Constitution of the St. Louis County Libertarian Central Committee

This Constitution was ratified at the regular meeting of the Central Committee held at Maryland Heights, Missouri on Wednesday, September 15, 1993.
Modified: June 21, 1995 (Article VI, section 1; and Article 4, section 1)
Modified: March 24, 1999 (Article VI, section 2)
Modified: August 20, 2002 (Article VI, section 1; and Article 8, section 2)
Modified: September 10, 2008 (Article 2, section 2; Article 7, sections 1 and 2; and Article 13)
Modified: June 15, 2020 (Article II, section 3)

ARTICLE I - NAME OF ORGANIZATION

This organization shall be known as the St. Louis County Libertarian Central Committee, a subdivision of the Missouri Libertarian Party, hereinafter referred to as the Central Committee.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The Central Committee shall consist of two (2) members from each township in St. Louis County to be elected in accordance with the statutes of the State of Missouri.

Section 2. A member who is absent from a regularly scheduled meeting and the two prior regularly scheduled meetings is in "inactive" status. An "inactive" member's attendance at any meeting restores "active" status.

Section 3. Any member who has missed a majority of the most recent 7 regularly scheduled meetings can be removed from their position by a majority vote of the committee.

ARTICLE III - POWERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. The Central Committee shall be the legal representative of the Missouri Libertarian Party in St. Louis County. It shall be the duty of the Central Committee to represent the interests of the Libertarian voters in St. Louis County.

Section 2. The committeeman and committeewoman comprise the township committee and these two officials have the responsibility of building a strong party organization within their township. They are to represent the views of party members in their township to the Central Committee. They shall perform such other duties in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Missouri Libertarian Party.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1.

(a) The officers of the Central Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, who are members of the central committee; and a Secretary and a Treasurer, who may or may not be members of the Central Committee. If either the Secretary or the Treasurer is not a member of the Central Committee, then he or she shall have non-voting, ex-officio status.

(b) There shall be elected a Sergeant-at-arms.

Section 2.

(a) A parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chairperson and serve at his or her pleasure.

(b) The Chairperson may appoint additional officers, agents, or employees and define their duties and powers, subject to the advice and consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the Central Committee.

ARTICLE V - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The Chairperson of the Central Committee shall preside at all meetings of the Central Committee and with such limitations as hereafter may be prescribed, act for the Central Committee when it is not in session and have the general direction and control of the campaigns and affairs of the party in the County subject to the directions of the Central Committee. The Chairperson shall distribute election credentials to duly elected committeemen and committeewomen.

Section 2. The Vice-Chairperson of the Central Committee shall preside over the Central Committee in the absence of the Chairperson and act as the Chairperson in his or her absence.

Section 3. The Secretary shall maintain or assist in maintaining a record of the meetings of the Central Committee. He or she shall attest to the signature of the Chairperson to all calls and any other official documents being necessary by the Central Committee. During the absence of the Secretary, the Chairperson shall appoint one of the members to act as Secretary. All records of the Secretary are official records of the Central Committee.

Section 4.

(a) Except as hereinafter provided, the Treasurer shall receive all money for the Central Committee, deposit same in a bank in the name of the Central Committee. No payments shall be made by the Treasurer, except on order of the Central Committee, provided however, the Treasurer shall be authorized and directed to pay fixed and recurring operating expenses, as defined by the Central Committee. In addition, the Treasurer shall be authorized to make such further payments as the Chairperson shall direct in writing, but not to exceed the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00).

(b) The Treasurer shall keep a record of all receipts and expenditures, report the balance on hand at each meeting of the Central Committee, and file any statutory financial reports with the proper authorities.

(c) The Treasurer shall countersign all checks with the Chairperson. The Central Committee may call upon the Treasurer at various times during the calendar year for all the amounts of receipts and disbursements and such other information as they may wish to view. The treasurer may be required by the Central Committee to give bond in such sums as may be required by the Central Committee.

(d) Nothing herein contained shall prohibit the Central Committee from establishing special committees for special purposes such as campaign committees, finance committees, dinner or other fund-raising committees. The Treasurer of the Central Committee shall act as Treasurer for any such special committees.

Section 5. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall be the peace officer of the Central Committee, preserve order and perform the duties that pertain to that office and obey all orders of the Chairperson as directed by the Central Committee.

Section 6. The parliamentarian shall upon request give advice to the Chair regarding matters of parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS

Section 1. In compliance with governing Missouri state statutes, the Central Committee shall meet in August of every even numbered year to perfect its organization. This meeting shall be held in the County. At least seven (7) days before a meeting is held, the incumbent Chairperson is to notify the committee members-elect and the state Chairperson as to the hour and place of the meeting. Notice is also required to be released to a local newspaper.

Section 2. Meetings of the Central Committee shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the members. The Chairperson shall notify the Central Committee members in writing as to the date, hour and place of each meeting at least seven (7) days before the meeting is to be held.

Section 3. Special meetings of the Central Committee shall be upon call of the Chairperson whenever he or she thinks it to be in the interest of the party or when requested to do so in writing by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Central Committee. The Chairperson shall call a special meeting within seven (7) days from the date he or she receives the petition request.

Section 4. All meetings of the Central Committee, its Executive Committee, and all other official party committees, commissions and bodies created by the Central Committee shall be open to the public and votes shall not be taken by secret ballot, except when a motion for a closed meeting or for a secret ballot is adopted by two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting.

ARTICLE VII - QUORUM AND PROXIES

Section 1. A majority of the active members of the entire Central Committee, including proxies, shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2. Proxies shall be allowed for active members, but need not be notarized except for voting upon election, retention or removal of officers. No person may hold more than two (2) proxies at a time.

ARTICLE VIII - ELECTION, TERM AND QUALIFICATION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Nominations shall be individually; not by slate. Each officer shall be nominated and voted on separately. If no candidate receives a simple majority of those present and voting, a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.

Section 2. Officers shall hold office for two years, according to Missouri statutes governing county committees, or until a new Central Committee has been elected and their successors have been elected and qualified. However, in the event of death, resignation, impeachment or disqualification, a new election shall be held for those vacated offices at the next second regularly scheduled meeting of the Central Committee or at a special meeting called for that purpose.

Section 3. No person shall be eligible to hold the office of Chairperson or vice-Chairperson while an incumbent partisan public office holder.

ARTICLE IX - IMPEACHMENT

Impeachment charges may be brought against an officer of the Central Committee by any member at any regular or special meeting of the Central Committee. The charges must show cause for removal from office. The officer so charged shall be given the opportunity to reply to the charges and if not present at the meeting at which charges are made, voting on the question shall be deferred until the next regularly scheduled meeting. A majority vote of the entire Central Committee shall be necessary to remove any officer of the Central Committee.

ARTICLE X - CENTRAL COMMITTEE VACANCIES

Whenever any vacancy shall occur on the Central Committee, a majority of the remaining Central Committee members shall have the power to fill such vacancy by electing any qualified voter of the Missouri Libertarian Party who resides in the township to be represented. The recommendation of the remaining Central Committee member from the township shall be given first consideration. Such vacancy must be filled by the second next regularly scheduled meeting of the Central Committee.

ARTICLE XI - COMMITTEES

The Chairperson shall appoint the following standing committees, and such other standing committees or special committees as he or she desires, with the advice and consent of the Central Committee: Audit, Finance, Publicity and County Council Liaison. Each such committee shall have as its Chairperson a member of the Central Committee, but may include persons who are not a member of the Central Committee. The Central Committee shall establish the rules, scope and purpose of each committee. No member of the Finance Committee shall be a member of the Audit Committee.

ARTICLE XII - RULES OF ORDER

Meetings of the Central Committee shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order as most recently revised.

ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Central Committee members attending the regularly scheduled meeting, provided that any such proposed amendments shall be presented at a regular meeting and action taken at the succeeding regular meeting. All members of the Central Committee shall be given notice in writing as to the wording of the proposed amendments at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which action is to be taken.

ARTICLE XIV - SPECIAL ELECTIONS

When voting to select a candidate for public office to run in a special election, the Central Committee members voting shall each have one vote, rather than using a weighted voting method.

ARTICLE XV - ADOPTION

This Constitution shall take effect upon approval of the majority of the Central Committee.