| 1. Organization |
| 1.1 | Establishment. The Political Committee of the San Diego Chapter Sierra Club is formally constituted as a standing committee of the San Diego Chapter and shall adhere to all policies promulgated by the Chapter Executive Committee. It is delegated by the San Diego Chapter Executive Committee to represent the Chapter in relation to the national, state and regional Sierra Club Political Committees. This committee is established to encourage, develop and direct local political and educational activities, and to ensure that these activities are conducted in full compliance with federal, state and local law, and within national, state, regional and local Sierra Club guidelines. |
| 1.2 | Purpose. The purpose of the Political Committee is to develop a Chapter wide Sierra Club Political Committee program whose mission is to preserve the environment through nonpartisan grassroots political action. The principal goals of the program are: (1) to elect candidates who will support and promote environmental protection, (2) to raise public awareness about environmental issues and elevate the priority of these issues for decision-makers, (3) to encourage Club members and other environmentalists to participate in the political process, (4) to advance the Club's conservation agenda by building relationships with legislators and other elected officials, and (5) to strengthen the Sierra Club as an organization. |
| All activities shall be nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and nondiscriminatory, against any person by reason of race, creed, color, sex or national origin. |
| 2. Membership |
| 2.1 | Members. The Political Committee shall be comprised of all Chapter members who regularly attend Committee meetings and who participate in political work with the Committee. The Secretary shall maintain the roll of members and shall be the arbiter of member status. |
| 3. Political Committee Board |
| 3.1 | Governance. The Political Committee Board (Board) shall conduct the affairs of the Political Committee. |
| 3.2 | Numbers. The Board shall consist of no less than nine (9) members. |
| 3.3 | Composition. The Chapter Executive Committee shall appoint all members of the Political Committee Board who have been nominated in accordance with these Bylaws. |
| 3.4 | Nominations. The Chairs from active Groups and the Chair of the Conservation Committee may nominate one member each. Nominees must be a member of the Group or Committee from which they are nominated. The names of these nominees shall be transmitted to the Political Committee Board and the Board shall submit them to the Chapter Executive Committee with recommendations in favor or not. |
| Upon application of interested candidates, the Board by a majority vote of its then members may nominate candidates to the Political Committee Board. The Board is not required to nominate candidates for any vacancy as long as its number is in accordance with these Bylaws. |
| 3.5 | Term of Office. Each member of the Board who is a representative of a Group or of the Conservation Committee shall serve a term of office of one year. All other members of the Board shall serve a term of office of three years. Terms will be deemed to have begun at the start of the calendar year in which members were appointed. |
| 3.6 | Absences. Every Board member shall be an active participant in the Political Committee Board's work. Three consecutive unexcused absences from meetings shall result in removal from the Political Committee Board. The Chair of the Board shall rule on unexcused absences and shall declare removals. |
| 3.7 | Vacancies. Any vacancy or vacancies on the Political Committee Board resulting from death, incapacity, resignation, removal, or otherwise, may be filled in the manner described under Section 3.4 Nominations. |
| 3.8 | Meetings. The Political Committee Board shall meet at least once quarterly. The Chair must give written notice no less than seven (7) days prior to the meeting. Notice in the customary meeting announcement section of the Chapter newsletter shall constitute such written notice. |
| 3.9 | Quorum. The majority of Board members in office at any time shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A Board member shall be considered present at a meeting if able to participate fully and simultaneously. |
| 3.10 | Special Meetings. The Chair or any three (3) Board members may call special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes at any time. Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be given seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time of the holding of the meeting. The Secretary or other officer may telephone or electronically notify each Board member at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time of holding said meeting. |
| The transactions of any special meeting of the Board, however called and noticed and wherever held, shall be as valid as though done at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present. |
| 3.11 | Vote Of Members. Each Board member present at a meeting may cast one vote on any question or proposition to be voted on. Votes may not be cast by proxy. |
| 3.12 | Votes By Other Means. The Board may vote by electronic means on actions that have been deemed urgent by the Chair between regularly noticed meetings. No less than two-thirds (2/3) of the members then in office must agree to an electronic vote before any action can be taken. Any vote conducted electronically must be ratified at the next regular meeting of the Board. |
| 3.13 | Powers. The Board shall have the authority to make rules and establish policies and procedures for carrying out the provisions of these Bylaws. If any appeal arises concerning any act or decision of the Board, the Chapter Executive Committee or its designees shall have the power to determine the procedures to be followed. Board actions must be consistent with the Committees purpose and the policies and directives of the Sierra Club. |
| The Board may establish and dissolve sub committees for such objectives as it may set. Subject to Board approval, the Board Chair shall appoint sub committee members and its Chair from among Political Committee members. The Board may add, remove, or replace members of any sub committee at any time. |
| The Board shall supervise the participation of the Political Committee in races in which a Chapter endorsement has been made. The Board shall appoint a member of the Political Committee to be liaison with the candidates campaign committee. |
| 4. Officers |
| 4.1 | Officers. The officers of the Political Committee shall be a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. |
| 4.2 | Election and Term. The Political Committee Board shall select from among its members all officers of the Committee for the terms of one (1) year, or until other successors are elected. The Chapter Executive Committee must also confirm the Chair and Treasurer. |
| 4.3 | Chair. Subject to the control of the Chapter Executive Committee, the Chair shall have general supervision, direction and control of the business and affairs of the Committee. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Political Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair or his designee to present the case for any political action to the Chapter Executive Committee, any regional, state or national Sierra Club entity that may take part in any political or approval process. |
| 4.4 | Vice Chair. In the absence or disability of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall perform all duties of the Chair, and in so acting shall have all the powers of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be described from time to time by the Political Committee Board. |
| 4.5 | Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the Political Committee Board and of the members of the Political Committee including attendance and terms of office. .The Secretary shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be described from time to time by the Political Committee Board. |
| 4.6 | Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for general supervision of the financial affairs of the Committee, to make regular financial reports to the Political Committee Board, and shall perform other duties as may be prescribed by the Political Committee Board. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to make any financial reports to the Treasurer of the Chapter Executive Committee as may be required. |
| 5. Duties |
| 5.1 | Duties. The Political Committee shall conduct and the Board shall direct such activities as are consistent with these Bylaws, with the goals of increasing Sierra Club member participation and political education as well as outreach to political candidates and public office holders. The Political Committee may make recommendations to the Chapter Executive Committee concerning endorsement of candidates, legislative matters, or other political actions. The Political Committee may assist the Chapter Executive Committee, Chapter staff, or the Conservation Committee to establish and maintain communication with public officials for the purpose of communicating Sierra Club positions. |
| 6. Endorsements |
| 6.1 | Criteria. Generally, no endorsement will be made unless the Chapter's endorsement has been requested. |
| Endorsement decisions will be based on two criteria: 1) Environmental record or views; and 2) Electability. |
| 6.2 | Evaluation Process. The Political Committee shall evaluate candidates for elective office using the guidelines, policies and procedures established by the Chapter Executive Committee, the California Sierra Club and the National Sierra Club Political Program. |
| 6.3 | Votes. By a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those Political Committee Board members present at a duly authorized meeting, the Board may recommend the endorsement of a candidate or other political action to the Chapter Executive Committee. |
| 7. Political Activity |
| 7.1 | Political Activity. The Political Committee Board shall decide whether any Political Committee activity is appropriate. The Political Committee Board shall conduct no election activity in the name of the Chapter without prior approval. No Political Committee member shall represent or claim to represent the Sierra Club or Political Committee on behalf of any candidate or any political action prior to any official Sierra Club action. |
| 8. Miscellaneous |
| 8.1 | Conflict of Interest. A real or perceived conflict of interest is undesirable for the Political Committee. When any Committee member has chosen an active role in any political activity independent of the Political Committee, the member must publicly and fully disclose that role to the Political Committee Board as soon as possible. If a potential or real conflict of interest is determined to exist, the Board shall then determine to what extent, if any, that member may participate in the activities of the Political Committee. Any information and/or documents disclosing all conflicts of interest shall be made part of the meeting records or minutes where such disclosure or determination was made. |
| 8.2 | Public Endorsements. Any Board member who has volunteered for or publicly endorsed a candidate for public office will not participate in the vote on endorsement of any candidate for that office. |
| 8.3 | Representatives. No person shall represent this Committee or its official position on any matter unless duly authorized by the Chair of the Political Committee or the Chapter Executive Committee or the established rules of the Sierra Club. |
| When speaking or taking a public position on their own behalf, or on the behalf of organizations other than the Sierra Club, Committee members shall avoid giving the impression that they are representing the Sierra Club. |
| 8.4 | Removal of Member for Cause. The Political Committee Board may recommend to the Chapter Executive Committee the suspension or removal of any Committee member for good cause based upon action inimical to the fundamental interests or functioning of the Committee. The Committee Secretary shall notify the member no less than seven (7) days prior to the meeting of the Board at which the recommendation for suspension or removal will be considered. The member shall be given the opportunity to respond to the charges and address the Board on these issues before final action on the question is taken by the Board. |
| 8.5 | Interpretation of Bylaws. All questions as to the meaning of these Bylaws are to be referred to the Political Committee Board for decision. Appeals from such decisions are to be referred to the Chapter Executive Committee. All procedures not prescribed by these Bylaws, the Chapter Bylaws or Standing Rules, shall be governed by the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised. |
| 9. Amendment |
| 9.1 | Amendments by Political Committee Board. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Political Committee Board if notice of the proposed amendment was included in the call for such meeting. Amendments approved by the Board shall not take effect until such time as the Chapter Executive Committee has approved the amendment. |
| Approval by vote of the Political Committee Board is not required for amendments needed to keep theses Bylaws consistent with changes in the Chapters Bylaws or the directives of the Chapter Executive Committee. |
| 9.2 | Amendments by Chapter Executive Committee. These Bylaws may be repealed or amended or new Bylaws adopted by a majority vote of the Chapter Executive Committee. |
Approved by Political Committee Board on April 3, 2001.
Approved by San Diego Chapter Executive Committee on April 18, 2001.
