- Duties of the POW/MIA Representative:
a. The POW/MIA Representative shall represent the organization in all matters pertaining to POW/MIA affairs, shall pursue all information on such issues and shall report such information to the organization.
- Duties of the Veterans Affairs Representative:
a. The Veterans Affairs Representative shall represent the organization in all matters pertaining to Veterans Affairs, shall pursue all information on such issues and shall report information to the organization.
SECTION V: ELECTIONS
1. An election committee shall be formed which shall consist of a Chairperson nominated and approved by the general membership, the Sergeant-At-Arms of HCVVO, and at least two members in good standing of the organization nominated and approved by the general membership at the membership meeting in August of the election year.
2. The election committee shall oversee the election, shall review and verify all documentation required to accept a nomination for a position on the Board of Directors of the organization, and be responsible for counting and recording all vote ballots.
3. The election committee shall prepare a report documenting the election results and post for the membership. Results of the election are to be filed in permanent records in the office.
4. Election of the officers of the organization shall be held biennially on the first Saturday meeting in October.
5. Nomination of officers shall be held twice in September on dates to be determined by the Board of Directors. Once nomination proceedings are opened, the President shall dispense with the transactions of business until nominations are complete. Once the nominations are officially closed, no other nominations shall be allowed. No nominations shall be taken at the biennial election occurring at the first membership meeting in October.
6. To accept a nomination, a person must be present at one of the meetings when nominations are held.
7. A person may be nominated for more than one office, but cannot hold more than one office at any one time. At the final nomination meeting, a person with multiple nominations must accept or decline the nomination for a specific office before the close of nominations for that office.
8. Newly elected officers shall take office with the opening of the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.
SECTION VI: VOTER ELIGIBILITY
The following requirements must be met by each person eligible to vote in any biennial election of officers:
1. The person must be a member and must be eighteen (18) years of age.
2. The person must be a member in good standing with the organization – herein defined as follows:
a. If already a member, the member’s renewal dues must be paid and approved by the Board of Directors before or at their meeting in the month that the person’s membership is to expire.
b. If a new member, the member's dues must be paid and approved by the Board of Directors before or at their last meeting in July of the election year. In order to vote, membership must be approved by Board of Directors and membership on or before the August membership meeting during the election year.
c. The member has abided by and continues to abide by the By-Laws.
SECTION VII: VOTING PROCEDURES
1. For each biennial election, the polls shall open at 9:00 am and shall remain open until 5pm at the first Saturday membership meeting in October.
2. The election committee chairperson shall ensure that the election board receives two copies of a list setting forth the names of the members who are eligible to vote (eligible voter roster), and the voter must provide a copy of his/her current membership card, verifying current dues have been paid.
3. To vote you must show your membership card to be verified by the membership roster.
4. All eligible voters must sign the eligible voter roster in order to receive a ballot.
5. All voting is to be done by secret ballot.
6. A member must be present to vote at the biennial elections. There shall be no proxy or absentee voting.
7. Once the polls are closed, no further voting shall be allowed.
8. In case of a tie, the run-off election shall be held at the next scheduled membership meeting.
SECTION VIII: FILLING OF OFFICERS VACANCY
1. Any replacement of officers, except president and vice-president, are to be filled by a 2/3 majority vote, of a quorum of the Board of Directors.
2. If a board member/officer is unable to perform their duties temporarily due to illness, surgery, or other disability, then that person shall be granted a temporary leave of absence by the Board of Directors, who shall appoint an individual pro-tem to fulfill the duties of an organization officer, with the exception of the position of President. In the event the President requests and is approved for a leave of absence, the Vice-president shall fulfill the responsibilities of the President until the President can resume those responsibilities.
3. If a board member/officer resigns, quits, or otherwise fails to fulfill their duties as outlined in the By-Laws in any situation other than with assigned leave of absence, then that individual will not be reinstated to said position during the time period in which they were elected to that position and will not be eligible to accept a nomination for any officer’s position during the first biennial election following the time period in which they were elected and "resigned/quit."
SECTION IX: OFFICER ELIGIBILITY
All positions of the Board of Directors, with the exception of the past/prior President, shall be open for nomination.
To seek an office/Board position within HCVVO, the following requirements must be met:
1. If the membership of an individual is revoked, or the individual is placed on probation for a violation of the stated offenses of the organization's By-Laws, if/when the membership is reinstated and/or the suspension is lifted, then said individual may not be appointed to a position on the Board of Officers of the organization for a period of time up to AND including the next biennial election.
2. The person must be a member, must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and be bondable under HCVVO’s insurance policy.
3. The person must be a member in good standing of the organization and must attend at least 50% ( 6 out of 12) of the membership meetings beginning September 1 through August 31 of the year immediately prior to the biennial elections and thereafter to accept nomination for a position on the Board of Directors of the organization.
4. The office of President, Vice-President, and Head Trustee of the organization must be filled by "in theatre" combat zone veterans; with every effort made to fill these positions with combat zone Vietnam Veterans first.
5. "In theatre" shall be defined as being constituted by the official dates declared by the military for a designated conflict, campaign or war in a hostile territory. For example the government/military has identified the dates for service during the war in Vietnam as being between July 7, 1959 and May 7, 1975, or by other evidence such as a copy of service orders.
6. The Board of Directors shall be made up of 70% veterans. The remaining 30% of the Board of Directors may be filled by associate members in good standing.
7. In the event that a 70% quota of veteran officers of the Board of Directors cannot be achieved by nomination and/or election, then the vacancy(s) will be filled by a 2/3 majority vote of a quorum of the incoming board by appointment on or before December 31st of the election year. During the time period in which the board is considering the appointment, the previously elected board member whose position is to be filled will continue to execute the duties of that position until the new appointment is made.
8. If a veteran, a DD-214 form must be submitted to the election committee or to the President to meet the requirements of maintaining a 70% quota of veterans. If a DD-214 form or other evidence as required by the Board of Directors of the organization is not turned in, the person’s name cannot be put on the election ballot. Proof of eligibility must be provided to the election committee at least 30 days prior to the membership meeting date scheduled for nomination of members to fill positions on the Board of Directors for the biennial election.
SECTION X: REMOVAL OF AN OFFICER
1. An officer can be removed from an official position with the Board of Directors with a 2/3 majority vote of a quorum of the Board in favor of removal.
2. If a board member fails to attend three consecutive board or membership meetings without being excused, this will constitute reason for removal.