BYLAWS

Riverside County Young Republicans 

July 17, 2008



ARTICLE I


Name of organization

The name of this organization shall be the Riverside County Young Republicans, hereinafter referred to as Young Republicans, as it appears throughout the bylaws.



 ARTICLE II

Purpose of organization  

The purpose of the Young Republicans shall be to recruit, inform, and empower young Republican professionals throughout Riverside County and to be an effective organization in registering and electing Republicans to office.  We strive to articulate conservative principles of limited government, separation of powers, and individual liberty.

 
Every day, we realize our obligation to strengthen the Republican Party by reaching out to younger Republicans and fulfilling our mission.  We are here to educate and prepare the Republican leaders of tomorrow. 


ARTICLE III


Membership practice  

Active membership of the Young Republicans shall be chosen without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, color, disability, national origin, or marital status.

 

A. Eligibility for membership

 

Membership in the Young Republicans is inclusive upon payment of annual member dues, to be set each year by the Executive Board.  Members must be between the ages of 18-40 and registered Republicans that live or work in the County of Riverside.

 

B. Withdrawal or removal of members

 

Members can voluntarily withdraw their membership with the Young Republicans at any time.  A member may be removed by a two-third vote of the Executive Board.  A member may be reinstated by a two-third vote of the Executive Board.
 

ARTICLE IV

Officers

A. List of officers

 

The officers shall consist of a: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Outreach Director.  These officers compose the Executive Board of the Young Republicans.  All members of the Executive Board shall serve without compensation.

 

B.  General duties and responsibilities of officers.

 

1. The President’s responsibilities of office include but are not limited to: chairing all meetings of the Young Republicans, appointing special positions such as Webmaster and chairs of formed committees, shared responsibility for the fiscal management of the Young Republicans with the Treasurer, ensuring the smooth transfer and re-chartering of the Young Republicans in the July of each oddly-numbered year at the chartering meeting of the official Young Republican Federated of California, and being chief liaison to affiliated Republican organizations.

 

2. The Vice President is responsible for the overlooked duties of the President, including making meeting room reservations and maintaining internal relations. The Vice President is one of two officers that preside over elections, assisting in the final tally of the secret ballots. The Vice President assumes the duties of the President, in his or her absence.

 

3. The Secretary is responsible for keeping a file with the Young Republicans’ bylaws, printing agendas and recording the minutes of every public meeting, and appointing the date of election for officers for the June meeting of each even numbered year. The Secretary is one of two officers that preside over elections, assisting in the distribution of ballots and the final tally of the secret ballots.

 

4. The Treasurer is the manager of the Young Republicans’ funds, and is responsible for preparing monthly finance reports to each Young Republican meeting and maintaining the organization’s bank account and books.

 

5. The Political Directoris responsible for maintaining records of membership, creating events notifications for members, and maintaining both internal and external relations with members while seeking support from other Young Republican groups.

 

6. All officers are required to maintain a copy of the current bylaws.  Each officer’s copy must match with one another accordingly.  In the event of a discrepancy, the process of amendment will apply in order to resolve the discrepancy.

 

C.  Qualifications for becoming an officer

 

Only active members in the Young Republicans can become officers.  The positions of President and Vice President mandate at least one year of experience as an active member.


 

D.  Terms of office

 

Newly-elected officers assume their duties immediately following their election.

 

E.  Procedure for filling vacated offices

 

Should any vacancies occur during the year; the President has the ability to appoint a successor.  The President can also call a special election to fill the other elected positions.  Should the President resign, the order of succession is as follows: Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Outreach Director.  Any additional or created positions follow the aforementioned in the line of succession.

 

F.  Procedure for removal of officers

 

Any officer can be removed by a recall initiated by the petition of two-third of the voting members of the Young Republicans.  The petition must have signed and printed names of the petitioners, who must be voting members.  The membership list is maintained by the Outreach Director, and the duty of establishing whether a quorum exists belongs to the Secretary.  Should either officer be the target of a recall effort, these duties will be assumed by the Vice President.  The Vice President must call a recall election five days before the next scheduled meeting, with a two-third majority in a recall required to remove an officer by secret ballot.

 

ARTICLE V

Elections

A. Times and period when elections occur

 

Elections for all officers are held once per even numbered years.  Officers are to be elected at a meeting called by the Secretary for the June of each even numbered calendar year.  Should no meeting be called, the President or the Vice President has the authority to call one.

 

B.  Nominations

 

Only active members may nominate for elected office.  Members may self-nominate for elected office.

 

C.  Election procedures

 

The winner is selected by a voting method to be determined at the election meeting based upon plurality and an accounting of the ballots by the Vice President and Secretary.  An officer may only serve one post.  In the event of a tie in any contest involving more than two candidates, a run-off between the highest vote-getters should determine the winner.  Ties involving two candidates go to the casting of another ballot, with the process continuing until the winner is chosen.

 

D.  Eligibility

 

An active member is considered eligible to participate in a Young Republican election once the following criteria have been met.  The member has attended a minimum of 2 Young Republican monthly meetings within a 12 month period prior to the meeting in which the election of Young Republican officers is to take place.  Membership dues have been paid no less than 90 calendar days prior to the meeting in which the election of Young Republican officers is to take place.

 

ARTICLE VI

Committees  

A. Committee Formation

 

The Presidentcan call upon the creation of a standing and ad-hoc committees and may appoint committee members.

 

B. Standing Committees

 

Both a Fundraising committee and Membership committee shall be active indefinitely upon their inception with a monthly and annual agenda to be set by the appointed chair.  This agenda must be approved by the officers of the Young Republicans.

 

ARTICLE VII

Meetings  

A.  Time and occurrence of meetings

 

The meetings are held at the discretion of the President, who can set the time, location, duration, and purpose of each club meeting.

 

B.  Method of conducting meetings

 

Meetings shall begin with the President calling the meeting to order, and following a pre-set agenda prepared by the Secretary.  There should be an Open Forum section where members can contribute their intakes and ideas.  The meeting lasts from the period the President calls the meeting to order until the time at which the meeting is adjourned by a vote of the floor.   Meetings shall be principally modeled with the conventions outlined in Roberts’ Rules of Order, especially for formal motions.

 

C.  Meeting minutes and records

 

It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to possess all electronic records of the meeting agendas, record meeting minutes, keep related records of all meetings,andmaintain records regarding member attendance at meetings.

 

ARTICLE VIII



ENDORSEMENTS

A. Endorsements of Candidates for Elected Office

 

The Riverside County Young Republicans reserve the right to endorse a registered member of the Republican Party for any local, state, or national office.  The membership shall be notified a minimum of three days prior to an endorsement meeting.  A majority vote by qualified voting members present at the endorsement meeting shall be required at a special endorsement meeting called by the President.

 

ARTICLE X

Amendments  

A.  Proposing amendments

 

An amendment may be proposed by any Officer of the Young Republicans, and may be passed by a majority of the Officers regardless of the time proposed.  An amendment to the bylaws requires only a majority vote of the Officers.  The President has the power to veto any bylaw amendment, which may be overridden by a two-third vote of Officers.


Date Ratified by RCYR Membership: July 17th, 2008

Title: Bylaws of the Riverside County Young Republicans