Eureka Greens Bylaws

Document History

Adopted July 23, 2005
Amended June 17, 2006
Amended October 14, 2006

Article I. Name & Affiliation

Section 1 - Name
1-1.1 The name of this organization is the Eureka Greens. The governing body of the Eureka Greens shall be the General Membership Meeting of the Eureka Greens.

Section 2 - Affiliation
1-2.1 The Eureka Greens are an affiliated Local of the Green Party of Humboldt County if legally recognized by and in compliance with the County General Assembly.

Article II. Mission & Purpose

Section 1 - Mission
2-1.1 The mission of the Eureka Greens shall be to promote the 10 Key Values of the Green Party of California in the area around the City of Eureka and the townships of Myrtletown, Pine Hill, Humboldt Hill, Cutten and Samoa as a Local of the Green Party of Humboldt County.

Section 2 - Purpose
2-2.1 These bylaws shall govern the organization, operation and functions of that political organization known as the Eureka Greens and they will also govern the General Membership Meeting of Eureka Greens and any committees established thereof. At no time may these bylaws or any operation of the Eureka Greens be in conflict with the bylaws and policies of the Green Party of Humboldt County.

Article III. Membership

Section 1 - Eureka Greens
3-1.1 All persons registered to vote within the City of Eureka or the townships of Myrtletown, Pine Hill, Humboldt Hill, Cutten or Samoa, as members of the Green Party pursuant to the laws of the State of California are eligible to participate in the functions of the Eureka Greens as provided by the laws of the state of California and these bylaws. Persons not eligible to be registered to vote in the State of California may participate in the functions of Eureka Greens so long as they meet all requirements of Active Membership.

Section 2 - Active Membership
3-2.1 Active Members of the Eureka Greens shall be considered those who meet all the following requirements:

a. Adhere to the 10 Key Values of the Green Party of California.
b. Support the platform of the Green Party of California and be guided by the platform in official Eureka Greens presentations to the public.
c. Participate in the work of the Eureka Greens.
d. Be registered Green if eligible under California law.
e. Attend at least two (2) General Membership Meetings in their entirety in the past twelve (12) months.

Article IV. The General Membership Meeting

Section 1 - Mission & Purpose
4-1.1 The General Membership Meeting shall serve as the governing body of the Eureka Greens. The meeting’s mission is to contribute to the ongoing empowerment of the members of the Eureka Greens so that they may continue their work. In keeping with the principles of grass-roots democracy, the meeting will serve to promote the 10 Key Values of the Green Party of California in all its actions and statements.

Section 2 - Duties & Authority
4-2.1 Those officers and appointees duly authorized by the will of the General Membership may perform tasks such as the following:

a. Act as necessary (while adhering to the process and principles of the Green Party of California) to carry out the decisions of the meeting and make executive decisions (but not set policy) between meetings. Actions between meetings shall reflect decisions made at announced meetings.
b. May make statements and authorize in the name of the Eureka Greens consistent with local, county and state policy.
c. The Eureka Greens shall refer all matters of law and legislation to the County Legal Committee. This includes undertaking any legal action deemed necessary to make decisions.
d. Conduct campaigns for the Eureka Greens and its candidates for public office.
e. Empower committees approved by the meeting.
g. Employ staff as necessary or desirable.
h. Conduct such other business as the Eureka Greens may require.
i. The Eureka Greens shall refer all disputes between members to the County Mediation Committee. Should mediation fail, the County Steering Committee may resolve the dispute. Either party may appeal the decision to the County General Assembly.

4-2.2 Those duly authorized shall ensure timely distribution of relevant information to all members of the Eureka Greens. This includes, but is not limited to:

a. Upcoming events, including the next General Membership Meeting, and deadlines required by law;
b. Upcoming issues requiring study, thought, and/or action;
c. Updates on projects in progress; and
d. Records or minutes of past meetings or significant discussion involving Eureka Greens.

4-2.3 Information provided to non-members must reflect the decisions of the Eureka Greens.

4-2.4 Use of the voter registration list of Green Party members is strictly limited to activities and persons specifically permitted by the County Steering Committee.

4-2.5 Elections for officers and other appointees shall be conducted consistent with the Bylaws of the Green Party of Humboldt County and, for clarity, with the Green Party of California.

Section 3 - Officers
4-3.1. As its first order of business after the adoption of these bylaws and at the first meeting of every July thereafter, the General Membership Meeting will elect a Local Delegate from among its members.

a. The Local Delegate shall represent the Eureka Greens as a voting member of the County Steering Committee.
b. The Local Delegate shall keep members informed of information shared at County Steering Committee meetings and Emerald Regional meetings of pertinence to the Local.
c. The Local Delegate shall serve a maximum of two complete, uninterrupted terms of one year. A partial term served to replace a former Local Delegate shall not be computed in this limit.

4-3.2 As its second order of business after the adoption of these bylaws and at the first meeting of every July thereafter, the General Membership Meeting will elect a Chair from among its members.

a. The Chair will, along with the Treasurer, sign all checks drawn of the Eureka Greens account.
b. The Chair shall serve as a standing Spokesperson for the Eureka Greens along with others chosen by a General Membership Meeting.
c. The Chair shall, along with the Secretary, produce a published agenda for each regular General Membership Meeting, and may call special meetings and publish their agendas.
d. The Chair shall produce a published agenda for each regular General Membership Meeting, and may call special meetings and publish their agendas.
e. The Chair shall open General Membership meetings at the appointed time after having ascertained that a quorum is present, and adjourning them when appropriate.
f. Authenticating with their signature all Position Papers, Policy Statements, or other documents as directed by the General Membership.
g. The Chair shall serve a maximum of one complete, uninterrupted term of one year. A partial term served to replace a former Chair shall not be computed in this limit.
h. In the event of the incapacity, resignation or recall of the Local Delegate, the Chair shall serve as interim Local Delegate until the meeting elects one.

4-3.3 As its third order of business after the adoption of these bylaws and at the first meeting of every July thereafter, the General Membership Meeting will elect a Vice Chair from among its members.

a. In the event of the incapacity, resignation or recall of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall serve as interim Chair until the meeting elects one.
b. In the event of the incapacity, resignation or recall of the Secretary, the Vice Chair shall serve as interim Secretary until the meeting elects one.
c. In the event of the incapacity, resignation or recall of the Treasurer, the Vice Chair shall serve as interim Treasurer until the meeting elects one.
d. The Vice Chair shall represent the Eureka Greens in official communications with the organs, committees and officials of the Green Party of the United States and the Green Party of California, as well as with the Greens for Democracy and Independence (GDI) Caucus and with the Global Green Coordination.
e. The Vice Chair shall serve a maximum of two complete, uninterrupted terms of one year. Partial terms served to replace a former Vice Chair shall not be computed in this limit.

4-3.4 As its fourth order of business after the adoption of these bylaws and at the first meeting of every July thereafter, the General Membership Meeting will elect a Treasurer from among its members.

a. The Treasurer shall provide the meeting with written reports of all transactions during the proceeding month.
b. The Treasurer shall be responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of the Political Reform Act and FPPC.
c. The Treasurer shall serve a maximum of two complete, uninterrupted terms of one year. Partial terms served to replace a former Treasurer shall not be computed in this limit.
d. The Treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate records of all fund’s at the meeting’s disposal, including the origin of the funds, the balance on hand, money spent, upcoming spending plans, and future funding needs. These records will be available to any member of the Eureka Greens at each meeting. The Treasurer must also grant requests, in a timely fashion, by party members for examination of the records outside of the meeting.

4-3.5 As its fifth order of business after the adoption of these bylaws and at the first meeting of every July thereafter, the General Membership Meeting will elect a Secretary from among its members.

a. The Secretary shall take written minutes of all meetings. Minutes shall be distributed to members before the start of the next meeting.
b. The Secretary will act as a conduit for all reports.
c. The Secretary shall serve a maximum of two complete, uninterrupted terms of one year. Partial terms served to replace a former Secretary shall not be computed in this limit.
d. The Secretary shall work with the Chair to produce agendas for meetings.
d. Minutes of the preceding meeting will be available to any member of the Eureka Greens at meetings.

Section 4 - Meetings
4-4.1 The Eureka Greens shall meet at least monthly, on the third Saturday at a time and place chosen by the Chair or a majority of other officers.

4-4.2 All Active Members of the Eureka Greens may participate in the “consensus-seeking process.”

4-4.3 The meeting requires a quorum to take action on any proposal under its consideration. A quorum for the Eureka Greens shall consist of at least a simple majority of five or more Active Members.

4-4.4 The regular monthly meeting shall be publicized with no less than seven days advance notice of its time, date, location and agenda, with no less than three days advance notice of any special meeting. Advance notice shall consist of communicating the time and place of this meeting and its agenda by directing the County Media Committee to advertise the meeting as widely as realistic.

4-4.5 A special meeting may be called by the Chair or by submission to the Secretary of a petition signed by 20 Active Members of the Eureka Greens, accompanied by the agenda of the meeting.

Section 5 - Decision-making Process
4-5.1 The Eureka Greens shall follow the “consensus-seeking process” for reaching decisions as outlined in the Bylaws of the Green Party of California.

4-5.2 Notwithstanding other provision of these bylaws, once the membership has ratified the agenda contract, requests for additional agenda time for an item must include a specific number of minutes and whether the time will be added to the length of the meeting or if it will come from some other item. The meeting must reach consensus (two-thirds majority vote fallback) to contract for additional time or to add an item to the agenda subsequent to its publication by the Chair or a petitioner.

4-5.3 When the closing option of voting is selected by the presenter of the proposal, the facilitation team will proceed in the following steps:

a. The note taker will read the proposal and amendments.
b. The scribe will record the vote of the General Membership Meeting where all can see it by “yes”, “no”, and “stand- aside.”
c. If necessary, the facilitation team will call a roll and record each member with the help of the door keeper.
d. Stand-asides are not counted in calculating the percentage vote, however if those who stand-aside represent a plurality of the vote, the proposal fails.
e. The role call recorded vote will be included in the meeting minutes.
f. Only Active Members may vote or hold an unresolved concern.
g. The Secretary shall make available written copies of any action item duly circulated and placed on the agenda by the Chair of by a petitioner. Any item not circulated prior to the General Membership Meeting must be presented in legible form with at least 15 copies provided by the particular presenter(s) of an item.

4-5.4· Eureka Greens meetings are public and open to observers. Guests and observers will register with the doorkeeper.

4-5.5 The General Membership Meeting may choose to go into closed session with a three-fourths majority vote. Only Active Eureka Greens members may attend closed sessions.

4-5.6 With consensus (three-fourths majority fall-back vote), the General Membership Meeting may exercise its right to exclude an individual who fails to honor the process and principles of the Green Party.

Section 6 - Recall & Removal
4-6.1 The following steps are necessary to enact the recall of an officer or appointee:

a. Three Active Members of the Eureka Greens must present a written statement to the meeting specifying exactly how the member failed to act in accordance with the 10 Key Values or with these bylaws.
b. Both parties will meet with the County Mediation Committee within fourteen days. Within five days the County Mediation Committee will inform both parties of its recommendation.
c. If either party is dissatisfied with the County Mediation committee’s recommendation, the meeting shall allot equal times for both the officer targeted for recall and the party attempting the recall to present their positions. If the meeting reaches consensus (two-thirds majority fallback vote), the officer shall be considered removed.

4-6.2 Any officer shall be considered removed if they fail to attend three consecutive General Membership meetings, whether regular or special.

Section 7 - Endorsements
4-7.1 The General Membership Meeting reserves the right to make endorsements of candidates for public office on behalf of the Eureka Greens. Preference should be given to candidates who are registered with the Green Party of California, and the stability and growth in the number and quality of Greens holding office shall be an ongoing concern.

4-7.2 Endorsements of multiple candidates for a particular office beyond the number of seats available are not permitted. No candidates from the Democratic or Republican parties may be endorsed for partisan office if other options exist.

4-7.3 Candidates shall be eligible for endorsement for each office based on their adherence to the Ten Key Values and state and local Green Party platforms and policies. Candidates may only be considered at the direction of the County Elections Committee, or by submission of written communiqué by the candidate to the Secretary, or by attendance at the General Membership Meeting wherein the endorsement is made.

4-7.4 Each Active Eureka Greens Member present may cast a ballot on endorsements for all offices under consideration in a particular election cycle. Ranked Choice Voting (also known as instant Runoff Voting) shall be used to determine the outcome, which shall include the option of "No other Candidate (NOC)," also known as None of the Above. Candidates shall be endorsed upon receiving first round or transferred votes beyond the necessary threshold. No candidate receiving fewer first-round or transferred votes than the NOC option shall be endorsed.

Article V. Ratification and Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1 - Ratification
5-1.1 These Bylaws are ratified and shall take effect immediately upon the consensus or three-fourths majority vote by the General Membership Meeting of the Eureka Greens.

Section 2 - Amendment Procedure
5-2.1 Any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be submitted in electronic format to the County Legal Committee for review with no less than 14 days notice. Upon review, an amendment may be considered at a regular meeting if included on the published agenda. An amendment shall take effect immediately upon the consensus or three-fourths majority vote by the General Membership Meeting of the Eureka Greens.

Article VI. General Policies

Section 1 - Discrimination
6-1.1 The Eureka Greens shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion or income. It is the responsibility of officers to insure that this policy is carried out.

Adopted this twenty-third day of July, Common Era 2005,
Paul Sanderson, Chair
Eureka Greens, GPHC Local

Amended this seventeenth day of June, Common Era 2006,
Heidi Calton, Chair
Eureka Greens, GPHC Local

Amended October 14, 2006
Heidi Calton, Chair
Eureka Greens, GPHC Local