Article A: Introduction
The North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers (the Society) is a not-for-profit organization. The purposes of the Society are:
1. To provide its members with knowledge of ancient and medieval history,
2. To provide a way for the exchange of information and ideas about ancient and medieval warfare, and
3. To provide an opportunity for the reconstruction of ancient and medieval warfare through miniature wargaming.
The Society shall admit its members and support those members in their exchanges of information and miniature wargaming without prejudice or favoritism. The Society supports multiple rules systems that the members enjoy.
Article B: Government
Section 1:
The Society is governed by an Executive Council (the EC). The voting members are the: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Member At-Large. The non-voting members are the Chief Umpire and Lifetime Vice-Presidents.
Section 2:
The EC, by majority "yes" vote of its five members (i.e., three "yes" votes), establishes policies and procedures governing the administration, organization, financing, membership, and leadership of the society. The EC shall act to satisfy the Society's purposes, these bylaws, and to address circumstances not covered by these bylaws. Established policies or procedures shall remain in effect until changed or revoked by majority "yes" vote of the EC.
Article C: Elected Officers
Section 1:
The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member At-Large are Officers elected by the members for three-year terms in accordance with the provisions of Article G.
Section 2:
The President is the Chief Executive. The President conducts and presides all meetings of the EC and general membership.
The expenditure of Society funds and correspondence from the Society requires the President's consent.
The President shall have access to all Society records and accounts held by the Secretary and the Treasurer.
The EC may authorize the President for up to twelve months at a time to make specific decisions without further consulting the EC.
Section 3:
The Vice-President has no prescribed duties. The Vice-President and "Life-Time" Vice-Presidents will perform duties delegated to them by the President.
The Vice-President will be the "acting" President during the President's temporary absence; any such absence shall not exceed 185 days. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the other officers should they be unable or unwilling to carry out their duties.
Section 4:
The Secretary will keep minutes of all general membership and EC meetings. Correspondence to and from the EC will be conducted through the Secretary. The Secretary shall retain copies of all Society correspondence.
The Secretary will maintain a public record, entitled Policies and Procedures of the North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers, that documents and dates all society policies and procedures and changes to them, all votes by the EC, and all Presidential decisions and actions. The Secretary will maintain other records as requested by the President.
The Secretary with the Treasurer's assistance shall maintain an accurate roll of members and a record of all financial transactions and reasons for them.
The Secretary will turn over to Secretary's successor all records, files, membership lists and other papers or item belonging to the Society.
Section 5:
The Treasurer is responsible for all collecting, holding, disbursing, and accounting for all Society funds. The Treasurer will pay all bills incurred by the Society. The Treasurer shall not disburse funds without a receipt and shall retain all receipts for disbursed funds. The Treasurer shall retain all Society financial statements and conduct any Society correspondence through the Secretary.
The Treasurer will report quarterly to the Secretary the payment of all dues by members, other receipts, and all expenses. The Treasurer shall assist the Secretary in maintaining an accurate roll of members and record of financial transactions.
The Treasurer will establish and maintain one, and only one, Account in the name of the North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers (called the Account) in a financial institution approved by a "yes" vote of a majority the EC. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer are the only persons authorized to make deposits to or withdrawals from this Account. No commingling of personal and Society funds in this account is allowed. No loans from this account shall be made.
The Treasurer will propose a budget to the EC for the upcoming fiscal year. The EC will approve the proposed budget by a majority "yes" vote or, failing that, will establish its own budget, again by majority "yes" vote. The fiscal year for the Society will be 1 September of the current year through 31 August of the following year.
Any expenditure not provided for in the budget must be proposed by the President to the EC and approved by the EC with majority "yes" vote prior to the date of the expenditure (i.e., no "after-the-fact" expenditures are allowed). Any other withdrawal or transfer of funds from the Account shall be made only by an Elected Officer and must first be approved by the majority "yes" vote of the EC.
The Treasurer with assistance from the Secretary shall prepare and publish an annual to the membership on all financial transactions and the reason for them no later than thirty days following the end of the fiscal year.
The Treasurer will turn over to Treasure's successor all records, files, membership lists and other papers or item belonging to the Society.
Section 6:
The Member At-Large has no official duties and acts as an ombudsman to the membership.
Section 7:
If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice-President will become President and serve the remainder of the President's term. Vacancy occurs if the President resigns, is impeached, is incapacitated, or unable to correspond with other members of the EC for more than ninety days.
If the Vice-President is unable or unwilling to assume the office of the President the remaining three members of the EC shall by majority "yes" vote elect an "acting" President to assume the duties of the President for up to 185 days or until a new President and Vice President are elected in accordance with Section G to serve out the remaining terms off their offices. The EC must elect by majority "yes" vote an acting President every 180 days until a new President and Vice President are elected in accordance with section G.
If the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Member At-Large, or the Chief Umpire resigns, is impeached, or is otherwise unable or unwilling to perform their duties the President will appoint a "temporary" replacement to the EC within ninety days. The EC must confirm the President's appointment by a majority "yes" vote within ninety days. If confirmed within ninety days the appointment shall then become permanent and the appointee shall serve out the remaining term of the appointed office. If not confirmed within ninety days then the appointee shall no longer hold the appointed office and the President shall appoint another person within ninety days and the EC shall again vote to confirm the appointment within ninety days.
Article D: Chief Umpire
Section 1:
Upon election the President will appoint within thirty days a Chief Umpire. The Chief Umpire must be confirmed within ninety days by a majority "yes" vote of the Elected Officers. If not confirmed within ninety days then the appointee will no longer hold the appointed office and the President shall appoint another person within ninety days and the EC shall again vote to confirm the appointment within ninety days.
The Chief Umpire shall serve at the pleasure of the President or for no longer than thirty days after the end of a President's service in office.
Section 2:
The Chief Umpire will appoint an Assistant Umpire for any rules system if necessary. Such appointment must be approved within ninety days by a majority "yes" vote of the EC. If not confirmed within ninety days then the appointee will no longer serve as an Assistant Umpire and the President shall appoint another person within ninety days and the EC shall again vote to confirm the appointment within ninety days.
Assistant Umpires shall serve at the pleasure of the President and Chief Umpire (i.e., either can relieve an Assistant Umpire) or for no longer than thirty days after the end of a Chief Umpire's service in office.
Article E: Lifetime Vice-Presidents
Section 1:
The position of Lifetime Vice-President is an honorary position granted to members who have contributed in extraordinary ways to the Society.
Section 2:
Lifetime Vice-Presidents may be nominated by unanimous vote of the EC. They will be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Society's membership through secret ballot.
Section 3:
Lifetime Vice-Presidents are exempt from paying membership dues. They may run for elected office and, if elected, are entitled to the vote of that elected office. Upon completion of an elected term Lifetime Vice-Presidents once again become non-voting members of the EC.
Section 4:
Those existing Lifetime Vice Presidents at the time of the ratification of these bylaws retain their status.
Article F: Dues and Membership
Section 1:
Payment of annual dues provides membership for a year. Members failing to pay dues for twelve months are no longer members.
The President shall annually propose to the EC the amount of annual dues for the next fiscal year by 1 June. The EC must approve the President's proposal by a majority "yes" vote by 30 August. Dues will remain at their existing value should the EC fail to approve a change in the fee structure by 30 August. Dues are nonrefundable. Dues will be paid to the Treasurer. The Treasurer assisted by the Secretary shall issue a membership card as a receipt for payment of dues.
Section 2:
Membership permits access to Society information, events, and participation in the Society's invitation championship tournaments if qualified. Members age 16 and older are entitled to vote in all Society elections.
Article G: Elections, Referendums, and Impeachment
Section 1:
The Elected Officers are chosen by secret ballot every third year. The Secretary will accept nominations for each elected office until 15 March of the election year. Any Society member may be nominated for any office. A nomination must contain the following information:
1: The candidate's name and signature,
2: The office for which the candidate is nominated,
3: The names and signatures of five or more Society members, and
4: A campaign statement.No member can be a candidate for more than one office. The Secretary will verify each nomination by checking the names of the candidate and the nominating members against the membership roll.
Section 2:
If the Secretary is a candidate for reelection the President will appoint an Election Supervisor, otherwise the Secretary will serve as the Election Supervisor. The Election Supervisor will mail campaign statements and a ballot to each Society member not later than 15 April of the election year. Ballots must be returned to the Election Supervisor to be counted. All returned ballots post-marked before 16 May of the election year will be counted. The candidate receiving both the majority and at least 50% of the votes cast will be elected.
Section 3:
When an election results in no candidate receiving enough votes to be elected, or when an election results in a tie between the leading candidates for an office, a run off election will be held. The two candidates receiving the most votes, or the candidates with the most votes when the vote is tied, will have their names placed on a run-off ballot. The Election Supervisor will mail run-off ballots and the candidate's campaign statements to each Society member not later than 1 June of the election year. Run-off ballots must be returned to the Election Supervisor to be counted. All returned ballots post-marked before 1 July of the election year will be counted. The candidate receiving the majority of the votes cast will be elected. If a tie exists following a run-off election the winning candidate will be determined by secret ballot of the EC.
Section 4:
Newly elected officers will assume their offices at a meeting of the general membership to be held not earlier than 15 July nor later than 31 August of the election year.
Section 5:
When a Lifetime Vice-President is nominated the following question will be included on the ballot:
Shall (candidate's name) be confirmed as a Lifetime Vice-President of the Society?
Boxes will be provided to allow members to vote either Yes or No.
Section 7:
Other questions, except amendments to these Bylaws, may be presented to the Society's membership for decision, at the discretion of the EC. Such questions will be clearly worded to allow a Yes or No vote by the membership. If the majority of the votes are Yes then the question shall pass.
Section 8:
Impeachment of any elected officer shall follow the procedures described below for amendments in Article H.
Article H: Amendments
Section 1:
Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed in three ways:
1: By petition of fifty members, or 10% of the Society's membership if lesser, or
2: By two-thirds vote of the EC, or
3: By majority vote of Society members present at the annual meeting.Section 2:
Proposed amendments will be submitted to the membership and be voted on by secret ballot. The Secretary will act as the Election Supervisor and will mail a ballot to each Society member. Members must be at least 16 years of age to vote and a member may not vote by proxy. A deadline for return of ballots will be established by the EC. Ballots must be returned to the Election Supervisor to be counted. All ballots post marked on or before the date of the deadline will be counted. For each proposed amendment the ballot will read:
Shall the following amendment to the Society's Bylaws be adopted?
(Blank line followed by the text of the proposed amendment.)Boxes will be provided to allow members to vote either Yes or No. If a majority of Society members vote Yes then the proposal will be adopted. Amendments become effective 90 days following adoption