Document:Colorado State Bylaws and Convention Rules 2023

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Adopted in Convention, April 1-2, 2023

Article I: Name and Affiliation

(a) The name of the political party shall be the Libertarian Party of Colorado, hereinafter referred to as “the Party.”

(b) The Party shall be an affiliate of the national Libertarian Party which relationship can be severed by the Party only by a 3/4 vote of all registered delegates at a regular state convention with the same threshold required for any additional affiliations. Notice of this action must be included in the call to convention.

(c) The Party can only be dissolved by a 7/8 vote of all registered delegates at a regular state convention. Notice of this action must be included in the call to convention.

Article II: Purposes

The purpose of the Party is to implement and give voice to libertarian principles, such as those in the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party, throughout the state of Colorado by:

(a) providing leadership and direction for the Libertarian movement in Colorado;

(b) communicating the message and positions of the Party;

(c) entering into political information and educational activities;

(d) promoting, chartering, coordinating, and supporting Party affiliates;

(e) growing the Party through attracting and retaining members;

(f) attracting, nominating, and promoting professional, serious Party candidates for political office; and

(g) promoting Libertarian legislation throughout Colorado.

Article III: Principles

The Party shall take no position inconsistent with the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party.

Article IV: Members

Section 1. Basic Membership

(a) Basic Membership (“Party Membership”) in the Party is exclusively limited to all Colorado registered and pre-registered electors whose party affiliation is Libertarian.

(b) Basic Members (“Party Members”) have the right to attend meetings and are eligible to serve on state-level committees, subject to any further express limitations in these Bylaws.

Section 2. Sustaining Membership

(a) Sustaining Members are Party Members who pay, or have paid on their behalf, yearly dues of $25.00 or Party Members who are Life Members of the national Libertarian Party.

(b) Dues must be paid in a single payment at least once every 365 days and expire on the anniversary date of the last payment of at least that amount. Smaller donations are not counted as payment towards a cumulative dues payment.

(c) Loss of Party Membership status automatically results in loss of Sustaining Membership regardless of dues payment and no refund of dues will be owed. Lapse of Sustaining Membership from non-payment of dues by the anniversary date results in loss of rights, privileges, and eligibilities available only to Sustaining Members.

(d) Only Sustaining Members are eligible to receive the Party nomination for partisan public office, vote as a delegate at any state conventions, be elected as a delegate to national Party Conventions, or be elected as the state appointee to any national Party committee, subject to any further express limitations in these Bylaws.

Section 3. Challenges Regarding Membership

(a) The Judicial Committee is empowered to hear all challenges regarding status of membership and make a determination in cases of doubt pending resolution of the issue with the Secretary of State regarding voter registration or with the Party regarding timely payment of dues.

Article V: Affiliates and Development Groups

Section 1. Affiliates

(a) The Board may charter as affiliates those organizations requesting such status to represent counties, or other geographical entities, if requested by affected Party Members and approved by the Board.

(b) Organizations applying for charter as affiliates shall make such applications on a standard petition form as adopted by the Board. The petition shall include ratification of the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party. The petition and the ratification shall be signed by no fewer than five (5) Party Members.

(c) Every organization so chartered shall ratify the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party. They shall also submit contact information for their officers/directors, who shall include at least a Chair and a Treasurer, being separate people. They shall maintain at least five (5) Party Members, publish their bylaws to those Members and the State Board of Directors, and file their initial Fair Campaign Practices Act filings as necessary.

(d) Affiliates shall be chartered for, but shall not be limited to, the following purposes:

(1) nominating candidates for public office, provided the office sought is wholly subsumed by the geographic boundaries of the Affiliate and the candidate meets all of the requirements for candidates as set forth in these Bylaws;

(2) working to elect Libertarian candidates and to promote Libertarian principles through political information and educational activities; and

(3) selecting representatives to appropriate Party activities.

(e) Affiliates must require at least Party Membership in the state party as a requirement for membership and for service on their governing Board and may establish a dues structure of their own as a requirement for voting rights or service on their governing Board.

(f) The Board shall have the power to revoke the affiliate status of any organization by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the current Board if said organization: supports candidates, policies, or positions inconsistent with the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party or the State Party Platform; fails to hold an annual meeting with at least five (5) Party Members where officers are elected with contact information and minutes submitted to the State Board of Directors; or fails to report to the proper governmental agencies their Fair Campaign Practices Act filings. Thirty (30) days' notice by certified mail shall be given to the highest-ranking officer of the affected affiliate using the address on file with the Secretary of State. If there are no officers of record or the certified mail comes back as undeliverable, thirty (30) days’ notice shall be posted on the Party website. The Board shall conduct a revocation hearing before a revocation vote, and revocations may be appealed to the Judicial Committee by the affiliate Officers/Directors.

Article VI: State Party Officers

The Officers of the Party shall be the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer in that order of rank. The Officers of the Party shall also be Party Directors.

Article VII: State Party Directors

Section 1. Composition of the Board of Directors

(a) The Board of Directors (“Board”) shall consist of the Party Directors. The Board shall be the Party’s State Central Committee.

(b) There shall be eleven (11) Party Directors (“Directors”), as follows: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Affiliate Director, Campaigns Director, Membership Director, Communications Director, Outreach Director, Legislative Director, and Fundraising Director.

(c) The Board shall have control and management of all the affairs, properties, and funds of the Party consistent with these Bylaws and shall meet in the manner specified in these Bylaws and may delegate its authority in any manner it deems necessary.

(d) Any Director absent without prior notice from two (2) consecutive regular Board meetings shall be considered to have resigned from the position.

(e) All Director deaths or resignations shall cause their positions to be considered to be vacant. If the Chair resigns, dies, or is suspended, the Vice-Chair shall be acting Chair until a Chair is appointed, reinstated, or elected, as applicable.

(f) A Director may be suspended, only for cause, after an investigation by an independent committee, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the current Board, excluding the Director subject to the vote, after a disciplinary hearing. If an appeal is made to the Judicial Committee and the Judicial Committee upholds the suspension, or if an appeal is not made to the Judicial Committee, the position shall be considered to be vacant. Members suspended from the Board and not reinstated are ineligible for appointment to the Board to fill a vacancy. Director positions under suspension are not considered to be vacant. No Director shall be appointed to nor serve on the investigative committee.

(g) The Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, may appoint Members to fill any Director vacancies. Those appointed Directors shall serve until the next Annual Convention, subject to the conditions of this Article.

Section 2. Director Elections

(a) Only Annual Convention Delegates eligible to vote may run for a Party Director position, and only if they promise to fulfill the requirements of this Article.

(b) Except in the case of an appointed Director, the following Directors shall be elected in odd-numbered years, in this order: Chair, Vice Chair, Affiliate Director, Campaigns Director, Membership Director, and Communications Director; and the following Directors shall be elected in even-numbered years, in this order: Outreach Director, Secretary, Legislative Director, Treasurer, and Fundraising Director. The election of each Director shall be conducted independently of the others. Such elections shall be conducted by the Delegates to the Convention as provided in these Bylaws and shall not take effect until adjournment sine die of Business Session of the Annual Convention and the Director-Elect has signed the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party and a statement disavowing the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals. The term of each Director shall be two (2) years or until a successor is elected or appointed.

(c) An appointed Director’s term ends at the adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the next Annual Convention, regardless of year, when an election shall fill either the remainder of the term or the next full term, based on the schedule above.

(d) Director elections shall exclude any Director eliminated upon adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Annual Convention and shall include any Director created upon adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Annual Convention, regardless of the year designated for it above, with the term of each Director adjusted to end at the adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Annual Convention of the designated year.

Section 3. Director-Specific Duties

(a) The Chair shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Party, holding the powers of administration pertaining to the ordinary business affairs of the Party and such other powers as may be delegated by the Board. Unless otherwise specified in the Party’s Bylaws, Special Rules of Order, or resolutions of the Board, the Chair is responsible for appointing the chairs of all committees. The Chair shall call the Convention as specified in these Bylaws. The Chair, or their designee, including other Directors acting within their designated job duties at the direction of the Chair, shall be the person who shall communicate on behalf of the Party. The Chair shall file any amendments to these Bylaws with the Secretary of State within fifteen (15) days after such amendments are adopted.

(b)The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of executive duties, act as Chair in the temporary absence of the Chair, oversee leadership training and succession planning at all levels within the Party, and ensure affiliate compliance with requirements enumerated in these Bylaws. The Vice Chair shall also review and test the procedures in each Director’s continuity binder in accordance with the Policy Manual and report the results to the Chair.

(c) The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining official Party records and shall act as recording secretary for all legal purposes. The Secretary shall maintain a Party calendar of all deadlines required by these Bylaws and the Secretary of State and shall post these dates within sixty (60) days of their deadlines in accordance with the Party’s Standing Rules and Special Rules of Order. The Secretary shall compile, maintain, and make available to the Board and Party Members a Policy Manual containing all Standing Rules and Special Rules of Order adopted by the Board.

(d) The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of all income and expenses associated with the operation of the Party. A contributions and expense summary shall be included in the Treasurer monthly Board Report and may be limited to activity since the last regular meeting of the Board. Every contribution and expenditure must be reported to TRACER in a timely manner per the noted reporting due date. Every contribution and expenditure received through any means must balance against the financial institution statements and TRACER. The Treasurer’s board report shall include a calendar of Secretary of State TRACER report due dates for the previous and next 3 months together with documentation showing that the report was filed. The Treasurer may also prepare budgets for the other Directors or assist them in preparing their own budgets. The Treasurer shall maintain an efficient double-entry system of accounts and cooperate with the Audit Committee in ensuring financial integrity.

(e) The Affiliate Director shall develop and support affiliates.

(f) The Campaigns Director shall identify political races and recruit candidates. The Campaigns Director shall also coordinate candidates and campaigns, and assist candidates in navigating compliance with campaign legal requirements and in obtaining campaign volunteers.

(g) The Membership Director shall be responsible for developing membership education programs, recruiting and training activists, and publishing a regular internal newsletter. The Membership Director shall also be responsible for managing and accessing membership records for internal party use and coordinating membership data with the national Libertarian Party. The Membership Director shall recruit state Party Members to become national Party members.

(h) The Communications Director shall be responsible for all outward-facing communications, websites, multimedia, social media, press releases, media appearances, and media inquiries.

(i) The Outreach Director shall be responsible for booking and running outreach booths and community events, and for maintaining outreach materials.

(j) The Legislative Director shall be responsible for monitoring activity in the State Legislature, communicating with that body, developing legislation or issue-oriented committees and working with other organizations on areas of mutual concern.

(k) The Fundraising Director shall be responsible for establishing and operating fundraising activities including, but not limited to, the annual Convention, a monthly pledge program, fundraising from Members, coordinating speakers and events for the purpose of Party fundraising, and reporting all income and expenses related to fundraising at each regular Board meeting.

(l) Each Director shall be responsible for maintaining documentation within their area, and they shall provide a written report to be passed on to their successor and written monthly reports to the Board. They shall not incur expenses beyond budget without approval of the Board. The Chair may assign additional duties reasonably within the scope of any Director’s area of responsibility.

(m) Each Director, except for the Officers, may establish and manage committees (including the appointment of any committee chairs) to assist with their duties.

(n) Each Director shall be an ex officio member of each Party affiliate’s Board of Directors for the purposes of: upholding the spirit and letter of the Statement of Principles of the National Party; enforcing these Bylaws, and the Rules and Resolutions adopted by the Convention or the State Board; and providing relief in times of distress. Directors shall not be counted in determining the number required for a quorum at an affiliate’s Annual or Board Meetings but may be counted in determining that a quorum is present. Each Director shall actively participate in a meeting of at least one (1) Party affiliate each calendar year.

Article VIII: Audit Committee

Section 1. Composition and Term

The Audit Committee shall consist of three (3) Party Members appointed by the non-Officer members of the Board of Directors in the sixty (60) days following every even-year Convention. Their terms end upon the appointment of their successors. Vacancies in the Audit Committee are filled by the remaining members of the Committee, or, if no members remain, by the non-Officer members of the Board.

Section 2. Eligibility

Members of the State Board and Judicial Committee shall be ineligible to serve on the Audit Committee.

Section 3. Committee Chair

The Chair of the Audit Committee shall be elected by the members of the Committee.

Section 4. Scope of Duties

The Audit Committee is responsible for providing independent review and oversight of financial transactions, including reviewing all financial records and reports to government authorities, reporting findings, and making recommendations to strengthen the Party’s financial systems. The Audit Committee has no decision-making authority. A written report of their findings and recommendations shall be prepared for the delegates at every regular Party convention.

Article IX: Judicial Committee

Section 1. Composition, Election, and Term

(a) The Judicial Committee shall consist of five (5) Party Members elected by the Delegates in attendance at every odd-year Annual Convention. In the case of vacancy, the existing members of the Judicial Committee may vote to fill the vacancy from qualified Party Members until the next election.

(b) The term of each Judicial Committee member shall begin at the adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the odd-year Annual Convention and end at the adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the next odd-year Annual Convention.

(c) If there are no existing members of the Judicial Committee to fill a vacancy, an intervening regular Convention may fill the vacancies or if it will be more than six (6) months until the next regular Convention, the Board shall call a Special Convention to fill the vacancies.

(d) Judicial Committee Members shall be elected by approval voting, with the top five (5) candidates receiving the most votes elected.

Section 2. Eligibility

(a) Members of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee shall be ineligible to serve on the Judicial Committee.

(b) Judicial Committee members must have been Party Members for the past three (3) years and shall have signed the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party and a statement disavowing the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.

Section 3. Committee Chair

The Chair of the Judicial Committee shall be elected by the members of the Committee.

Section 4. Scope of Duties

(a) The Judicial Committee shall be limited to hearing and deciding cases involving the following:

(1) challenges to membership status,

(2) suspensions or other disciplinary actions by the Board,

(3) disaffiliation of chartered affiliates by the Board,

(4) appeals of Board decisions pertaining to items of business, and

(5) challenges to resolutions or platform planks made at Convention by Delegates.

(b) The Judicial Committee shall have appellate jurisdiction only and no original jurisdiction.

(c) The Judicial Committee may hear appeals regarding affiliate actions provided such appeals are authorized in the affiliate’s Bylaws.

(d) The Judicial Committee may, in its proceedings, determine findings of both facts and procedure.

Section 5. Appeals

(a) Only Party Members may present an appeal to the Judicial Committee.

(b) Only suspended or disciplined Members may appeal their suspension or discipline.

(c) Only the former officers of a disaffiliated affiliate may appeal their affiliate’s disaffiliation.

(d) All appeals must be in writing, submitted to the Chair of the Judicial Committee within thirty (30) days of the disputed decision.

Section 6. Adjudicating Cases

(a) All appeals shall be resolved within sixty (60) days of the date of submission to the Chair of the Judicial Committee with the exception of disputes over membership status which will affect delegate voting status at any state convention which will be decided during the credentialing process. In the event the Judicial Committee cannot make a prompt decision regarding challenges to membership status, the question will be put to the delegates with a majority vote resolving membership status in favor of the disputed member.

(b) The Chair of the Judicial Committee must present all requests for appellate review to the Committee within five (5) days of receipt. The Committee shall then have five (5) days to decide whether or not to hear the appeal, with the agreement of two (2) or more Judicial Committee members being sufficient to hold a hearing. The Committee Chair shall then schedule this hearing to be held within thirty (30) days with at least ten (10) days’ notice to the Party Membership and all involved parties.

(c) Hearings may be virtual or in-person. The Committee may require written briefs or arguments from the Appellants or Respondents and may decide to hold additional hearings. Any Party Member may attend any hearing and submit written briefs or arguments to the Committee which may be considered at the Committee’s discretion.

(d) The Committee shall set its own rules of procedure consistent with principles of impartiality, equity, and parliamentary law; however, in all cases, the burden of proof is presenting a preponderance of evidence and is upon the appellant.

Section 7. Rulings Limited

All rulings of the Judicial Committee must be in accordance with these Bylaws.

Section 8. Verdicts

(a) A verdict must be reached within five (5) days of the adjournment of the hearing.

(b) A report of the case and its verdict must be uploaded to the Party website within two (2) business days.

Section 9. Final Appeal

(a) Any verdict may be appealed to the Delegates at the next regular Convention or Special Convention. Such an appeal must be presented by not less than twenty (20) Members. The burden of proof of presenting a preponderance of evidence is upon the Members who makes the appeal to the Delegates. Prior notice is required. Delegates may overturn a verdict on appeal by a ¾ vote.

(b) If the Delegates by a majority vote refuse to hear the appeal, then the verdict of the Judicial Committee is final.

Article X: Meetings

(a) Any meeting to elect Party Directors or National Convention Delegates, or any assembly to nominate candidates, shall be held at a public place at the time specified by the Chair. The time and place of such meeting shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in each county wherein Members reside, no later than fifteen (15) days before such meeting.

(b) The Board shall convene open meetings at such times and places as may be determined by action of the Board, by call of the Chair, or by written request of one-third (1/3) or more of the current Board. Notice must be sent to the official email address of each Director at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to such meeting. Such meetings shall be called at least once per calendar month.

(c) A majority of the current membership of the Board shall constitute a quorum at all meetings for the transaction of business, except where a larger vote is required by these Bylaws. Any Director may participate in a Board meeting or committee meeting by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment which allows all persons participating in the meeting to hear or otherwise communicate with each other.

(d) The Board and its appointed or Party-mandated committees may transact business by electronic communications, as specified by Special Rules of Order.

(e) Any Sustaining Member of the Party may attend the Board Meetings as a ”Proxy” at the request of that Director who temporarily cannot attend. No Proxy may represent more than one (1) Director at any board meeting. The Director who is being represented by a Proxy must notify at least two (2) other Directors of the substitution.

Article XI: Conventions

Section 1. General Provisions for Conventions

(a) Proxy voting is expressly prohibited.

(b) Only the Annual Convention is to be considered a “regular convention.”

(c) Direct notice of any state convention to Sustaining Members is to be provided via first class mail to the address on file with the Secretary of State at least forty-five (45) days prior to the convention and concurrently be posted on the Party website.

(d) The time and place of all Party conventions shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in each county wherein Members reside, no later than fifteen (15) days before such convention.

(e) No fees may be levied to participate in the Business Session of any convention; however, fees may be required for participation in other convention events.

Section 2. Annual Conventions

(a) The Party shall hold an Annual Convention of Party Delegates each calendar year, scheduled so that it convenes at least one hundred eighty (180) days after the previous Annual Convention and adjourns no later than seventy-three (73) days before the day of the Colorado primary election, or whatever state law requires. No later than forty-five (45) days prior to the Annual Convention, the Chair shall call the Annual Convention by notifying Sustaining Members. Said notice shall include all particulars for participation and the expected items of business, though any business allowed under these Bylaws at a regular convention may be raised.

(b) The Board may provide for remote participation in the Annual Convention if any state or federal edict makes physical conventions unlawful.

(c) A Sustaining Member, having been so for at least the ninety (90) days immediately prior to the Business Session of the Annual Convention may attend and vote at the Business Session as a “Delegate.” The Credentials Committee is authorized to impose general selection criteria such as: capping the number of Delegates from any number of counties or districts, giving preference to more senior Delegates , or other criteria that will ensure fair representation of the Sustaining Party Membership—provided such criteria are established prior to and included with the Call of the Convention.

Section 3. Special Conventions

(a) In the event that there is an urgent situation in which items of business must be done between Annual Conventions, the Board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote shall call a Special Convention limited to only those items of business specified by the Board as required to bring or keep the Party in compliance with state or federal law and these Bylaws, or other urgent matters, including amendments to these Bylaws, regardless of year.

(b) The Board may provide for remote participation in any Special Convention.

(c) Any required changes to the Party Bylaws that are made at a Special Convention must be ratified by the next Annual Convention, regardless of the year of the Convention, using the same voting threshold required to change the document as provided for in these Bylaws, or else they will be rendered null and void.

(d) All current Sustaining Members that were eligible to vote at the previous Annual Convention shall be eligible to vote at a Special Convention.

Section 4. Nomination of Candidates

(a) The United States Supreme Court has recognized that the nomination of candidates—under political party rules—falls under the First Amendment’s Freedom of Association protections and therefore overrides state laws when such rules so state. As such, all rules for nominating candidates are limited to only these Bylaws, and all state laws regarding nominating candidates are to be considered overridden and void. The Party reserves all First Amendment Rights in this regard.

(b) Sustaining Members who wish to be a candidate for partisan office in Colorado other than President or Vice President may submit an application to the Board or its designated committee no later than forty-five (45) days before the Annual Convention. Sustaining Members shall be notified that the application process is open no later than ninety (90) days before the Annual Convention. A web page for the candidates shall be posted on the Party website at least thirty (30) days before the Annual Convention.

(c) The application shall consist of: 1) a photograph of the candidate; 2) the application form provided by the Board; 3) a biography and a minimum of three (3) issue positions for the web page; 4) filling out any electronic forms required by the Party or the national Libertarian Party; and 5) signing a statement to the effect that they support the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party and a statement disavowing the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.

(d) Each candidate must have been a Sustaining Member during the entire period from January 1st of the Convention year until the convention at which they are nominated or for ninety (90) days prior to any nomination by an Affiliate.

(e) Candidates may be nominated by Delegates to the Annual Convention with the exception of candidates previously nominated by an Affiliate.

(1) For any partisan offices, Annual Convention Delegates shall vote by approval voting to nominate candidates for those offices.

(2) All candidates shall sign a statement that they support the Statement of Principles of the National Libertarian Party and a statement disavowing the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.

(f) Candidates may be nominated by a Vacancy Committee designated by the Delegates.

(1) The Board or its designees shall serve as the Vacancy Committee unless the Delegates to the Annual Convention direct otherwise.

(2) The Vacancy Committee shall operate between Annual Conventions and shall vet candidates as needed.

(g) In addition to candidates, “None of the Above” (NOTA) shall be a choice on every nomination ballot cast. At no time shall NOTA be removed from the nomination ballot, even under suspension of the Convention Rules. Should NOTA win the nomination for a partisan office, nominations may be reopened for one additional round of voting. Only new candidates are eligible to run on the additional ballot. If NOTA wins on the second ballot, there will be no candidate for that race.

(h) Any Party nominee in a partisan contest where party identification on the ballot is permitted shall use the designation “Libertarian.” Only candidates nominated by the process set forth in this Article may use this designation. A Party nominee qualifies for campaign assistance from the Party.

(i) The Party, its affiliates, and its elected Directors in their official capacities, either individually or as a group, shall endorse only Libertarian Party nominees for election to partisan public office.

(j) At any time that any of the Party’s candidates participate in a primary election, the Party shall opt-out of allowing Unaffiliated or other persons who are not Party Members from participation and provide appropriate notice to the Secretary of State’s as provided by law.

Section 5. National Convention Delegates and Alternates

(a) All National Convention Delegates must have been Sustaining Members for at least ninety (90) days immediately prior to the first day of the Convention in which they are elected and must sign a statement to the effect that they support the Statement of Principles of the national Libertarian Party.

(b) The Board shall solicit applications from qualified Sustaining Members for election as National Convention Delegates and Alternates at least sixty (60) days prior to the Convention and shall publish the completed applications (with addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses redacted) to the Party website at least thirty (30) days prior to the Convention. An application is not required for nomination.

(c) The Party Chair shall announce the number of National Convention Delegates to be elected by the state Convention Delegates.

(d) Nominations for National Convention Delegates shall be received from the floor with no seconding required. Sustaining Members may nominate themselves. Each state Convention Delegate in attendance at the state Convention shall cast a single vote for each National Convention Delegate candidate of their choice by submitting a signed ballot prepared by the Board for this purpose. The total votes cast by each state Convention Delegate shall not exceed the number of National Convention Delegates to be elected. National Convention Delegates shall be elected by a majority of the state Convention Delegates voting. Subsequent ballots shall be taken as necessary to fill any remaining National Convention Delegate slots. In the event that there are more candidates receiving a majority vote than there are National Convention Delegate slots to be filled, those candidates receiving the highest vote totals shall be elected. No elections by slate shall be permitted.

(e) After the National Convention Delegates are elected, National Convention Alternates shall be elected using the same procedure as used for electing National Convention Delegates.

(f) The Chair shall serve as Delegation Chair or may request that the National Convention Delegates select a Delegation Chair. Substitutions shall only be made from the list of National Convention Alternates selected by the state Convention Delegates or afterwards added by a majority vote of the present Board (provided said National Convention Alternates did not receive a less than majority vote by the last state Convention). Substitutions and selection of additional National Convention Delegates may be made at the National Convention by a majority of the attending National Convention Delegates, provided that such substitutes or additions would have been qualified to be elected at the state Convention, did not receive less than a majority vote at the last state Convention, and have signed a statement to the effect that they support the Statement of Principles of the Libertarian Party.

(g) For each vote, all National Convention Delegates will sign their physical ballot or submit to the Delegation Chair an accurate list of their electronic ballots. These results will be compiled by the Delegation Chair in a post-National Convention report. Upon request, within thirty (30) days of the National Convention, National Convention Delegates as they are able shall also report how they voted on particular Bylaws, Convention Rules, and Platform changes.

Article XII: Committees

Section 1. State Committees

(a) The Bylaws Committee and the Platform Committee shall each consist of five (5) at-large Members selected by the Board and an additional Member selected by each chartered affiliate.

(1) The Board shall solicit applications for the members of the Bylaws Committee as well as the Platform Committee and set the appointment date for these positions by announcement to all Members no later than sixty (60) days after adjournment sine die of an even-year Annual Convention. The Board shall appoint five (5) at-large Members at a Board meeting held at least one (1) month after the final solicitation, but no later than one hundred twenty (120) days after adjournment sine die of an even-year Annual Convention. If any subsequent vacancies occur in the initially-appointed, at-large positions, the Board may select Members to fill the vacancies. The Board shall select the committee Chairs from the members of each committee.

(2) Each chartered affiliate may appoint one (1) Member to each committee. Should an affiliate not appoint a committee member, the Board may appoint an additional at-large Member at the time of committee formation. The Board shall solicit one (1) committee member from each chartered affiliate on the same schedule implemented by the Board pursuant to subsection 1 above, and at its meeting for appointment of the members of the committees it shall confirm such committee members as have been certified by the Affiliate Representatives. If a committee member appointed by an affiliate resigns from a committee or fails to attend two (2) consecutive committee votes, the affiliate may appoint a replacement.

(3) Committees shall submit their final reports to the Board for publication to the membership no later than six (6) weeks before the Convention. These reports shall be available in their complete form to any Party Member upon request. The Party Chair shall ensure that the committees’ reports, and any reports of committee members submitted separately, are presented at the Convention.

(4) The Chair of each committee shall certify and cause to be published at Party expense a report representing each document in its entirety to the Convention.

(b) The Style Committee shall consist of the previous Chairs of the Bylaws Committee and Platform Committee from the previous Convention year and three (3) at-large Party Members selected by the Board of Directors. The at-large Style Committee members shall be selected within sixty (60) days of adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Convention. The Style Committee shall propose non-substantive stylistic changes to the Platform and Bylaws, in accordance with the standards published in the latest version of the Chicago Manual of Style, to the Board for ratification by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, rejection, or determination as a substantive change. Substantive changes to be proposed shall be forwarded or referred to the current Platform or Bylaws Committees as appropriate.

(c) The Convention Committee shall be appointed by the Board within ninety (90) days of adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Convention.

(d) Such other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the Chair as the Board or Convention Delegates shall from time to time deem necessary to carry out the work of the Party.

(e) Chairs of committees shall be responsible for completion and submission to the Board of their final reports at Party expense. They shall also be responsible for interim documents for committee use and for scheduling of committee meetings. All committee meetings shall be open to Members, who may request the committees’ schedules from their respective Chairs.

Section 2. National Committee Representatives and Alternates

(a) Representatives and Alternates to national Party committees and subcommittees, excluding Regional Representatives and Alternates to the Libertarian National Committee, shall be elected by one of the following methods: If the number of representatives to national Party committees is known at the time of the Convention and the committees are to convene after the Convention, the Convention Delegates shall elect the committee representatives and alternates in the same manner as and immediately after the election of At-Large National Convention Delegates; otherwise the Board shall elect the committee representatives and alternates by majority vote after soliciting applications from Members.

(b) Each Representative and Alternate to these committees shall report to the Board as to the progress of these Committees and shall not agree to any secrecy or non-transparency provisions.

Article XIII: Finances and Accounting

The fiscal year of the Party shall end December 31st. The Board shall designate an Assistant Treasurer to temporarily serve in the event the Treasurer is incapacitated, unavailable, or vacates the position.

Article XIV: Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Party in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws, any Standing Rules, and any Special Rules of Order the Party or the Board of Directors may adopt.

(a) If a new edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is released more than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the Annual Convention, it shall become the Party's parliamentary authority upon the adjournment of that Annual Convention.

(b) If a new edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is released less than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the Annual Convention, it shall become the Party's parliamentary authority upon the adjournment of the following year's Annual Convention.

Article XV: Amendments

(a) During odd-numbered years, these Bylaws and Convention Standing Rules may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Delegates to the Annual Convention, provided the amendment is included in the annual report or a minority report of the Bylaws Committee, or written notice including the formal language of the amendment and signed by two (2) Sustaining Members is provided to the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Convention. Such notice shall be posted to the Party’s website within two (2) business days of receipt. Additionally, these Bylaws may further be amended by following the provisions for Special Conventions.

(b) During odd-numbered years, the Party may adopt or amend, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Delegates to the Annual Convention, a Platform stating its position on all political issues affecting the state or any constituent entity thereof, provided the amendment is included in the annual report or a minority report of the Platform Committee, or written notice including the formal language of the amendment and signed by two (2) Sustaining Members is provided to the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Convention. Such notice shall be posted to the Party’s website within two (2) business days of receipt.

(c) Any Article, Section, or Clause of these Bylaws which requires a vote greater than the proportion in Clause (a) of this Article shall not be amended except by a vote of the greater proportion, and this Section shall not be amended except by a vote of the greatest proportion specified anywhere within these Bylaws.

Article XVI: Incorporation

The Board may choose to incorporate in order to limit the personal liability of Directors. Any corporate status or failure to follow laws to maintain corporate status or hold corporate elections shall have no effect on the continued existence of the Party or the legitimacy of the elections and decisions made at a valid Party convention.

Article XVII: Severability

If any Article, Section, or Clause of these Bylaws is to any extent determined to be invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, such Article, Section, or Clause shall be excluded only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability; all other Articles, Sections, and Clauses hereof shall remain in full force and effect, and to this end the provisions of these Bylaws are declared to be severable.

CONVENTION RULES

Rule 1: Organization of the Convention

(a) The Party Chair or their appointed designee shall serve as the Convention Chair (“Chair”).

(b) The Chair shall begin the Convention promptly at the time published in the Call to Convention.

(c) The first general orders of business shall be:

(1) Call to Order

(2) Introductions of the Convention Chair, Convention Secretary (“Secretary”), Parliamentarian, Credentials Committee Chair, and appointments of the following Convention Officials, as needed:

(i) Timekeeper

(ii) Projectionist

(iii) Teller Team

(iv) Sergeant-at-Arms

(v) Any other Convention Officials

(3) Credentials Committee Report (see below)

(4) Declaration of Quorum

(5) Approval of Agenda (see below)

(d) The Credentials Committee shall report the number and the names of all Delegates registered as present with proper credentials. The list of the names of the Delegates shall be posted or projected in lieu of being read, and the Delegates shall be afforded time to verify the completeness and accuracy of the list, whereupon the report shall be adopted by majority vote. Quorum shall be fixed at the next whole number greater than exactly half of the highest number of Delegates reported by the Credentials Committee each day. Delegates must register with the Credentials Committee at the beginning, or upon arrival, for each day of business and will be considered checked out at the end of that day. The Credentials Committee will provide an updated report at times indicated on any approved Convention Agenda. Such update shall only include changes from the initial daily reports and shall be adopted by majority vote.

(e) The Chair shall report on the Agenda, which may be amended by majority vote of the Delegates and shall be adopted by majority vote of the Delegates. After adoption, the Agenda may only be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.

Rule 2: Conduct Within the Meeting Room

(a) While in the business meeting, Delegates shall be required to display their appropriate credentials issued by the Credentials Committee upon registration.

(b) No person shall disturb materials placed at a Delegate seat without said delegate’s permission.

(c) No person shall speak to the body or to the Chair except upon recognition by the Chair or in accordance with parliamentary procedure.

(d) The Chair shall regulate the proceedings at all times so as not to outpace the Secretary or Projectionist.

(e) No Delegate shall speak in debate more than twice on the same question on the same day, or longer than one (1) minute, without permission of the Delegates granted by a majority, with said vote to be taken without debate.

(f) The maker of a main motion (including Committee report presenters) shall have the right to speak last for no longer than two (2) minutes even after debate is closed.

Rule 3: Director Nominations and Balloting

(a) The Chair shall announce which Director positions are open for election in the order in which they appear in the Bylaws. The list of the names of the candidates for Director positions shall be posted or projected in lieu of being read. Director positions to be elected to full terms shall be elected first, followed by Director positions to be elected to complete a term.

(b) Nominations and/or declarations, nominating speeches, and elections shall take place in the order outlined above. A nominating speech for “None of the Above” may be offered for any Director position. The total duration of candidate and nominating speeches for each candidate (and also for NOTA) shall be no longer than five (5) minutes. Speech order between candidates for a position shall be determined by random draw.

(c) Voting for Director positions shall be conducted via the following method:

(1) For each ballot for a Director position, each Delegate shall vote for either one candidate or NOTA. Voting for both one candidate and NOTA, or for more than one candidate, shall disqualify the ballot.

(2) If upon tallying the ballots, no candidate earns a majority of the ballots cast, the lowest vote-earner (excluding NOTA) shall be dropped from the next ballot. Candidates so dropped shall have, if they desire, one (1) minute to speak.

(3) If NOTA earns a majority, then the Director position shall be reopened to new nominations, except that the candidates previously nominated shall be ineligible.

Rule 4: Partisan Public Office Nominations and Balloting (When Applicable)

(a) The Campaigns Director shall include in his report and announce a list of partisan public offices open for election in the following order. Nonpartisan offices shall not be included.

(1) Federal Offices:

(i) Presidential Electors

(ii) U.S. Senate

(iii) U.S. House of Representatives, in order of district number

(2) Statewide offices:

(i) Governor

(ii) Lieutenant Governor

(iii) Secretary of State

(iv) Treasurer

(v) Attorney General

(vi) University of Colorado Regents at-large

(3) State districted offices, in order of district number:

(i) Board of Education

(ii) University of Colorado Regents

(iii) Senate

(iv) Representative

(v) District Attorney

(vi) Coroner

(4) County offices, in alphabetical order by county:

(i) Sheriff

(ii) Clerk and Recorder

(iii) Treasurer

(iv) Assessor

(v) County Commissioner, in order of district number

(b) The Chair shall report and cause to be projected the offices in the order they appear in Rule 4(a).

(c) Nominations and/or declarations, nominating speeches, and elections shall take place in the order outlined in Rule 4(a). The total duration of candidate and nominating speeches and questions for each candidate shall be no longer than four (4) minutes. A nominating speech for NOTA may be offered for any public office. NOTA is always a voting choice (non-suspendable) but is not considered to be a candidate. For each ballot for a nomination, each Delegate shall vote for either candidate(s) or NOTA, but not both. Voting for both candidate(s) and NOTA shall disqualify the ballot.

(d) Should a written ballot be required, the candidate(s) (or NOTA) that the Delegates choose to vote for shall be written in by the Delegates on the ballots they receive, using the approval voting process (non-suspendable). Delegates shall legibly print their name and sign each of their ballots. Any ballot with an illegibly-printed name shall be disqualified.

(e) Should NOTA win the nomination for a partisan office, nominations may be reopened for one additional round of voting, with only new candidates eligible to run, plus NOTA. If NOTA wins this additional round, then there will be no candidate for that race (non-suspendable).

Rule 5: Nomination and Election of National Committees Representatives and Alternates (When Applicable)

Representatives and Alternates to National Committees shall be elected in the manner outlined in the Bylaws.

Rule 6: Nomination and Election of National Convention Delegates and Alternates (When Applicable)

Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention shall be elected in the manner outlined in the Bylaws.

Rule 7: Nomination and Election of State Committees (When Applicable)

State Committee Members (Platform, Bylaws, Style) shall be elected in the manner outlined in the Bylaws.

Rule 8: Nomination and Election of Judicial Committee (When Applicable)

Judicial Committee Members shall be elected in the manner outlined in the Bylaws.

Rule 9: Reports

(a) All reports and other material for the permanent record or printed proceedings shall be in an acceptable commonly-used electronic format and shall be sent to the Projectionist and the Secretary prior to presentation.

(b) Board reports, including questions from the Delegates, shall be limited to four (4) minutes for each Director.

(c) Full reading of the entire main motion for Bylaws amendment proposals and Platform amendment proposals just prior to final vote shall only be made by Delegate request, in the interest of time.

(d) The Chairs or their designees of the Platform, Bylaws, and the Rules Committees shall report each recommendation of their Committee to the Convention separately and shall have two (2) minutes to explain the intent or purpose of the proposed amendment(s). Each recommendation shall be considered and adopted separately, with a maximum of ten (10) minutes debate on any recommendation, after which, the Convention Chair shall bring the recommendation to a vote.

(e) Minority report(s) shall be debated and voted upon in the following manner:

(1) If there is only one minority report, then spokespersons for both positions shall each have two (2) minutes to present their views, with the majority position going first. The Chair shall then open consideration of both positions for five (5) minutes, during which time any delegates may express their views without offering amendments. After which, there will be a vote on which of the two reports shall be considered for purposes of adopting a recommendation in accordance with these Rules.

(2) If there is more than one minority report, the one with the most co-signatures (if there are equal numbers of signatures, the Committee Chair shall designate the priority) will be handled first as described below.

(i) Spokespersons for the first two minority positions shall each have two (2) minutes to present their views.

(ii) The Chair shall then open consideration of both minority positions for five (5) minutes, during which time any delegates may express their views without offering amendments. After which, there will be a vote on which of the two minority reports shall be considered for purposes of adopting a recommendation or to be considered against any additional minority reports until there is only one report remaining. Once there is only one minority report remaining, it will then be considered against the majority report for purposes of adopting a recommendation in accordance with these Rules.

Rule 10: Notices for Announcements

Notices for announcement to the Convention shall be in an acceptable electronic format or legibly printed and signed by the person (or a proper representative of the persons) under whose authority the announcement is issued and shall be sent to the desk of the Secretary.

Rule 11: Minutes

Draft minutes will be posted to the Party website within sixty (60) days of adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Convention for Member comment. Convention minutes shall be approved by the Board within ninety (90) days of adjournment sine die of the Business Session of the Convention.

APPENDIX: MINOR PARTY LAW AND NATIONAL BYLAWS REFERENCES

This outline gives references to the Colorado Revised Statues that require the specifics of the Minor Party Law and other state election laws for each section, in order for the Bylaws to be in compliant with the law and maintain the Party’s status as a political party in Colorado. It also includes references to the national Libertarian Party Bylaws where applicable.

Article I: Name and Affiliation (CRS 1-4-1301 (3))

Article II: Purposes

Article III: Principles

Article IV: Members (CRS 1-4-1304 (2)(a)

Article V: Affiliates

Section 1. Affiliates (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(g))

Article VI: State Party Officers (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(e))

Article VII: State Party Directors

Section 1. Composition of the Board of Directors (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(e))

Section 2. Director Elections (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(d))

Section 3. Director-Specific Duties (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(f), 1-4-1301 (1)(i), 1-4-1301 (2))

Article VIII: Audit Committee

Article IX: Judicial Committee

Article X: Meetings (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(h))

Article XI: Conventions

Section 1: General Provisions for Conventions (see references below)

Section 2. Annual Conventions (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(b), 1-4-1301 (1)(c))

Section 3. Special Conventions (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(b), CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(c), 1-4-402 (1)(a), 1-4-402 (1)(b))

Section 4. Nominations of Candidates (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(a), 1-4-1304 (1.5)(b)(I), 1-4-1304 (1.5)(c), 1-4-1304 (1.5)(d), 1-4-1304 (2)(a), 1-4-1304 (2)(b), 1-4-1304 (2)(c), 1-4-1304 (3), 1-4-1304 (4), 1-4-302 (1), 1-4-402 (1)(d)(II), 1-4-502 (1), 1-4-502 (2), 1-4-502 (3)(a), 1-4-802 (1)(a))

Section 5. National Convention Delegates (National Party Bylaws Article 10, Section 2-b)

Article XII: Committees

Section 1. State Committees

Section 2. National Committee Reps (Derived from National Party Bylaws Article 11)

Article XIII: Finances and Accounting

Article XIV: Parliamentary Authority

Article XV: Amendments (CRS 1-4-1301 (1)(j))

Article XVI: Incorporation

Article XVII: Severability