Document:National Bylaws and Convention Rules 1983
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BYLAWS AND CONVENTION RULES OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
ARTICLE 1: NAME
These bylaws shall govern the associatlon known as the "Libertarian Party," hereinafter referred to as the "Party:'
ARTICLE 2: PERIOD OF DURATION
The duration of the Party shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE 3: PURPOSES
The purpose for which the Party is organized is to implement and give voice to the principles embodied in the Statement of Principles by:
- Functioning as a libertarian political entity separate and distinct from all other political parties or movements;
- Nominating candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States and supporting Party and affiliate party candidates for political office;
- Chartering affiliate parties throughout the United States and promoting their growth and activities; and
- Entering into political information activities.
ARTICLE 4: STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND PLATFORM
Section 1. The Statement of Principles affirms that philosophy upon which the Libertarian Party is founded, by which it shall be sustained, and through which Liberty shall prevail. The enduring importance of the Statement of Principles requires that it shall not be amended by a vote of less than seven eighths of all registered delegates at a Regular Convention.
Section 2. The Party Platform shall include, but not be limited to, the Statement of Principles and the implementation of those principles in the form of planks.
ARTICLE 5: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Members of the Party shall be those persons whose national dues are current, and who have certified in writing that they oppose the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.
Section 2: Dues for membership in the Party shall be set by the National Committee.
ARTICLE 6: AFFILIATE PARTIES
Section 1. No person, group, or organization may use the name "Libertarian Party" or any confusingly similar designation except an organization to which the Party grants affiliate status.
Section 2. The National Committee of the Party shall charter affiliate parties from any qualifying organization requesting such status in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Organizations which wish to become affiliate parties shall apply for such status on a standard petition form as adopted by the National Committee, which petition shall be signed by no few then ten members of the organization residing int he appropriate state. Affiliate party status shall be granted only to those organizations which adopt the Statement of Principles.
Section 3. There shall be no more than one affiliate party in any one state, territory or the District of Columbia, and the affiliate party shall determine who shall be its delegates to all Regular Conventions.
Section 4. No affiliate party shall endorse any candidate who is a member of another party for public office in any partisan election. No affiliate party shall take any action inconsistent with the Statement of Principles or these Bylaws.
Section 5. The National Committee shall have the power to revoke the status of any affiliate party, for cause, by a vote of three-fourths of the entire National Committee. The affiliate party may challenge the revocation of its status by written appeal to the Judicial Committee made within 30 days of receipt of notice of such revocation. Failure to appeal wifhihnt 30 days shall confirm the revocation and bar any later challenge or appeal. The National Committee shall not revoke the status of any affiliate party winning six months prior to a Regular Convention.
Section 6. The Judicial Committee shall set a date for hearing the appeal within 20 to 40 days of receipt of the appeal and shall notify all interested persons, which persons shall have the right to appear and submit evidence and argument. At the hearing the burden of persuasion shall rest upon the appellant. The Judicial Committee shall either affirm the National Committee's revocation of affiliate party status or order reinstatement of the affiliate party. The Judicial Committee shall issue its ruling within 30 days shall constitute an affirmation fo the National Committee's revocation of affiliate party state except when the last day of the 30 day period falls within 90 days ;prior to a Regular Convention, in which case the Judicial Committee's non-action shall result in reinstatement of affiliate party status.
ARTICLE 7: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Party shall be:
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
All of these officers shall be elected at a Regular Convention of the Party by the attending delegates, shall take office immediately upon the close of the convention and shall serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the next Regular Convention. No person shall serve as an officer who is not a member of the Party.
Section 2. No offices shall be combined.
Section 3. The officers shall be full voting members of the National Committee.
Section 4. The Chair shall preside at all Conventions and all meetings of the National Committee. The Chair is the chief executive officer of the Party with full authority to direct its business and affairs subject to express National Committee policies and directives issued in the exercise of the National Committee's plenary control and management of Party affairs, properties and funds.
Section 5. The Vice Chair shall be the chief assistant to the Chair, performing such duties was the chair shall prescribe, and holding such executive powers as the Chair shall delegate and shall perform the duties of the Chair in the event the Chair is, for any reason, unable to perform the duties of the office.
Section 6. The Secretary shall be the recording officer of the Party and shall perform such duties as are assigned by the Chair or the National Committee. The Secretary shall attend all meeting of the National Committee and all Party Conventions and shall act as Secretary thereof, keeping such minutes and records as necessary. The Secretary shall make an annual report to the National Committee containing all information required by the Committee.
Section 7. The Treasurer shall receive, expend and account for the funds of the Party under the supervision and direction of the Chair and the National Committee. The Treasurer shall make an annual financial report to the National Committee and shall perform all duties required of the office by applicable federal and state law.
Section 8. The National Committee may, for cause, suspend any officer by a vote of two thirds of the entire National Committee. The suspended officer may challenge the suspension by an appeal in writing to the Judicial Committee within seven days of receipt of notice of suspension. Failure to appeal within seven days shall confirm the suspension and bar any later challenge or appeal.
The Judicial Committee shall set a date for healing the appeal between 20 and 40 days of receipt of the appeal and shall notify all interested persons, which persons shall have the right to appear and present evidence and argument. At the hearing the burden of persuasion shall rest upon the appellant. The Judicial Committee shall either affirm the National Committee's suspension of the officer or order the officer's reinstatement within 30 days of the hearing. Failure of the Judicial Committee to rule within 30 days shall constitute an affirmation of the National Committee's suspension fo the officer. At such time as the suspension is final, the office in question shall be deemed vacant.
Section 9. The National Committee shall appoint new officers if vacancies occur, such officers to complete the terms of the office vacated.
ARTICLE 8: NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Section 1. The National Committee of the Party shall be composed of the following members:
a. the officers of the Party;
b. the immediate past Chair, for the two-year period following the Convention of a new Chair at which a new Chair is elected;
c. seven members elected at large by the delegates at the Regular Convention; and
d. one member and one alternate from each Region plus one additional member and alternate from each Region containing between 10% and 20% of the total Part membership, plus another additional member and laterne from each Region containing over 20% of the total Party membership, with such members and alternates to be selected by the Regions as herein provided.
Section 2. The current Regions are as follows:
- Alaska
- California, Hawaii, Guam and U.S. territories and possessions in the Pacific
- Oregon and Washington
- Montana, Idaho, Wyoming
- Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada
- Colorado and Utah
- Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri
- Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota
- Illinois
- Wisconsin and Michigan
- Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky
- Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee
- Texas
- New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware
- West Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia
- New York
- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut
- North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia
- Georgia, Florida and U.S. territories and possessions in the Caribbean
Section 3. The National Committee shall take office immediately upon the close of the Regular Convention at which they are selected, and serve until the final adjournment of the next Regular Convention.
Section 4. A National Committee member shall be a member of the Party; and shall not be the candidate of any political party except the Party or an affiliate party.
Section 5. The National Committee may, for cause, suspend any member-at-large by a vote of two-thirds of the entire National Committee. The suspended member-at-large may challenge the suspension by an appeal in writing to the Judicial Committee within seven days of receipt of notice of suspension. Failure to appeal within seven days shall confirm the suspension and bar any later challenge or appeal.
The Judicial Committee shall set a date for healing the appeal between 20 and 40 days of receipt of the appeal and shall notify all interested persons, which persons shall have the right to appear and present evidence and argument. AT the hearing the burden of persuasion shall rest upon the appellant. The Judicial Committee shall either affirm the National Committee's suspension of the member=at=large or oder reinstatement of the member-at-large within 30 days of the hearing. Failure of the Judicial Committee to rule within 30 days shall constitute an affirmation of the National Committee's suspension of the member-at-large. At such time as the suspension is final, the office in question shall be deemed vacant.
Section 6. The National Committee shall appoint new officers and members-at-large if vacancies occur, such officers and members-at-large to complete the term of the office vacated.
Section 7. A National Committee Regional Representative may be removed and replaced only be the act of the affiliate parties which constitute the subject region. The voting procedure for the removal and replacement of regional representatives shall be determined by the regions.IN the absence of any such procedures, a majority vote of the state chairs shall prevail.
Section 8. The National Committee shall have the control and management of all the affairs, properties and funds of the Party consistent with these Bylaws. The National Committee shall adopt rules of procedure for the conduct of its meetings and the carrying out of its duties and responsibilities. The National Committee may delegate its authority in any manner it deems necessary.
Section 9. The National Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be determined by:
- action of the Committee.
- call of the Chair, or
- written request of one-third or more of its members.
A written notice of the time and place of all meetings shall be mailed to each member of the Committee not less than 30 days prior to said meeting.
Section 10. The National Committee may, without meeting together, transact business by mail. The Secretary shall send out mail ballots on any question submitted by the Chair or by at least one-fifth of the members of the Committee. Fifteen days shall be allowed for the return of the votes cast, by mail, to the Secretary during the period between a Regular Convention and the next general election, and 30 days shall be allowed at all other times. If, at the expiration of the applicable period, a quorum of the Committee have not return their votes, the measure being voted upon shall be deemed to have failed; in all other cases, a majority of the votes returned shall carry the measure, except where a higher vote is required by the Bylaws. The Secretary shall preserve all such votes until the next meeting of the National Committee, at which meeting the Committee shall order the disposition of such votes.
Section 11. A majority of the membership of the National Committee shall constitute a quorum for the translation of business at all meetings.
Section 12. Upon appeal by 5% of the Party members, the Judicial Committee shall consider the question of whether or not a decision of the National Committee contravenes specified sections of the Bylaws. If the decision is vetoed by the Judicial Committee, it shall be declared null and void.
ARTICLE 9: JUDICIAL COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Judicial Committee shall be composed of five Party members elected at each Regular Convention, and any three members shall constitute a quorum. No member of the National Committee may be a member of the Judicial Committee. The members of the Judicial Committee shall select the Chair of the Judicial Committee. The Judicial Committee shall take office immediately upon the close of the Regular Convention at which elected and shall serve until the final adjournment of the next Regular Convention.
Section 2. The subject matter jurisdiction of the Judicial Committee is limited to consideration of only those matters expressly identified as follows:
- suspension of affiliate parties (Article 6, Section 3),
- suspension of officers (Article 7, Section 8).
- suspension of National Committee members-at-large (Article 8, Section 5),
- voiding of National Committee decisions (Article 8, Section 12),
- challenges to platform planks (Rule 7, Section 7),
- challenges to Resolutions (Rule 8, Section 2), and
- suspension of Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates (Article 12, Section 5).
Section 3. Within 90 days following the Regular Convention at which elected, the Judicial Committee shall establish Rules of Appellate Procedure to govern its consideration of matters within the scope of its jurisdiction. The Judicial Committee shall submit the Rules of Appellate Procedure to the National Committee for approval, which approval shall be deemed given unless denied by a 2/3 vote of the National Committee within 60 days of submission. A copy of the current Rules of Appellate Procedure shall be maintained by the Secretary of the Party headquarters and shall be available to any member at cost.
ARTICLE 10: FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING
Section 1. The fiscal term of the Party shall begin on January 1 of each year. From January 1 until the National Committee has approved a budget, the Treasurer may authorize expenditures for any times incorporated in the previous's budget was long as the level of expenditure is consistent with the budget.
Section 2. The National Committee shall cause an efficient double-entry system of accounts to be installed and maintained.
Section 3. All disbursements exceeding $20.00 shall be made solely by check.
Section 4. The National Committee shall have the power to designate the depository of all funds of the Party, and shall appoint such officers and employees as in its judgment may seem advisable to deposit and withdraw funds from said depository.
Section 5. The Party shall not borrow in excess of $2,000 total without prior approval by 2/3 vote of the National Committee. This shall not include current operating debt for trade payables.
ARTICLE 11: CONVENTIONS
Section 1. Regular Conventions:
The Party shall hold a Regular Convention every odd numbered year, at a time and place selected by the National Committee. Regular Conventions shall be held sometime during the period of July through October. All business required to be conducted at Regular Conventions shall be conducted at Regular Conventions only.
Section 2. Non-Regular Conventions:
Non-Regular Conventions may be held at the discretion of the National Committee during even-numbered years.
Section 3. Delegates:
a. Delegates shall be required to be members of either the Party or an affiliate party. At all Regular Conventions delegates shall e those so accredited who have registered at the Convention. At all Non-Regular conventions, any person who wishes to attend may do so.
b. Any federal or state law to the contrary notwithstanding, delegates to a Regular Convention shall be selected by a method adopted by each affiliate party; provided however that only members of the Party as defined in these Bylaws, or members of the affiliate party as defined in the constitution or bylaws os such affiliate party, or those who have made the certification required by Article 5 of these Bylaws, shall be eligible to vote for the selection of delegates to a Regular Convention.
Section 4. Affiliate Party Delegate Entitlements:
Each affiliate party shall be entitled to send delegates to each Regular Convention on the following basis:
a. four basic delegates from each affiliated party; plus
b. one additional delegate from each affiliated party for each one quarter of one per cent (0.25%) (rounded) of the total national membership residing in that state, district or territory, as determined by the Secretary as of the last day of February of the Regular Convention year; plus
c. one additional delegate from each affiliated party for each one per cent (1%) (rounded) of the total vote cast for President in that state or district which was received by the Party's most recent candidate for President.
Section 5. Ex-Officio Delegates:
In addition, the following persons shall be ex-officio delegates, automatically entitled to delegate status:
a. National Officers,
b. National Committee members or their alternates,
c. all former Party nominees for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States,
d. each state governor, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator who is a Party member and not affiliated with any other party.
Section 6. Delegate Allocation:
In order to be counted for delegate allocation, membership applications must be sent to the National Headquarters by either the individual member or affiliate party and received or postmarked no later than the last day of February of the Regular Convention year. The Secretary shall make a count of members qualified under the requirements set forth here and shall compute the delegate allocations for the affiliate parties. Notification of the membership totals and allocation totals shall be sent by the Secretary to the Chair of each affiliate party no later than April 1 of the year of the Regular Convention.
A list of the names and addresses of all delegates and alternates chosen by each affiliate party shall be sent to the Secretary no later than one month prior to start of the first general session of the Regular Convention. Amendments to such lists may be made by the affiliated parties until the close of the Credentials Committee meeting preceding the Convention. The number of alternates' names submitted shall not exceed the greater of 50 or the number of delegates allocated. Failure to submit a listing of delegate/alternate names and addresses, as prescribed within these Bylaws, shall cause no delegation to be registered from that affiliate party.
7. Delegate List:
Any Party member shall be provided, upon request and payment of copying and mailing costs, a list of the names and addresses of all elected delegates to a Convention.
ARTICLE 12: PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS
Section 1. Nominations of candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States may be made only at the Regular Convention held in the year preceding the Presidential election year.
Section 2. No candidate may be nominated for President or Vice-President who is ineligible under the United States Constitution, or who has not expressed a willingness to accept the nomination of the Party. No candidate may be nominated for President or Vice-President who is not a member of the Party.
Section 3. In the event of the death, resignation, disqualification or suspension of the Party's nominee for President, the Vice-Presidential nominee shall become the Presidential nominee. A two-thirds majority of the entire National Committee may, at a meeting, fill a Vice-Presidential vacancy and, if necessary, a simultaneous Presidential vacancy.
Section 4. The National Committee shall respect the vote of the delegates at a Nominating Convention and provide full support for all nominees for President and Vice-President as long as their campaigns are conducted in accordance with the Platform of the Party.
Section 5. A candidate's nomination may be suspended by a three fourths vote of the entire membership of the National Committee at a meeting. That candidate's nomination shall then be declared null and void unless the suspended candidate appeals the suspension to the Judicial Committee within seven days of receipt of notification of suspension. The resolution of suspension must state the specific reasons for suspension and must be signed by each member of the National Committee agreeing thereto. The Judicial Committee shall meet and act on this appeal within 30 days and before the election.
ARTICLE 13: 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 other rules adopted by the Party.
ARTICLE 14: AMENDMENT
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates at any Regular Convention.
Section 2. Article VIII, Section 2, shall not be amended by a vote of less than seven-eighths of the delegates at a Regular Convention.
ARTICLE 15: PROMULGATION OF BYLAWS
CONVENTION RULES OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
RULE 1: ORDER OF BUSINESS
The standing order go business for a Regular Convention shall be as follows:
- Call to order
- Credentials Committee report
- Adoption of Agenda
- Bylaws and Rules Committee report
- Platform Committee report
- Nomination of Party candidates for President and Vice-President (in appropriate years)
- Election of Party Officers and at-large members of the National Committee
- Election of Judicial Committee
- Resolutions
- Other business
RULE 2: VOTING ELIGIBILITY
Section 1. The Secretary, acting on behalf of the Credentials Committee, shall report the number of delegates registered in attendance and eligible to vote directly after the opening of the first business session, and at the beginning of each succeeding session.
Section 2. All delegates shall be eligible to vote on all matters. In order to vote on a given matter, a delegate must be present on the floor at the time the vote is taken. Each delegate present shall have one vote. Use of the unit rule or unit voting is prohibited at National Conventions.
Section 3. An alternate, upon certification by the Secretary, shall be designated as a delegate whenever a delegate of the same state has not been registered in attendance. This status shall continue until the absent delegate registers in attendance. If the state party has made no provision for filling delegate vacancies, the alternate substitute shall be decided by drawing lots.
Section 4. If the affiliate party has made no other provision, an alternate may temporarily vote in place of a delegate from the same state while he or she has the written consent of that delegate; however, no delegate may cast more than one vote on a question.
Section 5. All members must wear the identification badge issued upon registration in order to be admitted to the convention hall.
RULE 3: VOTING PROCEDURE AND MOTIONS
Section 1. On all matters, except the election of Party Officers and at-large members of the National Committee, and the nomination of Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates, voting will be by voice vote. If ten or more delegates object to the Chair's ruling on the outcome of a voice vote, a roll call vote will be held.
Section 2. The Chair may require any motion offered from the Convention floor to be in writing, signed by the mover, and submitted to the Secretary.
RULE 4: POLLING PROCEDURE
Section 1. The State Chair shall serve as chair of his or her delegation unless that delegation selects some other member of that delegation to serve as its chair, and so notifies the Secretary.
Section 2. In cases where a roll-call vote is required, polling shall be by state. The Secretary will ask for the vote from each state in alphabetical order, and the chair of each delegation shall report the vote for that state. The Convention seating will be by state delegations. If someone challenges the vote reported by any state's chair, the Secretary shall poll the delegates from that state individually.
RULE 5: COMMITTEE PROCEDURES
Section 1. A majority vote of those Committee members present is necessary for a "do pass" recommendation, and in the case of the Platform Committee, a majority must approve each specific plank separately.
Section 2. Four or more members of the Platform Committee may join together to issue a minority report regarding any plank reported to the floor of the Convention. Two or more members of the Bylaws and Rules Committee or of the Credentials Committee may join together to issue a minority report regarding their business.
Section 3. A member must be present in Committee to vote.
Section 4. More than 1/2 of the membership of each committee shall constitute a quorum.
RULE 6: DEBATING AND VOTING (BYLAWS AND RULES)
Section 1. The Chair of the Bylaws and Rules Committee shall report each recommendation of the Committee to the Convention separately and may explain the intent or purpose of the proposed amendment(s). The Convention Chair shall open each recommendation to discussion and amendment from the floor. Each recommendation shall be considered and adopted separately, with a maximum of ten minutes discussion on any recommendation.
RULE 7: DEBATING AND VOTING (PLATFORM)
Section 1. The current Platform shall serve as the basis of all future Platforms. At Regular Conventions, the existing Platform may be amended. Additional planks or additions to planks must be approved by a two-thirds vote. A platform plank may be deleted by a simple majority vote of the delegates present and voting.
Section 2. The Platform Committee shall meet at least two months prior to the Convention to consider proposed amendments. After consultation with the Platform Committee members and state convention committees, the Platform Committee Interim Chair shall decide the time and place of the Platform Committee Meeting.
The Platform Committee's report shall be mailed by the Party no later than 30 days prior to the Convention to all national delegates, state chairs and state newsletters editors. At the convention, the platform committee's recommendations shall be reported to the floor on a plank-by-plank basis and each shall be debated and voted upon separately. The Platform Committee shall set forth the order in which planks shall be considered.
Section 3. Recommendations for which there is no minority report shall be debated and voted upon in the following manner:
a. The Platform Committee Chair, or some other person designated by him or here, shall read the proposed recommendation and shall have up to two minutes to explain the recommendation.
b. The Convention Chair shall then open the recommendation to discussion and amendment for a period of 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, a vote will be taken on whether to bring the recommendation (as amended, if this is the case) to a final vote. If a majority vote is in favor or immediate consideration, the vote to accept or reject the recommendation must follow immediately. If a majority vote is against immediate consideration, the proposed recommendation shall be tabled for later consideration after all other recommendations receiving a favorable majority vote from the Platform Committee have been considered.
Section 4. When all recommendations having no minority report have received at least initial consideration, those for which there is a minority report shall be considered in the following manner:
a. Spokespersons for both the majority and minority positions shall each have two minutes to present their views.
b. The chair shall then open consideration of both positions for five minutes, during which time any delegates may express their views without offering amendment. After five minutes, there will be a vote on which of the two reports shall be considered for purposes of adopting a recommendation. The report receiving the greater number of votes shall then be discussed and voted upon in the manner described in section 3b.
Section 5. After all Committee recommendations have received initial consideration, any delegate may propose amendments to the Platform. The delegate may take up to two minutes to state and explain the proposal, with debating and voting to proceed described in section 3b.
Section 6. Finally, if time permits, proposals which were considered by the Platform Committee but which received an unfavorable vote from a majority of the Committee, may be considered, with a spokesperson for the minority position giving the reasons in favor and the Platform Committee Chair or other representative of the majority position giving the reasons why it was voted down, before the proposal is taken to the floor for debate.
Section 7. Challenges of adopted Party planks believed by 10% of the delegates to be in conflict with the Statement of Principles shall be referred in writing, during the Convention, to the Judicial Committee by the delegates requesting action for consideration. The challenge shall specify in what manner the plank is believed to be in conflict. The Judicial Committee shall consider the challenge, decide whether the Statement of Principles is conformed to and report their findings and reasons to the Convention. If the plank is vetoed by the Judicial Committee, it will be declared null and void but can be reinstated by a 3/4 vote of the Convention.
RULE 8: RESOLUTIONS
Section 1. Resolutions must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting.
Section 2. Resolutions must not be in conflict with the Statement of Principles. Challenges of such adopted resolutions believed by ten per cent (10%) of the delegates to be in conflict with the Statement of Principles shall be referred in writing, during the Regular Convention, to the Judicial Committee by the delegates requesting action for consideration. The challenge shall specify in what manner the resolution is believed to be in conflict. The Judicial Committee shall consider the challenge, decide whether the Statement of Principles is conformed to, and report their findings and reasons to the Convention. If the resolution is vetoed by the Judicial Committee, it will be declared null and void, but can be reinstated by a three fourths (3/4) vote of the Convention.
RULE 9: NOMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Section 1. Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominations shall be from the floor. Each delegation shall tabulate its total vote, and the delegation chair shall deliver a written total to the Secretary. When all delegations have submitted their votes, the Secretary shall declare the voting closed. AT this point, an announcement of each delegation's vote total shall be made by delegation chairs in alphabetical order beginning with a randomly selected delegation.
Section 2. The Party's nominee for President shall be chosen by majority vote. If, after four ballots, no candidate has attained a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes on the latest ballot shall be struck from subsequent ballots. This procedures shall be repeated after each even-numbered ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote, until one candidate attains a majority.
Section 3. The Party's nominee for Vice-President shall be chosen by the same procedure as for the Presidential nominee, except that the Presidential nominee shall have the power to veto any candidate for Vice-President with whom he or she does not wish to run. The Convention may overturn such veto by a 2/3 vote.
RULE 10: ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Section 1. Nominations for Party offices shall be from the floor, with any national or affiliated Party member eligible to run for any office. The election shall be conducted in the following manner:
a. For each office, a majority vote will be necessary for election.
b. Each delegation shall tabulate its total vote, and the delegation chair shall deliver a written total to the Secretary. When all delegations have submitted their votes, the Secretary shall declare the voting closed.
c. At this point, an announcement of each delegation's vote total shall be made by delegation chairs in alphabetical order beginning with a randomly selected delegation.
d. In cases where no candidate receives a majority, runoff votes will be held, dropping the candidate with the fewest votes after each ballot.
Section 2. Nominations for the at-large members of the National Committee positions shall be from the floor, with all national or affiliate Party members eligible for nomination. The election shall be conducted in the following manner:
a. Each delegate may cast up to seven votes, but no more than one for any candidate.
b. Each delegation shall tabulate its total vote, and the delegation chair shall deliver a written total to the Secretary. When al delegations have submitted their votes, the Secretary shall declare the voting closed.
c. At this point, an announcement of each delegation's vote total shall be made by delegation chairs in alphabetical order beginning with a randomly selected delegation.
d. Those seven candidates receiving the highest vote totals shall be declared elected. If a tie vote affecting the outcome of the election occurs, another ballot for the remaining offices shall be held with each delegate allowed to cast as many votes as there are office to fill.
Section 3. Nominations and elections for members of the Judicial Committee shall be conducted in the same manner as specified for at-large members of the National Committee.
Section 4. Nominations for each candidate may be made by any delegate present on the floor, provided he or she has the candidate's permission. Nominating speeches shall be limited in duration as follows:
a. Chair: five minute nominating speech, two three-minutes seconding speeches;
b. All others: two minute nominating speech, two one-minute seconding speeches.
Section 5. The National Committee members from each of the Regions shall be elected by the delegates from that region, provided there are at least five such delegates present, in caucus, after the election of the Officers and at-large members of the National Committee. If a Region is represented by fewer than five delegates, the incumbent Regional Representative will remain in office until a new Regional Representative is elected at a Regional caucus to be held within ninety days of the last day of the Convention. The incumbent representative shall call said caucus and preside over it. Each Region's delegates may elect their representative by whatever manner they choose, provided all delegates present from that region are given equal voice in the selection.
ARTICLE 11: NONE OF THE ABOVE
Votes cast for "None of the Above" in voting on the Party's nominees for President and Vice-President, the Party officers, and at-large members of the National Committee, shall be considered valid. Should a majority of the votes be cast for '"None of the Above" in the Presidential or Vice-Presidential balloting, no candidate shall be nominated for that office. Should "None of the Above" be selected for any Party office, that position shall be declared vacant and none of the losing candidates for that position may be selected to fill the vacancy for that term of office.
RULE 12: AMENDMENT TO THE RULES
The Convention Rules may be amended by a 2/3 vote at a Regular Convention.