See Below for Bylaw Amendments

Bylaw Amendments, 2008

Note: these are believed to be accurate and correct; please contact the corresponding secretary if you believe there is a discrepency

New Dues, Passed May 8, 2008: Dues to be raised to $50 for family, $35 for individual membership, to begin in the 2009 year.

Elections Procedures Resolution 2008
 - Nominations, approved August 14, 2008, supplanted by
 - Elections, approved October 9, 2008, final text below

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS 

The Topanga Community Club shall elect a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and such other officers and directors as are provided for in these bylaws. Elections shall be held annually in November for all offices whose terms as established in the bylaws are due to expire at the end of the year in which the election is held. 

Section 1. Candidates for Office. 

A. Officers shall at all times be members in good standing of the Topanga Community Club.

B. Candidates for office shall be members in good standing whose dues have been paid as of the close of nominations at the October general membership meeting.

C. Candidates for office must have attended no fewer than three official, publicly noticed business meetings of the TCC (to include board, general membership, and committee meetings, but not to include Topanga Days or social events) between January 1 of the year in which the election is held to and including the October general membership meeting.

Section 2. Elections Committee 

A. An elections committee will be formed in August.

B. At the August general membership meeting, the president will call for at least five and no more than 10 volunteers to serve on the elections committee. Any dues paid member of the club is eligible to serve. Those who cannot attend the August general membership meeting can submit their names to the president or the communications officer in advance of the August general membership meeting.

C. If more than 10 members volunteer to serve, the names of the committee members will be drawn at random by the president during the meeting. The first 10 names of eligible members drawn will be appointed to serve.

D. The committee members will elect a chair. In addition, the board will appoint a co-chair of the committee to serve in addition to the five to 10 members selected through the random volunteer process. The board-appointed co-chair must have previously served or must currently serve on the board of directors.

E. The committee co-chairs, whether elected by the committee or appointed by the board, will not be eligible to run for office in the election in question. The elected and appointed co-chairs of the election committee shall be required to execute a written agreement waiving their right to run for office in the election in question as a condition precedent to their election or appointment to the chair. All other members of the committee will be eligible to run for office if they so desire. Any committee member who is running for election shall not take part in the committee’s evaluation of the eligibility of candidates to run or of members to vote, nor in the counting of votes.

F. Election committee meetings will be open to the public, and any club member (other than the co-chairs) may attend, speak, and otherwise participate in such meetings without forfeiting the right to run for office. Meetings will be held in a public forum.

G. The responsibilities of the elections committee will include conducting as broad as possible a search for candidates; advising candidates and the membership of the duties and requirements of office, as provided in the Bylaws; informing the membership whether a prospective candidate meets the qualifications for office established in the Bylaws; recommending election procedures (compliant with the Bylaws) to the club’s membership; and ministerial administration of the election. The committee’s responsibilities will not include subjective evaluation of prospective candidates for purposes of recommending a slate of candidates to the club. However, no individual member of the club will be precluded from organizing a group of candidates to run as a slate or from promoting individual candidates or a slate of candidates for election.

H. The elections committee will present the nominees at the October general membership meeting. Consent of the candidate must be obtained prior to the nomination.

Section 3. Nominations from the Floor. 

A. Any eligible member may be nominated from the floor during the October general membership meeting. However, the proposed candidate must either be present in person to accept or reject the nomination or the person nominating the candidate must have in their possession a signed statement from the candidate agreeing to accept the nomination.

Section 4. Close of Nominations. 

A. All nominations shall be closed as of the adjournment of the October general membership meeting.

Section 5. Opportunity for Candidates to Address the Membership and Membership to Question the Candidates 

A. All eligible nominees will be given an opportunity to address the membership concerning their qualifications, reasons for running, and plans for the club during the October general membership meeting. The time accorded to the candidates for this purpose may be limited by vote of the membership; however, all candidates for a given office shall be given an equal time to speak.

B. The membership will be given a reasonable time during the October general membership meeting to inquire further of the candidates and to discuss the qualifications of the candidates.

C. The board and the membership may adopt rules providing additional opportunities for the candidates and members to communicate with one another concerning elections provided that all candidates for the same office must be afforded an equal opportunity to participate.

Section 6. Election 

D. Elections shall be held at the November general membership meeting.

E. Elections shall be held by written ballot. Written ballots shall be issued only to members eligible to vote.

F. All written ballots shall be numbered consecutively. The member shall sign a register indicating receipt of their numbered ballot; however, the ballot itself shall not reveal the name or identity of the voter. Prior to the commencement of voting, the register indicating the number of the ballot issued to each voter shall be placed in a sealed envelope maintained separately from the election results, to be opened only upon a vote of the Club if required in order to investigate a claim of voting fraud.

G. After balloting, the numbered ballots shall be similarly sealed in a separate envelope.

H. In order to be elected, a candidate must win a majority of votes cast in the election for the office for which he or she is running.

(A) When only one candidate is running for a given position, the ballot for that position shall provide a place for the member to vote “Yes,” or “No.” The candidate shall be elected only if he or she receives more “Yes” votes than “No” votes.

(B) In any election in which two or more candidates are running for the same position, the member shall also be issued a provisional run-off ballot of a different color on which the name of the run-off candidate of choice may be written. An officer shall be elected in an election where two or more candidates are running for the same position, only if he or she receives a majority of the votes cast in the election. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a run-off election shall immediately be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes originally cast.  

I. If after a run-off election, no candidate shall have obtained a majority of the votes cast, or an unopposed candidate shall have received more “No” votes than “Yes” votes, the office shall be deemed vacant and shall be filled pursuant to the provisions governing vacancies in the board of directors provided in these Bylaws.

Section 7. Eligibility to Vote.  
 

A. A member must be in good standing with dues current prior to the commencement of voting at the November general membership meeting in order to vote in the election.

B. A member must be present at the time of the election in order to cast their vote. Proxy or absentee voting is not allowed.

C. A member must have attended at least two official, publicly noticed business meetings of the TCC (to include board, general membership, and committee meetings, but not to include Topanga Days or social events) between January 1 of the year in which the election is held to and including the November general membership meeting in order to be eligible to vote.

Section 8. Burden of Establishing Eligibility to Vote or Run for Office 
 

A. The responsibility for proving membership, payment of dues and meeting attendance will rest with the candidate seeking to run or member seeking to vote.

B. However, for purposes of voting or running, a person who was a dues paid member in good standing on December 31 of the year immediately preceding the election, but whose dues have lapsed, will be permitted to bring his or her dues current and will be allowed to vote and/or run for office. A candidate’s dues must be brought current prior to the close of nominations at the October general membership meeting. A member who wishes to vote must bring his or her dues current prior to the commencement of voting at the November general membership meeting.

Section 9. Terms of Office; Vacancies 

A. Officers shall serve for a term of one year.

B. Officers assume their duties January 1. 
 
C. Should an officer vacate a position before the end of his or her term, the President shall appoint a replacement. The Officers shall confirm this appointment. If the President vacates, an interim President shall be elected by the officers for the remainder of the vacated President’s term.

As amended, October 8, 2008
Aproved October 9, 2008
 

Meeting Scheduling Amendment
Approved November 13, 2008

Any regular General or Board meeting that would fall on a legal or religious holiday, or other day of major cultural significance, may be rescheduled by the Board, with at least 30 days notice of the new schedule to be provided to themembers.