I. Name

The name of this organization is the Cleveland County Green Party (CCGP).

II. Purpose

The purpose of the CCGP is to advance the principles of social justice, ecological and environmental wisdom, grassroots democracy, and nonviolence in Cleveland County, and to work with like-minded groups towards the establishment of the Green Party of Oklahoma.

III. Membership

Membership is open to any individual who is in general agreement with the four pillars of the Green Party: social justice, environmental wisdom, grassroots democracy, and nonviolence.

IV. Structure and Meetings

A. All decision-making power rests in the membership, which shall meet at least quarterly in a General Membership meeting. These meetings shall be announced to all members in advance.

B. The CCGP will strive to achieve consensus on all decisions. If consensus is not immediately reached, there will be an opportunity for all views to be fully expressed and explored. If consensus is still not achieved, a vote will be taken. A vote of 2/3 of those members who are present will be required to act on any proposal.

C. Everyone present is invited to participate in all discussion, but only those who have attended at least one prior meeting and who have submitted a membership form to the Secretary of the COGP are entitled to vote.

D. A quorum shall be constituted by 20% of the General Membership, as certified by the Secretary. In no instance shall a quorum be constituted by fewer than eight (8) people. The General Membership shall not act on any proposal in the absence of a quorum.

V. Steering Committee

A. The Steering Committee shall consist of seven (7) members, all elected by the membership: two (2) co-chairs, a secretary, a treasurer, and three (3) at-large members.

B. The CCGP shall strive for racial and gender diversity in its leadership. At all times, at least one of the two co-chairs must be a woman.

C. The seven (7) elected officers shall serve terms of six months, from December 1 - May 31, and from June 1 - November 30. The officers shall be elected at the General Membership meetings immediately preceding December 1 and June 1. The date, time, and location of all elections shall be publicly announced to all members in advance. Candidates for office need not be present at the meeting at which the election is held, but they must be members in good standing as of that date. Elections for single-member offices (Treasurer and Secretary) shall be held using instant runoff voting. Elections for multi-member offices (Co-chair and At Large Steering Committee Members) shall be held using preference voting.

D. The Steering Committee is empowered to act on behalf of the organization between General Membership meetings. This includes the expenditure of funds. However, the Steering Committee is not empowered to place the CCGP in debt, nor to act contrary to any explicit decisions or policies of the General Membership.

E. The Steering Committee shall make all decisions according to the procedures outlined in Section IV. B. above. The Steering Committee shall act only when a majority of Steering Committee members are present, except that, where necessary, the Steering Committee may make time-sensitive decisions by email. Any decision made by email shall require the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the Steering Committee members.

F. The signatures of two elected officers shall be required for any CCGP expenditure over $25.00. All such expenditures must be authorized by either the Steering Committee or the General Membership.

G. The Steering Committee shall set the agenda for each General Membership meeting. All Steering Committee meetings shall be publicized, and every member is invited to attend as a non-voting participant.

VI. Amendments

A. These By-laws shall take effect upon adoption by a vote of 3/4 in attendance at any General Membership meeting.

B. These By-laws may be amended by a vote of 3/4 in attendance at any General Membership meeting, provided that the amendment has been proposed at a prior General Membership meeting and that the date, time, and location of the vote have been publicly announced to all members.

As adopted, March 11, 2000
As amended, April 14, 2001