ByLaws for The People

BYLAWS

WE THE PEOPLE PARTY OF PENNSYLVANIA (WTPPPA)

Article I – Name, Purpose, and Core Principles

  1. Name
    The name of this organization is the We The People Party of Pennsylvania (WTPPPA).

  2. Purpose

    WTPPPA is dedicated to empowering Pennsylvania residents through transparent, citizen-led governance; championing constitutional freedoms; promoting economic opportunity; demanding honest government; strengthening local communities; and healing our land, food, medicine and people.

  3. Organizational Structure Principles

    a. Grassroots Leadership – Operate by volunteers with no paid staff, committed to civic engagement.

    b. Unity Across Divides – Unite Voters from across the political spectrum in service of citizens, not party politics.

    c. Transparent Accountability – Provide open access to the day-to-day operations and support functions of the party, to party members via the party website membership portal and the party Project management tool (Basecamp or replacement tool). Provide regular public financial disclosures. Only limit access to items that require personal privacy and party-secured assets.

    d. Structure based on functional areas of work that can be divided into manageable portions so that leaders ideally have 3-4 individuals under their direction.

Article II – Membership and Meetings

1. Membership

Membership is open to any registered “nonaffiliated” Pennsylvania voter who supports WTPPPA’s purpose. When the Party obtains minor party status, members will be required to change registration to “We The People” in order to maintain voting privileges. Membership dues will be either $5 per month or $50 per year or may be achieved by an equivalent value of work as determined by the executive board. Good standing is defined as up-to-date on dues and no pending or executed disciplinary actions. Membership dues are non-refundable.

a. Membership Rights

i. Voting

Members in good standing who meet all the membership or applicable convention criteria may vote in party elections, at conventions, on budgeting and on major policy resolutions. In the event a member is unable to attend Convention in person, online voting may be made available.

ii. Participation

Members in good standing may attend meetings and join departments as volunteers. Members in good standing (defined as up-to-date on dues and no pending disciplinary actions) may run for leadership roles.

iii. Access

Members shall have access to party records (e.g., financial reports, meeting minutes), subject to reasonable restrictions for privacy or security.

b. Member Termination

Membership may be revoked by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee for conduct violating ethical guidelines or the party’s mission, with an appeal process available. Revoked Members may rejoin, subject to ruling of the executive committee.

Voluntary termination is accepted by the party, with no refund. Terminated Members wishing to rejoin are subject to a 30 day wait period following approval of two-thirds of the Executive Committee.

c. Code of Conduct and Data Protection
Members shall act in good faith to uphold our Party’s trust in their conduct by following the guidelines outlined in our Code of Conduct and Data Protection Manual. This Manual shall be drafted in the first year by the Executive Board and approved by the membership body on or before the second convention. Approval may be done by secure online voting.

2. Meetings

a. Annual Convention — Held once per year to adopt/amend bylaws, elect officers, discuss strategy, and engage in workshops. Will normally be held in Jan/Feb.

b. Annual Retreat — Held once per year to gather and engage in training. Will normally be held in July/Aug.

c. State Executive Committee Work sessions — Held once per week or as called by the State Chief.

d. State Executive Special Meetings — Convened by the Chief or upon written request of 10% of members, with at least 30 days’ notice. The Executive Board may take up disciplinary hearings during such meetings as necessary.

1. Quorum — 50% of active officers present in person or remotely shall constitute a quorum.

e. Monthly All Members Meetings — Meetings lead by the state leadership team to provide workshop training to the state members and provide time to hear from members and talk about current events and upcoming activities.

3. Decision Making

Except where specified, Officers are the decision-making authorities of their respective Department unless overruled by the State Chief or the membership body. The People (membership body) are the ultimate authority of the Party. Specific decisions will always be made by the membership body by secure online voting system or by in in-person paper ballot administered by the teller team, supervised by the administration officer. The specific decisions which are regularly accomplished by the membership body will be the selection of party officers, the nomination of party candidates, the approval and amendment of party Bylaws and party Platform. For day-to-day decisions not specifically delegated to the membership body, the party officers will make those decisions sans an overruling decision by the State Chief or an ultimate overruling decision by the membership body. The membership body may take up decisions not formally delegated to them if a petition of 20% of the membership body is circulated. Once such a petition reaches the necessary threshold the administration officer will conduct a secure online ballot for the membership body to accomplish the decision.

Article III – Officers and Executive Board

1. Officers

The Officers of the We The People Party of Pennsylvania shall be:

  • State Chief (SC)

    The State Chief leads the We The People Party of Pennsylvania, serving as the head of the state Executive Committee with four direct reports: Operations Officer, Communications Officer, Assets Officer, and Administrative Officer. The SC provides strategic direction, collaborating with the Operations Officer to shape party activities and messaging, with the Administrative and Assets Officers to set goals, and with the Communications Officer to implement outreach plans. The Strategic Plans Section will be appointed by the State Chief as an advisory section. This leadership role requires exceptional people skills, organizing experience, and project management expertise to guide the party and oversee all officers effectively.

  • Operations Officer (OO)

    The Operations Officer manages the Operations Department, overseeing Advocacy, Operations Planning, and Elections, each led by a Director. The Advocacy Director handles coalitions, public policy, and legal actions; the Operations Planning Director manages fundraising, training, and events (including conventions); and the Elections Director focuses on candidate recruitment and campaign events. The OO collaborates with the Communications Officer on campaign marketing and with the Assets Officer on event logistics. This role demands strong managerial and organizational skills to develop party goals, recruit members and candidates, and foster coalition partnerships.

  • Communications Officer (CO)

    The Communications Officer leads the Communications Department, managing Media, Member & Constituent, and Webmaster Directors. The Media Director handles legacy and social media relations and creates audio-visual content; the Member & Constituent Director oversees the weekly newsletter and member relations; and the Webmaster manages the blog, website content, merchandise, and tech support. The CO collaborates with other officers to develop messaging, promote candidates, and support coalitions. This role requires expertise in word processing (Google Suite preferred), marketing, and web design to drive effective outreach.

  • Administration Officer (AdO)

    The Administration Officer leads the Administration Department, managing Membership, Constituent, and Records Directors to maintain accurate membership records, voter data, and party documents, including governing documents and meeting minutes. The AdO ensures organizational integrity, legal compliance, and oversees credentialing and teller teams for conventions and membership votes. This data-driven role coordinates with other officers to provide updated information, graphics, and software support. The ideal candidate for this position has experience with spreadsheets, databases, and data management.

  • Assets Officer (AO)

    The Assets Officer heads the Assets Department, overseeing Finance, Supply, and Logistics Directors to manage the party’s financial and physical assets. The AO ensures fiscal responsibility, aligns resource allocation with party goals, and supports event logistics, including merchandise, venue rentals, and guest accommodations. Collaborating with other officers, the AO aids in budgeting and supplying party operations. This bookkeeping- focused role requires familiarity with bookkeeping software and spreadsheets to maintain accurate financial records.

Elections:

Regular elections will occur at annual conventions per the election cycle noted. Elections of party Officers shall be chosen by Approve/Approve/Disapprove (AAD) vote. Should no candidate receive more voter approvals than disapprovals, then NOTA (None of the Above) is declared the “winner”. In cases where NOTA is the “winner”, the convention body may choose to leave the position vacant or may choose to enter a new round of nomination with previously nominated candidates being ineligible.

Officer Term Lengths, Limits and Election Cycle:

Term length, maximum number of terms allowed per individual, and election cycle timing is as noted below. Note that no officer may serve more than 16 years in total. Former officers may be appointed by the State Chief to the Strategic Plan section regardless of term restrictions. Partial terms up to 50% of the term do not count toward the term limit.

  • State Chief: 3 year term; maximum 2 terms per individual

  • Operations: 2 years; maximum 4 terms per individual, elected in ODD years

  • Administration: 2 years; maximum 4 terms per individual, elected in ODD years

  • Communications: 2 years; maximum 4 terms per individual, elected in EVEN years

  • Assets: 2 years; maximum 4 terms per individual, elected in EVEN years

    2. Executive Board

    The Executive Board shall consist of the five (5) Officers.

Vacancies:

Vacancies among the Officers may be filled by a secure online vote, with such elections valid until the end of that office’s regularly scheduled term completion.

Article IV – Departments, Sections and Teams

  1. Departments

    The Department Officers shall create Sections and Teams within their Department and appoint volunteers to carry out the functions of that Department.

  2. Sections will be led by Section Leaders appointed by that Department Officer. Sections Leaders will report to their Department Officer in the execution of their duties.

  3. Teams will be led by Team Leaders appointed by that Department Officer. Teams

Leaders will report to their Section Leader and Department Officer in the execution of their duties.

Article V – Platform

  1. Platform Adoption

    The party’s platform is rooted in its Pillars. Changes may be proposed by any member and require a majority vote at the Annual Convention.

  2. Platform Review

    The Public Policy Team and the Communications Dept collaborate to review and update the Platform as necessary, solicit community input, and prepare the Platform report. Final approval occurs at convention by the Membership Body.

Article VI – Finances and Transparency

1. Fiscal Year

January 1 – December 31.

2. Funds Management

All contributions and expenditures must align with identified party objectives and state/federal laws.

3. Accounting and Reporting

The Assets Officer shall maintain clear written or digital records. Financial reports to the membership occur quarterly and before the Annual Convention, including a summary of donations and expenditures. The Assets Officer shall prepare an annual budget, approved by the membership.

4. Audit
The Board may appoint an Auditor or external reviewer to audit accounts annually.

Article VII – Convention Rules

  1. Officers

    The State Chief and Administration Officer shall be Chief (Chair) and Secretary respectively of the Convention. A parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chief.

  2. Delegates

    Delegates shall be members for at least the last 3 full months prior to the convention to be a Delegate, with one vote each. Delegates may register in advance or on-site. The Administration Officer and their appointed Credentialing Team shall credential the delegates at the beginning of the Convention.

  3. V oting Eligibility

    All delegates shall be eligible to vote on all matters. In order to vote on a given matter, a delegate must be present on the floor at the time the vote is taken. Each delegate present shall have one vote.

  4. Voting Procedures

    Voting will be by voice vote or a show of hands. If five or more delegates so request or object to the Chief's ruling on the outcome of a vote, a counted vote, roll call, or secret ballot will be held. Voting for Party Officers and for Party Candidates will use the AAD Voting method.

  1. Debate Procedure

    During debate in Convention each delegate shall be limited to five minutes on any one issue unless otherwise specified.

  2. Agenda
    Agenda will be drafted by the State Chief and approved by the Convention Body.

  3. Elections

    Section 1 - Nominations shall be from the floor. Nominees for any officer position shall be chosen by Approve/Approve/Disapprove (AAD) vote. Should no candidate receive more voter approvals than disapprovals, then NOTA (None of the Above) is declared the “winner”. In cases where NOTA is the “winner”, the convention body may choose to leave the position vacant or may choose to enter a new round of nomination with previously nominated candidates being ineligible.

    Section 2 - Unless the delegates at a Convention of the state Party decide otherwise, all members of the Party shall automatically be alternate delegates at the National Convention, but such members shall serve as delegates only if alternate delegates individually elected at the state Convention are already serving as delegates or are not present on the floor of the National Convention. Unless the delegates at a Convention of the state Party decide otherwise, the Chief of the State Party shall serve as the Chief of the National Convention, State delegation. The members of the delegation present shall have the power to determine which alternate delegates shall fill vacancies in the National Convention delegation, subject to the first sentence.

  4. Nomination of Candidates for Public Office

    Section 1 - No candidate may be nominated for any office who is ineligible to serve in that office or who has not expressed a willingness to accept the nomination of the Party. Nominated Candidates shall be in alignment with and follow the Candidate Endorsement Guidelines as set forth by the Elections Section of the Operations Dept.

    Section 2 - Nominees for any office shall be chosen by Approve/Approve/Disapprove (AAD) vote. Should no candidate receive more voter approvals than disapprovals, then NOTA (None of the Above) is declared the “winner”. In cases where NOTA is the “winner”, the convention body may choose to leave the candidate nomination vacant or may choose to enter a new round of nomination with previously nominated candidates being ineligible.

    Section 3 - No candidate for public office at any level shall be nominated or endorsed who has not signed the statement "I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force or fraud as a means of achieving political or social goals."

Article VIII – Amendments

  1. Proposal Process

    Amendments may be submitted in writing by 5% of members or the Executive Board at least 60 days prior to convention.

  2. Notice

    Detailed text of proposed amendments must be distributed to all members at least 30 days before the vote.

  3. Ratification
    Amendments require a two-thirds vote at the Annual Convention.

Article IX – Dissolution

In the event WTPPPA is dissolved, after settling liabilities, remaining assets shall be donated to a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit with aligned mission, as determined by the Executive Board.

Article X – Parliamentary Authority
Roberts Rules of Order shall be the party’s parliamentary authority.

Signature and Adoption

Adopted by the founding members of the We The People Party of Pennsylvania at the Annual Convention in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, on this 19th day of July, 2025.

[Signed]

State Chief (Chair): _______________________

Operations Officer: _________________

Communications Officer: _________________

Administration Officer (Secretary): ___________________

Assets Officer (Treasurer): ___________________