Bylaws
FERNLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
BYLAWS
Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Fernley Republican Women (FRW).
Article II - Objectives
The objectives of this club shall be to:
Article III - Policies
Section 1 The president and campaign activities chair of the FRW shall not publicly endorse any candidate for public office in any primary, runoff, special or non-partisan race where two or more known Republicans are in the race. No endorsement or evidence of support by any member shall be issued using the NFRW or FRW affiliation, logo, or stationery without the approval of the NFRW or FRW, as appropriate.
Section 2 An officer of the organization who is a candidate or whose spouse or family member is a candidate shall be exempt from this rule, however, they may not do so in the name of the organization or by utilizing the logo or stationery of the NFRW, the state federation or the FRW.
Section 3 Any member who advocates a split party ticket or supports a candidate who is running on an opposition ticket may be removed from membership of the FRW.
Section 4 All member information is the sole property of the FRW and cannot be sold or furnished for any other purpose.
Article IV - Membership
Section 1
iii. An individual may thereafter join any number of clubs as an associate member.
b. Associate membership:
i. Republican women who are members of another Federated club may join as associate members.
ii. Any man, duly registered as a Republican, may become an associate member.
iii. An associate member may not hold office, vote, or serve on committees.
c. When the First Lady of Nevada is a Republican, she will automatically be an honorary member of this club with the same privileges as an associate member. She may choose one club in which to be a full member to have a vote.
Section 2 This club shall be a member of the NEVADA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN and the NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN.
Section 3 Individuals
An individual member of the FRW may be removed from membership by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. Cause for such removal shall include, but not be limited to, the following.
Section 4 Officers
The President and Campaign Committee chair may be removed from membership by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. Cause for such removal shall include, but not be limited to, failure to comply with the policies set forth in Article III of these bylaws and Section 3. above, regarding Individuals.
Section 5 Reinstatement of an Individual or Officer
An individual member or officer previously removed from membership in the FRW may be reinstated by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee under the following conditions.
Article V - Officers
Section 1 The elected officers of this club shall be President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2
a. To hold an elected office in this organization, a member must be in good standing. A member in good standing is one whose dues for the year in which she will serve have been paid prior to her nomination and is not under disciplinary action.
b. No one may be elected to the presidency who has not served on the board of directors for at least one year and has not attended eight of the last eleven meetings.
c. No one may be elected or appointed to any other office who has not been an active member in attendance at meetings on a regular basis and has served on at least one Standing Committee listed in these Bylaws.
d. An exception may be made to b and c, above, when no one who meets these requirements agrees to run for election or agrees to serve in an appointed position.
e. A term of office is one year from January 1 through December 31. An officer who has served seven months shall be considered to have served a full term in that office.
f. The club president may serve only two consecutive terms in the same office or until her successor takes office.
g. In the event of a vacancy in the office of:
i. President - the 1st Vice President shall assume the office of the President.
ii. Other elective offices - the vacancy shall be filled by election at the next meeting following the vacancy.
iii. Temporary vacancies, due to leave of absence, shall be filled by appointment by the President.
h. An officer candidate may not simultaneously run for more than one office.
Section 3 Duties of the elected officers:
a. The President shall:
v. Serve on the Nevada Federation of Republican Women's Board of Directors.
b. The 1st Vice President shall:
i. Perform the duties of the President in her absence.
ii. Assume the responsibility for the programs presented at the general meeting.
iii. Be chairman of the Achievement Awards committee, if no other member is willing to serve.
iv. Perform such other duties as requested by the President or the membership.
c. The 2nd Vice President shall:
i. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of both the President and 1st Vice President.
ii. Be chairman of the Membership Committee.
iii. Perform such other duties as requested by the President or the membership.
d. The Secretary shall:
i. Be custodian of all funds of this organization.
ii. Be responsible for the collection of dues and all other money collected by the club.
iii. Pay all bills, keep all receipts and financial records, and sign all checks except her own reimbursement checks which will be signed by the President.
iv. Adhere to the latest revision of the “Procedures – Office of the Treasurer”.
v. Submit the books for annual audit, which shall be completed by the fifteenth day of January.
vi. Be an ex-officio member of the Budget Committee.
vii. The Treasurer shall prepare and present quarterly reports to the Budget Committee and the general membership.
viii. When feasible, the Treasurer shall be bonded and the club shall pay the necessary fees.
Section 4 The appointed officers of this club shall be Chaplain, Historian and Parliamentarian.
Section 5 Duties of the appointed officers.
a. The Chaplain shall:
i. Give the invocation and, if used, the benediction at the meetings and other events as directed by the President; and,
ii. Serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
b. The Historian shall:
i. Be responsible for keeping an official historical record of all club activities; and,
ii. Serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
c. The Parliamentarian shall:
i. Be thoroughly familiar with the bylaws of the club, NvFRW and NFRW in order to interpret and inform.
ii. Be familiar with the rules set out in the adopted parliamentary authority.
iii. Serve as the interpreter of correct parliamentary law procedures and protocol.
iv. Serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, except in the case of a written ballot.
v. Instruct the Nominating Committee as to proper procedure, orally and in writing.
vi. Be the Chairman of the Bylaws Committee.
Article VI - State Nominating Committee
Section 1 A member and two alternates to the State Nominating Committee shall be elected biennially by the members at the regular November meeting following the state convention.
Section 2 The appointee shall represent the Fernley Republican Women at the meeting of the State Nominating Committee, which will be called by the Chairman of the State Nominating Committee before the convention.
Article VII - Committees
Section 1 Standing committees may consist of the following:
Achievement Americanism Armed Forces/Homeland Security
Audit Budget Bylaws
Campaign Caring for America Elections
Fourth of July Hospitality Leadership
Legislation Literacy Membership
Newsletter Nominations Publicity/Outreach
Scholarship Ways and Means Website/Facebook
Section 2 Standing committees may be added or eliminated by majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Section 3 Ad hoc committees may be established by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee.
Section 4 When a new committee is established, the Chairman must report back to the Board of Directors prior to implementation of any new programs. The Board will then make a recommendation(s) to the full membership.
Article VIII - Executive Committee & Board of Directors
Section 1 Executive Committee
a. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, Parliamentarian, and the immediate past President.
b. The Executive Committee shall meet monthly, at the call of the President unless deemed unnecessary or at the request of a simple majority of the members of the Executive Committee.
c. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct business that may arise between meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section 2 Board of Directors
a. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee, appointed officers and chairmen of the standing committees.
b. The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly or at the call of the President.
c. The Board of Directors shall propose recommendations for presentation to the members for action at the regular meetings.
d. A member of the Board of Directors who is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors without sufficient cause may be removed from her office or chairmanship at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
e. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a Chairman to fill a vacancy so caused.
Section 3 Electronic Meetings
In the event a properly called Executive Committee or Board of Directors meeting has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond the control of the FRW, it shall be acceptable to hold said meeting by conference call, Skype or approved electronic means with seven days’ notice being given to the members of the appropriate committee.
Article IX - General Meetings
Section 1 At least five meetings shall be held each year.
Section 2 Meetings shall be held the 3rd Tuesday of the month unless changed by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting.
Section 3 The months in which meetings shall be suspended, if any, shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 4 In the event a properly called general meeting has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond the control of the FRW, it shall be acceptable to hold said meeting by conference call, Skype or approved electronic means with seven days’ notice being given to the membership.
Article X - Dues
Section 1 The dues of this club shall be reviewed at least every November in odd numbered years by the general membership to meet required obligations to the State and National Federations of Republican Women.
Section 2 Dues are due and payable on the first day of December of each year. The Membership Committee Chairman shall mail the dues notices no later than the fifteenth day of October.
Section 3 Dues shall be delinquent on the 5th day of February of each year and the membership rolls shall be cleared accordingly.
Section 4 Dues shall be non-refundable. Should a member resign or be removed from membership, dues shall be forfeited. Dues may be prorated at the discretion of the Executive Committee but must be in an amount sufficient to meet the FRW’s obligations to the NvFRW and NFRW.
Article XI - Nominations and Elections
Section 1 Nominations
Section 2 Elections
a. An Elections Committee of at least three members shall be appointed by the President prior to the November meeting. At the November meeting, the Elections Committee shall provide all elections materials and act as tellers for the election. The Elections Committee chairman shall present the final tally to the President.
b. Election shall be by ballot at the November meeting, except when there is no contest, election shall be by voice vote. No proxy or absentee voting will be allowed.
c. The candidate receiving a majority of all votes cast shall be considered elected.
d. In the event of a tie vote between two candidates, there shall be one re-vote. If there is still a tie vote, the flip of a coin or the highest card drawn will determine the winner.
e. Newly elected officers shall assume office on January 1 and serve to December 31.
Section 3 Exception
Except as noted in Article V, Section I c., in case of a vacancy during the regular term, either the existing Nominating Committee, reinstated by the President, or the Executive Committee shall submit one or more names for the vacated office, and nominations from the floor shall be in order.
Article XII - NvFRW and NFRW Biennial Conventions
Section 1 NvFRW Biennial Convention
a. On or before receipt of the call to convention, nominations for delegates and alternates shall be accepted.
b. Election of delegates and alternates shall be on the basis of one delegate and one alternate for each ten members of the FRW or major fraction thereof based on the NvFRW Treasurer’s records.
c. Delegates and alternates must be members in good standing of the FRW.
d. The election shall occur at such FRW meeting as to allow for the list of delegates and alternates to be submitted to the NvFRW President at least ten days prior to the convention.
Section 2 NFRW Biennial Convention
c. Election of one delegate and one alternate shall occur at such FRW meeting as to allow credential forms to be mailed to the NvFRW and NFRW presidents and postmarked no later than 30 days prior to the convention.
Article XIII - Quorum
Section l One-fourth of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at a club meeting.
Section 2 The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee.
Section 3 The quorum for a Board of Directors meeting shall consist of a majority of the Board of Directors.
Article XIV - Parliamentary Authority
The FRW shall make its best effort to follow the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, which shall govern all proceedings except where inconsistent with the bylaws of this club, and those of the State and National Federations of Republican Women.
Article XV - Finances
Section 1 Budget
a. The newly elected President shall appoint a Budget Chairman and the Budget Committee composed of a minimum of two from the membership with the Treasurer as an ex-officio member, following the November meeting.
b. The proposed budget shall include funds, if available, to offset costs of attending National and Nevada Federation of Republican Women biennial conventions for delegates and alternate delegates designated by these bylaws or elected by the membership as appropriate.
c. The proposed budget shall be presented to the Executive Committee for review and to the membership for approval at their respective January meetings.
d. The fiscal year shall coincide with the calendar year.
e. Any proposed expenses not provided for in the budget shall be presented, in writing, to the membership for approval.
f. The Treasurer or the President shall approve all expenditures.
Section 2 Audit
Article XVI – Dissolution
In the event of dissolution of this organization by a vote of its members, the name and all of its assets shall become property of the Nevada Federation of Republican Women, as required by that organization’s bylaws.
Article XVII - Amendments and Revisions
These bylaws may be amended or revised[1] by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting, provided that the amendment or revision has been presented in writing or by email with at least ten days’ notice. At a minimum, the bylaws will be reviewed in even-numbered years.
The following procedures are to be followed when amending or revising our bylaws:
Section 1 Schedule a Bylaws Committee Meeting.
Section 2 Email or mail members to see if they have proposed changes and ask for them to be submitted to the Bylaws Committee chairman prior to the scheduled committee meeting.
Section 3 The Bylaws Committee meets and develops proposed bylaws changes.
Section 4 The Bylaws Committee presents the proposed bylaws changes at the next regular meeting of the FRW for the first reading and for additional changes the membership may suggest. If the changes proposed are not complicated or are of such importance that the amendment process needs to be shortened, the first reading can be accomplished by emailing the proposed changes for member review at least 10 days prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the FRW.
Section 5 Following the second reading of the proposed changes, the bylaws may be adopted; or, if the changes were significant, the bylaws must be read for a third time and adopted at the next meeting.
[1] An amendment of the bylaws opens only specific sections to change, which can be done more quickly than a revision. A revision opens the entire document to review and change, and it involves rewriting the existing document and substituting a newly written document.
BYLAWS
Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Fernley Republican Women (FRW).
Article II - Objectives
The objectives of this club shall be to:
- increase the effectiveness of women in the cause of good government through political education and active political participation,
- support objectives and policies of both the Nevada Federation of Republican Women (NvFRW) and the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW),
- foster loyalty to the Republican Party and to promote its principles,
- work for the election of the Republican Party nominees and
- select topics which interest the club and focus on legislation to interact with our elected officials within the state and nation.
Article III - Policies
Section 1 The president and campaign activities chair of the FRW shall not publicly endorse any candidate for public office in any primary, runoff, special or non-partisan race where two or more known Republicans are in the race. No endorsement or evidence of support by any member shall be issued using the NFRW or FRW affiliation, logo, or stationery without the approval of the NFRW or FRW, as appropriate.
Section 2 An officer of the organization who is a candidate or whose spouse or family member is a candidate shall be exempt from this rule, however, they may not do so in the name of the organization or by utilizing the logo or stationery of the NFRW, the state federation or the FRW.
Section 3 Any member who advocates a split party ticket or supports a candidate who is running on an opposition ticket may be removed from membership of the FRW.
Section 4 All member information is the sole property of the FRW and cannot be sold or furnished for any other purpose.
Article IV - Membership
Section 1
- Membership:
- Shall be open to any registered Republican woman.
iii. An individual may thereafter join any number of clubs as an associate member.
b. Associate membership:
i. Republican women who are members of another Federated club may join as associate members.
ii. Any man, duly registered as a Republican, may become an associate member.
iii. An associate member may not hold office, vote, or serve on committees.
c. When the First Lady of Nevada is a Republican, she will automatically be an honorary member of this club with the same privileges as an associate member. She may choose one club in which to be a full member to have a vote.
Section 2 This club shall be a member of the NEVADA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN and the NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN.
Section 3 Individuals
An individual member of the FRW may be removed from membership by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. Cause for such removal shall include, but not be limited to, the following.
- Dereliction of duties or malfeasance of office by being in violation of any of their officer duties as prescribed in these bylaws.
- The failure or refusal to support the policies and objectives of the FRW, the NvFRW or the NFRW as stated in the bylaws of each.
- Any act or omission intended to cause or have the effect of causing damage to the reputation or financial stability of the FRW, NvFRW or the NFRW.
- Non-payment of full primary membership dues assessed by the FRW within 60 days from the date those dues are payable.
- Failure to support the Republican Party.
- Advocating a split party ticket or supporting a candidate who is running on an opposition ticket.
- Actions which conflict with the bylaws of the FRW, the NvFRW or the NFRW.
- Initiation of litigation or other adversarial proceedings against the FRW, the NvFRW or NFRW in which any are named defendant or respondent.
- Refusal to return any material or equipment or records held by that member within ten days of such request by the FRW President.
- Advocating a split party ticket or supporting a candidate who is running on an opposition ticket.
- Endorsing or supporting a candidate by using the FRW, NvFRW or NFRW affiliation, logo or stationery without the approval of the appropriate organization.
Section 4 Officers
The President and Campaign Committee chair may be removed from membership by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. Cause for such removal shall include, but not be limited to, failure to comply with the policies set forth in Article III of these bylaws and Section 3. above, regarding Individuals.
Section 5 Reinstatement of an Individual or Officer
An individual member or officer previously removed from membership in the FRW may be reinstated by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee under the following conditions.
- Submittal of a letter of consideration for reinstatement to the Executive Committee.
- Demonstration of a willingness to comply with the FRW, NvFRW and NFRW bylaws.
- Acknowledgement and respect for the FRW mission and goals.
Article V - Officers
Section 1 The elected officers of this club shall be President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2
a. To hold an elected office in this organization, a member must be in good standing. A member in good standing is one whose dues for the year in which she will serve have been paid prior to her nomination and is not under disciplinary action.
b. No one may be elected to the presidency who has not served on the board of directors for at least one year and has not attended eight of the last eleven meetings.
c. No one may be elected or appointed to any other office who has not been an active member in attendance at meetings on a regular basis and has served on at least one Standing Committee listed in these Bylaws.
d. An exception may be made to b and c, above, when no one who meets these requirements agrees to run for election or agrees to serve in an appointed position.
e. A term of office is one year from January 1 through December 31. An officer who has served seven months shall be considered to have served a full term in that office.
f. The club president may serve only two consecutive terms in the same office or until her successor takes office.
g. In the event of a vacancy in the office of:
i. President - the 1st Vice President shall assume the office of the President.
ii. Other elective offices - the vacancy shall be filled by election at the next meeting following the vacancy.
iii. Temporary vacancies, due to leave of absence, shall be filled by appointment by the President.
h. An officer candidate may not simultaneously run for more than one office.
Section 3 Duties of the elected officers:
a. The President shall:
- Be the chief executive officer and shall be charged with the general and active management and direction of the activities of the FRW; and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Executive committee and the Board of Directors are effectuated.
- Preside at general membership, Executive Committee and Board of Directors’ meetings; shall appoint members of all committees, except as herein otherwise provided; shall have general supervision and direction of all other officers of the FRW and shall see that their duties are properly performed; shall perform such other duties as the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors may direct.
- Have the general powers and duties of a chief executive officer and shall have the power to sign contracts as authorized by the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors and shall perform such duties as properly required of her by the Board of Directors.
v. Serve on the Nevada Federation of Republican Women's Board of Directors.
b. The 1st Vice President shall:
i. Perform the duties of the President in her absence.
ii. Assume the responsibility for the programs presented at the general meeting.
iii. Be chairman of the Achievement Awards committee, if no other member is willing to serve.
iv. Perform such other duties as requested by the President or the membership.
c. The 2nd Vice President shall:
i. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of both the President and 1st Vice President.
ii. Be chairman of the Membership Committee.
iii. Perform such other duties as requested by the President or the membership.
d. The Secretary shall:
- Have custody of all papers and records, except those held by the Treasurer and Historian.
- Determine whether a quorum is present at all meetings as specified in Article XII and so notify the President before any business is conducted.
- Take the minutes of all general, Executive Committee and Board of Director's meetings and maintain an accurate and permanent record of the club's activities.
- Issue notice of all meetings or delegate this responsibility to the Publicity Chair.
- Answer correspondence, write acknowledgments, send special invitations and attend to any other mail as required of her by the President, Executive Committee, or the Board of Directors.
- Compile and distribute a member handbook no later than the March meeting each year.
i. Be custodian of all funds of this organization.
ii. Be responsible for the collection of dues and all other money collected by the club.
iii. Pay all bills, keep all receipts and financial records, and sign all checks except her own reimbursement checks which will be signed by the President.
iv. Adhere to the latest revision of the “Procedures – Office of the Treasurer”.
v. Submit the books for annual audit, which shall be completed by the fifteenth day of January.
vi. Be an ex-officio member of the Budget Committee.
vii. The Treasurer shall prepare and present quarterly reports to the Budget Committee and the general membership.
viii. When feasible, the Treasurer shall be bonded and the club shall pay the necessary fees.
Section 4 The appointed officers of this club shall be Chaplain, Historian and Parliamentarian.
Section 5 Duties of the appointed officers.
a. The Chaplain shall:
i. Give the invocation and, if used, the benediction at the meetings and other events as directed by the President; and,
ii. Serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
b. The Historian shall:
i. Be responsible for keeping an official historical record of all club activities; and,
ii. Serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
c. The Parliamentarian shall:
i. Be thoroughly familiar with the bylaws of the club, NvFRW and NFRW in order to interpret and inform.
ii. Be familiar with the rules set out in the adopted parliamentary authority.
iii. Serve as the interpreter of correct parliamentary law procedures and protocol.
iv. Serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, except in the case of a written ballot.
v. Instruct the Nominating Committee as to proper procedure, orally and in writing.
vi. Be the Chairman of the Bylaws Committee.
Article VI - State Nominating Committee
Section 1 A member and two alternates to the State Nominating Committee shall be elected biennially by the members at the regular November meeting following the state convention.
Section 2 The appointee shall represent the Fernley Republican Women at the meeting of the State Nominating Committee, which will be called by the Chairman of the State Nominating Committee before the convention.
Article VII - Committees
Section 1 Standing committees may consist of the following:
Achievement Americanism Armed Forces/Homeland Security
Audit Budget Bylaws
Campaign Caring for America Elections
Fourth of July Hospitality Leadership
Legislation Literacy Membership
Newsletter Nominations Publicity/Outreach
Scholarship Ways and Means Website/Facebook
Section 2 Standing committees may be added or eliminated by majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Section 3 Ad hoc committees may be established by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee.
Section 4 When a new committee is established, the Chairman must report back to the Board of Directors prior to implementation of any new programs. The Board will then make a recommendation(s) to the full membership.
Article VIII - Executive Committee & Board of Directors
Section 1 Executive Committee
a. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, Parliamentarian, and the immediate past President.
b. The Executive Committee shall meet monthly, at the call of the President unless deemed unnecessary or at the request of a simple majority of the members of the Executive Committee.
c. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct business that may arise between meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section 2 Board of Directors
a. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee, appointed officers and chairmen of the standing committees.
b. The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly or at the call of the President.
c. The Board of Directors shall propose recommendations for presentation to the members for action at the regular meetings.
d. A member of the Board of Directors who is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors without sufficient cause may be removed from her office or chairmanship at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
e. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a Chairman to fill a vacancy so caused.
Section 3 Electronic Meetings
In the event a properly called Executive Committee or Board of Directors meeting has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond the control of the FRW, it shall be acceptable to hold said meeting by conference call, Skype or approved electronic means with seven days’ notice being given to the members of the appropriate committee.
Article IX - General Meetings
Section 1 At least five meetings shall be held each year.
Section 2 Meetings shall be held the 3rd Tuesday of the month unless changed by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting.
Section 3 The months in which meetings shall be suspended, if any, shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 4 In the event a properly called general meeting has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond the control of the FRW, it shall be acceptable to hold said meeting by conference call, Skype or approved electronic means with seven days’ notice being given to the membership.
Article X - Dues
Section 1 The dues of this club shall be reviewed at least every November in odd numbered years by the general membership to meet required obligations to the State and National Federations of Republican Women.
Section 2 Dues are due and payable on the first day of December of each year. The Membership Committee Chairman shall mail the dues notices no later than the fifteenth day of October.
Section 3 Dues shall be delinquent on the 5th day of February of each year and the membership rolls shall be cleared accordingly.
Section 4 Dues shall be non-refundable. Should a member resign or be removed from membership, dues shall be forfeited. Dues may be prorated at the discretion of the Executive Committee but must be in an amount sufficient to meet the FRW’s obligations to the NvFRW and NFRW.
Article XI - Nominations and Elections
Section 1 Nominations
- A Nominating Committee of three members, one from the Executive Committee and two from the general membership, shall be elected in September. The committee shall elect its own chairman. The Parliamentarian or the Bylaws Committee Chair in the absence of a Parliamentarian shall instruct the committee, orally and in writing, as to proper procedures.
- The Nominating Committee shall report a slate of officers to the Executive Committee and the general membership at the October meeting, after which nominations from the floor shall be in order.
- All nominees shall be members in good standing, meet the requirements of the position for which they are nominated, except as provided in Article V, Section 2. d; and shall have given their consent to serve if elected. If not present when nominated, consent must have been previously given in writing.
Section 2 Elections
a. An Elections Committee of at least three members shall be appointed by the President prior to the November meeting. At the November meeting, the Elections Committee shall provide all elections materials and act as tellers for the election. The Elections Committee chairman shall present the final tally to the President.
b. Election shall be by ballot at the November meeting, except when there is no contest, election shall be by voice vote. No proxy or absentee voting will be allowed.
c. The candidate receiving a majority of all votes cast shall be considered elected.
d. In the event of a tie vote between two candidates, there shall be one re-vote. If there is still a tie vote, the flip of a coin or the highest card drawn will determine the winner.
e. Newly elected officers shall assume office on January 1 and serve to December 31.
Section 3 Exception
Except as noted in Article V, Section I c., in case of a vacancy during the regular term, either the existing Nominating Committee, reinstated by the President, or the Executive Committee shall submit one or more names for the vacated office, and nominations from the floor shall be in order.
Article XII - NvFRW and NFRW Biennial Conventions
Section 1 NvFRW Biennial Convention
a. On or before receipt of the call to convention, nominations for delegates and alternates shall be accepted.
b. Election of delegates and alternates shall be on the basis of one delegate and one alternate for each ten members of the FRW or major fraction thereof based on the NvFRW Treasurer’s records.
c. Delegates and alternates must be members in good standing of the FRW.
d. The election shall occur at such FRW meeting as to allow for the list of delegates and alternates to be submitted to the NvFRW President at least ten days prior to the convention.
Section 2 NFRW Biennial Convention
- On or before receipt of the call to convention, nominations for one delegate and one alternate shall be accepted.
c. Election of one delegate and one alternate shall occur at such FRW meeting as to allow credential forms to be mailed to the NvFRW and NFRW presidents and postmarked no later than 30 days prior to the convention.
Article XIII - Quorum
Section l One-fourth of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at a club meeting.
Section 2 The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee.
Section 3 The quorum for a Board of Directors meeting shall consist of a majority of the Board of Directors.
Article XIV - Parliamentary Authority
The FRW shall make its best effort to follow the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, which shall govern all proceedings except where inconsistent with the bylaws of this club, and those of the State and National Federations of Republican Women.
Article XV - Finances
Section 1 Budget
a. The newly elected President shall appoint a Budget Chairman and the Budget Committee composed of a minimum of two from the membership with the Treasurer as an ex-officio member, following the November meeting.
b. The proposed budget shall include funds, if available, to offset costs of attending National and Nevada Federation of Republican Women biennial conventions for delegates and alternate delegates designated by these bylaws or elected by the membership as appropriate.
c. The proposed budget shall be presented to the Executive Committee for review and to the membership for approval at their respective January meetings.
d. The fiscal year shall coincide with the calendar year.
e. Any proposed expenses not provided for in the budget shall be presented, in writing, to the membership for approval.
f. The Treasurer or the President shall approve all expenditures.
Section 2 Audit
- An Audit Committee composed of a minimum of two members from the general membership and one member from the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the President in November.
- The final report of the Audit Committee shall be presented at the general meeting in January.
Article XVI – Dissolution
In the event of dissolution of this organization by a vote of its members, the name and all of its assets shall become property of the Nevada Federation of Republican Women, as required by that organization’s bylaws.
Article XVII - Amendments and Revisions
These bylaws may be amended or revised[1] by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting, provided that the amendment or revision has been presented in writing or by email with at least ten days’ notice. At a minimum, the bylaws will be reviewed in even-numbered years.
The following procedures are to be followed when amending or revising our bylaws:
Section 1 Schedule a Bylaws Committee Meeting.
Section 2 Email or mail members to see if they have proposed changes and ask for them to be submitted to the Bylaws Committee chairman prior to the scheduled committee meeting.
Section 3 The Bylaws Committee meets and develops proposed bylaws changes.
Section 4 The Bylaws Committee presents the proposed bylaws changes at the next regular meeting of the FRW for the first reading and for additional changes the membership may suggest. If the changes proposed are not complicated or are of such importance that the amendment process needs to be shortened, the first reading can be accomplished by emailing the proposed changes for member review at least 10 days prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the FRW.
Section 5 Following the second reading of the proposed changes, the bylaws may be adopted; or, if the changes were significant, the bylaws must be read for a third time and adopted at the next meeting.
[1] An amendment of the bylaws opens only specific sections to change, which can be done more quickly than a revision. A revision opens the entire document to review and change, and it involves rewriting the existing document and substituting a newly written document.
Standing Rules
SECTION A. GENERAL
1. The meetings shall be held the third Tuesday of each month, unless changed by a majority vote of members present at any regular meeting.
2. At the demise of an elected Republican official or current member of the FRW, her spouse or immediate family member, or hospitalization or significant illness of a member, the Executive Committee may send an appropriate donation or gift.
3. Special Membership/Recognition
A. Junior Membership may be given to any student who is under 18 years of age and thus unable to register to vote. A junior member may speak on issues when asked to or if recognized by the presiding officer, but may not hold office, vote or serve on committees.
B. Recognition may be given to other prominent local Republicans as determined by the Executive Committee.
C. Honorary Membership may be given to a Republican woman who is
(1) a resident of Fernley, but not currently residing in the area due to military service, work, or other activity; or,
(2) unable to attend meetings due to unusual circumstances and for whom annual dues would be a financial burden.
D. Patron Membership may be given to an associate member who donates a minimum of $35 in addition to his/her regular dues.
4. The club may choose to finance and support Republican activities of those community affairs necessary to qualify for the Achievement Award.
5. A standing committee chairman shall have one vote on the board of directors. In her absence, her vice chairman shall have the vote.
6. Dues shall be assessed annually in the amount of $40 for full members and $20 for associate members. Junior and honorary members shall be exempt from dues. Dues for other members may be waived at the discretion of the executive committee.
7. As a general rule and with the exception of candidates, the club shall present a “thank you” gift to our guest speaker.
8. Standing Rules may be adopted without previous notice, by a majority vote, at any regular meeting. They may be amended, rescinded, or suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present, without any written notice, or by a majority if previous notice is given.
9. Email Voting
SECTION B. PROCEDURES/CRITERIA
The treasurer is the sole custodian of all funds belonging to the Fernley Republican Women.
a. She deposits the money received, disburses it, and accounts for it.
b. Her books must be accurate and kept current.
c. She must make deposits within one week and payments within 10 days or sooner, depending on when the payment is due.
d. She must balance the bank statement within a maximum of 10 days of its availability.
e. She should prepare reports for each meeting stating income, expenses and cash on hand. The report should also include a list of all full and associate members who joined or renewed their membership, as well a list of any business or individual purchasing a newsletter advertisement, since the prior report. No motion to approve the report is required unless it is of sufficient importance, such as an annual report, to be referred to auditors.
The treasurer will reimburse expenses on presentation of a voucher and receipt for costs incurred for a budget item or upon approval by the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting. No reimbursement claims can be approved unless (1) it is for an approved budget item, (2) a purchase previously approved in an agenda item, or (3) express approval is given at the current meeting by the membership.
Except for mandatory expenditures,[1] at no time shall the budgeted amount be exceeded without advance approval from the membership. Such approval shall be in the form of a written budget modification to add money to the category. The Treasurer shall note in her report when a mandatory expenditure exceeds the budgeted amount.
Neither the treasurer nor the president may sign a reimbursement check to themselves without prior approval of the executive board at one of its regular meetings.
The treasurer must work closely with the membership chair. The treasurer is responsible for the quarterly membership report submitted to the Nevada Federation of Republican Women treasurer.
The treasurer shall prepare quarterly and annual reports to compare actual income and expenses against the established budget.
The books and records of the treasurer will always be audited before a new treasurer takes office.
a. Our books shall be reviewed by a committee appointed by the president. The committee should consist of former club treasurers and/or past presidents, whenever possible.
b. The adoption of the auditor’s report indicating the financial records are correct relieves the retiring officers of the responsibility for the period covered by the report.
All books and financial records, as well as the club’s federal ID number, will be provided to the new treasurer. The federal ID number is valid for the life of the Fernley Republican Women’s club.
The club’s banking institution must be notified when a new treasurer takes office. The required signature cards must be completed and signed by the current treasurer and president and recorded by the bank before checks are written.
The treasurer will serve as a member of the Budget Committee.
It is the policy of the FRW to reimburse members for certain expenses incurred when attending National or Nevada Federation of Republican Women biennial conventions. As a political organization, members must be prudent in the use of FRW resources. Where options are available, members should choose the most favorable for FRW so that resources can be maximized.
It is the intent of the FRW to offset costs of attendance at these conventions; not to pay for them in full. Attendees should expect to have some out-of-pocket expenses that will not be covered.
Reimbursable expenses shall be travel (airfare or mileage, whichever is less), ground transportation between the airport and hotel, airport parking, accommodations at ½ of the room cost, and convention registration fees. If total expenditures exceed the available budget, funds will be divided equally between the attendees based on actual expenses.
Any expenses paid for through a grant by any NvFRW program such as the Regents or PEM will not be reimbursed by the FRW.
The FRW will reimburse the attendee after the event; however, hardship advances may be obtained with approval from the President. Reimbursement for expenses incurred shall be made on the FRW Expense Reimbursement form with appropriate documentation and receipts and must be approved by the FRW Executive Board and signed by the FRW President.
SECTION C. FORMS
[1] On June 7, 2018, the Budget Committee identified line 2-Rent, line 14-post office box rental, line 29-membership fees-NvFRW, and line 32-Insurance as mandatory expenses which can be paid or exceeded by the Treasurer without prior approval from the Budget Committee and/or the membership.
1. The meetings shall be held the third Tuesday of each month, unless changed by a majority vote of members present at any regular meeting.
2. At the demise of an elected Republican official or current member of the FRW, her spouse or immediate family member, or hospitalization or significant illness of a member, the Executive Committee may send an appropriate donation or gift.
3. Special Membership/Recognition
A. Junior Membership may be given to any student who is under 18 years of age and thus unable to register to vote. A junior member may speak on issues when asked to or if recognized by the presiding officer, but may not hold office, vote or serve on committees.
B. Recognition may be given to other prominent local Republicans as determined by the Executive Committee.
C. Honorary Membership may be given to a Republican woman who is
(1) a resident of Fernley, but not currently residing in the area due to military service, work, or other activity; or,
(2) unable to attend meetings due to unusual circumstances and for whom annual dues would be a financial burden.
D. Patron Membership may be given to an associate member who donates a minimum of $35 in addition to his/her regular dues.
4. The club may choose to finance and support Republican activities of those community affairs necessary to qualify for the Achievement Award.
5. A standing committee chairman shall have one vote on the board of directors. In her absence, her vice chairman shall have the vote.
6. Dues shall be assessed annually in the amount of $40 for full members and $20 for associate members. Junior and honorary members shall be exempt from dues. Dues for other members may be waived at the discretion of the executive committee.
7. As a general rule and with the exception of candidates, the club shall present a “thank you” gift to our guest speaker.
8. Standing Rules may be adopted without previous notice, by a majority vote, at any regular meeting. They may be amended, rescinded, or suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present, without any written notice, or by a majority if previous notice is given.
9. Email Voting
- For a vote of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors by email, the president shall ensure that all individual members of the committee or board:
- Receive notification of the topic(s) and motion(s);
- Receive notification of the process and are given a specific deadline for comments.
- Receive a compilation of all comments received during the discussion period.
- Receive a specific deadline for voting.
- The president counts and reports the vote results to the entire body including the vote of each member by name.
- The vote is ratified and entered into the minutes at the next regular meeting of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors.
SECTION B. PROCEDURES/CRITERIA
- OFFICE OF TREASURER (Revised 1/21/2022)
The treasurer is the sole custodian of all funds belonging to the Fernley Republican Women.
a. She deposits the money received, disburses it, and accounts for it.
b. Her books must be accurate and kept current.
c. She must make deposits within one week and payments within 10 days or sooner, depending on when the payment is due.
d. She must balance the bank statement within a maximum of 10 days of its availability.
e. She should prepare reports for each meeting stating income, expenses and cash on hand. The report should also include a list of all full and associate members who joined or renewed their membership, as well a list of any business or individual purchasing a newsletter advertisement, since the prior report. No motion to approve the report is required unless it is of sufficient importance, such as an annual report, to be referred to auditors.
The treasurer will reimburse expenses on presentation of a voucher and receipt for costs incurred for a budget item or upon approval by the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting. No reimbursement claims can be approved unless (1) it is for an approved budget item, (2) a purchase previously approved in an agenda item, or (3) express approval is given at the current meeting by the membership.
Except for mandatory expenditures,[1] at no time shall the budgeted amount be exceeded without advance approval from the membership. Such approval shall be in the form of a written budget modification to add money to the category. The Treasurer shall note in her report when a mandatory expenditure exceeds the budgeted amount.
Neither the treasurer nor the president may sign a reimbursement check to themselves without prior approval of the executive board at one of its regular meetings.
The treasurer must work closely with the membership chair. The treasurer is responsible for the quarterly membership report submitted to the Nevada Federation of Republican Women treasurer.
The treasurer shall prepare quarterly and annual reports to compare actual income and expenses against the established budget.
The books and records of the treasurer will always be audited before a new treasurer takes office.
a. Our books shall be reviewed by a committee appointed by the president. The committee should consist of former club treasurers and/or past presidents, whenever possible.
b. The adoption of the auditor’s report indicating the financial records are correct relieves the retiring officers of the responsibility for the period covered by the report.
All books and financial records, as well as the club’s federal ID number, will be provided to the new treasurer. The federal ID number is valid for the life of the Fernley Republican Women’s club.
The club’s banking institution must be notified when a new treasurer takes office. The required signature cards must be completed and signed by the current treasurer and president and recorded by the bank before checks are written.
The treasurer will serve as a member of the Budget Committee.
- REIMBURSEMENT GUIDELINES
It is the policy of the FRW to reimburse members for certain expenses incurred when attending National or Nevada Federation of Republican Women biennial conventions. As a political organization, members must be prudent in the use of FRW resources. Where options are available, members should choose the most favorable for FRW so that resources can be maximized.
It is the intent of the FRW to offset costs of attendance at these conventions; not to pay for them in full. Attendees should expect to have some out-of-pocket expenses that will not be covered.
Reimbursable expenses shall be travel (airfare or mileage, whichever is less), ground transportation between the airport and hotel, airport parking, accommodations at ½ of the room cost, and convention registration fees. If total expenditures exceed the available budget, funds will be divided equally between the attendees based on actual expenses.
Any expenses paid for through a grant by any NvFRW program such as the Regents or PEM will not be reimbursed by the FRW.
The FRW will reimburse the attendee after the event; however, hardship advances may be obtained with approval from the President. Reimbursement for expenses incurred shall be made on the FRW Expense Reimbursement form with appropriate documentation and receipts and must be approved by the FRW Executive Board and signed by the FRW President.
SECTION C. FORMS
- Check Request
- Deposit Request
- Financial Report - Committees
- Membership Renewal
- NFRW/NvFRW Convention Expense Reimbursement
[1] On June 7, 2018, the Budget Committee identified line 2-Rent, line 14-post office box rental, line 29-membership fees-NvFRW, and line 32-Insurance as mandatory expenses which can be paid or exceeded by the Treasurer without prior approval from the Budget Committee and/or the membership.