Bylaws of the North Carolina Green Party

Name

The name of this organization shall be the North Carolina Green Party. It may also be referred to by easily-understood abbreviations including NCGP.
Membership
1. The North Carolina Green Party is an individual membership organization, open to all North Carolina residents who subscribe to the following Ten Key Values of the Greens:
  - Ecological Wisdom
  - Grassroots Democracy
  - Social Justice
  - Nonviolence
  - Decentralization
  - Community-based Economics
  - Feminism
  - Respect for Diversity
  - Personal and Global Responsibility
  - Future Focus / Sustainability
  Membership is open to all, regardless of gender, perceived race, ethnicity, religious views, occupation, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other criteria, except as specifically stated in the party's bylaws.
2. Membership requires payment of dues.
  
  Dues shall be determined at the annual gathering, meeting, or convention, as part of the budgeting process. Dues may be paid any time during a calendar year, but will not be pro-rated for partial years. Dues may be paid in advance for a coming year, but are not transferable from one calendar year to the next. In other words, membership costs the same amount regardless of when a member joins, and expires at the end of the calendar year. Purpose of this rule is to keep records simple and thereby avoid confusion regarding voting eligibility. Members who are in arrears in their dues shall be ineligible to vote until they are paid up. "No person should be denied the chance to participate in our political process due to financial reasons. Fee waivers must be available for individuals who are active participants in the North Carolina Green Party and are unable to pay due to economic constraints. Members are to submit a statement to the treasurer requesting a waiver yearly. The member will not be required to justify this request and the treasurer is required to keep all information confidential. Additional contributions are welcome. As with all political parties, contributions are not tax-deductible.
  
  Members who are in arrears in their dues shall be considered "not in good standing" and will be ineligible to vote until dues are paid.
3. The North Carolina Green Party shall be an inclusive body, which respects its members' right to disagree with each other. It is vital that members not be suspended or expelled merely over personal conflicts or antagonisms, lifestyle choices, or legitimate differences of opinion. However, any political party must have a procedure for dealing with members who cause really serious trouble or danger. North Carolina Green Party members may be expelled only by decision of a suitable quorum of the general membership at a meeting or convention. However, the executive committee may suspend a member upon vote of a 2/3 majority of the committee, if and only if the committee is convinced that the member has engaged in activities that expose the party to duly warranted prosecution, or is working for an openly racist, fascist, or physically hostile organization, or one that persecutes persons or groups for their political beliefs or activities, or if the member poses a clear, provable, and grave threat to the safety and personal security of the party or its members.
  
  Upon making any such decision to suspend a member, the executive committee must notify the suspended member of the action and the reason for it, by registered mail, within 10 days, and must notify the general membership by mail or e-mail within 10 days. The committee shall either recommend expulsion of the suspended member at the next gathering, meeting, or convention with a suitable quorum, or reinstate the member by that time. A suspended member recommended for expulsion shall have full opportunity to make his/her case to the membership, and the decision shall be treated in accordance with Section II of the bylaws. A suspended member who does not show up to defend him/herself shall be deemed to be accepting the action of the party without contest. Suspended members may not vote or attend NCGP functions, except as required to defend themselves as described above, in which case the suspended member may attend and speak, but may not vote. Suspension or expulsion shall not be deemed cause for any refund of dues or contributions. Any suspension or expulsion from the North Carolina Green Party applies only to this organization, and not to any other Green organizations in which the person may hold membership. However, the executive committee shall, to the best of its ability, inform all other Green organizations that would have reasonable need to know about the decision.
Decision-making process, to be followed by all members whenever making decisions for the NCGP.
1. Consensus
  
  The North Carolina Green Party shall attempt to reach consensus before moving to other modes of decision-making. Consensus for purposes of this organization is defined as approval by "aye" vote of not less than 80% of eligible persons, with a maximum of 20% abstentions and no "nay" votes. After a minimum of ten minutes of effort to reach consensus, and upon a motion and two seconds to the motion, the body may move to first-level fallback decision-making.
2. First-level fallback
  
  For decisions undisputedly involving a choice between no action and one proposed action, a 2/3 majority shall be required for action. For decisions undisputedly involving a choice between two possible actions or candidates, and where inaction is undisputedly not an option, a simple majority (>50%) vote shall determine the choice. In event of a tie vote, the presiding officer or convener shall have the power to break the tie. For decisions undisputedly involving a choice among three or more actions or candidates, the party shall use a system of instant runoff voting. Where one action or candidate is to be chosen, this shall operate as follows:
  1. Voters cast a single ballot. On this ballot, the voter may specify ranked choices, up to a number as great as the number of available choices, in order of the voter's preference. The voter may not specify the same choice twice.
  2. On the first round of counting, all ballots are counted by first choice only. If any action or candidate achieves a simple majority (>50%), that action or candidate is the winner.
  3. If no action or candidate achieves a first-round majority, the action or candidate scoring the lowest number of votes is dropped, and all ballots having that action or candidate as first choice are scored by next choice. If any action or candidate achieves a simple majority this way, that action or candidate is the winner.
  4. If no action or candidate achieves a second-round majority, the process repeats as described above, until one action or candidate achieves a majority.
  5. If the process ends as a final round with only two actions or candidates remaining, and a tie vote occurs, the presiding officer or convener shall have the power to break the tie.
  For decisions involving selecting two or more actions or candidates from a field of three or more possibilities, the process shall operate as follows:
  1. Each voter casts ballots specifying ranked choices, as described above.
  2. On the first round of counting, each ballot is scored one vote per specified selection, up to the number of actions to be chosen or seats to be filled. For example, if three seats are to be filled, each voter's first three choices are counted on the first round.
  3. Any action or candidate receiving >50% on the first round is a winner.
  4. If additional winners are needed, the action or candidate scoring lowest is dropped for the second round, and all ballots including that choice are re-counted by moving all choices below the one eliminated up one position.
  5. Additional rounds of counting are done as above, until enough actions or candidates receive >50%. It is possible that in some cases there will be an insufficient number of winners this way, with no actions or candidates remaining to be eliminated. In such cases, additional winners are determined by simple plurality as of the last round of counting.
  6. In the event that any tie votes exist at this stage, the presiding officer or convener shall have the power to break these ties.
3. Second-level fallback
  
  In the event that there is disagreement about whether inaction is an option, or about the number of options considered eligible to be voted upon, any disputed options shall be approved or disapproved for admittance to the ballot by simple majority vote, one proposed option at a time. The presiding officer or convener shall have the power to break any ties.
4. Basis of percentages and majorities
  
  The percentage and majority requirements in the fallback voting procedures above are based on number of voters actually voting, not number of eligible voters.
5. Voting shall not be compulsory.
  
  A voter may vote for fewer selections than the maximum allowed.
6. Quorum requirements
  
  For decisions involving expenditure of funds above spending limits as stated in the yearly budget as approved by the general membership at the annual gathering, meeting, or convention; expulsion of members; election of officers; or revision of bylaws, any meeting or convention must have a registered attendance of at least 10% of the total paid-up statewide membership, and at least 2/3 of all registered attendees at the event must be present when the decision is made.
Ratification and revision of bylaws
1. Initial ratification
  
  The attendees admitted to the first party gathering shall have the power to vote on ratification of the first three sections of these bylaws. This decision shall be made in accordance with procedures outlined in Section II.
2. Revision
  1. Additions or changes to the bylaws shall be incorporated into the body of the Bylaws document, not added as a list of amendments at the end.
  2. Additions or changes to the bylaws may only be made at a meeting or convention of the general membership, where a quorum for this purpose is present.
  3. Ratification of changes shall be in accordance with decision-making procedures outlined in Section II.
  4. The bylaws shall carry a revision level designation and date, positioned in the header, which shall appear on all pages. The revision level shall be part of the Bylaws document's title for filing purposes. Unratified, proposed versions of the bylaws shall carry numeric revision levels, starting at 0, or no revision level at all. Portions of the Bylaws with proposed revisions may be written up for purposes of discussion by any member, with no need for revision designation or control. Ratified and released versions of the Bylaws document shall carry alphabetical revision levels, starting at A.
  5. The Secretary shall incorporate into the Bylaws document all ratified revisions at the conclusion of any meeting or convention where revisions have been ratified. The secretary shall roll the revision level one increment, re-file the document with the new revision level, and send copies of the new revision to all members. The Secretary shall maintain a history file of all past revisions, and shall convey this file to the new Secretary when the position changes hands.
Officers
1. The Co-chair for Administration, also known as Co-chairman, Co-chairwoman, or Co-chairperson, shall be the main interface between the North Carolina Green Party and all other persons and organizations; shall have primary responsibility for communication among the officers and members; and shall have primary responsibility for assuring compliance with the party bylaws and all other applicable laws, and for assuring performance of duties by other officers.
2. The Chair, also known as Chairman, Chairwoman, or Chairperson, shall be responsible for processing ballot access petitions.
3. The Vice-chair, also known as Vice-chairman, Vice-chairwoman, or Vice-chairperson, shall assist the Chair and Co-chair, and shall serve as acting Chair or Co-chair in the Chair or Co-chair's absence. The vice-chair will also be charged with maintaining links between the NCGP and the North Carolina Campus Greens.
4. The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the party; shall receive and disburse funds in accordance with the party's bylaws and all relevant legal requirements; shall keep the membership and other officers informed of the party's financial condition and affairs; and shall comply with all reporting requirements of the Federal Election Commission, the State of North Carolina, and any other government entities having jurisdiction over the NCGP.
5. The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer as the Treasurer may require, and shall serve in the Treasurer's place if the Treasurer is absent or is incapacitated.
6. The Secretary shall take notes and prepare minutes of meetings, and circulate minutes to the membership following meetings; shall maintain current revisions and history files of all bylaws, resolutions, position papers, brochures, flyers, and other non-financial documents of the party; and shall convey these files to the next Secretary when the position changes hands.
7. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary as the Secretary may require, and shall serve in the Secretary's place if the Secretary is absent or is incapacitated. The assistant secretary is charged with maintaining or overseeing the maintenance of the state website."
8. All officers shall be chosen at the annual gathering, meeting, or convention of the NCGP in odd-numbered years, and shall serve until the annual convention or gathering in the following odd-numbered year. Method of choosing officers shall be in keeping with general decision-making procedure as specified in the party's bylaws.
9. The following exception shall apply for years 2001 and 2002: officers chosen in 2001 shall serve until the annual gathering, meeting, or convention in 2002, and officers chosen in 2002 shall serve until the annual gathering, meeting, or convention in 2003.
10. Officers may be chosen in even-numbered years when needed to fill vacancies. Such officers shall serve until the following odd-numbered year.
Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Co-chair, the Vice-chair, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary, and the Assistant Secretary.
2. The Executive Committee shall have the power to conduct party business and, in consultation with the locals and members, make necessary decisions on behalf of the membership between gatherings, meetings, or conventions of the NCGP. The Executive Committee shall make every practicable effort to communicate with the general membership and serve the will of the general membership, consistent with the principles and consciences of the Executive Committee members, and consistent with the Ten Key Values as described in Section II.A above.
3. The Executive Committee may create ad hoc committees, consisting of any combination of party members, to address specific issues, tasks, or concerns, as the need may arise.
4. All Executive Committee meetings convened to make decisions about any NCGP business shall be announced to and open to all members of the North Carolina Green Party, who must be allowed to observe, but not necessarily to participate in, the proceedings.