Amended by the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri membership at its monthly General Meeting meeting held in Kansas City, MO on November 4, 2021.
Article 1: Introduction
1.1 Name and Affiliation
The name of this organization is the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri. It may also be referred to as the Green Party of KCMO or GreensKC.
The Green Party of Kansas City Missouri is based in the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area and exists as part of a broader state, national, and international ecosocialist movement that adheres to the 10 Key Values as described in our Articles of Association.
The Green Party of Kansas City Missouri is a chapter of the Missouri Green Party and is also affiliated with the Green Party of the United States.
1.2 Mission, Vision, and Purpose
Our mission is to return heart to the political process in order to create and sustain a government that can overcome the challenges of social inequality, violence, war, capitalism, and ecological degradation to fight for people, planet, and peace over profit.
Our vision is to create a society that reflects the 10 Key Values of the Green Party.
Our purpose is established in our Articles of Association. We fulfill our purpose through electoral political activity and social activism.
1.3 Relationship to the Statutory Committees
Missouri statutes 115.603-627 establish a series of committees that constitute the legal structure of an established state political party. This series of committees is legally distinct from the Missouri Green Party organization of which GreensKC is a chapter. These committees are not governed by GreenKC's Articles of Association or Bylaws. The members of GreensKC will run in primary elections to serve on these legal committees. Once elected, GreensKC members will operate these committees as described in the law, honoring the decisions and guidance of GreensKC and the Missouri Green Party, and in accordance with Green Party values.
Article 2: Membership
2.1 Membership Requirements
Any Missouri resident (documented or undocumented) who is 16 years of age or older and is in agreement with the 10 key values, strives to support and uphold the work of the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri, and is not a member of another political party or Green local chapter, may pay annual dues and thereby participate as an active member of the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri.
2.2 Membership Dues
Annual dues shall be renewed each year on the date of the initial membership dues payment.
Members shall determine their own level of dues based on income or ability to pay, the honor system, and state and federal law. The minimum dues required to be a GreensKC member are $12/year, or $1/month. Subsidized dues are available to individuals who are unable to pay the full $12 dues, at the discretion of the Treasurer and according to state and federal law.
2.3 Powers of Members
Members may select and remove officers, authorize annual budget and discretionary financial expenditures or those in excess of budget, change the bylaws of the organization, and vote on matters relating to electoral candidates and endorsement or denouncement of specific issues or events. Voting powers (including absentee) are exercised at the monthly General Meetings (GM), which may delegate responsibility to committees unless otherwise outlined in the bylaws. The General Meeting makes all fundamental decisions and committees have only those powers delegated to them.
2.4 Removal of Members
- Expulsion of members is extremely discouraged, however in cases of gross misconduct, an active member may be removed if:
- Another active member presents written cause at a GM, and
- Active members vote for removal at that meeting, and
- At the next GM, active members vote to uphold the removal following an oral presentation of cause and defense, neither to exceed 15 minutes.
2.5 Resignation of Members
Members may resign in writing to any voting member of the Coordinating Committee at any time. Dues shall not be refunded upon resignation.
Article 3: Coordinating Committee
3.1 Definition
The Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri (hereafter referred to as CC) oversees the activities of the chapter and implements the policies, plans, and decisions of the General Membership consistent with the vision, mission, and purpose of the chapter.
The CC coordinates the efforts of all other committees toward the shared goal and purpose of promoting Green Party values, enacting the strategic and financial determinations of the General Membership and ensuring the long-term viability of the chapter.
The CC shall also be the decision-making body of the chapter between GMs.
3.2 Powers, Responsibilities, and Limitations
The CC shall strive to foster an environment of respect and encourage constructive communication within the chapter and in conversations with the community at large.
The CC shall make time-sensitive decisions and endorsements that must be made before the next scheduled GM, on behalf of the chapter, pursuant to GreensKC principles and membership decisions and which are consistent with the 10 Key Values. The CC shall present all such decisions and endorsements at the next GM for questions and review.
The CC is charged with reviewing a proposed annual budget by March 15 in order to get it to the membership for final approval at the April GM.
All decisions by the CC require a simple majority vote of CC members in attendance, and at least four voting members of the CC must be in attendance to constitute quorum.
CC decisions can be overruled by a 2/3 vote of members in attendance at the following GM.
3.3 Coordinating Committee Structure
The CC shall consist of seven officers with voting roles: two co-coordinators, a secretary, a treasurer, a membership officer, an elections officer, and an outreach officer, as well as a local chapter representative to the state party who shall serve an advisory role to, and is not a voting member of, the CC. In addition, ad hoc committees shall designate a representative to serve an advisory, non-voting role on the CC.
Each member of the CC shall designate an alternative representative to attend a CC meeting in their place if and when that member has a planned absence. Voting CC officers representing other committees shall designate an alternative representative that is a member of the same committee. Alternative representatives of CC positions shall not be granted voting rights at CC meetings. However, they shall carry out all other duties of that position, as appropriate, at the meeting.
Article 4: Officers
4.1 Eligibility and Election of Officers
To be eligible to serve as a GreensKC officer, one must be a registered member of GreensKC in good standing. It is recommended that officers have served a minimum of three months as an active GreensKC member.
GreensKC officers shall be elected by ranked choice vote at the first GM of each calendar year. The elected officers will take office on the first day of the following month, with the outgoing officers continuing in their roles until then. The outgoing officers will hold a training event to fully prepare the incoming officers to take over their new positions. Interim elections may be held at any GM to fill vacant positions, who will then serve until the next regular election.
In the event that these positions become vacant between GMs, the CC has the power to appoint interim members to fill these positions, provided that a quorum still exists on the CC. Interim members will then stand for interim election at the next GM, along with any other interested members.
GreensKC members may not occupy more than one voting position on the CC.
4.2 Positions and Duties of Officers
A. The Co-Coordinators are the coordinators of the chapter and its Coordinating Committee. The Co-Coordinators shall ensure that the duties of the CC are met. The two Co-Coordinators, at minimum, shall:
i. Be the main interface between the chapter and all other persons and organizations;
ii. Be gender-diverse (man, woman, genderqueer, etc.) if possible given the genders of those running;
iii. Train new CC members;
iv. Organize and facilitate all CC and GM meetings, or delegate this task if and when necessary;
v. Produce and distribute meeting agendas to the membership prior to meetings;
vi. Ensure open communication, transparency, and collaboration within the chapter;
vii. Mediate resolution of conflicts among members and committees;
viii. Work to grow and build the chapter and ensure its long-term viability.
B. The Secretary, at minimum, shall:
i. Take notes and prepare minutes of all CC and GM meetings or designate another member for this task if and when the secretary is absent or incapacitated;
ii. Circulate minutes to the membership following meetings;
iii. Announce all CC meetings and GMs to the membership;
iv. Be familiar with the bylaws’ rules of governance and decision-making and strive to enforce those rules;
v. Maintain current revisions and history files of all bylaws, resolutions, position papers, brochures, flyers, and other non-financial documents of the chapter;
vi. Convey these files to the next Secretary when the position changes hands.
C. The Treasurer is the coordinator of the Finance Committee and is this committee’s representative on the CC. The Treasurer shall ensure that the duties of the Finance Committee are met.
D. The Membership Officer is the coordinator of the Membership Committee and is this committee’s representative on the CC. The Membership Officer shall ensure that the duties of the Membership Committee are met.
E. The Elections Officer is the coordinator of the Elections Committee and is this committee’s representative on the CC. The Elections Officer shall ensure that the duties of the Election Committee are met.
F. The Outreach Officer is the coordinator of the Outreach Committee and is this committee’s representative on the CC. The Outreach Officer shall ensure that the duties of the Outreach Committee are met.
G. The Local Chapter Representative shall serve as the representative from the chapter to the Missouri Green Party’s State Coordinating Committee. The Local Chapter Representative can also be any of the members of the CC, including one of the Co-Coordinators. The representative is chosen by a majority vote at a General Meeting. The Local Chapter Representative is a non-voting member of the CC.
4.3 Removal of Officers
Officers will be considered resigned from office by giving notice in writing to other CC members; or after failing to attend three consecutive GM/CC meetings without notice; or after failing to perform clearly defined duties of their position for more than three months. At this point, the remaining CC members shall appoint an interim officer who will serve until the next GM where a new officer will be elected, unless the GM chooses to reinstate the resigned officer.
Article 5: Other Committees
5.1 Responsibilities of Committees
Committees will select a facilitator for each committee meeting and a coordinator who will be responsible for ensuring that the committee report is delivered at the GM and that a written copy is submitted to the Secretary, preferably in time to be included with the distribution of the GM agenda. Committee reports should include the phone number of the coordinator or contact person of the committee, the dates of all meetings since the last GM, the number of members in attendance, ongoing and proposed activities, and the date, time and location of all upcoming meetings.
Each committee must describe all proposed projects and programs and submit requests for funding to the GM.
5.2 Standing Committees
Standing Committees of the chapter are hereby established for the purposes of distributing the essential work required to enact the goals and will of the membership as determined through the resolutions and decisions made by the membership at GMs. Standing Committees shall be represented on and be coordinated by the CC and the coordinating officer from each Standing Committee shall serve as a voting member of the CC.
a. Finance Committee
The Finance Committee, at minimum, shall:
i. Maintain the financial records of the chapter;
ii. Receive and disburse funds in accordance with the party’s bylaws and all relevant legal requirements;
iii. Keep the membership and officers informed of the party’s financial condition and affairs;
iv. Deliver an annual financial report at the May meeting and publish said report to the membership;
v. Comply with all reporting requirements of the Federal Election Commission, the State of Missouri, and any other government entities having jurisdiction over the chapter;
vi. Fully comply with all Missouri campaign finance and reporting laws.
The Treasurer is encouraged to share these duties with the other members of the Finance Committee.
b. Membership Committee
The Membership Committee, at minimum, shall:
i. Maintain a database of contacts and members;
ii. Give updated documents to the Secretary quarterly;
iii. Ensure an up-to-date list of all dues-paid members is brought to every GM;
iv. Monitor and notify members of deadlines for paying dues;
v. Identify the wards, precincts, and voting districts of members;
vi. Actively work to engage members in committee and chapter work;
vii. Identify skills, strengths, and abilities of members and make an effort to connect these members to areas of need for the chapter;
viii. Welcome new members and provide them with new-member materials;
ix. Actively work to retain members of the chapter.
The Membership Officer is encouraged to share these duties with a Volunteer Coordinator and the other members of the Membership Committee.
c. Elections Committee
The Elections Committee, at minimum, shall:
i. Be knowledgeable about federal, state and local campaign and election laws;
ii. Recruit and train suitable candidates to run in local and statewide elections;
iii. Coordinate electoral campaigns;
iv. Identify and communicate filing deadlines;
v. Make recommendations for funding and/or endorsements for candidates, petitions, ballot initiatives etc.;
vi. Research and solicit electoral opportunities, partnerships and coalitions.
The Elections Officer is encouraged to share these duties with the other members of the Elections Committee.
d. Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee, at minimum, shall:
i. Be knowledgeable about and publicize the values, principles, and platform of the Green Party;
ii. Solicit content for chapter social media outlets and maintain an online presence for the chapter;
iii. Maintain an up-to-date database of local and state media contacts;
iv. Coordinate and distribute press releases as appropriate on behalf of the chapter;
v. Actively work to recruit new members;
vi. Raise money for the chapter in an ethical manner and maintain lists of donors;
vii. Maintain a list of prospective members;
viii. Establish and maintain contacts with other groups and organizations in the community;
ix. Send out at least one monthly email updating current and prospective members on chapter news;
x. Select a Spokesperson to publicly represent Green Party positions in speeches, discussions, panels, interviews, and other engagements and educate the public about Green Party values, platform, etc., as needed.
The Outreach Officer is encouraged to share these duties with a Media Coordinator, Recruitment Coordinator, Fundraising Coordinator, Spokesperson(s), and other members of the Outreach Committee.
5.3 Creation of Committees
A GM may vote to create ad hoc committees. The GM must approve the general powers and scope of any such committees. Additional Standing Committees may be created by amending these bylaws.
5.4 Dissolution of Committees
Committees may be dissolved at any time by the vote of a GM with the exception of Standing Committees which may only be dissolved through amendment to the bylaws. A committee may be temporarily suspended by the CC. Any such temporary suspension must be either revoked or made permanent by the membership at the next GM, with amendment to the bylaws if the committee is a standing committee.
5.5 Committee Membership
Chapter members may join Standing or Ad hoc Committees by notifying the respective Committee Coordinator. Members of committees shall be considered resigned from a committee by giving notice in writing to the Committee Coordinator; or after failing to attend three consecutive committee meetings; or after failing to perform agreed-upon duties for more than three months. At this point, the member may rejoin a committee by making a request in person at a meeting of the committee.
Article 6: General Meetings
6.1 Attendance and Announcement
All GMs shall be open to all members. Therefore, all meeting locations, dates, and times shall be publicized at least one week before they occur.
6.2 Publication
Publication of meetings may be done by mail, electronic mail, and/or by posting the information on a listserv or website maintained by GreensKC for that purpose. The CC shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the maximum possible number of members is given timely notice.
6.3 Frequency
GMs shall be held monthly.
6.4 Special Meetings
Special GMs may be called by a majority of officers or 20% of active members. The CC will be responsible for notifying members in advance of special GMs at least 48 hours in advance, 24 hours in extreme situations only.
6.5 Quorum
All GMs must have a quorum present to make decisions. A quorum in a GM is 20% of all members, or ten (10) members present, whichever is less. A CC quorum is a majority of the voting officers. A quorum for other committees is determined by that committee, so long as the Committee head or their designee is present.
6.6 Decision-Making Process
The chapter will strive to reach consensus of members in attendance for all of its decisions. If this fails, any decision will be taken to a vote requiring a majority of members in attendance at the chapter GM to approve, unless a higher percentage of the vote is required by another portion of these bylaws. Abstentions will be recorded in the minutes alongside votes for or against.
Article 7: Expected Behavior
7.1 Members
Members shall conduct themselves in a way that reflects our Green values. Expressions of sexism, racism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and other oppressive behaviors are not in keeping with the values of the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri. The chapter may elaborate on these behaviors in a Code of Conduct, separate from these bylaws.
7.2 Coordinating Committee and Officers
Coordinating Committee members and officers shall conduct themselves in public statements, public appearances and other situations acting in the capacity as representatives of the chapter in a manner that reflects Green values, including values of anti-oppression. Representatives of the Green Party of Kansas City Missouri shall make every effort to respect and amplify the voices of marginalized people.
7.3 Conflict Resolution
Chapter officers are charged with the responsibility of wading through the difficult discussions when oppression arises, appointing individuals as facilitators, or asking for help from outside allied organizations if they do not possess the skills. Chapter officers will do everything within their capacity to help develop the consciousness of the membership, so as to create a welcoming, safer space in which to build collective power with members of oppressed and marginalized groups.
Article 8: Revision of Bylaws
8.1 Amendment Process
Additions or changes to the bylaws may only be made at a meeting of the general membership, where a quorum is present. However, small edits (e.g. to correct misspelling, punctuation, capitalization, and other non-substantive issues) may be made by the CC and communicated at the next GM.
All proposed bylaw amendments must be submitted in writing to the membership at least fourteen (14) days in advance of a General Meeting.
Amendments will be considered ratified and effective immediately upon a 3/4 vote of those members in attendance at the meeting.
8.2 Incorporation of Amendments
Additions or changes to these bylaws shall be incorporated into the body of the bylaws document, not added as a list of amendments at the end. The bylaws document shall carry a revision date.
The Secretary shall incorporate into the bylaws document all ratified revisions before the next General Meeting. The Secretary shall amend the revision date, send copies of the new revision to all members, and refile the document as necessary. The Secretary shall maintain a history file of all past revisions, and shall convey this file to the new Secretary when the position changes hands.
Article 9: Political Independence
As an ecosocialist political entity, the Green Party of Kansas City shall maintain political and economic independence from capitalist interests and the corporate political parties that represent them. The chapter may nominate and/or endorse candidates who exemplify Green values and who maintain a similar economic and political independence. The chapter may not nominate and/or endorse candidates of capitalist, corporate parties in partisan elections.
Members of GreensKC shall not run for office on the ballot lines of the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, or similarly capitalist, corporate parties, including primary ballot lines. Members who do may have their membership in the chapter revoked as described under Removal of Members.
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