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Green Party of Minnesota Bylaws

Adopted September 2001, last amended June 2007

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of the organization shall be THE GREEN PARTY OF MINNESOTA.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The Green Party of Minnesota (hereinafter "the Green Party") is founded upon the four coequal principles of Ecological Wisdom, Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice and Nonviolence. The purpose of the Green Party of Minnesota shall include, but not be limited to, perpetuating and implementing the following:

  1. Sustainability
  2. Personal and global responsibility;
  3. Respect for diversity;
  4. Feminism and gender equity;
  5. Community-based economics and decentralization.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility

Membership in the Green Party is free and open to all—there are no membership dues. The only requirements for membership are that a person:

  1. is a Minnesota resident,
  2. supports the Ten Key Values of the Green Party of Minnesota,
  3. fills out a sign-up sheet or provides other indication in writing that he/she wishes to be a member (must include name and address, at minimum).

Members of an accredited GPMN Local shall be considered members of the GPMN, unless they specifically decline state party membership. Accredited Locals are encouraged to recognize GPMN members resident in the Local's region as members of the Local.

Section 2. Expulsion

Members - including public office holders - may be removed from Green Party membership for actions that are in opposition to explicit principles and values of the Green Party or for deliberate attempts to harm the Green Party. This may only be done by a 2/3 vote at a General, Annual, Biennial, Endorsing, or Special Membership Meeting. The party membership and the member proposed for removal must be notified at least one week prior to the meeting where the issue of removal shall be raised. Twenty members shall constitute a quorum for this purpose.

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES

A. Coordinating Committee

Section 1. The Coordinating Committee shall be the governing body of the Green Party, and shall exercise a general oversight function. The Coordinating Committee shall oversee the implementation of programs, campaigns and projects which advance the goals and purposes of the Green Party.

Eligibility to serve on the Coordinating Committee shall be open to any member of the Green Party of Minnesota. Coordinating Committee members shall not be members of any other political party. When possible, members shall be selected to represent the diversity of populations in Minnesota. Coordinating Committee members shall not use their title or Green Party funds to endorse a candidate for office other than one endorsed by the Green Party.

Beginning with the Coordinating Committee elected in 1998, the Coordinating Committee must have at least a 60/40 gender balance. The Coordinating Committee shall be charged with developing a mechanism to insure gender balance to be considered by the 1997 Annual Meeting of the Green Party of Minnesota. This paragraph shall be stricken from the Bylaws once the directive has been satisfied.

Section 2. The Coordinating Committee shall be structured as set forth in Article IX, Section 1 of the Constitution; the Coordinating Committee shall meet as often as necessary, and at least quarterly.

Section 3. Four members of the Coordinating Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4. The Coordinating Committee shall select members of the Executive Committee, as set forth in Article IX, Section 2 of the Constitution.

Section 5. The Coordinating Committee may appoint sub-committees from time to time for limited purposes as specified by the Coordinating Committee.

Section 6. The Coordinating Committee shall receive and review all Committee reports and work plans, shall receive, and when appropriate, shall approve recommendations from the Working Committees. All expenditures shall require the approval of the Coordinating Committee.

Section 7. The Coordinating Committee may hire and fire staff as necessary.

Section 8. Seats on the Coordinating Committee may be vacated by written resignation. The remaining Coordinating Committee members may fill that vacancy for the remainder of the term.

Section 9. At-large members of the Coordinating Committee may be removed for cause by a majority vote at a General Membership Meeting. Geographic Representatives may be removed for cause by their respective Congressional District. All members, including the coordinating committee member proposed for removal, must be notified at least one week before the meeting where the issue of removal will be raised. For purposes of the section, twenty members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 10. The Coordinating Committee shall not make expenditures that exceed income by more than ten percent during any single year, without specific approval to do so at a membership meeting, except to meet legal obligations of the Green Party or in the case of an unforeseen emergency situation.

Any debt or deficit carried at the end of the year that was not approved by the membership must be handled in the following year, so that total unapproved debt never exceeds the current year's income by more than ten percent.

A year shall be designated as the calendar year, unless the Green Party has implemented a fiscal year for its budgeting.

Section 11. The Coordinating Committee can determine that a seat has been vacated by a member of the Coordinating Committee who has failed to be present at three or more consecutive Coordinating Committee meetings, and has not made contact with any other regularly attending Coordinating Committee member to offer an excused absence.

The Coordinating Committee can also determine a seat to be vacated by any member who fails to be present at all Coordinating Committee meetings for a period of six months or longer.

B. Working Committees

Section 1. Working Committees shall serve to attain and implement the Green Party's goals and purposes. Working Committees shall meet as often as necessary.

Section 2. Working Committees may be established by the Coordinating Committee as necessary.

Section 3. A majority of the Working Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4. Each Working Committee may appoint a chair and shall prepare an annual report, including a projected work plan, to be submitted to the Coordinating Committee and to the membership at the annual meeting.

Section 5. Working Committees must receive authorization in advance from the Coordinating Committee for any expenditures.

Article V - LOCAL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1. Recognition of Local Party Units

Local party units provide the primary arena for grassroots participation in the Green Party of Minnesota. Local party units may be established and recognized for the following purposes:

  1. To engage in local electoral politics, education, activism, and other activities that further the Green vision as defined by the principles and values of the global Green movement.
  2. To foster grassroots participation in the Green Party of Minnesota.
  3. To endorse candidates for elected and non-elected office within the local's geographic community.

The state coordinating committee shall grant recognition to a local party unit upon notification of its formation; a local party is formed by fulfilling the following conditions:

  1. It has written by-laws that guarantee democratic decision-making. (GPMN recommends consensus decision-making process.)
  2. It has elected officers. (In order to raise and spend money as a political party, a recognized local must have a chair and a treasurer to comply with state law.)

  3. It is of a sufficiently small geographic scope to allow regular and active participation by the local's membership.

Section 2. Recognition of Congressional Party Units

Congressional district units may be established and recognized for the following purposes:

  1. To make endorsements in congressional races
  2. To elect congressional district representatives to the state coordinating committee
  3. To foster regional networking, cooperation, and outreach among Greens and Green Party locals

The state coordinating committee shall grant recognition to a congressional district unit upon notification of its formation; a congressional district green party is formed by fulfilling the following conditions:

  1. It has written by-laws that guarantee democratic decision-making (GPMN recommends consensus decision-making process.), as well as mechanisms to elect a Green Party of Minnesota State Coordinating Committee representative and to make endorsements in U.S. Congressional elections.
  2. It has elected officers.
  3. Its by-laws specify a process to insure fair geographic representation in decision making to all Green Party of Minnesota members within the congressional district.
  4. Its by-laws require at least one meeting annually.
  5. Its geographic scope is defined by the congressional district boundaries.

Section 3.

It is recommended that local and Congressional District Units who have chosen to organize along recognized political boundaries register with the state of Minnesota. Recognized locals and Congressional Districts who choose to raise and/or spend money must comply with all MN statutes regarding political parties.

Article VI - ISSUES-BASED CAUCUSES

Section 1. Definition

An issues-based caucus is defined as a group of Green Party members who are organized around a specific set of issues, and whose mission statement is aligned with the principles and values of the Party.

Section 2. Accreditation of statewide caucuses

The CC has authority over the statewide caucus accreditation process. A supermajority of the CC is required to block the accreditation of any caucus that meets the below criteria.

  1. Provisional Caucuses must have:
    1. a mission statement and a democratic decision making process;
    2. 20 members, including a minimum of five from the twin cities metropolitan area and five from greater Minnesota;
    3. one in-person meeting of at least five caucus members;
    4. an elected contact person to be listed on mngreens.org.
  2. Full accreditation must demonstrate, in addition:
    1. Bylaws;
    2. 20 GPMN members participating actively through a combination of:
      1. attending a statewide GPMN membership meeting,
      2. attending local Green Party membership meetings, and/or
      3. voting on major caucus decisions by mail, phone, e-mail or other remote communication media;
      4. sending a representative to a minimum of two GPMN Coordinating Committee meetings per year.

3) Full Accreditation standards must be met annually to maintain full accreditation.

Section 3. Benefits to Caucuses

Provisional caucuses shall be listed on the GPMN website, the Sunflower and all other GPMN media; be allowed an e-mail listserv through lists.mngreens.org; request agenda time at GPMN meetings. Full caucuses shall, in addition, have access to GPMN membership data; be awarded a line item in the annual budget to be decided by the CC in cooperation with the caucus; be allowed the same Internet resources as local parties.

Section 4. Grandmothering

For the purposes of this section, caucuses already recognized by the CC shall be considered fully accredited upon adoption of this Article, however these caucuses have all the same rights and responsibilities of new caucuses.

ARTICLE VII - GPUS AFFLIATION & REPRESENTATION

Section 1. If there is an affiliation agreement between the GPMN and the Green Party of the United States (GPUS), the GPMN shall make a good-faith effort to provide delegates and alternates to the Green National Committee, and any national conventions, and do so in a quantity as determined by the governing documents of the GPUS.

Section 2. Qualification for delegates and alternates to the Green National Committee shall be the same as that of members of the Coordinating Committee.

Section 3. The GPMN shall make a good-faith effort to send its delegates, or other official GPMN representatives, to annual and other special meetings of the Green National Committee, and it shall make a good-faith effort to cover any reasonable costs associated with these meetings such as travel, lodging, meals, and registration fees.

Section 4. The GPMN's delegates to the Green National Committee, either as individuals or as a committee, shall regularly consult with, and provide regular reports to, the Coordinating Committee.

Section 5. The GPMN's representatives to the Green National Committee, and any other GPUS working groups, shall make a good-faith effort to represent the will of the membership of the GPMN in an ethical and professional manner. The members of the GPMN shall have the authority to direct such representatives via action at a membership meeting.

Section 6. The Coordinating Committee shall provide oversight of the GPMN's representatives to the Green National Committee and any other GPUS working groups, including the authority to direct such representatives in the absence of a membership directive.

Section 7. Delegate/alternate teams to the Green National Committee shall be elected at GPMN membership meetings for two year staggered terms. Delegates or alternates may be removed by the CC for cause. The CC shall appoint an interim delegate or alternate to serve until the next GPMN membership meeting, at which time the membership shall choose a delegate or alternate to complete the unexpired term.

ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS

Section 1. Minutes

a. Minutes shall be taken as necessary at all Green Party meetings, and shall subsequently be distributed to all committee members as is conveniently possible.

b. Minutes shall be read, amended and approved as necessary at all Green Party meetings.

Section 2. General Membership Meetings

a. Members shall be notified of General Membership Meetings at least fourteen days before the meeting, either by letter, telephone, or by notice in the Sunflower.

b. Members shall conduct an Annual Meeting every year around the Vernal Equinox. Modification of this provision may be made by the Coordinating Committee.

c. All General Membership Meetings are open to the public. However, only Green Party members can vote at the meetings. To be considered a voting member, a person must be pre-registered in writing and on the membership list at least 60 days before the meeting at which he or she intends to vote, or be vouched for by a member on the list, each of whom can vouch for one person. The membership list will be maintained and regulated accordingly by the Coordinating Committee or someone delegated by that body. At all public meetings, final arbitration of membership status will fall to the Coordinating Committee.

Section 3 - Coordinating Committee

a. The Coordinating Committee shall meet as often as necessary and at least quarterly.

b. Coordinating Committee members must be notified at least seven days before meetings, either in writing or by telephone. Whenever possible, Coordinating Committee meetings shall also be announced in the Sunflower.

c. Whenever possible, the Coordinating Committee shall hold meetings at a regular time and place which is maximally accessible to all members of the Green Party.

d. All Coordinating Committee meetings are open.

e. When necessary, the Coordinating Committee may make decisions without the seven day meeting notice by obtaining a majority vote of a quorum.

f. The CC shall publish its meeting agenda online at least one week before its meeting. CC meeting notes must be posted online within two weeks of the meeting. They should be specified “approved” or “draft” depending on their status.

ARTICLE IX - VOTING STANDARDS

Section 1. At Biennial Conventions, Annual Meetings, Special Meetings and Endorsing Conventions, the right to participate in the decision making process shall be extended to all members as described in Section 2, Subsection C of the Bylaws.

Section 2. Unless otherwise specified in the Constitution or in these Bylaws, all decisions shall be made by a majority vote.

Section 3. At a General Membership Meeting, two-thirds of all Green Party members are required to veto a decision or direction taken by the Coordinating Committee.

ARTICLE X - FISCAL POLICY

Section 1. The Green Party of Minnesota shall accept contributions from individuals of no more than $1200 per calendar year.

Section 2. The Green Party of Minnesota, and its endorsed candidates, shall accept no contributions from for-profit or nonprofit corporations or political action committees. The Green Party of Minnesota shall accept contributions from Green Party candidate's committees, within the limit of local, state, and federal campaign finance regulations.

ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These Bylaws may only be amended at an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting or Biennial Convention.

Section 2. These Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of Green Party members present at the Annual Meeting, Special Meeting or Biennial Convention, provided that there is a quorum. Written notice of proposed amendments must be given to all Green Party members at least 30 days before the meeting where the vote will be taken on proposed amendments.

Section 3. Amendments to the Bylaws shall take effect upon approval by the membership unless otherwise provided.

Postscript

View or print a PDF version of the bylaws in two columns, 5 pages or in three columns with a smaller font, 3 pages