BY-LAWS OF THE MAINE GREEN INDEPENDENT PARTY

Adopted on June 6, 1999 at Green Independent Party Convention, Unity, Maine.
Amended on May 20, 2000 at Green Independent Party Convention, Bangor, Maine.


                                PREAMBLE

TEN KEY VALUES
ECOLOGICAL WISDOM
GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
NONVIOLENCE
DECENTRALIZATION
COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMICS
GENDER EQUITY
RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
SUSTAINABILITY AND  FUTURE FOCUS

	THE PURPOSE OF THE MAINE GREEN INDEPENDENT PARTY (GIP)
ORGANIZATION IS TO: AID AND ABET THE EFFORTS OF LOCAL GREEN GROUPS AND
GREEN CANDIDATES; TO RECRUIT NEW CANDIDATES AND GROW NEW LOCAL GROUPS
OR EPICENTERS SO THERE IS A PRESENCE IN ALL SIXTEEN MAINE COUNTIES; TO
OVERSEE FUNDRAISING AND VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS; TO MAINTAIN OUR
VISIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC; TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION HORIZONTALLY AND
VERTICALLY WITHIN THE PARTY; AND TO DEAL WITH INTERNAL CONFLICT IN A
FORTHRIGHT, OPEN AND DECISIVE MANNER. WITH THESE BY-LAWS WE SEEK TO
FACILITATE THOSE GOALS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE TEN KEY VALUES
AND THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE ROOTS OF THE ORGANIZATION (LOCAL GROUPS)
AND TO EXTERNAL FORCES.

	WE VIEW THE PARTY AS A TREE. OUR ROOTS (LOCAL GROUPS) GIVE US
LIFE AND NOURISHMENT, AND CONNECT US TO THE EARTH. THE STEM (STEERING
COMMITTEE) CHANNELS NOURISHMENT TO THE CROWN AND BACK TO THE ROOTS,
AND PREVENTS THE CROWN FROM RIPPING THE ROOTS FROM THE GROUND DURING
STORMS. THE CROWN (CAMPAIGNS) IS OUR MOST VISIBLE ASPECT, IT PROVIDES
SHADE TO ALL WHO WISH IT. IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO THE PARTY AND IT TURNS
OUR NOURISHMENT INTO ENERGY TO GROW MORE ROOTS.

	IN THE LONG VIEW OF LIFE, OUR PARTY IS STILL A SAPLING, AND THESE
BY-LAWS REFLECT OUR CURRENT NEEDS. AS THE PARTY GROWS, OUR NEEDS WILL
CHANGE AND THESE BY-LAWS MUST CHANGE TO REFLECT THOSE NEEDS. WHAT
SHOULD NOT CHANGE IS OUR DEDICATION TO OUR ROOTS, AND OUR DESIRE TO
PROVIDE SHADE TO THE PEOPLE, THE LAND, THE AIR, THE WATER AND THE
FLORA AND FAUNA OF MAINE.



ARTICLE I MEMBERS

	Any person who has registered to vote in the Green Independent
Party in the State of Maine is a Member of the Green Independent Party
(herein called the "Party"). Any Member is entititled to fully
participate in all aspects of the Party in accordance with these
By-Laws, without exception.

ARTICLE II LOCAL GROUPS

	Members of the Party meeting a minimum of four times annually in
their area, shall be considered a Local Group or Epicenter of the
Party. Each local group will designate one person to act as Steering
Committee Contact for that local. That person will be responsible for
communicating the local concerns, questions, etc... to the Steering
Committee, as well as relaying information to local members from the
Steering Committee.

 

ARTICLE III THE STEERING COMMITTEE

The Steering Committee (SC) is established to coordinate the efforts
and oversee the management of the Party. The SC shall meet at its
discretion, but at a minimum of bi-monthly. Notice of those meetings
and meeting minutes will be given to all Local Groups, posted on the
Party's web site and advertised in any way the SC deems necessary. All
SC meetings shall be open to members of the Party. The duties of the
SC include, but are not limited to:

Official voice of the party, and it may designate spokespeople.

Oversees the finances of the Party.

Works to acheive the goals of the Party as set at Spring Convention.

Establishes and oversees committees of the Party.

Is responsible for staffing the Party office.

Organizes the Spring Convention and Fall Assembly.

Coordinates communications within and without the Party.

Helping Local Groups organize.

Assures the Party meets its statutory obligations (Municipal Caucuses
in every County, Party Conventions, etc. . . )

Appoint a Scribe.

Appoint a Treasurer.

Approve liaisons with other groups.

The SC is comprised of eleven members: Two co-chairs and nine members
at-large. Members are elected at the Spring Convention, as described
in Article IV. The SC's co-chairs are responsible for overseeing the
committee's work. The nine at-large members are responsible for the
following functions: Financial Officer; Communications; Press contact;
Candidate recruitment; Lobbying coordinator; and Web page coordinator.

The SC has the authority to adopt rules and procedures to meet its
obligations to the Party. It shall conduct its process and policies in
accordance with the Ten Key Values. The SC shall develop and adopt a
decision-making process that is consensus seeking, and make it a
formal part of its proceedings. The SC may change its process at any
time but only in accordance with the process in place at that time. A
quorum of a simple majority including one Co-Chair will enable the SC
to conduct its business. The Scribe shall record the percentages of
any votes taken by the SC.


Electing SC members: Steering Committee members will be elected at the
Spring Convention. Each member will be elected for a term of one to
two years. After one year, members in good standing (as defined in
Article III(e)) are entitled to a one-year renewal of their terms. One
Co-Chair will serve a two-year term to ensure continuity. If for some
reason a member is unable to serve his/her entire term, the SC may
select a replacement from Convention-elected alternates or from
nominations made by local groups.


Communicating with local groups: The SC will keep local groups
informed of its actions and pose questions to the local groups via the
Steering Committee Contact of each local (as described in Article II).


Steering Committee Member in Good Standing: Members with less than two
unexcused absences per year will be members in good standing. Members
with two or more unexcused absences per year may be removed and
replaced by the SC as it sees fit. An unexcused absence is an absence
about which the Member has not notified one of the Co-Chairs within 24
hours prior to a scheduled meeting.


The SC will create and maintain job descriptions for its Co-Chairs and
Members.

ARTICLE IV ANNUAL SPRING CONVENTION

	The Party shall hold an annual Spring Convention for the purpose of:

Setting the goals of the Party.

Endorsing Candidates (as described in Article VIII). 

Electing members to the Steering Committee, and GIP Representatives to
the Association of State Green Parties. 

Working on the Party Platform.

The Convention will be open only to members of the Party as defined in
Article I.

ARTICLE V ANNUAL FALL ASSEMBLY

	The Party shall hold an Annual Fall Assembly open to all. The
purpose of the Assembly will be to explore issues in depth, educate
each other on issues of individual interest, building community and
having fun.

ARTICLE VI PARTY PLATFORM

	The Party shall adopt a platform based on the Ten Key values that
clearly defines the Party's position on issues facing our society and
the world. The platform will be a guide for elected officials and
other Party members engaged in public policy making.

ARTICLE VII FINANCES

	The Party will adopt an annual budget, including anticipated
expenses and sources of revenue. The budget may be revised from time
to time by the SC in response to changing financial circumstances. The
Party may not incur debt of any kind. The Financial Officer and
Treasurer are responsible for overseeing the finances of the Party and
making regular reports to the Steering Committee. They are also
responsible for submitting financial reports to the appropriate State
or Federal agencies, including but not limited to the Maine State
Ethics Commission and the Federal Elections Commission.

ARTICLE VIII CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE

	Any candidate for public office who runs as a member of the Party
will be officially endorsed by the Party if that person agrees to
promote the Ten Key values and platform of the Party.

	For Presidential nominations, the Party may nominate a candidate
for President of the United States at the state convention with the
intention that the candidate will be placed on the General Election
Ballot of the State of Maine as the Party's official nominee. At the
same time the Party convention will select four people, one from each
congressional district and two at-large, all of whom are Party
members, to be Presidential Electors.

ARTICLE IX ADOPTION OF BY-LAWS

	These by-laws or amendments thereto may only be adopted at a
statewide convention of the Party. Amendments should be submitted to a
standing committee on by-laws at least two weeks prior to the
statewide convention, and may be proposed by any member of the Party.