The Libertarian Party of Alabama or LPA is the Alabama affiliate of the United States Libertarian Party.
By-laws[]
Article I: Purpose and Scope[]
These bylaws govern the Libertarian Party of Alabama, hereinafter referred to as the "Party," whose purpose is to pursue liberty and promote libertarian political ideals consistent with the Libertarian Party Statement of Principles by:
a) Disseminating information about libertarian ideals and principles;
b) Nominating and promoting candidates for local, state, and national public office;
c) Promoting and coordinating district and local organizations throughout the state;
d) Selecting and sending delegates to Libertarian Party national conventions.
Article II: Membership[]
Section 1. Any legal resident of Alabama may become a member of the Libertarian Party of Alabama.
Section 2. The entire Executive Committee, by two-thirds vote, may revoke an individual's membership for cause.
Article III: The Officers[]
Section 1. The officers of the Party shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officers are elected at the Annual Party Convention by all Party members present and take office immediately following the close of the Convention. No offices shall be combined.
Section 2. The Chair shall preside at all Party Conventions and at all meetings of the Executive Committee, and shall be the chief executive officer of the Party.
Section 3. The Vice-Chair shall act as assistant to the Chair and shall perform the duties of the Chair during periods in which the Chair is unable to perform those duties.
Section 4. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining the Party membership list, taking minutes of Executive Committee meetings, and keeping other records as required by the Chair or Executive Committee.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive, disburse, and account for the funds of the Party under the supervision of the Chair and the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual report and make available any financial information required by the Executive Committee.
Article IV: The Executive Committee[]
Section 1. The Executive Committee is composed of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, up to two At-Large Members, and a District Chair from each of the following ten metropolitan areas: Florence, Huntsville, Gadsden, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Montgomery, Dothan, Selma and Mobile. The exact geographic composition of each district shall be determined by the Executive Committee. No person shall hold more than one title. At-Large Members of the Executive Committee are elected at the Annual Party Convention. Up to two At-Large positions may be filled, but are not required.
Section 2. No Member of the Executive Committee shall be a member of, or hold office in, another political party, or support a candidate of another political party in opposition to a candidate of the Libertarian Party of Alabama.
Section 3. Each District Chair is chosen at the Annual Convention by caucus of the Party members present who reside in that district. A District Chair should be a Party member residing within the district he or she represents and is charged with the responsibility of promoting the activities described in Article I within the district. A District Chair is also responsible for organizing county-level subunits within the district as well as college campus groups or other local organizations promoting libertarian goals.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall appoint new officers if vacancies occur, such officers to complete the term of the office vacated. The Executive Committee may also appoint District Chairs to fill vacancies, so long as an appointee is a Party member and is willing to serve. The Executive Committee may appoint an acting District Chair from outside the district if necessary.
Section 5. The Executive Committee shall meet at such time and place as determined by action of the Committee or call of the Chair, except however the Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly. If a meeting is to be held at a time and/or place not arranged at a previous meeting it is the responsibility of the Secretary to give reasonable notice to all Executive Committee members.
Section 6. A meeting of Executive Committee members numbering more than thirty-five percent of the total number of Officers, At-Large Members, and District Chairs (currently filled) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Committee business.
Section 7. An Officer, District Chair, or other member holding a Party position may be removed from that position for cause by two-thirds vote of the entire Executive Committee.
Section 8. The Executive Committee may establish rules of order for its meetings, which need not include recording individual votes on every decision; however votes will be recorded by the Secretary on any decision made under Article II, section 2 or Article IV, sections 3 or 6 and on any decision for which a recorded vote is requested by one or more members of the Committee.
Section 9. A summary of the results of Executive Committee meetings shall be published in the next issue of the Party newsletter.
Article V: Convention[]
Section 1. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to set the time, place,and schedule of events for the Annual Convention. At least thirty days notice must be provided to the members concerning these arrangements. In order to vote at the Convention a Party member must have been a member at least 30 days prior to the date of the Convention.
Section 2. All votes for one or more candidates, officers, or delegates must include as the last selection the option, "None of the Above"(NOTA). If NOTA receives a majority of votes, an entirely new slate of candidates may be offered and a new vote taken, or that position shall go unfilled.
Section 3. Candidates for public office shall be chosen by majority vote at the Convention from among those put into nomination there. A Party candidate for public office must be a member of the Party, legally eligible to serve in the office, and willing to accept the nomination. In cases such as the death, resignation, disqualification, or suspension of a Party nominee, offices for which no candidate is chosen at the Convention, and circumstances such as special elections, redistricting, etc. requiring new candidates to be put forward, the Executive Committee shall be responsible for the selection of Party candidates. A candidate's nomination may be suspended for cause by 2/3 vote of the entire Executive Committee.
Article VI: The Amendment of Bylaws[]
These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those members present and voting at an Annual Convention. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws may be submitted by any Party member, but must be made available to the Executive Committee at least two weeks prior to the Convention so that preparations for their proper consideration at the Convention can be made.
Officers[]
Executive officers[]
- Chairman: Dick Clark
- (Interim) Vice-Chairman: John Sophocleus
- Secretary: Sarah Wires
- Treasurer: Gordon Maddox
- At-Large Representative #1: Barbara Gordon
- At-Large Representative #2: VACANT
District chairs[]
- Auburn: Jim Greenleaf
- Birmingham: Jim Albea
- Florence: VACANT
- Gadsden: VACANT
- Huntsville: Stephen Dow
- Mobile:VACANT
- Montgomery:VACANT
- Selma:VACANT
- Tuscaloosa: Holden McAllister
- Wiregrass:VACANT