ARTICLE I: Name and Jurisdiction

 

Log Cabin Republicans of Richmond is a Republican organization. The name of this Chapter is the “Log Cabin Republicans of Richmond” (hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter”). The Chapter’s membership will be open to any resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, primarily those who reside in the Greater Richmond Area and others described herein who adhere to Chapter’s principles, purposes, membership requirements, and in good-standing. (Hereinafter referred to as a “member”)

 

ARTICLE II: Principles

 

1. A. The principles of the Chapter are the same as those outlined in the Preamble of the Plan of Organization and Bylaws of the Republican Party of Virginia (as amended), to wit:

 

1. The Republican Party of Virginia is a free association organized for the purposes of promoting the principles and achieving the objectives of the Republican Party, electing duly nominated or designated Republican candidates to public office, and performing official actions within the Commonwealth of Virginia, consistent with these purposes.

 

2. Additionally, we believe in a strong national defense, free trade, and that government, at all levels, must live within its means and not create an undue burden of debt to future generations of Americans.

 

3. In keeping with the rights of the individual and equity under the law, we affirm that

no American should be discriminated against, in employment, housing, public accommodations, taxation, or credit on the basis of sexual orientation, gender/gender identity or any other arbitrary basis, and that all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation, are entitled to equal treatment under the law.

 

ARTICLE III: Purposes

 

1. To assist the Republican County Committees and Republican party of Virginia in their party building efforts at fundraising, signature gathering, grassroots organizing, GOTV, and other related activities necessary for winning elections.

 

2. To help grow the Republican Party through coalition building, the use of media, visibility in the community, petition drives, and voter registration efforts.

 

3. To recruit, develop, and support the Chapter’s and LCRRVA’s members for election to office at all levels of government and appointment to state, regional, and local boards and commissions, governmental administrative posts, and to the judiciary.

 

4. To endorse Republicans for local office who share our principles specified in ARTICLE II and to recommend the endorsement of Republicans for state and federal office to Log Cabin National, to help these candidates to win election to local, regional, state, and federal office.

 

5. To endorse and help pass legislation and ballot measures consistent with the principles specified in ARTICLE II.

 

6. To educate the Republican candidates and officeholders; Republican Party and Republican County Committee leaders and members, Republican volunteer organizations, Republican volunteers and Republican voters about issues of concern to LGBT(+) Republicans and the LGBT(+) Community as a whole.

 

7. To promote Republican candidates, issues, and ballot measures within the LGBT Community as well as other constituencies and the general public, and

 

8. Provide a home for Republicans, regardless of sexual orientation, and their allies to network, socialize, learn about candidates and issues, and be mobilized to grow the Republican Party and win elections.

 

ARTICLE IV: Membership

 

1. Any registered voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of sexual orientation, who agrees with the Purposes and Principles in ARTICLE I of these Bylaws and pays the requisite annual dues as set by the Board of Directors of the Chapter, may join this Chapter as a regular voting member.

 

2. The Log Cabin Republicans of Richmond will require annual due of Fifty Dollars (50) and zero cents. (xx/100) Annual dues are non-refundable.
3. The Board of Directors of the Chapter set lower annual dues for a regular voting member who is/are an active full-time student in good standing/ Member of the Armed Forces/ Veteran to (50) Fifty percent of base general membership.

 

4. The Board of Directors may refuse or revoke membership of any individual for cause, or for failing to comply with the membership requirements set in these bylaws. The dues or other monies (other than loans) collected from the individual whose membership has been refused, will not be returned to the individual.

 

5. Cause for refusing membership or revoking membership include, but are not limited to bringing discredit to the Chapter, Log Cabin Republicans, Log Cabin Republicans of Richmond, the Republican Party of Virginia or the Republican National Committee, serving on parole or probation upon being convicted of a criminal offense, having been formally charged of a felony or serious misdemeanor, engaging in unethical behavior including malfeasance, fraud, or issuance of bad checks, for engaging in abusive and/or disorderly behavior in public or at meetings, verbal or physical harassment of another person, or for endorsing any person other than a Republican in a race where there is a duly endorsed Republican candidate or any person other than a Republican where there is a Republican running in an open primary election.

 

ARTICLE V: Membership Database Software

 

The Chapter will subscribe to and use the membership database software prescribed by Log Cabin National. Access to the membership database shall be limited to members of the Board of Directors of The Chapter and any person deemed necessary by the Board of Directors. Access to the membership database by anyone other than a member of the Board of Directors will require a unanimous agreement by all members of the board.

 

ARTICLE VI: Membership Audit

 

Annually, in December, or when requested, the Chapter will provide to Log Cabin Republicans National, a self-certified membership list verifying that all regular voting members are currently registered voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the same time, the Chapter will also provide Log Cabin Republicans (National) a list of the current officers, the current annual budget

 

ARTICLE VII: Rights and Responsibilities of Regular Voting Members

 

Regular Voting Members of the Chapter have the right to be noticed of all regularly scheduled and emergency meetings and events of the Chapter and the regularly scheduled and emergency meetings of Chapter’s Board of Directors, to fully participate at membership meetings and events, to vote on bylaws amendments, resolutions, and to endorse or recommend endorsement of candidates and take positions on legislation and ballot measures, run and serve as members of the Chapter’s Board of Directors, serve as a delegate at a LCR National convention, or run and serve as a member of the LCR Board of Directors, and to a periodic and transparent accounting of the Chapter’s finances. No Regular Voting Member of the Chapter shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or obligations of the organization. Regular Voting Members are expected to pay their dues in a timely manner and to conduct their political and chapter activities in accordance with these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VII: Membership Meetings

 

1. The Chapter will hold at least ten (10) regularly scheduled membership meetings a year, plus one annual membership meeting in which the Chapter’s elected officers and the bylaws can be amended. Depending on the number of elections taking place in the County or Region in which the Chapter holds its meetings, there will be at least one endorsements meeting held per election cycle. The Board of Directors will determine the venue within the Greater Richmond Area for membership meetings and board meetings. Membership meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the third (3rd) Thursday day of the month, unless otherwise noticed by the Secretary.

 

2.  No action item may be addressed by the membership at a regularly scheduled or emergency scheduled meeting without first being noticed by the Secretary in the meeting agenda. Additional action items may be addressed at a meeting subject to a 2/3 vote of the membership present and voting at any regularly scheduled or emergency meeting, immediately after the quorum has been established.

 

3. All literature, petitions, materials, or announcements of any description shall first be submitted to the President or the Board of Directors before being circulated at any meeting.

 

4. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all procedural matters not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE X: Quorum Requirements

 

1. Annual Meeting. A quorum will be established by the attendance of a simple majority of the total dues paying regular members as of 72-hours before the meeting being convened. The chapter Secretary is responsible for maintaining the membership list and determining the number of members for a quorum.

 

2. Endorsements Meeting. A quorum will be established by the attendance, either virtually or in person, of at least fifty one (51%) or more percent dues paying regular members or a simple majority of the total dues paying regular members, which ever number is greater. The membership numbers will be certified by the Treasurer as of 30-days before the meeting is convened. To prevent the stacking of the membership, no regular member may vote at an endorsements meeting who has not previously attended at least three regularly scheduled or emergency meetings of the Chapter in the preceding 12 months. The Secretary will take the roll at every membership meeting and shall certify those members who are eligible to vote on endorsements. The number of members required for a quorum will be established by the Treasurer, 72 hours before the meeting being convened.

 

3. Maintenance of Quorum. Once a quorum has been established by the Secretary or the President’s designate in the Secretary’s absence, the meeting will continue until adjourned, whether a quorum remains in existence or not. However, no action item, bylaws amendment, or endorsement may be voted on if a member challenges the presence of a quorum and the quorum is determined by the Secretary of the President’s designate in the Secretary’s absence to have been lost. In that case, the meeting may be recessed to regain the quorum, or the vote on an action item, bylaws amendment, or endorsement will be deferred to the next regularly scheduled or emergency meeting of the membership.

 

ARTICLE XI: Board of Directors

 

1. Composition. The chapter will have at least four (4) directors consisting of:  President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. The number of directors may be increased by amendment to these Bylaws. A quorum will be established by the attendance of a majority of the current officers and directors.

 

2. Terms. The terms of each member of the Board of Directors will be 12 months, and no member may serve for more than four years in any particular office, nor for more than eight years consecutively in any position on the Board of Directors

 

3. Contracts and Expense of Funds. Only the Board of Directors has the authority to sign contracts and instruments on behalf of or expend funds or resources belonging to the Chapter. The board of directors is forbidden from doing business with any company owned by a member of the board or their immediate family.

 

Article XII: Election of the Board of Directors

 

1. The Board of Directors will be elected at the Chapter’s annual membership meeting.

 

2. The positions Article XI.1 will be voted on individually, in the order listed. No regular voting member nominated for any of the offices will be elected without accepting his or her nomination and being elected by a majority of the members who cast secret ballots. If more than two candidates run for an office, and no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated, and a second ballot will be held immediately following announcement of the results of the first ballot. If a candidate is running unopposed for an office, if he or she does not get a majority of the votes of the ballots cast, the Secretary will so announce, and the office will be voted upon at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting.

 

3. If any seat remains vacant because the requisite number of officers were not elected at the annual membership meeting or if the seat becomes vacant due to resignation or removal from the board, that seat or seats will be voted upon at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting.

 

Article XIII: Endorsements

 

1.     Candidates

 

a.     The membership at its Endorsements Meeting, may endorse candidates for local or regional non-partisan office. These endorsements are regardless of party affiliation of the candidates, provided that no Republican candidate has qualified for the local ballot. All candidates seeking Log Cabins endorsement must agree with the purposes and principles of the Chapter. If a Republican candidate is running on a slate with non-Republicans for non-partisan office with multiple seats (judges, city council members or county supervisors elected at large) and requests the Log Cabin endorsement of the slate, the Chapter may endorse the slate, provided no Republicans not on the slate are also running for those respective seats.

 

b.     State-wide Office. Upon a majority vote of the membership, the Chapter may offer the endorsement of any Republican candidate for state partisan office (e...g, statewide office, Board of Equalization, or the State legislature) within their region.

 

c.     National Office. Upon a majority vote of the membership, the Chapter may recommend to the LCR National Board, the endorsement of any Republican candidate for national office (President/Vice President, United States Senator, or the U.S. House of Representatives).

 

d.     At its discretion, the Chapter’s Board of Directors may require candidates seeking the Chapter’s endorsement to complete a questionnaire by a particular deadline prior to considering the candidate for endorsement. If required, the questionnaire must be required of all candidates seeking the Chapters endorsement.

 

2.     Ballot Measures. The membership may also endorse, oppose, and make no recommendation on any local or regional ballot measure that has qualified for the ballot or any local initiative which requires signatures to qualify for the ballot. The membership may recommend to the LCRRVA Board that it endorse, oppose, or make no recommendation on any Statewide ballot measure that has qualified for the ballot or any Statewide initiative which requires signatures to qualify for the ballot.

 

3.     Minimum Required Vote. To receive an endorsement or a recommendation for endorsement, a candidate must receive the affirmative votes of 60% of the total ballots cast by regular members, or the hand vote of 60% of the regular members, present and voting. To receive an endorsement recommending either Yes or No on a ballot measure or initiative, the recommendation must receive 60% of the total ballots cast by regular members, or the hand vote of 60% of the regular members, present and voting. Members will be asked to vote in favor of the measure, opposed to the measure, or for “no recommendation”. Abstentions and members not voting will not be counted against the total votes cast in determining the 60% threshold.

 

ARTICLE XIV: Association with Unwelcome Organizations

 

Neither the Chapter nor its officers shall in any way cooperate with unwelcome organizations in promoting, arranging, or facilitating their meetings, their hospitality functions, or the presence of individuals representing the interests of such organizations at the meetings of the Chapter. These are organizations whose express purposes and/or activities are inimical or hostile to, or in direct contradiction with, Republican philosophy and principles. Sponsorship of such groups as "Republicans for <Democratic Candidate>”, exhibiting high levels of campaign spending on behalf of opponents to Republican candidates, and/or routine opposition to Republican candidates, nominees, and/or ballot issues shall constitute prima facie evidence of hostility to Republican philosophy and principles. Neither the Chapter nor its officers shall in any way cooperate with unwelcome organizations in promoting, arranging, or facilitating their meetings, their hospitality functions, or the presence of individuals representing the interests of such organizations at the meetings of the Chapter.However, the Chapter may form coalitions with any Unwelcome Organization on specific local issues or causes that advance the principles and purpose of the Republican Party.

 

ARTICLE XV: Dissolution of the Chapter

 

Upon dissolution of the Chapter all remaining assets after debts have been satisfied will transfer to Log Cabin National or its successor organization.

 

ARTICLE XVI: Adoption and Amendment of the Bylaws

 

These generic Bylaws will be adopted by a simple majority vote at the next membership meeting of the Chapter following their adoption and distribution by Log Cabin National. They may be amended to fit local needs prior to adoption. Once adopted they may be amended by simple majority at the Chapter’s Annual Membership Meeting. Between Annual membership meetings, the Bylaws may be amended upon a 2/3 vote of all members present and voting at a regularly scheduled membership meeting having a quorum. These Bylaws cannot be amended at an emergency membership meeting. Bylaws amendments must be submitted to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting where they will be considered. Amended Bylaws will be submitted to the Secretary of Log Cabin National for ratification by the board of directors of Log Cabin National at their next regularly scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE XV: DESIGNATED SURVIVOR POLICY

 

The LCRRVA line of succession is the order in which officials of the LCRRVA Elected offices assume the powers and duties of the office of president of the LCRRVA if the incumbent president becomes incapacitated, dies, resigns, or is removed from office and a special election cannot be organized. The order of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president; if the vice presidency is simultaneously vacant, or if the vice president is also incapacitated, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the treasurer; if the treasurer is simultaneously vacant, or if the treasurer is also incapacitated, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the Secretary. If there are no elected officials able to assume the president, the powers, and duties of the presidency pass to the longest sitting appointed board member on the LCRRVA Board of Directors.