014 business convention.

4. The terms of the previously elected officers shall end and the terms of the officers elected at the 2013 convention shall begin immediately following the election of all the officers.

5. All persons who were annual members of the LPO per the membership list approved by the delegates to the March 9, 2013 LPO Annual Business Convention shall be Regular Members of the LPO through 2013.

6. At its first meeting following adoption of these bylaws, the Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote, confer Honorary Lifetime membership upon any person who has made an exceptional contribution to the success of the LPO notwithstanding any requirements of Art IV, Sec. 4.

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