Bylaws

Bylaws of the Buffalo Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America

[Adopted February 9, 2016; last amended 5/17/2026]

ARTICLE I. Name.

The name of the Chapter shall be the Buffalo Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (Buffalo DSA), a not-for-profit corporation, hereafter referred to as the “Chapter.”

ARTICLE II. Purpose.

The Buffalo Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America seeks to facilitate the transition to a truly socialist economy, one in which the means and resources of production are democratically and socially controlled.

Buffalo DSA rejects capitalism, an economic order based solely on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race and sex, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.

Buffalo DSA envisions a humane social order based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

Buffalo DSA envisions socialism in its purest and most democratic sense. Our conception of socialism is rooted in the belief that human beings should be free to develop to their fullest potential, that public policies should be determined not by wealth but by popular participation, and that individual liberties should be carefully safeguarded. It is committed to freedom of speech and the freedom to organize. It is committed to a freedom of religion that acknowledges the rights of those for whom spiritual concerns are central.

We are socialists because we are developing a concrete strategy for achieving that vision. Our strategy acknowledges the class structure of U.S. society. This class structure means that there is a basic conflict of interest between the capitalist class, and the working class that comprises the vast majority of the population. In the present, we are building a visible socialist presence within the broad democratic left. We do this by materially supporting and building consciousness among the working class. The long term goal is to build a majority movement capable of making the transition to socialism a reality in the United States.

ARTICLE III. Membership.

Section 1. Membership

Members of the Buffalo Chapter DSA will be those individuals whose dues to national DSA are paid in full, who reside and/or work in the Western New York area, broadly defined as Erie and Niagara counties, but allowing for exceptions if interested parties live in a local that allows for their participation in the chapter. It will be the responsibility of members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Chapter, to elect delegates to the national convention, to vote on matters related to national policy, and to make recommendations on issues and other matters to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 2. Removal of Members

If a full member is found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of national DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, disruptive behavior the Chapter may vote to expel them from DSA. In order for such a finding to be made, another DSA member must formally proffer written charges against the member in question to the Chapter Grievance officers, which shall set the date of a Chapter meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two weeks before that meeting takes place. Expulsion of a member or affiliate member requires a two-thirds vote of the Chapter meeting. An expelled full member may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 3. Dues.

The Chapter may establish a pledge system of voluntary donations for its members.

The payment of voluntary, local pledges, colloquially referred to as “local dues” shall not confer membership in Buffalo DSA. Membership shall only be conferred upon payment of dues to the national organization.

Section 4. Required Disclosures for Leadership Elections

Any member running for a leadership position in the chapter must disclose their current employment, source of income, or outside political affiliation(s) if said association falls under the following categories:

Employed as a law enforcement officer.
Any paid position with disciplinary power over workers and employees at the place of employment.
1. Examples include but are not limited to owner operator, manager, and Human Resources official.
An employee or staff member of any political party, elected official, or campaign for public office.
1. This language is inclusive of being an elected official yourself.
2. This provision is inclusive of unpaid staff and political consultants.
3. This provision is not inclusive of simple volunteer activities such as canvassing, phone banking etc.
Membership on any Party Committee.
Landlord.
1. Herein defined as those who derive a majority of their income from charging residential rents for housing they own but do not personally dwell in.

“Leadership Position” for purposes of this section shall be defined as an Officer of the Chapter that is directly elected by the General Body.

ARTICLE IV. Chapter Meetings.

Section 1. Local Convention

The Chapter will hold one (1) Annual Meeting, herein referred to as the Local Convention, and all members of the Chapter will receive three weeks’ written or electronic mail notice with an agenda and time and location of the Local Convention. The Local Convention will elect Chapter officers, adopt an annual budget, and may elect Delegates to National, Regional, and State Bodies. The Local Convention is the highest legislative body of the Chapter.

Section 2. General Body Meetings

The Chapter will hold a minimum of five (5) General Body Meetings not including the Annual Meeting, the time and place of which shall be set in a schedule published and distributed by the Chapter Steering Committee. The General Body Meetings will set Chapter policy and work priorities, and will include political education sessions. The Steering Committee will set the agenda for General Body Meetings, and will provide at least two weeks notice for General Body Meetings. In general, the General Body Meetings are the operating legislative body of the Chapter.

Section 3. Resolutions

Resolutions operate as written main motions per Robert’s Rules of Order that may be brought to a Chapter Meeting for deliberation, amendment, and approval by the general membership. A resolution consists of a rationale section describing the nature of the motion followed by a resolved section that details the concrete actions to be voted upon. To bring a resolution forward to a Chapter Meeting a resolution requires ten co-sponsors of chapter members, and must be submitted to the Steering Committee no later than two weeks in advance of a Chapter Meeting. The Steering Committee and resolution author(s) are responsible for communicating the proposed resolution to chapter membership at least 2 weeks in advance of a Chapter Meeting. Any amendments to the resolution may be made via writing and sent to membership, preferably no later than 1 week ahead of a Chapter Meeting. A resolution requires a simple majority vote among membership, – unless one of the following occurs in which case a 2/3rds majority is required:

To overturn a previous vote, if the resolution goes against a previous order of business.
To endorse a candidate for elected office.
To form a branch.

Any resolution that contradicts these chapter bylaws, or violates a member’s democratic rights cannot be considered per Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 4. Emergency Meetings.

The Chapter Steering Committee may call an Emergency Meeting of the Chapter on five days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation.

Section 5. Quorum.

A quorum of 10% of the Chapter membership or 80% of the average attendance of the last three General Body Meetings, whichever is lower, is required for General Body or Emergency Meetings to transact business. A quorum of 10% of the Chapter membership is required for an Annual Meeting to transact business.

In between General Body Meetings, electronic voting may be held by the membership in order to conduct the business of the Chapter. The Steering Committee is in charge of ensuring the voting process is conducted in a democratic way. A quorum of 10% of Chapter membership is required to ratify an electronic vote of the chapter.

Section 6. Electronic Business

Under certain circumstances it is acceptable for the Chapter to conduct business electronically. Meetings for Chapter business shall include the option for videoconference or any other type of communications channel that is accessible to all Chapter membership, and are not exempt from proper notice according to the by-laws.

Between meetings, Chapter officers may bring motions and transact regular business in a manner to be guided by the Chapter’s Communication Channels Code of Conduct.

ARTICLE V. Chapter Officers: Powers and Duties.

Section 1. Officers and Terms

The officers of the Chapter will be two (2) Co-Chairs, one (1) Secretary, one (1) Treasurer, one (1) Membership Coordinator, and five (5) At-Large Members. The term of office shall be for a period of one (1) year beginning on June 1, except for officers elected according to the Vacancies provision in these by-laws (Article V, Sec. 2). The chapter is encouraged to select officers that represent the racial and gender diversity of our membership.

It is the duty of the exiting officers to give the newly elected officers all relevant information and materials necessary to conduct the business of the chapter officership.

Section 2. Vacancies.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of one of the Chairs, the Co-Chair may assume that office as sole Chair if the vacancy arises fewer than four months before the conclusion of the officer’s term; if the vacancy arises more than four months before the conclusion of the officer’s term, a regular election will be held pursuant to Article XI to fill the vacancy. If the vacancy arises fewer than four months before the conclusion of the officer’s term, the sole Chair may call for a special election pursuant to Article XI rather than assume the office.

In the event of a vacancy in any other Chapter office, a regular election will be held pursuant to Article XI to fill the vacancy, unless the vacancy arises fewer than four months before the conclusion of the officers’ term, in which case the chapter will hold a special election pursuant to Article XI to fill the vacant position for the remainder of the term.

Section 3. Co- Chairs.

The Co-Chairs will be the chief executive officers of the Chapter. They will preside over Chapter and Steering Committee meetings or will appoint a substitute to assume the powers and duties of the presiding officer as specified in Robert’s Rules of Order. The Co-Chairs will be the official public spokespersons for the Chapter and will initiate such actions and policies as the Chapter’s general welfare may demand. In the event that one Chair is unable to perform their duties for a single event or a longer period of time, the Co- Chair will serve as replacement until another Chair is elected.
The Co-Chairs will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations and political work of the Chapter’s branches and committees.
The Co- Chairs will report to General Body Meetings on the business of the Steering Committee Meetings, at which time a copy of the minutes of those meetings will be available for inspection.

Section 4. Secretary.

The Secretary will be responsible for answering all correspondence and queries of the Chapter, and for maintaining an up to date list of all committees, subcommittees, delegates, branches, and youth sections affiliated with the chapter. The Secretary, along with the Co-Chairs, will ensure effective communication with the national DSA. They will temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Chair, if the Co-Chairs are not able to do so.

The Secretary will be responsible also for the taking and making available to members of minutes of all Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings, and shall have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports and other official records of the Chapter. Chapter General Meeting minutes shall be posted in a public folder on the chapter’s website to allow discussion of deliberations outside of the chapter. The Secretary shall transfer official records in good condition to their successor. Official records shall include meeting minutes and member lists.

The Secretary shall serve as a Chair of the Communications Committee.
The Secretary reserves the authority to delegate these tasks to other chapter members.

Section 5. Treasurer.

The Treasurer will be responsible for the funds and financial records of the Chapter. All funds collected by the Chapter will be turned over to the Treasurer, who shall deposit them in a bank account under the name of the Chapter. In cooperation with the Membership Coordinator, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are paid up-to-date. The Treasurer will prepare the annual Chapter budget, and deliver the Chapter financial report to the General Meeting of the Chapter, as well as periodic progress reports to the chapter membership at the request of the Steering Committee, and shall turn over financial records and bank statements for auditing at the request of the Steering Committee.
The Treasurer shall have custody of all material goods belonging to the chapter and keep record of their possession and storage location between use; this duty may be delegated to an individual Quartermaster/Librarian by appointment of the Steering Committee.
The Treasurer shall serve as a Chair of the Finance and Fundraising Committee.

Section 6. Membership Coordinator

The Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for onboarding new members, conducting organizing trainings, membership renewals, and coordinating internal organizing activities of the chapter. It shall be the duty of the membership coordinator to monitor, implement and advise as to the goals of affirmative action and inclusiveness. They shall be responsible for the keeping and maintenance of a current database of members of the chapter.
The Membership Coordinator shall serve as a Chair of the Membership Committee.

Section 7. At-Large Members

The At-Large Members shall represent the views of all members (at-large) on the Steering Committee. All At-Large Members shall serve as representatives of the interests of the entire membership body, with a special duty to represent any minority or marginalized groups within the membership. They shall be responsible for tasks as assigned by the Steering Committee, including but not limited to liaising with each Standing or Ad-hoc Committee.
At-Large Members may serve in a leadership capacity of no more than one committee of the Chapter, except to temporarily fill a vacancy until a suitable replacement may be duly elected. This restriction applies only to committee leadership roles and not to Delegation appointments or to leadership of subcommittees.

Section 8. Additional Duties.

The Chapter Steering Committee may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI. Steering Committee.

Section 1. Composition.

The Chapter Steering Committee will be composed of the elected officers of the Chapter as defined in Article V, Sec. 1 and each branch chair, including YDSA (each branch shall have one vote in the event that there are co-chairs).

Section 2. Duties.

a) The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the General Body Meetings; it may also propose policy to the General Body Meetings. It shall have the power to receive reports of any Committee or Branch, and advise thereon, to call emergency meetings of the Chapter, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action. The Steering Committee is the regular executive body of the Chapter, and thus subordinate to chapter membership.

b) The Chapter Steering Committee will be responsible for coordinating chapter activity between chapter meetings, working cooperatively with the chapter membership.

Section 3. Meetings

The meetings of the Steering Committee will be held at the call of the Co-Chairs at such intervals as may be determined by a prior Steering Committee Meeting or by consultation with a simple majority of members of the Steering Committee. All members of the Steering Committee must (ordinarily) be given four days oral or written notice of regular Steering Committee Meetings; a 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances.
Business shall be approved in the steering committee by a simple majority vote unless otherwise stipulated within these bylaws. In the event of a tie vote the motion will fail to pass.

Section 4. Quorum

A quorum of six (6) members of the Steering Committee is required for the transaction of Steering Committee business. There will be a good faith effort made to get all votes whenever possible.

ARTICLE VII. Branches.

Section 1. Definition

A branch is a subgroup of the Chapter consisting of at least ten (10) members with national DSA, with the exception of Youth Sections (see below). Branches are defined by geography, and may be organized by municipality or sub-region in the jurisdiction of Buffalo DSA. All activity of a branch must align with or expand upon the Chapter’s priorities. Leadership of a branch shall be democratically elected by members of the branch, and will serve for a term as outlined by Article V, Section 1.

Section 2. Youth Sections

Branches established on college campuses and consisting of students will be called Chapter Youth Sections. Youth Sections must have at least five (5) members with national DSA, and be chartered by national DSA as a YDSA chapter.

Section 3. Formation

To form a Branch of Buffalo DSA, the requisite number of members must submit a resolution proposing the new branch, outlining its mission statement. Upon a quorate two-thirds vote of the General Body, the Branch shall be ratified, and its resolution of formation shall serve as its charter. Upon ratification, the Branch will be authorized to elect its own leadership, electing at least one chair and one secretary.

Section 4. Dissolution

A Branch may be dissolved by the Steering Committee if it has not met for at least three months, for failure to conduct its internal affairs according to Buffalo DSA’s bylaws, or if it has been promoting policies contrary to those of Buffalo DSA or national Democratic Socialists of America. The Steering Committee will also consider the matter of dissolution of a Branch at a Steering Committee meeting upon receipt of a petition signed by no less than 20% of the full membership of the Branch in question. The chair(s) from said Branch must be informed that dissolution is on the agenda when notified of the meeting. The decision to dissolve a Branch shall be ratified or rejected at the next General Body Meeting of Buffalo DSA, during which time said Branch may be continued or re-established.

ARTICLE VIII. Administrative, Standing, and Ad Hoc Committees

Section 1. Committee Types

There shall be three Committee Types: Administrative, Standing, and Ad Hoc as described below.

Section 1.1 Administrative Committees

Administrative Committees are permanent subcommittees of the Steering Committee. The Committees shall be comprised of members and operate according to democratic principles and elect their leadership. Where applicable, certain Steering Committee officers shall hold ex officio seats. Administrative Committees must meet at least once every three months.

Section 1.1.1 Communications Committee

The purpose of the Communications Committee is to build and maintain the various lines of communication, both external and internal, of the Chapter. At least one of the Chairs shall be the Chapter Secretary.

Section 1.1.2 Finance and Fundraising Committee

The Finance and Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for managing the finances, including budgeting, and fundraising for the Chapter. At least one of the Chairs shall be the Chapter Treasurer.

Section 1.1.3 Membership Committee

The Membership Committee shall be responsible for the oversight of Chapter membership, including: recruiting and onboarding new members, engaging membership with the projects and priorities of the Chapter, and other initiatives that tend to engage membership with each other. At least one of the Chairs shall be the Chapter Membership Coordinator.

Section 1.2. Standing Committees

Standing Committees shall be defined as the priority committees of the chapter, ratified at a Chapter Meeting by simple majority vote of the general membership. Standing Committees will fill the broadest categories of relevant political issues, and shall not violate the Chapter’s prohibited activity under Article X. A Standing Committee will require re-ratification upon the next following annual convention.

Section 1.3. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees are committees with a limited time frame approved by membership at a Chapter Meeting to fill roles and tasks as needed that are not covered by the chapter’s Administrative and Standing Committees. Ad Hoc Committees may be approved by simple majority vote at a Chapter Meeting. Per Robert’s Rules of Order, the Steering Committee may also appoint ad hoc committees for tasks limited to Steering Committee duties outlined in Article VI, Sec. 2.

Section 2. Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Proposal Process

During the Chapter Meeting where a Standing or Ad Hoc Committee is proposed, and at each Annual Convention, proposed Standing or Ad Hoc Committees require a Mission Statement with 10 co-sponsors from Chapter members who intend to comprise the initial membership of the committee. The Mission Statement will outline the overall purpose, strategy, tactics, estimated budget, proposed leadership structure and nominations for roles. This document will serve as a guiding document, as well as a resolution to the general membership to be voted on and ratified via simple majority vote. The General Body, being the highest legislative body, may amend the proposed Mission Statement at a Chapter Meeting. Changes to the Mission Statement or elected leadership requires a simple majority vote among committee membership, ratified by the General Body..

Section 3. Committee Requirements

Committees require at minimum a chair and secretary, which are to be elected by simple majority vote among the membership of said committee (see Section 8. Committee Membership).

A committee chair’s duty is to facilitate meetings, set the meeting agenda in collaboration with membership, and ensure quorum is met for transacting business. Committee chairs are also responsible for reporting committee activities to general membership at General Body Meetings. A committee secretary’s duty is to take meeting minutes and report them to membership, to keep and amend an active roster of a committee’s membership, to oversee the committee’s budget, and to communicate with membership the dates of meetings to increase participation.

Section 4. Duties.

Chairs of all Committees will keep the Steering Committee and the General Body Meetings of the Chapter informed on the activities of the committee and be invited to all Steering Committee meetings. It is the responsibility of Committees to report to their respective committees.

Should a Standing Committee fail to meet quorum and seek to act on something outside of their Mission Statement’s strategies and/or tactics, a Standing Committee may hold an e-ballot vote among all committee members via simple majority vote for approval, ratified by the general body.

Section 5. Subcommittees

Committees shall be authorized to form subcommittees to organize focused efforts on an element(s) of the committee’s Mission Statement, provided such efforts shall not violate the Chapter’s prohibited activity under Article X. Subcommittees require a Mission Statement outlining the overall purpose, strategy, tactics, proposed leadership structure, and nominations for roles. Subcommittees will not be granted an independent budget, but may utilize the parent Committee’s budget with approval by majority vote in a regular Committee meetings. Subcommittee officers shall be responsible for reporting subcommittee activities at regular meetings of their parent Committee.

Section 6. Coalition Delegates

Participation in a coalition group requires official endorsement by the Chapter general membership. The responsible Committee shall submit a resolution at a Chapter Meeting to ratify chapter participation.
Committees shall be authorized to appoint Delegates to coalition groups focused on the Committee’s area of work. Coalition Delegate opportunities shall be presented to the Committee membership not less than two weeks prior to a scheduled meeting of the Committee. Should multiple candidates step forward for the Coalition Delegate delegation position the Committee shall hold an election by simple majority vote. If one or fewer candidates step forward for the Delegate position, the Chair(s) of the committee shall be authorized to appoint a delegate. A Coalition Delegate must be voted on as a first order of business at the next Committee meeting following the Annual Convention. In the event that the Committee is not ratified at the Annual Convention, the newly elected Steering Committee shall be authorized to evaluate Chapter participation in any ongoing coalition effort and appoint delegates as deemed fit.
Coalition Delegates shall be empowered to represent the Committee in coalition work, but are not authorized to speak to the media on behalf of the Chapter. Delegates are not empowered to commit Committee or Chapter resources to coalition efforts without approval from the Committee or Steering Committee as applicable.
The Steering Committee shall be authorized to appoint Coalition Delegates to coalitions outside the purview of Committee work according to the guidelines in this section.

Section 7: Vacancies in Committee Leadership

Upon any vacancy in the leadership of a Committee that arises from resignation, or a Committee vote of no-confidence, the Committee shall notify the Chapter Co-Chairs in writing of the vacancy within 48 hours.

The committee shall vote on new leadership at their next regularly scheduled meeting, and must provide results to Chapter Co-Chairs, in writing, within 48 hours of election. If more time is needed to find a candidate to fill the vacancy, an At-Large member of the Steering Committee may temporarily hold the office until the vacancy is able to be filled.

Upon informing Steering of the newly elected leader, the Steering Committee shall update the chapter at the next Chapter Meeting, and as soon as possible through any internal communication mediums of the following:

The identity of the elected member
The role for which they were elected
A notification of the rights of the General Body to recall committee leadership at any Chapter Meeting.

Section 8. Committee Membership

Membership of any Committee is to be composed of any chapter member who attends at least one committee meeting. With the exception of the first meeting of a newly ratified committee, any chapter member is a voting member of a committee who attends at least one meeting where business is conducted in the six months prior to any meeting in which a vote is held. Committee secretaries are required to maintain accurate meeting attendance and voting status of members.

Section 9. Quorum

Quorum is defined as half the weighted-average of the last two meetings’ attendances.

ARTICLE IX. Delegates to National, Regional, and State Bodies.

Section 1. National Convention Delegates

National Convention Delegates and Alternates will be elected by members of the Chapter. Elections for the National Convention delegation shall be held on the schedule announced by the national organization. Elections for delegates will be held via single transferable ranked-choice voting, and the sole criteria for selecting delegates to the national DSA convention will be the quantity of votes cast for each individual candidate in the ranked choice election.

Section 2. Regional and State Body Delegates

Regional and State Body Delegates will be elected by members of the Chapter at a Chapter Meeting. The Steering Committee must notify the general membership of a delegate opportunity two weeks in advance of a Chapter Meeting. If three or more members run, the election must be held by single transferable ranked choice voting. Regional and State Body Delegates must be voted on at each Annual Convention.

ARTICLE X. Prohibited Activity

The Buffalo Chapter shall not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501 (c) 4 organizations or similar rules established by the state of New York. Nor shall the Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.

ARTICLE XI. Nominations and Recalls.

Section 1. Nominations Committee.

A three-person Nominations Committee shall be established at least one month prior to every election by vote of a General Body Meeting. No member of the Nominations Committee shall also run for Officer. It shall solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected.

Section 2. Nominations Process.

Nominations for Chapter Officers and Delegates shall be opened 10 days before and closed at the Annual Meeting. The call for nominations shall be announced to members of the Chapter in advance of the Chapter Meeting. Buffalo DSA Officer and Delegate elections will be held via single transferable ranked-choice voting. In all Buffalo DSA Officer and Delegate elections, the caucus affiliation of candidates will be included on the ballot next to their name. All voters and candidates for said elections must be a member of National DSA thirty days prior to the election in order to participate.

Section 3. Uncontested Positions.

If a position is uncontested, the nominee will be declared elected by acclamation.

Section 4. Recalls

A vote of no-confidence may be proposed by any member, at any time, for any Chapter Officer, Delegate, or Committee Chair. Once the motion is seconded, a 2/3 majority of those present shall deem said Officer, Delegate, or Committee Chair removed from office.

If an Officer, Delegate, or Chair is removed from their position via the vote, a special election shall be called and held as early as possible, but no later than the next Chapter Meeting.

Section 5. Special Elections

Should an office be vacated before the end of its term, chapter membership will be promptly notified by electronic mail detailing the process by which the vacancy will be filled. As described in these by-laws, a special election may be called to expeditiously fill a vacancy. At the Chapter Meeting following the announcement of a vacancy, the presiding Officer will open the floor for a nominations period. Members may motion to nominate any member to the office. The member must be present and accept the nomination. Members who have accepted a nomination will be given no more than 2 minutes to express their fitness for the office followed by no more than 3 minutes of questions from the membership. After all nominees have had their opportunity to speak and a question & answer period from the membership, a ballot may be sent to the membership to elect a nominee for the office via single transferable ranked choice voting. If a position is uncontested, the nominee will be declared elected by acclamation.

ARTICLE XII. Amendments.

Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by ten members of Buffalo DSA, and submitted to the Steering Committee a month in advance of a Chapter Meeting. The Steering Committee is required to provide Chapter membership with written notice of any proposed bylaw amendments no later than two weeks prior to a Chapter Meeting. After consideration by the general body, bylaw amendments must receive a 2/3rds majority vote via electronic ballot to the entire membership for official adoption, with quorum as stipulated in Article IV, Sec. 54.

ARTICLE XIII. Rules of the Chapter.

Section 1. Rules.

The Rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern this Chapter in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws. Consensus decision-making is desirable where feasible, but meetings must submit to Robert’s Rules of Order upon the request of a member.

Section 2. Action Out of Order.

Any action taken by an officer or member of the Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.

Section 3. Public Bylaws

These bylaws shall be made public on the chapter’s web page.

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