BYLAWS OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HUDSON
[First adopted September 23, 1938. Amended in 1947, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2021]
ARTICLE I, Name: The name of this organization shall be League of Women Voters of Hudson, hereinafter referred to in these Bylaws as LWVH.
ARTICLE II, Purposes and Policy:
Sec.1. Purposes. The purposes of the LWVH are to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation in government and to act on selected governmental issues.
Sec.2. Policies. The policies of LWVH are:
1. Political Policy. The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate.
2. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy. LWVH is fully committed to ensure compliance – in principle and in practice – with LWVUS’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy.
ARTICLE III, Membership:
Sec.1. Eligibility. Any person who subscribes to the purposes and policy of the League shall be eligible for membership.
Sec.2. Types of Membership.
ARTICLE IV, Board of Directors:
Sec.1. Number, Manner of Selection, and Term of Office. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the League, four elected directors and not more than six appointed directors. Two shall be elected by the general membership at each Annual Meeting and shall serve for a term of two years, beginning the first day of June after the Annual Meeting, or until their successors have been elected and qualified. The elected members shall appoint such additional directors, not exceeding six, as they deem necessary to carry on the work of the League. The terms of office of the appointed directors shall be one year and shall expire on the last day of May after the Annual Meeting.
Sec. 2. Qualifications. No person shall be elected or appointed or shall continue to serve as an officer or director of this organization unless that person is a voting member of the LWVH.
Sec. 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors by reason of the resignation, death or disqualification of an officer or elected member may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board, and shall serve until the next Annual Meeting. Three consecutive absences from a Board meeting of any member without a valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.
Sec. 4. Powers and Duties. The Board of Directors shall have full charge of the property and business of the organization, with full power and authority to manage and conduct the same, subject to the instructions of the general membership. The Board shall plan and direct the work necessary to carry on the Program as adopted by the National Convention, the State Convention, and the LWVH Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors shall create and designate such special committees as it may deem necessary.
Sec.5. Meetings. There shall be at least six regular meetings, in person or virtually, of the Board of Directors annually. The president or convener may call special meetings of the Board of Directors and shall call a special meeting upon the written request of five members of the Board Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE V, Officers:
Sec.1. Enumeration and Election of Officers. The Officers of the LWVH shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be elected for terms of two years by the general membership at the Annual Meeting and take office the first day of June after the Annual Meeting. The President and the Secretary shall be elected in even-numbered years. The Vice-President and the Treasurer shall be elected in the odd-numbered years. In the event a President cannot be named, the current Vice President shall be designated Convener for a year and a second Vice President shall be elected.
Sec.2. The President or Convener. The President or Convener shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Board of Directors. The President shall, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, sign or endorse checks, drafts and notes; shall be, ex-officio a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee; shall have such usual powers of supervision and management as may pertain to the office of the President and performs other duties as may be designated by the Board.
Sec 3. The Vice-President. The Vice-President shall, in the event of absence, disability, or death of the President or Convener, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of that office, until such time as the Board of Directors shall elect one of its members to fill the vacancy. The Vice-President shall perform such other duties of the President and the Board shall designate.
Sec.4. The Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the League and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall notify all officers and directors of their election. The Secretary shall sign with the President, all contracts and other instruments when so authorized by the Board and shall perform such other functions as may be incident to the office.
Sec. 5. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all Moneys due, shall be the custodian of these Moneys, shall deposit them in a bank(s) designated by the Board of Directors, and shall disburse the same only upon order of the Board. The Treasurer shall present statements to the Board at their regular meetings, as well as a quarterly budget report. An annual report shall be presented at the Annual Meeting.
[Note: For the non-partisan policy of the league as well as the rules for Officers and Board members Click Here.]
ARTICLE VI, Financial Administration:
Sec.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the LWVH shall coincide with the fiscal year of the LWVUS.
Sec. 2. Dues. Annual dues shall be payable the first day of the fiscal year. The amount of dues shall be determined by the Budget Committee and approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting.
Sec.3. Budget. A budget for the ensuing year shall be submitted by the Board of Directors to the Annual Meeting for adoption. The budget shall include support for the work of the League as a whole.
Sec.4. Budget Committee. A Budget Committee, composed of an uneven number of members, shall be appointed by the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the Annual Meeting to prepare a budget for the ensuing year. The proposed budget shall be sent to all members one month before the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall Not be eligible to serve as chair of the Budget Committee.
Sec.5. Audit Committee. The Board of Directors shall appoint an Audit Committee of three persons to verify the financial records and report its findings to the Board as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year.
ARTICLE VII, Meetings:
Sec.1. Membership Meetings. There shall be at least three meetings, in person or virtually, of the membership each year. The time and place shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Sec.2. Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting, in person or virtually, shall be held during the month of May, the exact date to be determined by the Board of Directors. The Annual Meeting shall: a) adopt a local program for the ensuing year; b) elect officers, directors, and members of the nominating committee; c) adopt an adequate budget and; d) transact such other business as may properly come before it.
Sec.3. Quorum. One-fourth of the voting members of the LWVH shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the LWVH.
ARTICLE VIII, Nominations and Elections:
Sec.1. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members, two of whom shall be members of the Board of Directors. The chair and two members, who shall not be members of the Board, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. Nominations for these offices shall be made by the current Nominating Committee. The other members shall be appointed by the Board of Directors immediately following the Annual Meeting. Any vacancy on the Nominating Committee shall be filled by the Board of Directors. Suggestions for nominations for officers and directors may be submitted to this Committee by any voting member.
Sec. 2. Report of the Nominating Committee and Nominations from the Floor. The report of the Nominating Committee of its nominations for Officers, Directors, and members of the succeeding Nominating Committee shall be sent to all members one month before the date of the Annual Meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the Annual Meeting. Immediately following the presentation of this report, nominations may be made from the floor by any voting member provided the consent of the nominee has been secured.
Sec. 3. Elections. The election shall be by ballot, except that when there is but one nominee for each office it shall be by voice vote. A majority of those present and voting shall constitute an election.
ARTICLE IX, Program:
Sec.1. Authorization. The governmental principles adopted by the National Convention and supported by the League as a whole constitute the authorization for the adoption of Program.
Sec. 2. Program. The Program of the LWVH shall consist of:
a) action to implement the principles of the League of Women Voters of Ohio and the League of Women Voters of the United States and
b) those local governmental issues chosen for concerted study and action.
Sec.3. Program Selection and Consideration. The Annual Meeting shall select the local government issues for concerted study and action using the following procedures:
a) The Board of Directors shall consider the recommendations submitted by the voting members two months prior to the Annual Meeting and shall formulate a Proposed Program.
b) The Proposed Program shall be sent to all members one month before the Annual Meeting.
c) A majority of voting members present and voting at the Annual Meeting shall be required for the adoption of subjects in the Proposed Program as presented to the Annual Meeting by the Board of Directors.
d) Recommendations for Program submitted by voting members two months prior to the Annual Meeting, but not recommended by the Board of Directors may be considered by the Annual Meeting provided that:
1) the Annual Meeting shall order consideration by majority vote and
2) the Annual Meeting shall adopt the item by a two-thirds vote.
Sec.4. Changes to Adopted Program. Changes to the Adopted Program may be made provided that:
1) information concerning any proposed change has been sent to all members at least two weeks prior to a general membership meeting at which the change is to be discussed and
2) final action by the membership is taken at a succeeding meeting.
Sec.5. Member Action. Members may act in the name of the League of Women Voters of Hudson only when authorized to do so by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X, National Convention, State Convention, and Council:
Sec.1. National Convention. The Board of Directors at a meeting before the date on which the names of the delegates must be sent to the national office shall select delegates to the convention in the number allotted the LWVH under the provisions of the Bylaws of LWVUS.
Sec.2. State Convention and Council. The Board of Directors at a meeting before the date on which names of the delegates must be sent to the state office shall select delegates to that Convention or Council in the numbers allotted the LWVH under the provisions of the Bylaws of the LWVO.
ARTICLE XI, Parliamentary Authority: The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order as Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XII, Amendments: These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present and voting at the Annual Meeting, using the following procedures:
a) Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Board of Directors at least two months prior to the Annual Meeting
b) All such proposed amendments together with the recommendation of the Board shall be sent to all members at least one month prior to the Annual Meeting.
