Bylaws

Sec. 1. Name. The name of the organization shall be the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area. This local League is an integral part of the League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the League of Women Voters of Cook County, Illinois.

Sec. 1. Purpose. The purpose of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall be to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.

Sec. 2. Policy. The League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area may take action on local governmental measures and policies in the public interest in conformity with the Principles of the League of Women Voters of the United States. It shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate.

Sec. 1. Eligibility. Any person who subscribes to the purpose and policy of the League shall be eligible for membership.

Sec. 2. Types of Membership. The membership of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall be composed of voting members and associate members.

a. Life membership may be granted to any voting member of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area who attains fifty years as a member of the League of Women Voters of the United States. No further dues will collected and all privileges will be retained as a voting member.
b. Voting members shall be persons at least 16 years of age.
c. Associate members shall be all other members.

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 eight appointed Directors. Two directors shall be elected by the general membership at each Annual Meeting and shall serve for a term of two years, or until their successors have been elected and qualified. The elected members may appoint such additional Directors, not to exceed eight, 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 at the conclusion of the next 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 this person is a voting member of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area.

Sec. 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors by reason of resignation, death, or disqualification of any officer or elected member may be filled until the next Annual Meeting by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors. 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 same, subject to the instruction of the general membership. It shall plan and direct the work necessary to carry out the Program as adopted by the LWVUS convention, the LWVIL convention, the LWVCC convention, and the LWVPFA annual meeting. The Board shall create and designate such special committees as it may deem necessary.

Sec. 5. Meetings. There shall be at least seven regular meetings of the Board of Directors annually. The President(s) may call special meetings of the Board of Directors and shall call a special meeting upon written request of five members of the Board.

Sec. 6. Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

Sec. 1. Enumeration and Election of Officers. The Officers of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall be a President or Co-Presidents, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer who shall be elected for terms of two years by the general membership at an Annual Meeting and take office immediately. The President(s) and the Secretary shall be elected in odd-numbered years. The Vice-President and Treasurer shall be elected in even-numbered years.

Sec. 2. The President or Co-Presidents. The President(s) shall preside at all General Membership meetings of the organization and of the Board of Directors. The President(s) may, in the absence of the Treasurer, sign or endorse checks, drafts, and notes. The President(s) shall be, ex officio, a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee and shall have such usual powers of supervision and management as may pertain to the office of the President(s) and perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board.

Sec. 3. The Vice-President. The Vice-President shall, in the event of absence, disability, resignation, or death of the President(s), possess all the powers and perform all the duties of that office until such time as the Board of Directors shall select one of its own members to fill the vacancy. The Vice-President shall perform such other duties as the President(s) and Board may designate.

Sec. 4. The Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall sign, with the President(s), all contracts and other instruments when so authorized by the Board and perform such other functions as may be incident to the office.

Sec. 5. The Treasurer. . The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of these monies, shall deposit them in a bank designated by the Board of Directors, and shall disburse the same only upon order of the Board. The Treasurer shall present statements at each regular meeting of the Board. The books of the treasurer shall be reviewed annually at the close of the fiscal year by a person or persons appointed by the President, Co-President, or Executive Committee, with a written report sent to the Board of Directors of LWVPFA.

Sec. 6. Sec. 6. Executive Committee. In the event that the nominating committee encounters difficulty in filling traditional leadership roles, an Executive Committee may be nominated to perform the duties of leading the League. Any combination of people can share the responsibilities as long as

a. One serves as a contact person and direct calls to the appropriate person in the League.
b. At least one person shall prepare the meeting agenda and convene and preside over meetings.
c. One person will keep the minutes
d. One person will oversee the program and communications.
e. The treasurer will be part of the Executive Committee but will not be involved in the shared duties; instead the treasurer will fulfill the job in Section 5.
f. Responsibility may be rotated but decisions are shared among the Executive committee.
g. With an Executive Committee, two people shall be elected in the odd-numbered years and the other two or three (including the Treasurer) shall be elected in the even-numbered years.

Sec. 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall commence on the first day of July of each year.

Sec. 2. Dues. Annual dues shall be payable on the first day of July of each year. Any member who fails to pay dues within two months after they become payable may be dropped from the membership.

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. The proposed budget shall be sent to all members one month before the Annual Meeting.

Sec. 4. Budget Committee. A Budget Committee 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 Treasurer shall be a member of the Budget Committee but will not be eligible to serve as chair.

Sec. 5. Distribution of Fund on Dissolution. In the event of the dissolution for any cause of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area, all monies and securities owned by the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall be paid to the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Sec. 1. Membership Meetings. There shall be at least four general meetings of the membership each year. Time and place shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 2. Annual Meeting. There will be an annual meeting, the date, place and time to be determined by the Board of Directors. The Annual Meeting shall

a. adopt Local Program topics for the ensuing year
b. elect Officers and Directors, 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-fifth of the membership shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area.

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. Suggestions for nominations for Officers and Directors may be sent to this committee by any voting member.

Sec. 2. Report of Nominating Committee and Nominations from the Floor. The report of the Nominating Committee of its nominations for Officers, Directors, and the 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 shall have been secured.

Sec. 3. Elections. The election shall be by ballot, provided that when there is but one nominee for each office, the Secretary shall be instructed to cast the ballot for every nominee. A majority vote of those qualified to vote and voting shall constitute an election. Absentee or proxy voting shall not be allowed.

Sec. 1. Authorization. The governmental principles adopted by the LWVUS convention, and supported by the League as a whole, constitute the authorization for the adoption of the Program.

Sec. 2. Program. The program of the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area shall consist of those local governmental issues chosen for concerted action and study.

Sec. 3. Action by Annual Meeting. The Program shall be acted upon at the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors shall consider the recommendations sent by the voting members two months prior to the Annual Meeting and shall formulate a Proposed Program.

a. The Proposed Program plus all non-recommended items shall be sent to all members one month before the Annual Meeting.
b. A majority of voting members present and voting at the Annual Meeting shall be required for adoption of subjects in the proposed Program as presented to the Annual Meeting by the Board of Directors.
c. 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 at the Annual Meeting provided that (1) the Annual Meeting shall order consideration by a majority vote and (2) the Annual Meeting shall adopt the item by a two-thirds vote.

Sec. 4. Changes or Additions. Changes or additions in the Program, in the case of altered conditions, may be made provided that: (1) information concerning the proposed changes has been sent to all members at least two weeks prior to the general membership meeting at which the change or addition is to be discussed and (2) the Board of Directors has made its recommendations concerning proposed changes or additions and (3) final action by a quorum is taken at a succeeding meeting with majority vote of members present and voting required for recommended changes or additions and a two-thirds vote required for non-recommended changes or additions.

Sec. 5. Member Action. Members may act in the name of the League of Women Voters only when authorized to do so by the appropriate Board of Directors member.

Sec. 6. Local League Action. The League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area may act only in conformity with, and not contrary to, the position taken by the League of Women Voters of the United States as stated in the Principles.

Sec. 1. National Convention. The Board of Directors at the last regular meeting before the date on which the names of delegates must be sent to the national office shall select delegates to that Convention in the number allotted to the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area under the provisions of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of the United States.

Sec. 2. State Convention. The Board of Directors shall select delegates to the State Convention in the number allotted to the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area under the provisions of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Sec. 3. State Council. The President or Co-Presidents or the President's/(s') proxy shall be the delegate to the State Council under the provisions of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Sec. 4. County Convention. The Board of Directors, at a meeting before the date on which the names of the delegates must be sent to the County League office, shall select delegates to that Convention in the number allotted the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area under the provisions of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of Cook County, Illinois.

Sec. 1. Parliamentary Authority. The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

Sec. 1. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members at the Annual Meeting provided the amendments were submitted to the membership in writing at least one month in advance of the meeting.

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