PROPOSAL NUMBER: 008-05 (Amended)
1. Date proposed 7/18/05. Sponsors: Tom Kelly, Dan Sage, Roger Green
2. TITLE:
Establishment of a new Colorado Green Party local in Araphoe County.
3. FULL PROPOSAL:
We propose to establish a new Colorado Green Party Local Chapter in Araphoe County.
4. BACKGROUND:
This proposal was put forward at the State Green Party Meeting in Frisco, but could not be voted upon until the Arapahoe County Green Party Bylaws were inspected by the GPOCC.
5. Justification/Goals:
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The Green Party of Colorado is actively seeking to increase its active Party membership, and this proposal will help in that regard.
6. Pros and Cons:
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Pro:
– A new local chapter in Arapahoe County will help the GPOC increase membership.
– A new local chapter in Arapahoe County will be in place to handle issues within that county.
Con:
– No known drawbacks.
7. Alternatives to the proposal:
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– Do not create a new Arapahoe County Local Chapter.
8. Supporting statements:
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Here are the Bylaws submitted by the proposed Arapahoe County Green Party.
Please read the bylaws before submitting your agreement seeking choice:
ARAPAHOE GREEN PARTY Chapter bylaws
Adopted 7/12/2005
I. Name
1.1 The name of this local chapter of the Green Party of Colorado is the Arapahoe Green Party.
II. Purpose and Values
2.1 The purpose of this organization is to work towards a “Green” society as represented by the Ten Key Values of the Association of State Green Parties. These values are as follows:
Ecological Wisdom Grassroots Democracy
Community Based Economics and Economic Justice
Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
Nonviolence
Decentralization
Respect for Diversity
Feminism and Gender Equality
Personal and Global Responsibility
Future Focus and Sustainability
2.2 This political organization may use nonviolent methods to affect social change, including but not restricted to: campaigning for electoral offices, petitioning for or supporting ballot initiatives, generating public input, community organizing, peaceful protesting, and educational campaigns and outreach.
2.3 Arapahoe Green Party may develop a platform regarding issues of local, regional, national or international concerns, as deemed appropriate by the membership. The Arapahoe Green Party may also adopt the platform of the state or national party.
III. Membership
3.1 To be a member of Arapahoe Green Party, a person must be registered as a voter in Arapahoe County as a member of the Green Party of Colorado, must register with the Arapahoe Green Party at a meeting, must agree to support the Ten Key Values, must abide by the bylaws of the Arapahoe Green party and the Green Party of Colorado, should endorse the local party platform and the state and national party platforms.
3.2 Membership shall be open to anyone regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, appearance, or physical ability.
3.3 To be a member in good standing a donation to the local chapter of $15 per year is required. The membership fee may be waived by a majority vote of the members at a meeting.
3.4 Rights of a member in good standing include the ability to vote on issues of policy, finance and objectives at meetings of the local chapter.
3.5 The membership of an individual in the Arapahoe Green Party may be revoked for failing to abide by the ten key values or for disrupting the work of the Arapahoe Green Party by a 75% vote of the local chapter at a regular meeting or by a 75% vote of the members at a Green Party of Colorado state meeting. Any individual must be informed of the potential revocation of membership at least three weeks prior to the vote and have a chance to speak in his or her defense at the meeting when the vote is held. The revoked membership of an individual in Arapahoe Green Party can be appealed and reversed by a 75% vote of the members at a Green Party of Colorado state meeting.
IV. Structure
4.1 Meetings shall be called by the Co-chairs at a time and location agreed upon by members at the previous meeting or by notification of members to an extent as reasonably possible, at least one week if possible before the proposed meeting.
4.2 The Co-chairs will work on issues needing expedient attention between meetings, handle administrative tasks, and act as representatives to the state party, or delegate such duties.
4.3 Decisions will be by consensus if possible or if not then by a simple majority, except as noted elsewhere. All officers as well as other members shall have the right to vote.
4.4 Decisions concerning policy, finance, objectives, or creation or deletion of an office requires a consensus or a vote of at least 75% of the membership present at a local meeting.
V. Candidates
5.1 Members will be responsible for nominating Green Party of Colorado candidates to run for local political office in partisan elections based on the principle of one person one vote. Members shall forward those nominations for ratification to the state nominating convention. Candidates chosen by Arapahoe Green Party must be ratified at a state party convention as required by the state bylaws.
5.2 Members voting for the nomination of a candidate must have been registered in the Green Party of Colorado for at least 30 days prior to voting.
5.3 Arapahoe Green Party members shall elect as many delegates as allowed by the state party, or as many as Arapahoe Green Party determines to be appropriate, to represent and vote for the Arapahoe Green Party at state and national nominating conventions. Delegates shall be elected by achieving the greatest number of votes by the members present at a meeting. Alternatives to serve, should an elected delegate not be able to attend a state or national meeting, shall be chosen based on voting at a meeting.
5.4 Candidates nominated by the Arapahoe Green Party must meet the following criteria:
a. A candidate should endorse the Ten Key Values and shall use these values as a basis for their political decision-making.
b. A candidate must maintain registration in the Green Party.
c. A candidate must be registered as a member of the Green Party of Colorado.
d. In order to be a candidate running for local or state office a candidate must comply with any eligibility requirements of the state party as to how long they must have been a registered Green Party member.
VI. Officers
6.1 Arapahoe Green Party shall elect two Co-chairs, one Treasurer and one Secretary. Offices may be combined if necessary.
6.2 Members voting for officers must have been registered in the Green Party of Colorado for at least 30 days prior to voting.
6.3 If an Arapahoe Green Party officer’s position is vacated in between official meetings, the other officers may make a temporary appointment to be affirmed by email voting and at the next meeting.
6.4 Officers shall be elected by the members present at a meeting, previously announced as one to include elections, held between January 1 and May 1 of odd numbered years. Members of the Arapahoe Green Party in good standing shall be eligible to run for an office. The candidate with the greatest number of votes shall be elected to the office.
6.5 If any officer is found to be in contempt of the goals or bylaws of Arapahoe Green Party, or the Green Party of Colorado, recall proceedings may be initiated by any three members. A 75% majority of voting members present at a meeting is required to achieve the recall of an officer.
6.7 Officers of Arapahoe Green Party shall represent, or choose representatives to represent, the Arapahoe Green Party and vote on state issues at general state meetings and serve on State Steering Committees.
VII. Amendments
7.1 These bylaws may be amended on a 75% vote by members present at a local meeting. Changes to the bylaws shall not go into effect until 90 days after a vote to change them.
7.2 A written copy of adopted bylaws will be maintained by the Secretary and Co-chairs.
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Bylaws of the Green Party of Colorado:
Green Party of Colorado Bylaws 2005
