During the 2012-2013 Steering Committee Election, GLASS Members will be asked to ratify amendments to the organization’s bylaws. In December 2011, the GLASS Steering Committee approved minor formatting changes and five substantive changes as described below.

According to the bylaws, and as has been practice since the organization’s founding, members who have paid their dues for the year are eligible to vote in elections and thus vote on amendments. For more information on the 2012-2013 Steering Committee Election, as well as to find information on how to become an eligible voter, please click here . (Note: the deadline to pay dues online via PayPal to be eligible to vote in the election is Saturday, February 11 at 11:59 PM).

On the 2012-2013 Election ballot, the following referendum question will be asked:

Are you in favor of ratifying the GLASS Caucus bylaws as amended?

In order to take effect, two-thirds of GLASS members must ratify the bylaws in a referendum that will accompany the election on the ballot.  To view the bylaws as adopted by the Steering Committee on December 6, 2011, with the proposed amendments listed below highlighted in the document, click here.

1. A provision was added so that members retain the right to recall board members at member meetings as a form of redress.  (Article II, Sec. 6)

Section 6. Recall. Members may move to recall a Director or multiple Directors at a Member Meeting in order to seek redress of grievances against the Board. A two-thirds vote of Members shall be necessary for the recall.

2. The Secretary was designated as the Board Member that oversees the annual election and a Member who is not on the Board shall witness the certification of the election.  The revised bylaws also state that that the election should be held each February and that no one shall view the results of the election in advance of the certification.  (Article III, Sec. 3; Article IV, Sec. 6)

Article III, Sec. 3. Election. Directors shall be elected by Members through an election each February under such terms and means specified by the Board. The Secretary shall preside over the election and a Member who is not a Director shall witness the counting of ballots and certification of election results. No Member, Director, or any agent thereof shall be privy to election returns or results until balloting is complete.

Article IV, Sec. 6. Secretary. The Secretary shall preside over the annual election of the Board and shall report the results to the Membership.

3. The phrase “with or without cause” was stricken from the sections that provide for the removal of Board Members and officers.  (Article III, Sec. 6; Article IV, Sec. 4)

Article III, Sec. 6. Resignation and Removal. Any Director may be removed from the Board at any time by a vote of two-thirds of the Board at a meeting.

Article IV, Sec. 4. Any Director may be removed from any office that he or she may hold at any time by a majority vote of the Directors.

4. The ability of the Board to set standing orders that govern the organization is now explicitly stated.  (Article III, Sec.8)

Article III, Sec.8. Standing Orders. At the start of each term, the Board shall establish standing orders that will govern the operations of the Organization for the duration of the term. Such standing orders may include, but shall not be limited to: the dates, means, and time of the next Board election; rate for membership dues; and rules governing proxy and/or electronic voting.

5. Two-thirds of members must ratify any amendments to the bylaws approved by the Board. (Article IX)

Article IX. Following approval of the Board, the amendment must then be ratified by two-thirds of Members before taking effect.

If you are a GLASS member and have any questions about the bylaws or the upcoming election, please email Secretary Jackson Droney at jacksondroney@glasscaucus.org