The St. Charles Young Republicans exists to promote political activism of young people. We strive to inform our members of the philosophy of the Republican Party and encourage our members to become active in republican politics.
Bylaws
BYLAWS OF THE ST. CHARLES YOUNG REPUBLICANS
For the purpose of stimulating the active participation of all young men and women in governmental affairs, educating them to the principles, and enlisting them in the ranks of the Republican Party and its candidates in local, state and national elections, advancing the cause of good citizenship, love of country and its principles and loyalty to the government and Constitution of the United States of America, we do establish these Bylaws for the St. Charles Young Republicans.
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the St. Charles Young Republicans
ARTICLE II – MISSION
The St. Charles Young Republicans exists to promote political activism of young people. We strive to inform our members of the philosophy of the Republican Party and encourage our members to become active in republican politics.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1
Active membership of this club shall be limited to citizens of the United States who have attained eighteen (18) years of age, but who have not yet attained forty (40) years of age. Members who become forty (40) after January 1st of any year shall continue as Active members in good standing until the expiration of said year.
SECTION 2
Sustaining membership shall be limited to active members who have chosen a more committed role in the organization and have been approved by the Executive Board. Said members shall receive an appropriate recognition as determined by the Executive Board.
SECTION 3
Advisory board members shall consist of active republicans of any age who make a financial commitment of support and who agree to serve as mentors for the general membership to help foster a strong generation of republican activists and office holders. Advisory board members receive free attendance to all YR events and special recognition as determined by the Executive Board. Such members are only Active members if they qualify under Section 1.
SECTION 4
Presidential circle members shall consist of those Advisory members who have made a significant financial contribution to support the organization’s goals and membership. Such members shall receive special recognition as determined by the Executive Board.
SECTION 5
Anyone not meeting the requirements as listed in Section 1 shall be considered an associate member
SECTION 6
Anyone wishing to apply for membership shall, in writing, submit an application therefore, along with his annual dues to any member in good standing, and then said member shall forward the material to the Vice President who shall thereafter assure that the new member meets the qualifications outlined in these Bylaws. Then the Vice President shall assure that the new member be recorded in the rolls of the club, so that the member shall receive the benefits of membership.
SECTION 7
Only Active Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote and hold offices as herein prescribed. No members shall be considered in good standing unless and until he has paid his annual dues for the current calendar year. Annual dues shall become due on the second Thursday of February each year, and a member shall cease to be in good standing for failure to pay their annual dues by the opening of the March meeting.
SECTION 8
Any member not complying with the letter and spirit of these Bylaws and the Bylaws passed pursuant thereto or who by other acts will have shown himself to be undesirable for membership may be removed from the rolls by a two-thirds majority vote of the members voting at a regular meeting, a quorum voting, provided that notice of said action and the date and place at which said action is to take place shall be sent to members in good standing not less than four (4) days prior to the said meeting.
SECTION 9
Membership dues shall be $25.00 per regular or associate member, or $40.00 per family member(s), or $50.00 per sustaining member(s), $100.00+ for advisory board member, or $300+ for President’s Circle per calendar year.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS
SECTION 1
The officers of this organization in order of rank shall be: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and four (4) members at large of the Executive Board. The officers shall assume administrative and supervisory duties as designated by the President.
SECTION 2
Officers shall be elected at the January meeting of each year by receiving a majority of the votes cast and shall assume office immediately upon election, and shall serve for a term until their successors are elected. Elections shall be held during new business at the January meeting. Outgoing officers shall have all business in order and shall immediately surrender any and all records, monies and property of the club to their successors immediately upon their election.
SECTION 3
Only persons who have been members of this organization for at least six (6) consecutive months immediately preceding the election and who are members in good standing at the time of the election shall be eligible to be elected officers. Those members, who are officeholders when their fortieth birthday occurs, may complete their term in office.
SECTION 4
Whenever a vacancy occurs in any office excluding the President, it shall be filled within sixty (60) days by appointment of the President, with approval by a majority of the remaining officers and Executive Board. If a vacancy should occur in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume the office of President and shall appoint a replacement subject to the normal procedure mentioned. If multiple officer positions including the President should become vacant, the highest ranking officer remaining shall assume the presidency and appoint replacements subject to the normal procedures mentioned.
SECTION 5
Any officer not complying wit the letter and spirit of these Bylaws and the Bylaws passed pursuant thereto or who by other acts will have shown himself to be undesirable for his office may be removed from said office by a two-thirds majority vote of the members voting at a regular meeting, a quorum voting, provided that notice of said action and the date and place at which said action is to take place shall be sent to members in good standing not less than four (4) business days prior to the said meeting.
ARTICLE V – ELECTION OF OFFICERS
SECTION 1
Nominations for officers may be made at the January meeting of each year until nominations are closed for the office for which the nomination is presented.
SECTION 2
No one shall be eligible to vote in the annual election of officers who is not a member in good standing at the time of the election, and who has also not been a member in good standing for at least sixty (60) days preceding the election.
SECTION 3
Election of officers shall be by secret ballot, except when only one candidate has been nominated for the office. A candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected. In the event that no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated and another ballot shall be taken, and such procedure shall be continued until a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast.
ARTICLE VI – EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1
The Board of Directors of this organization shall be known and designated as the Executive Board, and shall have all of the powers and duties of a board of directors under the laws of the State of Missouri, except as herein otherwise provided.
SECTION 2
The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and four (4) additional members at large elected by the membership of this organization. Past Presidents of the club and elected Republican officeholders who are members in good standing of this club shall also be voting members of the Executive Board. All recipients of the “Bryan Spencer Excellence in Support Award” shall be non-voting members of the Executive Board.
SECTION 3
The Executive Board shall meet at least six (6) times in every year.
SECTION 4
The Executive Board may adopt rules of order for the Board that are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
SECTION 5
If any Officer or Member of this Executive Board shall be absent without sufficient excuse, as determined by the Executive Board, from three (3) or more meetings of the Executive Board in one (1) calendar year, the Executive Board may declare his office to be vacant.
SECTION 6
A majority of the Members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board, but Past Presidents, elected Republican officeholders and “Bryan Spencer Excellence in Support Award” recipients shall not be counted in determining a quorum unless they also presently hold office in the organization.
ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS
SECTION 1
The organization shall hold at least six (6) regular meetings in each calendar year. Regular meetings shall be held on the third Thursday of each month at a place in St. Charles County to be determined by the Executive Board. The meeting for a particular month may be changed or may be omitted by a motion duly passed by the membership or the Executive Board.
SECTION 2
Special meetings may be called by the President or by the Executive Board.
SECTION 3
Meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by the Executive Board, or upon the written request of three (3) or more members of the Executive Board for a time no later than twenty (20) days from the dates such a request was received. Notice of all meetings of the Executive Board shall be given to all members of the Executive Board.
SECTION 4
Notice of any regular meeting shall be placed in the United States mail or delivered via electronic mail to members in good standing no less than three (3) days before said meeting. Notice of any special meeting shall be placed in the United States mail or delivered via electronic mail to members in good standing no less than seven (7) days before said meeting. If notices are not mailed or delivered as herein provided, no business may be transacted at the meeting. Members who attend the meeting however, shall be deemed to have waived any objection concerning notice of the meeting. Notices shall also be sent to associate members, but the failure to do so shall not affect the right to conduct business at the meeting.
SECTION 5
A quorum shall consist of one-half of the members in good standing.
SECTION 6
Meetings shall be generally conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order or another parliamentary procedure determined by the Executive Board. Such procedure must be communicated to the membership.
ARTICLE VIII – COMMITTEES
SECTION 1
The President, the Executive Board, or the membership may from time to time create special committees.
SECTION 2
The President shall appoint one Executive Board member at large to chair each of the standing committees with the approval of the Executive Board. A member at large may only chair one committee at a time.
SECTION 3
Chairmen of the standing committees shall appoint members of these committees with the advice and consent of the Executive Board. The standing committees of this organization shall be:
Finance and Audit (Treasurer automatically a member)
Membership (Vice President automatically a member)
Social (Vice President automatically a member)
Newsletter (Secretary automatically a member)
ARTICLE IX – EXPENDITURES
The President may incur a bill of no more than $200.00 within one (1) month without the consent of the Executive Board. Committee chairmen may incur a bill of no more than $50.00 within one (1) month without the consent of the Executive Board. The Vice President and the Tresuer shall have signatory responsibility on any accounts.
ARTICLE X – ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATES
This organization, as an organization, shall not endorse or support any candidate in a contest for nomination for a national, state or local office.
ARTICLE XI – CONVENTION DELEGATES
Official delegates from this organization to Young Republican conventions shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board, with the exception of delegates to the national convention of the National Young Republicans Federation who are appointed as state delegates by the chairman of the Missouri Federation of Young Republicans (MFYR) as set forth in the Constitution of the MFYR.
ARTICLE XII – AWARDS
From time to time, this club will award the “Bryan Spencer Excellence in Support Award” to a deserving individual or individuals. The purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding support of the St. Charles Young Republicans. It is not to be granted lightly, only being presented in exceptional cases. Other than a plaque which reads “In recognition of outstanding support, the St. Charles Young Republicans hereby presents (insert recipient(s) name(s)) with the Bryan Spencer Excellence in Support Award” no other compensation shall accompany this award.
ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws or an article, section or part thereof, may be amended or new Bylaws adopted at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds majority of those voting, provided a quorum is present, and further provided that the text of the proposal has been mailed or delivered to all members in good standing no less than twenty (20) days prior to the adoption of said amendment of new Bylaws.