Nassau County Young Republicans

Nassau County Young Republicans

Charter

Article I - Name

The name of the organization shall be the Nassau County Young Republicans, hereinafter referred to as NCYR.

Article II - Objectives

§1. The Objectives of the NCYR shall be:

A. To develop and maintain a county-wide Young Republican organization in the county of Nassau.

B. To bring young people into the Republican Party, to provide an opportunity to them for political expression and recognition, to train them as political workers and to provide a practical means by which they may contribute in the development and betterment of the Republican Party as a service to the United States of America, the State of New York, Nassau County and its political subdivisions.

C. To assist the people of our region by participating in and raising money for local charities.

D. To support the principles, objectives and platform of the Republican Party and to work for the election of all duly nominated Republican Party candidates. The NCYR shall not, as an organization, seek to influence the nomination of any Republican Primary candidates by endorsing a candidate that is not the nominee of the Republican Party, unless by a unanimous vote by the Executive Board to the contrary.

Article III - Membership

§1. There shall be three (3) classes of membership in the NCYR.

A. Active Membership: Any registered Republican (if of age to register) who is not more than forty (40) years of age and is a resident of Nassau County is eligible for active membership in the NCYR.

B. Associate Membership Any registered Republican who is not more than forty (40) years of age and is a non-resident of Nassau County is eligible for associate membership in the NCYR.

C. Honorary Membership: Honorary members shall be those people, designated for honorary membership by two-thirds of the Executive Board and three-fourths of those members present at any regular meeting of the NCYR. There are no residence or age limitations for this category of membership.

E. The term “members” where used shall mean only active and youth members of the NCYR.

§2. Dues. Annual dues for active members and associate members will be $15 for single membership, $10 for high school students, and $25 for couples. Other future fundraising and sponsorship programs will be developed by the finance committee and be presented to the executive board for approval by majority vote. All dues will be for the calendar year and must be paid to keep a member in good standing. Dues may be raised or lowered by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

§3. New Members. Any person who applies for active or associate membership shall be considered a member of the NCYR upon the close of the second meeting at which said member is present and the joining of at least one committee of the NCYR.

§4 Good Standing. A member or associate member is in “good standing” when he or she is a member of at least one committee or campaign and who has no dues outstanding.

§5. Expulsion. The membership may submit a petition containing the signatures of two-thirds of the members stating that a member has committed an act or conduct deemed unfriendly or hostile to the best interests of the NCYR. The Executive Board must then review the matter. That member shall then be notified by certified mail of the recommendation of the Executive Board at least one (1) week prior to the next meeting and shall have the right to appear in person or by a representative. Notice of the charges against the member and the recommendation of the Executive Board must be included in the call of the meeting, and must be received by the membership at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the beginning of the next meeting. At this meeting the member may then be expelled upon a three-fourths vote of those members present.

§6. Rights and Privileges.

A. All members and associate members must serve on at least one committee or one campaign of their choice, except as provided in Article IX, §1(A). Only active members may chair the standing committees of the NCYR.

B. All members shall have the right to vote. Associate members may only vote on whatever committee they are members of.

Article IV - Officers

§1. Number and Term. The officers of this NCYR shall be President, Executive Vice-President, First Vice-President of Campaigns, Second Vice-President of Membership and Recruitment, Third Vice-President of Social Coordination, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary. All officers shall hold office from the January meeting following the October meeting in which they were elected until their duly elected successors take office the following January. Officers shall serve without compensation and must be active members of the NCYR. Officers shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older and be registered in the Republican Party.

§2. Vacancies.

A. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Executive Vice-President.

B. All other vacancies shall be filled by the appointment of the President subject to ratification by the membership.

§3. Powers and Duties.

A. President.

1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the NCYR and the Executive Board.

2. The President shall recognize members who are entitled to the floor.

3. The President shall enforce and follow the rules relating to debate, order and decorum within the assembly.

4. The President shall expedite business in every way compatible with the rights of members.

5. The President shall appoint the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the standing committees, except where noted otherwise, pursuant to Article IX, §3, within 30 days of taking office.

6. The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian and a Special Advisor within 30 days of taking office.

7. The President shall supervise the activities of the NCYR, and perform all other duties incidental to his or her office.

8. The President shall have the authority to introduce matters for the consideration of the Board.

9. The President shall inform the Chair of the County Committee of Nassau County of the planned activities of the NCYR.

B. Executive Vice-President. The Executive Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President for the remainder of his or her term in the event the President can no longer fulfill the duties of the office and resigns, is removed from office, and/or deceased. Upon entering the Presidency, the new President shall appoint an Executive Vice-President with the approval of two-thirds of the executive board and a majority of the membership. The Executive Vice-President shall become acting president if the president is cannot be contacted, out of the county, or otherwise cannot serve as president for more than 24 hours.

C. First Vice-President of Campaigns.

1. The First Vice-President shall nominate liaisons to campaigns, which must be confirmed by a majority of the members of the NCYR.

2. The First Vice-President must be made aware of all relevant campaign activities which concern the NCYR, and report those activities to the members.

3. The First Vice-President shall present a report to the president, if necessary, of campaign activities of concern to the NCYR.

4. In the Executive Vice-President’s absence, the First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the Executive Vice-President.

5. In the absence of the President and the Executive Vice-President, the First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President and Executive Vice-President.

D. Second Vice-President of Membership and Recruitment.

1. The Second Vice-President shall coordinate activities to increase membership and recruitment into the NCYR and the Republican Party.

2. The Second Vice-President shall present a report of all activities to the president and members.

E. Third Vice-President of Social Coordination.

1. The Third Vice-President shall coordinate all social events of the NCYR.

2. The Third Vice-President shall present a report to the president and members of activities and events.

3. The Third Vice-President shall have all social events approved by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board.

4. The Third Vice-President shall chair the Social Committee.

F. Treasurer.

1. The Treasurer shall pay out all NCYR funds as directed by the Executive Board.

2. The Treasurer shall keep accounts thereof open at all times to inspection by the members.

3. The Treasurer shall render accounts of his or her transactions and of the financial condition of the NCYR at each regular meeting and shall submit an annual written report at the beginning of the January meeting.

4. All financial records shall be maintained by the Treasurer.

5. The Treasurer shall perform such duties as assigned by the Executive Board.

6. The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee.

G. Financial Secretary.

1. The Financial Secretary shall collect all NCYR funds as directed by the Executive Board.

2. The Financial Secretary shall deposit such funds in a depository designated by the Executive Board.

H. Recording Secretary.

1. The Secretary shall be responsible for taking the minutes of all NCYR meetings and meetings of the Executive Board and shall submit a copy of the minutes to the Board at/or before the beginning of the next meeting.

2. The Secretary shall keep the roll of the members, associate members and honorary members of the NCYR. A copy of the membership list must be distributed to the Officers of the NCYR in January, June and October.

I. Corresponding Secretary.

1. The Secretary shall be responsible for the mailing of all announcements and/or notices, and the handling of all other secretarial work as assigned by the President or Executive Board.

§4. Impeachment Procedures

A. Any officer can be censured or impeached if found to be incompetent, failing to perform his or her duties or engaging in activities detrimental to the NCYR.

B. Proceedings must be initiated by the Executive Committee or two-thirds of all NCYR members in writing.

C. The Executive Committee must then appoint a three-person panel to investigate the matter. The General Counsel will preside over the Impeachment Panel. However, the General Counsel will not have a vote in the panel’s findings.

D. Within ten days of the panel’s formation, the panel must meet. Within two weeks of the panel’s formation, the panel must issue at least one report to the Executive Board . Minority and concurring reports are permitted.

1. Each report must contain a finding of fact and a conclusion as to whether the accused shall be censured, removed from office, or whether no action should be taken.

E. The Executive Board within five days must adopt one of the reports by a majority vote. The adopted report is the presented to the membership. The membership can adopt the report upon a majority of those present.

F. If the Executive Board fails to adopt a report then all the reports shall be presented to the membership. The membership can adopt a report with a two-thirds vote of those present.

Article V - Executive Board

§1. Duties. The Executive Board shall consist of the nine (9) officers of the NCYR and the Immediate Past President. The Executive Board shall be responsible for the management of all NCYR activities subject to the approval of the membership. The Executive Board shall have the power to appoint additional leadership positions to members who are sixteen (16) years of age or older.

§2. Meetings. Executive Board meetings shall be held at such times and places as the President shall decide, and each Board member shall receive at least five (5) days notice from the President. Two-thirds of the Board members may submit a petition to the president and corresponding secretary for the purpose of calling a meeting. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

§3. Attendance. Any member of the Executive Board who misses three (3) meetings of the Board, and does not show due cause within a period of fifteen (15) days from the third meeting shall be considered to have resigned his or her office.

§4. Spending Powers. Only the Executive Board can authorize the spending of any NCYR funds in excess of $50. Officers may spend up to $50 for NCYR expenses without the prior consent of the Board. However, reimbursement of said expenses shall be at the discretion of the Executive Board after receipts are presented to the Treasurer.

§5 The Executive Board shall have the authority to introduce matters for the consideration of the NCYR.

§6. Any person with more than one position on the Executive Board shall still only have one (1) vote on the Executive Board.

§7. The Executive Board is authorized to develop a proxy form and rules for proxy acceptance which will allow members of the Executive Board to cast their vote by proxy at meetings of the Executive Board. However, no Executive Board member can cast a vote by proxy at two consecutive Executive Board meetings.

§8. The Executive Board shall have the power to appoint a General Counsel.

Article VI - Advisory Positions

§1. Qualifications. The Advisory positions can be held by a member or an associate member. An Honorary member may serve as General Counsel or as the Special Advisor to the President, but will then not have a vote on the Executive Board.

§2. General Counsel:

A. The General Counsel shall be the legal counsel of the NCYR and shall be responsible for giving the Executive Board and its members legal advice pertaining to NCYR business. The General Counsel shall be vested with the power of resolving disputes involving the NCYR.

B. All opinions are advisory only and the Executive Board is the final judge of the propriety of its actions.

C. No person shall hold the position of General Counsel unless he or she is an attorney in good standing admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

D. The General Counsel shall preside over any proceeding for removal or censure, and shall have the power to issue a notice of warning to any member of the NCYR.

E. The General Counsel shall be appointed by a majority of the Executive Board and can only be removed by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board.

§3. Special Advisor to the President. The Special Advisor shall be a confidential advisor to the President. He or she shall only report to the President and serves at the President’s pleasure.

§4. Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian shall rule on issues of procedure as may be referred to him or her by a member of the NCYR or Board. All rulings of the Parliamentarian shall be pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

§5. Communications Director. The Communications Director shall have the duty of publicizing all NCYR events and the organization as a whole. The Communications Director shall be the intermediary between the NCYR and the media.

§6. Special Advisors to the Executive Board. Members of the Executive Board of the Association of New York State Young Republican Clubs, Inc., and The Young Republican National Federation, Inc., shall be Special Advisors to the Executive Board.

§7 The Board of Directors

A. The Board of Directors shall be an advisory board to the Executive Board to speak on behalf of the membership. They shall also be granted further powers upon the direction of the President and the Executive Board.

B. The President shall appoint trustees to the Board of Directors, subject to the approval of the Executive Board and a majority vote of the general membership at the January meeting.

C. This board shall consist of nor more than seven (7) people and no less than three (3) people. All Active members, Associate members, and Honorary members are eligible to serve as trustees. Executive Board members are not permitted to serve on the Board of Directors.

D. The term of office shall be for one (1) year except in the case to fill a vacancy, which shall then be for the remainder of that term. There shall be no limits on terms served.

E. The President shall have the full authority to fill vacancies on this board, with the exception of the Chair.

F. The trustees shall decide upon the Chair of the Board of Directors. No person shall serve as Chair for more than one (1) year consecutively.

§8 All Advisory positions shall be ex officio members of the Executive Board.

Article VII - Meetings

§1. Regular. Regular meetings shall be called by the President or two-thirds of the Executive Board of the NCYR. They shall be held at least eight (8) times per year, but not more than one meeting shall occur per month. Meetings must be held in the months of November, December and January. Written notice shall be sent to the members by mail at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting.

§2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the NCYR shall be called by the President upon receiving a petition of at least ten (10) members of the NCYR. Said petition shall state the purpose of this special meeting and the requested date of said meeting. The President must call said meeting within a week of the date designated in the petition.

§3. Quorum. A quorum shall consist of five (5) percent of the membership.

Article VIII- Elections

§1. The election of officers of the NCYR shall be held at each October meeting. The newly-elected officers shall take office on January 1, serve a term of one year, and be sworn in by a current or former Republican elected official at the January meeting. The President and Executive Vice President shall be elected on a joint ticket.

§2. Election Committee. At the regular meeting in August, the President shall appoint two (2) Executive Board members and the members shall elect two (2) non-Executive Board members to serve with the President as the Election Committee.

A. Any member interested in running for an office must submit a one page (8 ½ x 11) document listing his or her qualifications for the office being sought and why he or she should be elected to that position, postmarked, e-mailed or hand delivered to a member of the Election Committee no later than September 1, or delivered by hand to a member of the Election Committee. This paper will be mailed to members pursuant to subsection D of this section, infra.

B. The Election Committee shall review the qualifications of those interested to serve as an officer and shall “approve” all members who are in good standing pursuant to Article III, section 4 to run for that office. These candidates shall be made public at the September meeting.

C. All “approved” candidates will be placed on the ballot for the October meeting.

D. Copies of the document prepared in subsection A of this section, supra, will be mailed to all members at least 10 days before the election.

E. Any member found by the Election Committee to have violated any of the Election Rules will have their names removed from the ballot and cannot hold office for a period of two (2) years.

F. Nominations from the floor at the September meeting will be allowed and are in order.

G. The Election Committee may set Rules of Procedure for the election meeting.

H. In a special election to fill a vacancy, the Election Committee shall set the rules and procedures for said election which will incorporate the rules provided for in subsections A through H, supra, into the time-frame for the special.

I. Candidates for the office of president must serve for one (1) term on the Executive Board immediately preceding the October election.

J. A member must be in good standing for one (1) year prior to an election in order to run for a position on the Executive Board.

§3. Voting.

A. Voting in all contested races shall be by secret ballot.

B. Members must be in good standing as of the September meeting prior to the October election in order to vote in an October election.

C. Proxy ballots may be requested in writing or via e-mail thirty (30) days prior to the October election. The Election Committee shall be responsible for the creation and disbursement of proxy ballots. Completed proxy ballots must be received by the date immediately prior to the October meeting.

D. Fifty percent plus one of the votes cast shall constitute a majority for that office. If a majority is not obtained on the first ballot, the two (2) candidates receiving the most votes will be the candidates in a run-off election.

§4. The President shall appoint at least three (3) tellers who shall dispense, collect and tabulate the vote.

Article IX- Committees

§1. Standing Committees. The Standing Committees and their function are as follows:

A. By-Laws: The By-Law Committee shall be charged with keeping the by-laws of the NCYR up-to-date and suggesting possible changes and amendments to the By-laws. They shall also submit a report to the Executive Board upon the request of any member for an interpretation of a section of the By-laws. The decision of the By-Laws committee can only be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board and a majority of the NCYR members. The General Counsel shall serve as Vice-Chair of this committee. Members of this committee are appointed by the Executive Board and the maximum size of the committee is five (5) including the Chair and Vice-Chair.

B. Finance: The Finance Committee is charged with examining the books of the NCYR and in making sure the NCYR is solvent. The Finance Committee shall run any fund raising venture of the NCYR and shall be responsible for monitoring any trust or scholarship funds held by the NCYR or any of its subsidiaries.

C. Membership: The Membership Committee is charged with seeking new members for the NCYR, acting as a liaison with established College Young Republican Groups, and assisting in the establishment of new College Young Republican Groups. The Second Vice-President is chair of this committee.

D. Political Activities: The Political Activities Committee is charged with overseeing any and all campaign work done by members of this organization and for developing new ideas on how to best utilize the NCYR for political activities. The First Vice-President is chair of this committee. This committee’s members include all campaign liaisons and town chairs.

E. Publicity and Community Activities: The Publicity and Community Activities Committee is charged with developing and publishing a newsletter, handling public relation ventures concerning the NCYR, making the NCYR's activities known to the people of Nassau County and in developing community projects which this NCYR can get involved in. The Corresponding Secretary is chair of this committee.

F. Youth Committee. The Youth Committee shall work with the Membership Committee in seeking out new members, shall act as a liaison with the High-School or TAR Republican NCYRs in existence, assist in developing new High-School Young Republican NCYRs, and sponsoring youth related topics or ideas which would help the younger members of the NCYR.

G. Social Committee. The Social Committee shall work to coordinate all social events, in an effort to encourage increasing active membership. The Third Vice-President is chair of this committee.

§2. The President may establish temporary committees as he or she sees fit. The term of said temporary committees will expire after three (3) months unless a majority of the members extend their duration by a fixed time period.

§3. The President shall appoint the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all committees with two-thirds of the Executive Board having the power to VETO the choice.

§4. The chair of a committee appointed by the President can be removed by the President with a majority of the Executive Board or two-thirds of the membership. The chair of a committee may be a member or an associate member.

§5. The President and Executive Vice President will be ex-officio members of all committees.

Article X - State Affiliation

§1. This NCYR will become a member of the Association of New York State Young Republican Clubs, Inc., and shall be subject to the Constitution and By-Laws of said association.

§2. The President shall nominate, with the consent of a majority of the Executive Board, the delegates and alternates to the Association of New York State Young Republican Clubs, Inc.

Article XI - Procedures and By-Laws

§1. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings, except when inconsistent with the By-laws of this NCYR.

Article XII - Amendments

§1. Submission. Any proposed amendment to these By-laws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary at any regular meeting. Said Amendment shall then be read to the members.

§2. Announcement. The meeting notice for the next regular meeting shall then contain the text of the proposed amendment to be voted on.

§3. Voting. Any amendments will be adopted upon a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board and a majority vote of the membership.

Article XIII - Empowering Clause

§1. This NCYR shall become effective upon the vote of two thirds of the present Executive Board and two thirds of the membership.

§2. All officers under the old constitution of the NCYR will retain their prior office.

§3. This charter shall supersede all previous charter(s) of the NCYR. All previous NCYR constitution(s), charter(s), by-law(s) and/or amendment(s) of any type are hereby deemed irrelevant. This charter shall be passed from president to president.

Adopted on June 13, 2002 by:

NINA PETRARO JENNIFER LECHLEITNER CHRISTOPHER L. BASTARDI

ANNE PETRARO STEVEN DELVECCHIO, JR. ANDREW MASTROMARINO

ALEX VASSALLO DONNA BUTLER

Amended – October 13, 2002

Amended – May 7, 2003

Amended – February 18, 2004

Amended – March 25, 2005

Amended – September 25, 2008

Amended – November 21, 2008