BYLAWS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GREEN PARTY OF MINNESOTA

Adopted September 2001, Amended June 8, 2008; June 22, 2013; June 24, 2017; June 29, 2019; July 11, 2021.

Article I. Purpose

The purpose of these bylaws shall be to further the implementation of provisions of the Constitution of the Green Party of Minnesota by expanding, clarifying, and specifying details where those provisions are narrow, undefined, or general, as authorized within Constitutional provision or necessary for their implementation.

Article II. Subordination

These bylaws are subordinate to the Constitution of the Green Party of Minnesota.

1. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to amend, counter, or replace any provision of the Constitution.
2. No bylaw shall be adopted to address any matter which is not addressed by the Constitution, except as specifically authorized by the Constitution, or where that matter pertains to a particular provision of the Constitution and must be addressed to allow proper implementation of that provision.

Article III. Platform

1. The Coordinating Committee shall develop a process for accepting planks in the Platform of the Green Party of Minnesota that encourages the participation of all members, allows all voices to be heard, and honors the will of the majority.
2. Planks shall be considered at the Biennial Convention or at a Special Meeting in accordance with Article VIII of the Constitution. Adoption or removal  requires a two thirds (2/3) vote if a vote is necessary.
3. Proposed planks shall be published in a manner accessible to the membership at least fifteen (15) days before the meeting at which they are to be considered.

Article IV. Forfeiture of Membership

1. Forfeiture of membership in the Green Party of Minnesota, for actions in opposition to explicit principles and values of the Green Party, may be decided by a two thirds (2/3) vote at an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting, Biennial Convention or Statewide Membership Meeting.
2. Holders of elected public office may be removed from the Membership of the Green Party, for actions in opposition to explicit principles and values of the Green Party, by a two thirds (2/3) vote at an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting, Biennial Convention or Statewide Membership Meeting.
3. Holders of elected office within the Green Party of Minnesota may be removed from office for cause by a simple majority vote at an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting, Biennial Convention or Statewide Membership Meeting. However, Coordinating Committee members representing a congressional district can only be removed from their office at their respective congressional district meeting.
4. All members, (including the member whose membership is to be forfeited or holder of office within the Green Party of Minnesota, whose office is to be forfeited), must be notified at least seven (7) days before the meeting at which such forfeiture will be considered.
5. A forfeited member, who has been forfeited for at least two (2) years, may request that the membership consider reinstating their membership at an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting, Biennial Convention or Statewide Membership Meeting. The forfeited member must submit such a request in writing to the Coordinating Committee at least fifteen (15) days before the meeting and members must be notified at least seven (7) days before the meeting at which the matter will be considered. Reinstatement requires a two thirds (2/3) vote and if a member is reinstated, they are subject to the same requirements as any new member.
6. For purposes of this article, twenty (20) members shall constitute a quorum

Article V. Meetings

1. Minutes
2. Minutes shall be taken as necessary at all Green Party meetings, and shall subsequently be distributed to all committee members as is conveniently possible.
3. Minutes shall be read, amended, and approved as necessary at all Green Party meetings.
4. Coordinating Committee Meetings
5. The Coordinating Committee shall meet as often as necessary and at least quarterly.
6. Coordinating Committee members must be notified at least seven days before meetings, either in writing or by telephone.
7. Whenever possible, the Coordinating Committee shall hold meetings at a regular time and place, which is maximally accessible to all members of the Green Party.
8. All Coordinating Committee meetings are open.
9. When necessary, the Coordinating Committee may make decisions without the seven day meeting notice by obtaining a majority vote of a quorum.
10. The Coordinating Committee shall publish its meeting agenda online at least one week before its meeting. Coordinating Committee meeting notes must be posted online within two weeks of the meeting. They should be specified "approved" or "draft" depending on their status.
11. Membership Meetings
12. All Statewide Membership Meetings are open to the public.
13. General Membership Meetings must be announced to members at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting. Such notice may be by surface mail, telephone, electronic communication, print media, or other means deemed appropriate and effective.
14. To vote, a member must fulfill the requirements of membership in Article I of the Constitution, be in good standing, and register at least sixty (60) days before an Annual Meeting, Special Meeting, Biennial Convention or Statewide Membership Meeting. Members registered less than sixty (60) days may vote if vouched for by a member who is qualified to vote, each of whom can vouch for no more than one person. The Coordinating Committee or its delegate(s) shall maintain the list of registered members of the Green Party of Minnesota. At all such meetings, final arbitration of membership status shall be the responsibility of the Coordinating Committee.

Article VI. Organizational Units

1. Local party units provide the primary arena for grassroots participation in the Green Party of Minnesota.
2. Purpose
3. To engage in local electoral politics, education, activism, and other activities that further the Green vision.
4. To foster grassroots participation in the Green Party of Minnesota.
5. To endorse candidates for office within their community.
6. Congressional District units
7. a) To make endorsements in congressional races.
8. b) To elect congressional district representatives to the Coordinating Committee.
9. c) To foster regional networking, cooperation, and outreach among Greens and Green Party locals.
10. Requirements
11. Written bylaws that guarantee democratic decision-making. The Green Party of Minnesota  recommends a consensus decision-making process.
12. Elected officers.
13. A minimum of one meeting per quarter. Minutes and records of attendance must be kept.
14. Congressional District units must have mechanisms to elect a representative to the Coordinating Committee and to endorse US Congressional candidates.
15. The Coordinating Committee  will assign a mentor to any newly forming Congressional District  unit for the first year, to assist in meeting the requirements for  formation. 
16. Recognition

The Coordinating Committee shall grant recognition to a local party unit upon approval of its bylaws and receipt of minutes of its first meeting.

1. Caucuses

A caucus is defined as a group of Green Party members who are organized and whose mission statement is aligned with the principles and values of the Party.

1. Accreditation Requirements

1. A minimum of 8 members of the Green Party of Minnesota; geographical diversity is encouraged.
2. Bylaws that guarantee a democratic decision making process. The Green Party of Minnesota requires a consensus decision making process. When conscensus cannot be achieved decisions must be made by a two thirds (2/3) vote.
3. A minimum of one meeting per quarter. Minutes and records of attendance must be kept.
4. An elected contact person to be listed on mngreens.org.
5. Attendance by a representative of the caucus at a minimum of two Green Party of Minnesota Coordinating Committee meetings per year.

1. Accreditation of Statewide Caucuses
2. The Coordinating Committee has authority over the statewide caucus accreditation process.
   2. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Coordinating Committee  is required to blockor remove the accreditation of any caucus that meets the criteria.
3. Benefits to Caucuses

1. Caucuses shall be listed on the Green Party of Minnesota’s website and allowed the same communications resources as local party units.
2. Caucuses shall be offered table space at all Green Party of Minnesota Membership Meetings.
3. Caucus-sponsored events shall be promoted by the Green Party of Minnesota.
4. Caucuses shall have access to Green Party of Minnesota membership data for the purposes of further organizing; the scope of this access is to be determined cooperatively by the caucus and the Coordinating Committee.

Article VII. Proportional Representation

Elections for at-large Coordinating Committee positions shall use Instant Runoff Voting if there are more candidates than open seats. At each round, ties shall be broken by lot. If there are equal or fewer candidates than seats, the membership shall vote yes or no for each candidate and that candidate shall be elected if they receive at least two thirds (2/3) yes votes.

Article VIII. Decision Making

1. The right to participate in the decision making process shall be extended to all members as described in Article V, 3 of these Bylaws.
2. Unless otherwise specified in the Constitution or in these Bylaws, all decisions shall be made by a majority vote.
3. Two-thirds of all Green Party members are required to veto a decision or direction taken by the Coordinating Committee. The vote must occur at a Statewide Membership Meeting.

Article IX. Party Organization and Officers

1. Coordinating Committee

The Coordinating Committee shall be the governing body of the Green Party of Minnesota, and shall exercise a general oversight function. The Coordinating Committee shall oversee the implementation of programs, campaigns, and projects, which advance the goals, and purposes of the Green Party.

1. Any member of the Green Party of Minnesota shall be eligible to serve on the Coordinating Committee. Members shall be selected to represent the diversity of populations in Minnesota as much as possible.
2. Coordinating Committee members shall not be members of any other political party.
3. Four (4) members of the Coordinating Committee shall constitute a quorum at any duly called meeting.
4. The Coordinating Committee has the authority to hire, supervise, and terminate staff for the Green Party of Minnesota, as necessary.
5. Coordinating Committee members shall not use their title or Green Party funds to endorse a candidate for office other than one endorsed by the Green Party.
6. Vacating a Coordinating Committee Seat
7. Seats may be vacated by written resignation
8. A Coordinating Committee representative forfeits their seat, if they have not been present at three (3) consecutive Coordinating Committee meetings and have not made contact with any other regularly attending Coordinating Committee member to offer an excused absence.
9. A Coordinating Committee representative forfeits their seat if they have not been present at six (6) consecutive Coordinating Committee meetings.
10. Coordinating Committee representatives may be removed from office as described in Article IV, 3 of these Bylaws.
11. Working Committees
12. The Coordinating Committee may establish working groups and committees, as necessary.
13. Each working group or committee may appoint a chair and shall submit an annual report, including a projected work plan, to the Coordinating Committee and to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
14. Working groups and committees must receive authorization in advance from the Coordinating Committee for any expenditure of Green Party funds.
15. A majority of a working group or committee shall be considered a quorum.
16. GPUS Delegates
17. If there is an affiliation agreement between the Green Party of Minnesota (GPMN) and the Green Party of the United States (GPUS), the GPMN shall make a good-faith effort to provide delegates and alternates to the Green National Committee, and any national conventions, and do so in a quantity as determined by the governing documents of the GPUS.
18. Qualification for delegates and alternates to the Green National Committee shall be the same as that of members of the Coordinating Committee.
19. The Green Party of Minnesota shall make a good-faith effort to send its delegates, or other official GPMN representatives, to annual and other special meetings of the Green National Committee, and it shall make a good-faith effort to cover any reasonable costs associated with these meetings such as travel, lodging, meals, and registration fees.
20. The Green Party of Minnesota’s delegates to the Green National Committee, either as individuals or as a committee, shall regularly consult with, and provide regular reports to, the Coordinating Committee.
21. The Green Party of Minnesota’s representatives to the Green National Committee, and any other GPUS working groups, shall make a good-faith effort to represent the will of the membership of the GPMN in an ethical and professional manner. The members of the GPMN shall have the authority to direct such representatives via action at a membership meeting.
22. The Coordinating Committee shall provide oversight of the Green Party of Minnesota’s representatives to the Green National Committee and any other GPUS working groups, including the authority to direct such representatives in the absence of a membership directive.
23. Delegate/alternate teams to the Green National Committee shall be elected at Green Party of Minnesota  membership meetings for two year staggered terms. Delegates or alternates may be removed by the Coordinating Committee for cause. If a delegate or alternate is removed the Coordinating Committee shall appoint a replacement  to serve until the next GPMN membership meeting, at which time the membership shall choose a delegate or alternate to complete the unexpired term.

Article X. Candidate Endorsement

Candidates shall be endorsed at the Endorsing Convention using rules drafted by the Coordinating Committee and approved by the membership at the convention.

Article XI. Fiscal Policy

1. The Coordinating Committee shall not make expenditures that exceed income by more than ten (10) percent during any single year, without specific approval to do so by the membership at an Annual Meeting or Special Meeting, except to meet legal obligations of the Green Party or in an emergency. Any debt or deficit carried at the end of the year that was not approved by the membership must be satisfied in the following year, so that total unapproved debt never exceeds the current year's income by more than ten (10) percent.
2. A year shall be designated as the calendar year, unless the Green Party has implemented a fiscal year for its budgeting.

Article XII. Amendments

1. These Bylaws may only be amended at an Annual Meeting or Special Meeting. Amendments shall be passed in accordance with Article VIII of the Constitution, requiring a two thirds (2/3) vote if a vote is necessary.
2. Proposed amendments shall be published in a manner accessible toGreen Party members at least fifteen (15) days before the meeting at which they are to be considered for adoption.
3. Amendments to the Bylaws shall take effect upon approval by the membership unless otherwise provided.