Constitution & Bylaws

Heartlands Young Republicans · Adopted November 2026

Article I: Name, Mission, and Objectives

Section 1: Name

1. The official name of this organization shall be Heartlands Young Republicans, also known as “Heartlands YR” or “HYR,” hereinafter referred to as the “Club.”
2. The Club shall maintain a single membership, elected Executive Board, and governing records and shall operate in accordance with applicable Florida Young Republicans (“FLYR”) requirements.

Section 2: Mission and Objectives

1. The Club shall encourage fellowship, civic education, service, responsible political participation, and the development of future Republican leadership.
2. The Club shall serve DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties, Florida, as a single regional organization under one membership and one Executive Board.
3. The Club may hold meetings, social events, educational programs, recruiting activities, and lawful political activities consistent with its governing documents and applicable law.
4. These Bylaws and applicable FLYR and Young Republican National Federation (“YRNF”) rules shall govern the Club. Mandatory superior rules control in the event of a conflict.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Classes of Membership

1. Active Membership is available to an individual who is at least eighteen (18), not beyond the conclusion of the first FLYR State Convention following their fortieth birthday, a registered Republican, a United States citizen, American national, or lawful permanent resident, and who has signed an application and paid Club dues in the preceding twelve months.
2. Active Members in good standing are eligible to vote and hold Club office, subject only to the specific qualifications in these Bylaws. Each voting-qualified Active Member has one vote.
3. Associate Membership is available to persons who do not qualify as Active Members. Associates may participate in Club activities but may not vote, hold elected or appointed leadership offices, or serve as FLYR delegates or alternates on the Club’s behalf.
4. The Board may confer honorary recognition by unanimous vote of the four elected officers; honorary recognition alone carries no dues, vote, or office. A person who independently joins as an Active or Associate Member is subject to the ordinary $25 dues.
5. Membership decisions shall follow uniform written criteria and FLYR requirements, including its nondiscrimination rule. Dual members must disclose other FLYR club memberships and designate a Home Club as required by FLYR.

Section 2: Annual Dues

1. Annual Club dues shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per person for Active and Associate Members.
2. Dues cover twelve (12) months from acceptance, renew annually on the member’s anniversary, and may be paid by cash, check, card, or other lawful method approved by the Treasurer.
3. Additional donations are voluntary and do not provide extra votes, priority for office, or other membership privileges. Changing the dues rate requires an amendment to these Bylaws.

Section 3: Admission and Voting Eligibility

1. A completed signed paper or electronic application, verification of eligibility, and payment of dues are required for admission. The Secretary records the admission date and maintains the membership roll; a contested application may be reviewed by the Board.
2. An Active Member becomes voting-qualified thirty (30) calendar days after admission and continuous good standing. Eligible founding Active Members may vote immediately at the organizational ratification meeting under Article XIII.
3. An Active Member with expired dues or a valid suspension is not in good standing. Restoration takes effect after renewal or expiration of the suspension, as applicable; the membership roll may not be altered retroactively to change a noticed vote.

Section 4: Discipline and Expulsion

1. A written, fact-specific complaint may be made to the Secretary for material misconduct, misuse of funds or member information, threats, serious harassment, fraud, or substantial violation of binding rules. Protected personal political speech or ordinary disagreement is not, by itself, cause for discipline.
2. The accused member shall receive written notice of the allegations and potential sanction at least fifteen (15) days before a hearing and shall have an opportunity to respond, including by live remote participation. Directly interested officers shall recuse from deciding the case.
3. If at least three disinterested officers can participate, the Board may issue a warning or suspension of not more than six months by a two-thirds vote of participating disinterested officers. If the Board cannot act fairly or reach a disinterested quorum, the matter shall be heard and decided by Active Members at a duly noticed membership meeting, requiring two-thirds of votes cast.
4. Expulsion requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all voting-qualified Active Members at a meeting attended by at least one-half (1/2) of such members. The accused member shall be heard before the vote; the final decision and reasons shall be recorded in confidential minutes.
5. Nothing herein limits any separate grievance, review, or appeal process available under binding FLYR rules.

Article III: Executive Board

Section 1: Composition and General Powers

1. The Executive Board (“Board”) shall consist of four elected voting officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
2. The Board directs the ordinary affairs of the Club, subject to the membership’s reserved powers and these Bylaws. One person may not hold more than one elected Club office simultaneously.
3. Board meetings shall occur at least quarterly and may be entirely online or hybrid. Five days’ written notice, including a secure access method and principal agenda items, shall be given to each officer; notice may be waived by unanimous officer agreement for urgent business.
4. A Board quorum is three (3) of the four prescribed director positions, whether participating in person or through verified live electronic communication. The quorum shall be present when each vote is taken; a simple majority of those present and voting decides ordinary Board business. Proxies are not permitted.
5. If the Club’s Articles of Incorporation expressly authorize a two-director quorum in conformity with Florida law, a separate bylaw amendment may adopt that lower quorum. Until then, three officers are required for ordinary Board decisions.

Section 2: Elected Officers and Duties

1. President: presides at Club and Board meetings, supervises Club operations, acts as principal spokesperson and FLYR liaison, and signs documents or expenditures only when authorized.
2. Vice President: assists the President, helps coordinate membership and Club activities, and presides when the President is unavailable.
3. Treasurer: receives and deposits funds, maintains dues and financial records, provides quarterly statements, prepares an annual budget, and disburses funds only with proper approval.
4. Secretary: prepares minutes and notices, maintains the membership roll, election records and governing documents, verifies meeting quorum, and sends required FLYR election and annual reports.

Section 3: Membership Meetings and Hybrid Participation

1. The Club shall conduct at least four (4) general membership meetings per calendar year. One shall be an Annual Business Meeting presenting a budget, financial summary, and written report on Club activities.
2. Every voting membership meeting shall provide a real-time online option. The meeting may be hybrid with a physical venue or wholly virtual. Remote members who are verified and able to hear, speak, deliberate, and vote are deemed present on equal terms with in-person attendees.
3. The quorum for ordinary membership business, including regular officer elections, is two (2) voting-qualified Active Members present in person or by verified live connection.
4. Seven (7) days’ notice shall be given for regular membership meetings and ten (10) days for special meetings. The notice shall include Eastern Time, meeting link or access procedure, physical location when applicable, and any election, amendment, removal, endorsement, or dissolution proposal to be considered.
5. A verified online attendee may make or second motions, debate, and cast a vote. The Secretary shall record remote attendance and votes as required by law. If a technical failure prevents a member needed for quorum or materially affects a vote, voting shall be paused until access is restored or the matter is rescheduled.
6. A special meeting may be called by the President, a majority of the Board, or a written request of at least twenty percent (20%) of voting-qualified Active Members. Only noticed business may be voted on at a special meeting. Proxy voting is prohibited.

Section 4: Terms and Vacancies

1. Elected officers shall serve two-year terms beginning February 1 following their election and ending January 31 two years later, or until successors take office. The first regular election shall be held in January of the second calendar year following the founding election, and regular elections shall recur every second January.
2. If the Presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President assumes the office for the remainder of the term. Vacancies in the other offices may be filled by the remaining elected directors as permitted by Florida law, including a majority of remaining directors even if fewer than an ordinary Board quorum, subject to the rules governing member-elected director vacancies.
3. If lawful appointment cannot be made or the remaining officers do not act, the Secretary or highest-ranking remaining officer shall call a special membership election after giving the state election notice and allowing the required outside observer. An appointee must meet the qualifications of an elected officer.
4. Vacancies do not lower the ordinary Board quorum in Section 1. The Board may not use a vacancy-filling exception to conduct unrelated ordinary business without quorum.

Section 5: Removal of an Officer

1. A petition to remove an elected officer for substantial nonperformance, material misconduct, misuse of Club property, or serious violation of governing rules may be signed by two elected officers or twenty percent (20%) of voting-qualified Active Members.
2. The affected officer shall receive a written statement of allegations and at least fifteen (15) days’ notice of a membership hearing, with an opportunity to respond. The officer shall not preside over their own proceeding.
3. Removal requires a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of voting-qualified Active Members present and voting at a duly noticed meeting attended by at least one-half (1/2) of all voting-qualified Active Members. A vacancy shall then be filled under Section 4.

Section 6: Parliamentary Authority

1. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern where not inconsistent with these Bylaws, binding federation rules, or applicable law. The presiding officer may use a simplified agenda for routine meetings if no qualified member objects.

Article IV: Club Officer Elections

Section 1: Election Procedures

1. Regular elections shall occur in January on the two-year cycle established in Article III, Section 4. The Secretary shall notify FLYR at least thirty (30) days in advance and provide for an eligible outside observer as required by FLYR.
2. Members shall receive at least twenty-one (21) days’ notice of the meeting and offices to be elected. Nominations may be submitted electronically or from the floor; nominees must consent and be voting-qualified Active Members in good standing.
3. Contested offices shall be elected by secret ballot. Live remote attendees may vote by a verified, confidential electronic method that prevents duplicate votes. Uncontested races may be decided by acclamation if no member objects.
4. A neutral presiding member or teller who is not a candidate in the contest shall administer and certify the ballot. A candidate must receive a majority of valid ballots cast; if none does, the two highest candidates proceed to a runoff.
5. The election quorum is the ordinary two-member quorum in Article III, Section 3, unless a higher requirement is imposed by mandatory law or FLYR rules. Each qualified member casts one vote per office. No proxy or advance absentee ballots are allowed.
6. Within seventy-two (72) hours after election certification, the Secretary shall email the election results, including elected officers’ names, offices, and contact information, to the FLYR Executive Board.

Section 2: Special and Founding Elections

1. Special elections to fill vacancies shall use the same eligibility, secret-ballot, state-notice, outside-observer, and reporting requirements as regular elections.
2. At the founding organizational meeting, founding Active Members may elect interim officers after ratifying these Bylaws. Nomination and voting procedures shall be announced in the meeting notice, with an opportunity for floor nominations and contested secret ballots. Any applicable FLYR election procedures shall be observed.

Article V: Revenues and Finances

Section 1: Fiscal Year, Funds, and Budget

1. The fiscal year shall be January 1 through December 31. Club funds shall be maintained in accounts in the Club’s legal name, with at least two authorized elected-officer administrators when practicable, ordinarily the President and Treasurer.
2. The Treasurer shall maintain accurate records and receipts, prepare quarterly financial reports, and present the annual budget and prior-year financial summary at the Annual Business Meeting. The Board may approve a temporary operating budget if necessary.
3. Any budgeted expenditure requires written authorization by the President and Treasurer. An unbudgeted expense of $100 or less requires both officers’ prior written consent. An unbudgeted expense over $100 requires Board approval; one greater than $500 also requires approval by a majority of Active Members voting at a noticed membership meeting.
4. Reimbursement of an officer or member requires receipts and approval by a disinterested officer. Club and personal funds shall not be commingled. Spending must comply with applicable law, tax status, and FLYR rules.

Section 2: Donations and Conflicts

1. The Treasurer shall maintain donor records and reporting information required by law. Donor and financial information shall be disclosed only to persons authorized by law, these Bylaws, or a legitimate Club purpose.
2. An officer with a material financial interest in a proposed payment or vendor arrangement shall disclose the interest and not vote on the matter. Such transactions require approval by disinterested officers or, if Board approval is not possible, by disinterested voting-qualified Active Members at a noticed meeting.

Section 3: Dissolution and Assets

1. Dissolution of the incorporated Club or voluntary surrender of its charter requires at least thirty (30) days’ written notice to all voting-qualified Active Members, including the proposed disposition of assets, and approval by three-fourths (3/4) of all voting-qualified Active Members.
2. Following such a vote, the Club shall complete all required nonprofit filings, satisfy lawful liabilities, and comply with FLYR charter-surrender and dissolution procedures, including required transfer of Club financial, digital, and membership assets. No remaining assets may be distributed to members except lawful documented reimbursements.

Article VI: Club Activities and Volunteer Assignments

Section 1: Administration and Volunteer Activities

1. The elected Executive Board shall administer the Club’s affairs. Members may assist with Club projects under the direction of the President or Board.
2. The President may ask members to assist with short-term tasks such as events, recruitment, communications, fundraising, or public service. Volunteer assignments carry no independent authority to commit the Club or act for the Board.

Section 2: Oversight of Activities

1. Club activities shall be supervised by the elected Board. Members may propose activities to the Board without a committee or special appointment.

Article VII: Endorsements

Section 1: Official Club Endorsements

1. An official endorsement or ballot-measure position may be made only in accordance with FLYR Article XI and applicable law. The Club shall not allow any individual officer or volunteer to make an official endorsement without the required Club approval.
2. When permitted by FLYR, an official Club endorsement requires at least a two-thirds (2/3) vote of qualified Active Members present and voting at a meeting with quorum. The Club does not adopt the optional Board-authorized reduction to a simple-majority threshold.
3. All eligible Republican candidates shall receive a reasonable opportunity to speak, with invitation at least forty-eight (48) hours before the vote when possible. Prohibited contested-primary endorsements and other state restrictions shall apply.
4. If any electronic voting is used for an endorsement, including votes cast by remote members in a hybrid meeting, the required two-thirds affirmative threshold shall be calculated using the Club’s total Active Membership, as required by FLYR. A two-member ordinary quorum alone cannot lower that requirement.

Section 2: Campaign Activities and Personal Speech

1. Exclusive Club-organized canvassing, phone calls, fundraising, sign waving, or comparable activity for one candidate may be an endorsement under FLYR rules and must receive any required authorization first.
2. Individual members and officers may speak or volunteer in their personal capacities without claiming to represent the Club. When stating a Club title, the person shall make clear it is used only for identification. Official Club accounts and resources shall not be used for unauthorized candidate support.

Section 3: Financial Conflicts

1. A member compensated by a campaign or organization involved in a proposed endorsement must disclose the interest and comply with FLYR rules on making motions, influencing the agenda, and recusal when required. The Secretary shall record applicable disclosures and recusals.

Article VIII: Affiliation with FLYR and YRNF

Section 1: Affiliation and Continuing Responsibilities

1. The Club shall comply with the governing documents of FLYR, binding charter conditions, and applicable YRNF requirements.
2. The Club shall maintain the number of eligible Active Members required by FLYR, remit required state dues, keep appropriate nonprofit and IRS filings current, and submit the annual membership roster by the end of February as directed by FLYR.
3. The Club shall conduct at least four general membership meetings annually, including one annual business meeting with a budget and organizational report, and comply with state election reporting and observer obligations.
4. A provision of these Bylaws inconsistent with binding law or mandatory federation rules shall be inoperative to the extent of conflict; the remaining provisions shall remain effective.

Section 2: State Representation

1. The President shall represent the Club at FLYR meetings as authorized by state bylaws or may designate another qualified member when permitted. The Club shall respond to required notices and reporting requests as practical with available volunteers.

Article IX: State Conventions

Section 1: Delegates and Alternates

1. The Club shall appoint delegates and alternates, as permitted by FLYR credentialing rules and deadlines, by a majority vote of the elected Board. All delegates must meet FLYR eligibility requirements.
2. No bylaw shall be construed to guarantee a delegate seat or voting entitlement beyond that authorized by FLYR. The Club shall notify selected delegates and maintain appropriate records.

Article X: Information Protection

Section 1: Member Information

1. Membership applications, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, email addresses, and other personal data shall be used only for legitimate Club business, required federation reporting, or another lawful purpose with appropriate authority.
2. Personal information shall not be sold, given to campaigns or outside groups for unrelated purposes, or used for private gain without proper authority and required consent. Officers shall employ reasonable access controls and safe recordkeeping.

Section 2: Club Accounts and Property

1. Official email accounts, social-media accounts, websites, logos, credentials, and records belong to the Club. Authorized account access shall be maintained by at least two elected officers when practical.
2. Outgoing officers shall transfer account access and records to their successors within ten (10) days after the transition, unless a shorter lawful deadline applies.

Article XI: Record of These Bylaws

Section 1: Official Copy

1. The Secretary shall preserve a signed, dated, noneditable PDF copy of the adopted Bylaws and maintain a record of subsequent approved amendments. Editable Word copies shall be labeled as working drafts.
2. Active Members shall be able to inspect the current governing document upon request; the Club may publish it publicly as practical.

Article XII: Amendments and Replacements

Section 1: Proposal and Notice

1. An amendment may be proposed by a majority of the elected Board or by a petition signed by at least twenty percent (20%) of voting-qualified Active Members.
2. The full text of the proposed amendment shall be circulated to members at least twenty-one (21) days before the vote. The Secretary shall preserve the proposal and adoption results.

Section 2: Approval

1. An amendment requires two-thirds (2/3) of voting-qualified Active Members present and voting at a duly noticed meeting with the ordinary membership quorum. Any amendment changing quorum or voting requirements must also satisfy Florida Statutes section 617.0725 and other applicable law.
2. A local amendment may not override binding FLYR or YRNF rules and shall be submitted for any required federation approval before being treated as effective.

Article XIII: Founding Ratification

Section 1: Adoption

1. These Bylaws may be adopted at a properly noticed founding organizational meeting by an affirmative two-thirds (2/3) vote of eligible founding Active Members present and voting, provided at least one-half (1/2) of the founding eligible membership is present.
2. For purposes of the founding meeting only, individuals who have completed a signed application, met FLYR Active Member eligibility, and paid $25 dues before the meeting shall be eligible to vote immediately. The Secretary shall certify the founding roster and vote.
3. Founding officers shall be elected in the order President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, following the procedures of Article IV. They serve as interim officers until the first regular election under Article III, Section 4.
4. The founding officers shall maintain the organizational records and submit required governing documents and officer information to FLYR in accordance with federation procedures.

Section 2: Certification of Adoption

1. The President and Secretary shall sign and date the official copy following the ratification vote. The effective date shall be the date of ratification.