By-Laws

League of Women Voters of Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area By-Laws

ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the League of Women Voters of Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area, hereinafter referred to in these bylaws as LWV of Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area or as the League. This local League is an integral part of the League of Women Voters of the United States, hereinafter referred to in these bylaws as LWVUS, and the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.

ARTICLE II
Purposes and Policy
Section 1. Purposes. The purposes of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area are to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government and to act on selected governmental issues.
Section 2. Political Policy. The League shall not support or oppose any political party or candidate.

ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1. Eligibility. Any person who subscribes to the purposes and policy of the League shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2. Types of Membership.
a. Voting Members. Persons at least 16 years of age who join the League shall be voting members of the local and state Leagues of their place of joining and the LWVUS;

  • Those people who are members of the same household may join the League and shall be designated Household Members;
  • Those who reside outside the area of any local League may join a local
    League or shall be state Members-at-large;
  • Those who have been members of the League for 50 years or more shall be Honorary Life Members excused from the payment of dues.

b. Associate Members. All others who join the League shall be Associate Members.

ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 1. Election and Terms. The officers of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area shall be president or co-presidents, vice-president, secretary and treasurer who shall be elected for terms of two years by the annual meeting. All officers excepting the treasurer shall take office immediately following the annual meeting. The treasurer shall take office on July 1. The president/co-presidents and the secretary shall be elected in the odd numbered years. The vice president and the treasurer shall be elected in the even numbered years.
Section 2. The President/Co-President. The president shall have such powers or supervision management as customarily pertain to the office: shall preside at all meetings of the organization and the board, or designate another person to do so; shall be, ex-officio, a member of all committees except the nominating committee; may sign or endorse checks, drafts and notes in the absence of the treasurer; and shall perform such other duties as the board may direct. In the event of the absence, disability, resignation or death of the president, the vice-president shall assume the office. If the vice-president is unable to serve as president, the board shall fill the vacancy form among the elected directors.
Section 3. The Vice-President. The vice-president shall perform such duties as the president and board shall direct.
Section 4. The Secretary. The secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the membership and of the board. The secretary shall notify all officers and directors of their election and shall sign with the president all contracts and other instruments when so authorized by the board, and shall perform such duties as customarily pertain to the office and as the president and board shall direct.
Section 5. The Treasurer. The treasurer duties shall be:

  1. Deposit all receipts in the organizations accounts and pay all obligations.
  2. Keep and maintain the financial records of the organization.
  3. Make annual reports in writing to the Board of Directors of the assets and business conditions of the organization.
  4. Report to the Board at each of its meetings on the financial condition of the organization.
  5. File reports as required by the IRS.

ARTICLE V
Board of Directors
Section 1. Selections and Terms. The board of directors shall consist of the officers of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area, three directors elected by the annual meeting and not more than three directors appointed by the elected members of the board. All directors shall be voting members of the LWV of Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area. They shall serve until the close of the next annual meeting or until their successors shall have been elected or appointed and qualified. Vacancies other than the presidency may be filled by vote of the remaining members of the board. One of the board members shall be the Membership Chair.
Section 2. Powers. The board shall manage and supervise the business, affairs, and activities of the LWV of Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area subject to the instructions of the annual meeting. It shall select delegates to the state convention and council and to national convention. It shall accept responsibility for such other matters as the national or state board may from time to time delegate to it. It shall have the power to create such special committees, as it deems necessary and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws.
Section 3. Meetings. At least four regular meetings of the board shall be held annually. The president may call special meetings and shall call a special meeting upon the written request of three members of the board.

ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. Membership Meetings. There shall be at least four meetings of the membership each year. The time and place shall be determined by the board. The board may call a special general membership meeting and shall call such a meeting upon the written request of thirty percent of the voting members.
Section 2. Annual Meeting. An annual meeting shall be held between May 1 and July 1, the exact date to be determined by the board. The annual meeting shall adopt a local program for the ensuing year; elect officers and directors; adopt a budget; and transact such other business as may properly come before it. Absentee or proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 3. Quorum. Thirty-five percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area, provided written notice of the meeting is sent to membership at least one week in advance.

ARTICLE VII
Nominations and Elections
Section 1. Nominating Committee. The nominating committee shall consist of three members. The chair and one member, who shall not be members of the board, shall be elected by the annual meeting. Immediately after the annual meeting, the board shall a appoint one of its members to the committee. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the board.
Section 2. Report of the Nominating Committee. The report of the nominating committee, containing the nominations of officers and directors and the chair and one member of the next nominating committee, shall be sent to the members one month before the annual meeting. The
report of the nominating committee shall be presented to the annual meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor immediately thereafter provided the consent of the nominee has been obtained.
Section 3. Election. Election shall be by ballot except that if there is only one nominee for an office it shall be by voice vote. A majority vote shall constitute an election.

ARTICLE VIII
Principles and Program
Section 1. Principles. The principles are concepts of government adopted by the national convention and supported by the League as a whole. They are the authorization for the adoption of national, state, and local programs.
Section 2. Program. The program of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area shall consist of action to implement the principles and those local governmental issues chosen by the annual meeting for concerted study and action as follows:
a. Voting members may make recommendations to the board at least two months before the annual meeting.
b. The board shall consider these recommendations and formulate a proposed local program which shall be sent to the members at least one month before the annual meeting.
c. Program recommendations submitted to the board at least two months before the annual meeting but not proposed by the board may be considered by the annual meeting.
d. The annual meeting shall adopt a program by a majority vote.
Section 3. Changes in Program. Changes in the program, in the case of altered conditions, may be made provided that information concerning the proposed change has been sent to all members at least two weeks before a general membership meeting at which the change is to be discussed and that the final action by the membership is taken at a succeeding meeting.
Section 4. Program Action. Members may act in the name of LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area, the LWV of Massachusetts, and the LWVUS.

ARTICLE IX
Financial Administration
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area shall be from July 1 to June 30 each year.
Section 2. Dues. Annual dues shall be payable October 30. Any member who fails to pay dues within two months after they become payable shall be dropped from the membership rolls.
Section 3. Budget Committee. The budget shall be prepared by a committee which shall be appointed for that purpose, at least one month before the annual meeting. The treasurer shall be, ex-officio, a member of the budget committee but shall not be eligible to serve as chair. The proposed budget for the next fiscal year shall be sent to all members one month before the annual meeting.
Section 4. Distribution of funds on Dissolution. In the event of the dissolution of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area, all moneys and securities which may at the time be owned by or under the control of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area shall be paid to the LWV Massachusetts after the state and national per member payments and other obligations have been
met. All other property of whatsoever nature, whether real, personal, or mixed which may at the time be owned or under the control of the LWV Grafton/ Shrewsbury Area shall be disposed of to such person, organization, or corporation for such public, charitable, or educational use and purposes as the board in its absolute discretion may designate.

ARTICLE X
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XI
Amendments
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members at the annual meeting provided that the proposed amendments were submitted to the membership in writing at least one month in advance of the meeting.

Approved by the Board of Directors of the LWV of Grafton and the LWV of Shrewsbury which are merging to become the LWV of Grafton/Shrewsbury Area- November 28, 2017.
Approved by members at Annual meeting -June 13, 2018.