Name The name of this [corporation] organization, incorporated under the laws of Kansas, shall be the League of Women Voters of Kansas (LWVK). This state League is an integral part of the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS).

Purposes The purposes of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK are to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation [of citizens] in government and to act on selected governmental issues.

Types of Membership

a. Voting Members[ U.S.] Citizens at least 18 years of age who join the League in Kansas shall be voting members of local Leagues, of the LWVK, and the LWVUS:

     1. Those who reside outside the area of any local League may join a local League or
           shall be state members-at-large; the Board of Directors may at its discretion
          organize a state unit or units from among the members-at-large.

     2. Those who [make a lump sum life membership payment to the LWVUS shall be
           paid members and those who] have been members of the League for 50 years or
          more shall be honorary life members excused from the payment of dues.

b. Associate Members All others who join the League shall be associate members.

Enumeration and Election of Officers The Officers of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall be a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. They shall be elected by the delegates at Convention or Council and shall hold office for two years or until their successors have been elected and qualified. The President, First Vice President and Secretary shall be elected at Convention, and the Second Vice President and Treasurer shall be elected at Council.

The President The President shall preside at all meetings of the [corporation] organization and of the Board of Directors unless the President designates another person to preside. The President may, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, sign or endorse checks, drafts and notes. The President shall be, ex officio, a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee, and shall have such usual powers of supervision and management as may pertain to the office of the President and perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board.

The Vice Presidents The two Vice Presidents, in the order of their rank shall, in the event of absence, resignation, disability, or death of the President, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of that office. In the event that neither Vice President is able to serve in this capacity the Board of Directors shall elect one of its members to fill the vacancy. The Vice Presidents shall perform such other duties as the President and Board may designate.

Number, Manner of Selection and Term of Office The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK, six elected Directors and not more than six appointed Directors. The elected Directors shall be elected by the delegates at Convention or Council and shall hold office for a term of two years until the next regular Convention or Council, or until their successors have been elected and qualified. Four Directors shall be elected at each Convention and two at each Council of the LWVK. The elected members shall appoint such additional Directors, not exceeding six, as they deem necessary to carry on the work of the League. The terms of office of the appointed Directors shall expire at the conclusion of State Council or State Convention, whichever comes first.

Qualifications No person shall be elected or appointed or shall continue to serve as an officer or director of this corporation unless this person is a voting member of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS,

a. Enrolled in a local League or

b. Enrolled as a member-at-large of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK.

Local Leagues

a. Local Leagues are those Leagues which have been so recognized by the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS.

b. The Board of Directors shall recommend to the Board of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS that it recognize as a local League any group of members of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS in any community within the state provided the group meets requirements for local Leagues adopted by the National Convention.

c. In the event or recurring failure of a local League to meet these requirements, the Board of Directors of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK may recommend to the National Board that it withdraw recognition from the Local League. All funds and property held by a local League from which recognition has been withdrawn shall be sent to the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK.

a. The Board of Directors of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK has responsibility for the establishment of new Leagues. For this purpose, the Board may organize a group in a community in which no local League exists and shall recommend the group for recognition as a local League to the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS when it meets the requirements for local Leagues adopted by the National Convention.

b. Members of such a group shall be members-at-large of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK and may be organized into a state unit at the discretion of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK. All funds held by a state unit shall be paid to the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK upon dissolution of that unit.

Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall commence on the first day of April of each year.

Financial Support

a. Local Leagues Each local League, except in the first year following recognition, shall make a per-member payment directly to the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK, the amount of such payment to be determined by the Convention or Council by a majority vote of those present and voting. When two or more members reside at the same address in a common household and are willing to share a single set of mailings, the local League shall make a payment equal to one determined per-member payment for one member plus one-half of the determined per-member payment for each additional member in that household.

b. Newly Recognized Leagues In the first year following recognition, a local League shall make a payment equal to 75% of the payment ascertained according to the foregoing method.

c. Members-at-Large The amount of annual dues for state members-at-large shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Place, Date, Call and Notification A Convention of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall be held in each odd-numbered year. The time and place of the Convention shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The President shall send a first call for the Convention to the presidents of local Leagues not less than three months prior to the opening date of the Convention fixed in said call. A final call for the Convention shall be sent by the President to the presidents of local Leagues at least thirty days before Convention.

Representation The members of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS who are organized in local Leagues and members-at-large in the State of Kansas shall be entitled to voting representation in the Convention as follows:

a. The members of each local League shall be entitled to one delegate who shall be chosen by the members through the local League; the members in each local League having more than fifteen voting members shall be entitled to one additional delegate for each additional fifteen voting members or major fraction (8 or more) thereof.

b. The members-at-large who are organized into state units shall be entitled to one delegate for each such unit who shall be chosen by the members of that unit. The remaining members-at- large shall be entitled to one delegate who shall be chosen from and by the members-at-large in attendance at the Convention; the members-at-large numbering more than fifteen shall be entitled to one additional delegate for each additional fifteen members or major fraction (8 or more) thereof.

Place, Date, Call, and Notification A Council of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall be held in the interim year between Conventions. The Council shall meet approximately twelve months after the biennial Convention. The time and place of the Council shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The President shall send a first call for the Council to the presidents of local Leagues not less than three months prior to the opening date of the Council. The Board of Directors may advance or postpone the opening date of the Council not more than two weeks from the date fixed in the first call. A final call for Council shall be sent by the President to the presidents of local Leagues at least thirty days before the opening date of a Council meeting. Special meetings may be called in the event of extreme emergency.

Powers The Council shall consider and adopt a budget for the ensuing year, elect Officers and Directors as specified in Articles IV and V, give guidance to the Board of Directors on Program, and transact such other business as is brought before it by the Board.

The Council is authorized to change the Program as adopted by the [proceeding] preceding Convention only in the event of emergency, provided that notice of the proposed modification of the Program shall have been sent to the presidents of the local Leagues two months in advance of the Council and provided also, that a two-thirds vote of the members of the Council present and voting shall be required to adopt any modification.

Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members, two of whom shall be members of the Board of Directors. The chair and two members, who shall not be members of the Board of Directors, shall be elected by the Convention. Nominations for these positions shall be made by the current Nominating Committee. Further nominations may be made from the floor of the Convention. The other members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors immediately after the Convention. Vacancies occurring in the Nominating Committee by reason of death, resignation or disqualification shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The President of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall send the name and address of the chair of the Nominating Committee to the president of each recognized local League.

Authorization The governmental principles adopted by the National Convention, and supported by the League as a whole, constitute the authorization for the adoption of Program.

Program The Program of the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK shall consist of:

a. Action to implement the Principles of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS.

b. Those state governmental issues chosen for the concerted study and action.

Convention Action In odd numbered years the Convention shall act upon the Program, using the following procedures:

a. The Board of Directors shall consider the recommendations which have been sent in three months prior to Convention by local Leagues' Boards and shall formulate a Proposed Program. Such Proposed Program shall be submitted by the Board to the local League Boards at least one month prior to the Convention.

b. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be required for adoption of subjects in the Proposed Program as presented to the Convention by the Board of Directors. c. Further changes in the Proposed Program submitted for consideration to, but not recommended by, the Board of Directors may be made by the Convention, provided that:

     1. the Convention shall order consideration by a majority vote

     2. the vote on the proposed change shall not be taken at the same [meeting]
           Business Session as the order for consideration

     3. the Convention adopts the change by a two-thirds vote.

Council Action The Council may modify or change the Program as provided in Article IX.

National Convention The Board of Directors, at a meeting before the date on which the names of the delegates must be sent to the National Office, shall elect delegates to the Convention in the number allotted to the [League of Women Voters of Kansas] LWVK under the provisions of the Bylaws of the [League of Women Voters of the United States] LWVUS. One of the delegates shall be the State President, or the President's proxy.

Amendments These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any Convention, using the following procedures:

a. Proposals for change shall be submitted by any local League Board to the Board of Directors at least three months prior to Convention.

b. All such proposed amendments together with the recommendation of the Board shall be sent to the presidents of local Leagues at least one month prior to the Convention.

c. The presidents of local Leagues shall notify the members of their respective Leagues of the proposed amendments. Failure of a local League president to give such notice or failure of any member to receive such notice shall not invalidate amendments to the Bylaws.

These suggested revisions were posted online on 2/22/2007