Indiana Green Party Bylaws

Indiana Green Party Bylaws

Last amended on 2020; subsequently amended July 2023

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization shall be: Indiana Green Party (INGP)

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES AND VALUES

We, the active members of the INGP, have come together to form a political party based on the 10 Key Values of the Green movement.

The INGP shall strive to understand and live the values of the Green movement in our electoral work, and shall promote the understanding and practice of these values in our neighborhoods, cities, counties, state, country, and internationally. The following 10 Key Values shall be embodied in the organization and actions of the INGP and shall guide all actions of the Party at all times:

• Ecological wisdom
• Grassroots democracy
• Social justice
• Nonviolence
• Decentralization
• Community-based economics
• Feminism
• Respect for diversity
• Personal and global responsibility
• Future focus / sustainability

These values will be clarified through the ever-unfolding dynamics of study, discussion, and action.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Membership Definition

A. Membership in the INGP shall be open to all Indiana residents who agree with the 10 Key Values and the Political Practices (Article VI, Section 1) as a framework for organizing and action.

B. Membership shall be renewable annually and shall be in two categories – voting INGP members and non-voting INGP members.

1) Voting INGP members are:
a) members of the INGP Statewide Caucus, or are

b) members in good standing of a Green Party local who have paid local dues or have had their local dues waived in accordance with the by-laws of their local, and,

c) have signed the INGP membership form and paid and are current with INGP dues, or have had their INGP dues waived in accordance with INGP by-laws.

d) All voting INGP members shall participate actively in local and state organizations.

e) Only voting INGP members are eligible to be delegates to state gatherings and to vote on state issues.

2) Non-voting INGP members are:

a) all persons who join a local Green party in the state of Indiana but do not meet the criteria for voting members under ARTICLE III, SECTION 1, B-1 above.

C. All membership dues shall be reduced or waived upon request by a member with a financial hardship, such as family income below a living wage, by following the procedures in ARTICLE III, SECTION 4, C.

D. No documentation or means testing is required to be presented to grant dues reductions and/or dues waivers.

E. Dues waivers and reductions do not diminish members’ rights. Such members have all the rights and obligations of dues-paying members.

SECTION 2. Membership Standards

Policies against the following shall apply at all levels of the INGP; violation by any individual Green, local chapter or body may be cause for sanctions including (as appropriate) reprimand, suspension or loss of recognition, affiliation, recall, or expulsion:

A. Committing the INGP or any of its affiliated locals or confederations to actions, endorsements, and other policy positions outside that body’s decision-making process.

B. Misrepresenting the decisions and policies of any such Indiana Green body.

C. Making false statements in an application for membership or affiliation to any such Indiana Green body.

D. Financial irregularities with Indiana Green funds.

E. Acting to subvert the Green Party or its values, for example: advocacy or practice of racial, sexual, national or religious oppression; advocacy or practice of violent political actions by the INGP or any of its affiliated locals or confederations; or acting as a strike-breaker, agent provocateur, or government or corporate informer.

F. Acting to willfully disrupt the freedom of speech, press or assembly of any individual or body of the INGP.

G. Violating the principles of grassroots democracy as embodied in Article II of the bylaws. SECTION 3. Membership Review Process

A. Each level of the confederation may sanction or exclude members who behave in a manner inconsistent with ARTICLE III, SECTION 2, the membership standards of the INGP.

B. Charges of violation of membership standards against any member or affiliate of the INGP may be made by any member.

C. Locals, or the next larger level of the confederation responsible for organizing in their locality, are responsible for reviewing the standing of their members who are charged with violating membership standards.

D. All charges shall be in writing. The accused and the accuser shall have the first option of seeking a resolution of the conflict through mediation if both parties agree.

1) No charges shall be published or otherwise made public prior to the conclusion of the mediation process, without written consent of all parties involved.

E. If mediation is not agreeable or not successful, the case shall be handled expeditiously by a special committee selected by lot from the membership of the appropriate level of the confederation.

1) A written report will be prepared by the mediator(s) and sent to the special committee.

2) The substance of the conflict referred to the special committee must remain strictly confidential, with the exception of notice of the convening of the special committee and names of the parties involved.

3) The special committee shall hear charges, report findings, make recommendations, and then disband.

4) Findings of the special committee shall be reported to all individuals and groups involved, appropriate regional bodies, and any mediators.

F. All members or affiliates charged with violations of membership standards shall have the right to appear, to bring witnesses, and to testify.

G. The burden of proof shall be on those making the charges. After hearing the report of the special committee and statements by those making the charges and by those charged, the membership assembly of the appropriate level of the confederation shall have the right to vote and sanction, including exclusion, by a 66 2/3% vote.

H. Sanctions may be automatically appealed to the next larger level of the confederation.

I. Appeals shall be heard at the next meeting of the appropriate body where the appeal has been announced through that body’s normal procedures.

J. Notwithstanding the procedures outlined in Article III, Section 3, A-I, if, in the determination of the CC that an individual member of any INGP caucus, affiliated local chapter or state party organization has engaged in or espoused conduct that posses an eminent threat to the health and welfare another person, that determination affirmed by a 66 2/3% vote of the CC, that person may be immediately suspended from any and all offices and or memberships within any INGP caucus, affiliated local chapter or state party organization.

1) The decision of the CC shall be referred in writing to the appropriate INGP organization under Article III, Section 3, C, for further disposition, and,

2) to begin any appeals process under Article III, Section 3, I.
SECTION 4. DUES
State dues shall be collected yearly by the Treasurer, according to the following: A. Active: $25.00
B. Student, senior citizen, $10.00

C. Waiver: $0.00 up to $10.00 — provided a dated application for a waiver based on financial hardship as described in ARTICLE III, SECTION 1, C is made in writing to, and is approved by, the INGP Documentarian, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the INGP Treasurer.

D. Continually failing, after receiving written notice from the Documentarian, to renew membership – either by paying dues or applying for a waiver – will result in removal from the active member list.

ARTICLE IV—LEADERSHIP
SECTION 1. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES

A) The leadership of the Indiana Green Party shall have five executive officers: a chairperson, assistant chairperson, treasurer, documentarian and communications coordinator.

B) None of the executive officers of the INGP may hold office in another political party committee or political campaign committee within the Green Party of the United States or any other political party in the United States.

C) Terms for executive officers shall last from the day of the INGP annual Congress at which they are elected to the next annual INGP Congress. No person may serve in one officer position for more than five consecutive years.

D) An executive officer of the INGP must be a member in good standing of the INGP for a minimum of six consecutive months prior to their taking office.

SECTION 2. CHAIRPERSON AND ASSISTANT CHAIRPERSON

A. It shall be required to have at least one female in one or the other of these positions. If a female chairperson or assistant chairperson is not available or elected, a member of a minority (i.e.; racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, age, disability) group may serve as chairperson or assistant chairperson. If a minority member is not available, then any male may serve as an interim chairperson or interim assistant chairperson until either a female member or minority group member is available.

B. The chairperson, or assistant chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request, shall be the official spokesperson for the INGP, accountable to the membership and required to obey any imperative mandates or other decisions of the membership.

C. The chairperson, or assistant chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request, shall chair the annual INGP Congress and meetings of the INGP Coordinating Committee, be responsible for the organization of these meetings, solicit proposals and propose an agenda.

D. The chairperson, or assistant chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request, shall also cosign, with the Treasurer, all required documents.

SECTION 3. DOCMENTARIAN

A. The Documentarian shall oversee membership application procedures, maintain membership lists, take minutes of regular business meetings and Congresses, keep and make available to members all non-financial records, and perform general secretarial duties.

SECTION 4. TREASURER

A. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds, prepare financial reports for meetings, cosign with the chairperson and assistant chairperson all required documents, develop and submit budgets, and perform general treasurer duties under oversight of the coordinating committee.

B. The Treasurer shall research and understand legal responsibilities of the position and keep accurate and up-to-date records that may be inspected by government entities or members of the INGP.

C. The Treasurer shall prepare, co-sign and file all required forms with the State of Indiana Election Division.

D. The Treasurer must understand and complete all reporting requirements within legally specified deadlines as delineated in the Indiana Campaign Finance Manual published by the Indiana Election Division.

E. The Treasurer shall submit monthly financial reports to the executive officers, coordinating committee and the membership.

F. The Treasurer may not be the treasurer of any Political Action Committee and may not, under Indiana Code 3-9-1-13, be the chairman of a political committee except as a chairperson of his or her own campaign committee.

SECTION 5. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

A. The Communications Director shall have control of the INGP social media accounts and shall contribute to the INGP website as necessary.

B. The Communications Director shall compose and send out the INGP electronic newsletter.

C. The Communications Director shall compose and send out press releases and press statements as necessary or as requested by the executive and coordinating committees.

SECTION 6. INGP COORDINATING COMMITTEE (CC)

A. The CC conducts the organizational business of the INGP under the policy guidance of the Congress on an interim basis between meetings of the Congress.

B. The CC shall be accountable to the Congress and CC members shall be subject to recall by the bodies that chose them.

C. The CC shall be charged to:
1) Institute policies and mandates established at the Congress;

2) Meet on a monthly basis, and whenever possible, meetings may be held on the internet, by conference calling, or by live web conferencing.

3) Organize and maintain a clearinghouse of the INGP members, organizational contacts and materials.

4) Select the State Party Committee Chairperson required under Indiana Code (Title 3, Chap. 5) 5) Oversee working groups and committees.
6) Rule on recognition and affiliation requests of caucuses and local chapters.
7) Set the date for the annual INGP Congress.

E. The CC shall consist of:
1) All five INGP executive officers.

2) One delegate each from locals, the INGP Statewide Caucus and any other caucuses and confederations created by the Congress. Each CC member shall choose only one level of confederation through which they are a representative to the CC.

3) One delegate from each working group.

4) GPUS National Committee delegates.

5) The CC shall also include the technology coordinator and outreach coordinator elected by the CC.

6) Terms for CC members who are not INGP executive officers shall last for one year from the day of their appointment to the CC. No person may serve in one CC position for more than five consecutive years.

7) To vote at CC meetings on CC affairs, all CC members must be a member in good standing of the INGP for a minimum of six consecutive months prior to their taking office. All other CC members shall be deemed non-voting, ex officio members.

F. Voting Process for the CC:

1) The CC shall attempt to reach consensus on all decisions. When consensus cannot be reached, members of the CC shall vote. A majority of CC members must vote in favor of a decision for it to pass.

2) A simple majority of the CC total delegates constitutes a quorum on any matter. G. Replacement of CC members not filling their full terms:

Should a vacancy occur in any executive or other CC office between Congress sessions, the decision on replacing them for the remainder of their terms shall be as follows:

1) Replacement of delegates to the CC stated in ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6, E, 2 shall be decided by the body they represent.

2) Replacement of executive officers and any other members of the CC, excluding those enumerated in ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6, E, 2, shall be nominated by any member of the CC and elected by a majority vote of the CC participating.

3) All vacant positions shall be filled no later than two months after the officer’s departure.

SECTION 6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. The Executive Committee is made up of each Executive officer of the INGP (Chair, Assistant Chair, Treasurer, Documentarian, and Communications Director).
2. The Executive Committee is only formed when an emergency comes along and a decision needs to be made before a CC meeting can be held.
3. Decisions are made via simple majority vote.
4. Appeals processes are heard in accordance with these bylaws.

SECTION 7. NATIONAL COMMITTEE DELEGATE(S)

These delegates help to form The National Committee of the Green Party of the United States.The National Committee shall be the final decision-making body of the Green Party of the United States.The National Committee shall approve a democratic deliberative Platform process that encourages and facilitates discussion and debate among Greens at all levels, leading to voting in each even numbered year to consider amendments to revise the Platform.The presidential nominating convention of the Green Party is the delegated decision-making body responsible for nominating the national Green Party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates and approving the Green Party’s national platform in those years in which it convenes”Meeting of the National Committee and the nominating convention may be attended by Greens who are not voting representatives or delegates.A delegate to the National Committee may cast an additional vote at a National Conference in place of an absent delegate, as long as the total number of votes cast for that state does not exceed its total allowed votes on the National Committee, or twice the number of voting delegates in attendance.The apportionment to the various state parties and caucuses of delegates to the National Committee shall be determined by rules established by the National Committee and incorporated into a Rules document separate from these Bylaws.

SECTION 7. ALTERNATE DELEGATE(S)

8. These delegates are only chosen when there are more nominees for the National Delegate position than there are delegate positions available.
9. This position is only awarded to the candidate(s) not elected if they received 50% or more of the vote.

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

SECTION 1. COORDINATING COMMITTEE

A) The CC of the INGP shall meet on a monthly basis, called by the chairperson or assistant chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request. CC meetings may be held through conference calling, live web conferencing or in person.

SECTION 2. CONGRESS

A) The INGP Congress shall meet at least annually. INGP Congress meetings may be held through conference calling, live web conferencing or in person.

SECTION 3. CAUCUSES

A) Caucuses are required to meet annually. Caucus meetings may be held through conference calling, live web conferencing or in person.

SECTION 4. PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY

A) The reference on standard procedure for the conducting of business shall be Roberts Rules of Order (Modern Edition).

ARTICLE VI – POLITICS
SECTION 1. GENERAL POLITICAL PRACTICES

A) The INGP shall be organized and act in accordance with the principles of grassroots democracy. Affirmative action shall be taken within all parts of the organization to reach goals of gender, racial and social diversity and balance in the allocation of responsibilities among members. Additionally, participation in the organization shall be open to all interested people of Indiana, subject to the requirements of Article III – Membership, with a special effort made to seek the membership and leadership of those people who belong to historically disempowered social groups.

B) There shall be strict accountability of all parts of the organization to the membership.

1) Any decision made by delegates, by the leadership or by other parts of the organization can be rescinded or changed by the membership as a whole.

C) All delegates and the leadership shall obey imperative mandates, that is, they must follow the instructions of the bodies they represent.

1) All delegates and leaders are free to express their personal views, but must state them as such, and they may abstain from implementing, but shall not act against such mandates if their consciences require. Mandates of discretion may also be given.

D) All delegates and leaders shall always be subject to immediate recall by the body that chose them.

E) It shall be strongly encouraged that the responsibilities of all delegates and the leadership be rotated, on a staggered basis, to find the fullest and broadest participation of the membership.

F) Decisions of the organization and its duly constituted parts shall be made democratically and only after all points of view are fairly and openly heard.

G) Members of the organization and its duly constituted parts, in addition to the CC, also shall vigorously strive to reach decisions by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, then a majority vote may be taken (for guidance on constituting a quorum and majority votes, see appropriate voting section for the CC, ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6, F).

H) Members in the minority on a decision may publicly dissent from that decision, provided they clearly distinguish their position from that of the majority.

I) Minorities may call for a procedure of division in the allocation of imperative mandated votes. 1) All such minority positions of members are to be noted in meeting minutes.

J) Meeting minutes, financial records, membership lists and all other organizational records and materials shall be open to inspection by any member of good standing.

1) All meeting minutes shall be posted on the INGP web site as soon as possible after the meeting.

K) A full range of nonviolent strategies and tactics shall be considered desirable in pursuing Green social change, including but not limited to demonstrations, boycotts, strikes, lobbying, education, civil disobedience, direct action, electoral politics, and building alternative institutions.

SECTION 2. ELECTORAL POLITICAL PRACTICES

A. State Party Committee Chairperson

1) Indiana Code (Title 3, Chap. 5) requires each state political party committee name a State Party Committee Chairperson. The CC shall elect the INGP State Party Committee Chair from among the membership of the CC.

2) The State Party Committee Chairperson, as an elected representative of the INGP, shall be accountable to the Congress or, on an interim basis, the CC and shall abide by the bylaws of the INGP.

3) The State Party Committee Chairperson shall have been an active member in good standing of the INGP for at least six (6) months prior to his or her election by the CC to that position.

B. Green Party Candidates for Public Office — Selection and Standards
1) All candidates for public office in Indiana shall be members in good standing of the INGP.

2) Candidates shall publicly commit to Article II, the Purposes and Values, and include the Ten Key Values on their campaign literature.

3) Candidates for statewide public office shall be selected by the Congress or by the CC. If selected by the CC, this decision is subject to an immediate referendum by all active state members.

4) Candidates for local office will be selected by the appropriate local chapter.

5) Candidates, as elected leaders, shall be accountable to the Congress or, on an interim basis, the CC, and shall abide by the bylaws of the INGP.

ARTICLE VII– STRUCTURE SECTION 1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

A. The INGP shall be a confederation of recognized local and regional caucuses, affiliated local and regional chapters, the INGP Statewide Caucus and other recognized affiliated caucuses caucuses as created by the INGP Congress in the State of Indiana, and any other alliance or confederation agreed upon by the INGP in keeping with the purpose and values of this organization.

SECTION 2. LOCAL AND REGIONAL CAUCUSES A. Definitions

1) A local caucus is a group of three or more Greens who meet and intend to seek and then receive recognition from the INGP as a precursor to becoming an affiliated local chapter of the INGP.

2) A regional caucus is a group of three or more Greens over a wide or multiple-county area who meet and intend to seek and receive recognition from the INGP as a precursor to becoming an affiliated regional chapter of the INGP.

B. Recognizing local and regional caucuses

1) The CC will review, approve or deny all written requests for recognition by local or regional caucuses within 60 days of receipt.

2) Requests to form a local or regional caucus must be sent to the Documentarian of the INGP via email.

3) A local or regional caucus may be formed and be recognized only in jurisdictions where there is no affiliated local chapter or other recognized local caucus.

4) The Coordinating Committee will assist recognized local or regional caucus to meet the requirement to affiliate as a local or regional chapter in a timely manner.

C. Requirements of local or regional caucuses

1) A recognized local or regional caucus must meet a minimum of one (1) time annually for the purpose of electing a delegate to the INGP Annual Congress.

2) Minutes and delegate voting results are to be forwarded to the INGP Secretary within three weeks of meeting to elect delegates.

3) INGP CC must be notified of local or regional caucus delegates a minimum of one month prior to the INGP Annual Congress.

D. Drafting By-Laws of Recognized Local or Regional Caucus 1) There are many examples of Green bylaws on the Internet.

2) In addition, to guide local and regional caucuses in drafting their bylaws to become affiliated local or regional chapters, the INGP requires that each caucus address the following issues in their bylaws:

a) Purpose
b) Values
c) Political practices
d) Membership standards and review proceses e) How to amend bylaws

SECTION 3. AFFILIATED LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHAPTERS

A) To encourage the formation of local and regional chapters and to increase participation of unaffiliated members in party business, the INGP shall recognize and grant affiliated status to local, county or regional chapters, hereinafter also known as affiliated local chapters.

B) Definitions

1) An affiliated local, county or regional chapter is an organization that has applied to the INGP for formal affiliation, has met the affiliation requirements of the INGP and has been approved for affiliation by the CC.

C. Affiliation requirements. The minimum requirements for INGP affiliation are: 1) Adopt the 10 Key Values of the Green Party,
2) Have a minimum of three active INGP Members in the organization,
3) Complete and adopt functional bylaws that express the 10 Key Values,

4) Adopt political goals, program or platform that express the 10 Key Values,
5) Elect leaders according to the bylaws,
6) Gain familiarity with Roberts Rules of Order,
7) Attest there are no substantial disputes within the local regarding any of the above points, and 8) Develop membership forms for locals must include agreement with the 10 Key Values.

9) Apply to the CC for affiliation as a local, county or regional chapter within 12 months of INGP recognition as an unaffiliated local, county or regional caucus.

D. The CC shall review all affiliation requests and has the authority to grant or deny affiliation.

E. Reasonable extensions of the time frames under ARTICLE VII, Sec. 3, C, 9, may be granted by the CC on written request of the recognized caucus, if, in the judgment of the CC, the caucus is making sufficient progress toward meeting its affiliation requirements.

F. Affiliated local chapters in counties and regions are encouraged to confederate to form an affiliated county or regional party chapter.

SECTION 4. THE INGP STATEWIDE CAUCUS
A. Membership in the INGP Statewide Caucus shall be available to:
1) INGP members who have no local chapter or caucus to join in their geographic area, or;

2) INGP members not choosing to participate through their municipal, county or regional chapter.

B. Once one or more affiliated chapters form in a municipality, county or region, members of the INGP Statewide Caucus may choose to participate through an affiliated local of their choice in lieu of participating in the INGP Statewide Caucus.

C. The membership(s) of the member or members of the INGP Statewide Caucus from a municipality, county or region with a newly affiliated chapter may have their membership transferred from the INGP Statewide Caucus to that affiliated chapter.

SECTION 5. INGP SPECIAL ISSUE CAUCUSES
A. Membership in INGP Special Issue Caucuses shall be available to:

1) INGP members who have a special interest in a subject matter or group (e.g. Black Caucus, LGBTQ+ Caucus).

SECTION 6. CONGRESS

A. The INGP Congress shall be the highest decision-making body of the organization and shall meet at least once a year.

B. Special INGP Congresses may be called with the approval of at least 33 1/3% of the active members.

C. The INGP Congress shall be composed of delegates from the recognized local and regional caucuses, affiliated local and regional chapters, the ING Statewide Caucus, INGP Special Issue Caucuses, and any other recognized caucuses and confederations and as may be created by the Congress, and qualified individual INGP members as indicated in ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6,

D. As INGP Congress is composed of delegates from the recognized and affiliated Green bodies in Indiana, only delegates to Congress shall vote at the Congress, except as indicated in ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6, F.

E. Delegates shall be allocated a number of votes equal to the number of active INGP members who are also in good standing within their recognized local or regional caucuses, affiliated local or regional party organizations, the INGP Statewide Caucus or the INGP Special Issue Caucuses those delegates represent at the time of the Congress.

F. Individuals who are active INGP members who also are in good standing with their recognized local or regional caucus, or recognized local or regional chapters or the INGP Statewide Caucus or an INGP Special Issue Caucus, may choose to carry their own votes to Congress instead of voting through a delegate or in the absence of a delegate. In keeping with the principle of one-person/one vote, those individuals’ votes shall not be included in the vote allocations to the delegates of their local or regional party organizations or caucuses.

G. However, votes of active INGP members who are in good standing with their recognized local or regional caucus or affiliated local or regional chapter or the INGP Statewide Caucus and who also are members of one or more recognized INGP Special Issue Caucus shall have their votes pro-rated equally between their local or regional caucus or chapter and their Special Issue Caucus. For example, the vote of an active INGP member who is a member in good standing of the Circle City Greens and also is a member of the recognized INGP Special Issue Caucus (e.g, the INGP Black Caucus) would have 1⁄2 vote allocated to the Circle City Greens and 1⁄2 allocated to the INGP Black Caucus.

H. Notice requirements

1) At least one week prior to the annual INGP Congress or special INGP Congress, documentarians from all caucuses and affiliated chapters shall notify the INGP Documentarian of the names of their delegate choice(s) and the names of their members in good standing.

2) At least one week prior to the annual INGP Congress or special Congress, any qualified individual INGP member under ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6.. F, who chooses to carry his or her own vote to Congress instead voting through a local delegate or in the absence of a local delegate shall notify the INGP Documentarian of their intention to represent themselves at the Congress.

I. To document the apportionment of delegate and individual votes at the Congress, the INGP Documentarian shall bring to the Congress a report consisting of:

1) A list of the names of active and up-to-date INGP members who are also members in good standing within their local and regional caucuses, and local and regional chapters.

2) A list of the names of active and up-to-date INGP members of the INGP Statewide Caucus, and any INGP Special Issue Caucuses.

3) A list of the names of all qualified individual INGP members under ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4, F, & H, 2 planning on attending the Congress and casting their vote as individuals.

4) A tabulation of the potential total eligible votes to be cast at the Congress, to establish a quorum and to use as a basis of other vote calculations as needed.

5) A list of the names of all delegates, their delegations and the allocation of votes to them.

J. The INGP Congress shall have the discretion to recognize delegates and delegations not communicated to the Secretary in a timely manner.

K. A quorum for the INGP Congress is 60% of the total votes available in all recognized local and regional caucuses, affiliated local and regional chapters, the INGP Statewide Caucus, the INGP Special Caucuses and any other caucuses or confederations created by the Congress, based on the report of the INGP Documentarian under ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4,

L. Congresses shall have the charge to:

1) Review, amend, and ratify the INGP Charter, by-laws, program, principles, and policies; 2) Elect and recall delegates and leadership;
3) Elect and recall candidates for public office;
4) Sanction members;

5) Review and amend the actions of delegates and leadership;
6) Create all working groups and review and amend their actions; and
7) Review, initiate and set strategic and policy parameters for actions and campaigns.

M. Participating and Voting at INGP Congress

1) Any active member in good standing of the INGP shall have the right to speak to Congress regarding any proposal. The INGP Chairperson or Assistant Chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request, shall determine the length and frequency of such speech with the goal of encouraging participation by everyone present.

2) Any active member in good standing of the INGP shall have the opportunity to submit proposals to Congress. Proposals must be submitted in writing to the INGP Chairperson or Assistant Chairperson at least 45 days prior to the Congress. The INGP Chairperson, or Assistant Chairperson when the chairperson is unavailable or at the chairperson’s request, shall publish proposals on the INGP web site and general electronic mailing lists 30 days prior to Congress.

3) Decisions shall pass, after attempts to reach consensus have failed, by the following schedule:

a) 66-2/3% of votes shall be required to approve any written draft amendments or changes to the bylaws, to recall delegates and leadership, to join or leave confederations and alliances, and to sanction members.

b) 50%+1 affirmative vote shall be required for all other matters, including to accredit Green electoral candidates; and ranked-choice voting shall be used to select the winning option when there are three or more options.

c) In the case of multiple decisions with multiple choices, Congress shall use the following voting system. Each voter shall choose as many of the choices as decisions (positions) are available. No choice may be listed more than once. Those choices that receive a majority of the number of votes are selected or elected.

d) Abstentions shall not be counted toward percentage of votes.

e) The annual INGP Congress shall have the authority, on a case-by-case basis, to override, by a vote of 75% of voting delegates and voting members participating at the Congress, the requirement of advance submission of resolutions for bylaws and platform changes and resolutions for other purposes.

SECTION 7. WORKING GROUPS

A. Working Groups (WGs) shall be formed as the need arises by the Congress or at CC meetings.

B. WGs shall adhere to the bylaws, choose their own delegates to the CC and take responsibility for working on projects chartered by the Congress or by the CC.

C. WGs may commission committees.

D. Voting Process for WGs and Committees:

1) 50%+1 affirmative vote shall be required for all matters,

2) Ranked-choice voting shall be used to select the winning option when there are three or more options to choose from.

SECTION 8. REFERENDA

A. If 15% or more of active members oppose a decision by the CC, signify so in writing, and wish the membership to vote to overturn or amend the decision; the CC shall conduct a referendum.

B. A ballot question must be drawn up and sent (via email or other preferred method) to the INGP Chairperson and Assistant Chairperson. The ballot question must be concisely presented and contain statements representing all points presented.

C. A vote must take place within 28 days of the date when the INGP chairperson and assistant chairperson receive and confirm the signatures of the written request for a referendum. 50%+1 of active members must vote for the ballot for it to pass.

D. The referendum shall use email to reach members with email addresses and postal mail to reach members who do not have email or cannot be reached at their email addresses.

ARTICLE VIII – SELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE GPUS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTION

SECTION 1. THE CC’S ROLE
A. The CC shall elect the INGP delegates to the GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention.

ARTICLE IX—AMENDING BYLAWS

SECTION 1. NOTICE REQUIREMENTS

A. These bylaws may only be amended at an INGP Congress or a special meeting to which appropriate notice of proposed amendments to be considered has been given, except as provided in ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6, M, 3, e.

B. Appropriate notice of amendments to these bylaws shall consist of notice in writing, issued through email or regular mail, to the Documentarian, who shall distribute the proposed amendment or amendments to all members.

C. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the INGP Chairperson and Assistant Chairperson at least 45 days prior to Congress or special meeting.

D. Proposed amendments shall be published on the INGP web site and general electronic mailing lists 30 days prior to meeting at which the vote is to be taken.

SECTION 2. VOTES NEEDED FOR APPROVAL

A. A 66-2/3% majority of votes of those present and voting shall be required to approve any written draft amendments or changes to these bylaws.

B. Abstentions shall not be counted toward the percentage of votes.

C. Only votes from INGP members in good standing shall be counted toward the percentage of votes.