CONSTITUTION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA 4-H COUNCIL

ARTICLE I: NAME, AFFILIATION AND STANDARDS

Section 1. The name of this organization will be the North Carolina 4-H Council.

Section 2. The program of the North Carolina 4-H Council will be carried out in association with the Cooperative Extension Service of North Carolina.

Section 3. The standards (pledge, motto, etc.) will be in accordance with those of the national organization.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any resident of North Carolina between the ages of five and nineteen, regardless of sex, race, creed, color, handicap or national origin may become a member of the North Carolina 4-H Council.

Section 2. Active membership will be open to those persons who are at least five years of age and who have not reached the age of nineteen as of January 1 of the current year.

ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATION

Section 1. The North Carolina 4-H Program will consist of community 4-H clubs, project clubs, special interest groups, 4-H School Enrichment members, county, district and state councils.

Section 2. Community 4-H clubs, project clubs, school enrichment members, and special interest groups will be under the direction of the county Cooperative Extension service.

Section 3. The organization of county 4-H councils will be determined by the members thereof to represent the 4-H program in each county.

Section 4. A. The 4-H districts will be determined by the Extension Districts of North Carolina.

B. The district council's membership will include district council officers and one representative from each county designated by their county 4-H council.

Section 5. A. The State 4-H Council will consist of the State 4-H Council officers, the district officers, and one representative from each county.

B. The State 4-H Council will be responsible for amending the constitution and enacting bylaws governing the state organization.

C. The State Executive Committee will include district council officers, State 4-H Council officers and the State 4-H Leader or his designee.

D. The State Executive Committee will cooperate with the State 4-H Youth Development Department in planning the North Carolina 4-H Congress, will enforce the constitution and the bylaws, will constitute the standing committees as appointed by the president and will advise the State 4-H Youth Development Department staff concerning a general evaluation of the 4-H program.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS OF COUNTY, DISTRICT AND STATE COUNCILS

Section 1. Duties and method of selection of county 4-H council officers will be determined by the members thereof.

Section 2. A. The district officers will be president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and reporter, serving a one year term beginning concurrently with the terms of the State 4-H Council officers.

B. The district officers are elected in the following rotation pattern:

Even Year Elections

President - Boy

Vice President - Girl

Secretary-Treasurer - Girl

Reporter - Boy

Odd Year Elections

President - Girl

Vice President - Boy

Secretary-Treasurer - Boy

Reporter - Girl

If an office is void of a candidate of the gender indicated, the floor will then be opened for nominations of the same gender. If no nominations are given then, the floor will open for nominations of the opposite gender.

C. Method and location of election of district 4-H council officers will be determined by the current district council and district advisors and shall be completed by July 1 of the current year.

Candidate must be at least fourteen years of age and an active member of 4-H for at least 2 years prior to seeking a district office.

D. The duties of these officers will be as implied by their respective titles and as are specified in the bylaws.

Section 3. A. State Officers will be president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and reporter, serving a one year term beginning upon installation at the close of North Carolina 4-H Congress.

B. The pattern of rotation for state council officers will be as implied in Article IV, Section 2, paragraph B of this constitution for district council officers.

C. The state 4-H officers will be elected democratically by North Carolina 4-H members in a manner defined in the bylaws.

D. Candidates must be at least sixteen years of age and an active member of 4-H for at least three years prior to seeking any state office.

E. The duties of these officers will be as implied by their respective titles and as are specified in the bylaws.

Section 4. A. 4-H'er may hold only one district and one state 4-H office.

ARTICLE V: REMOVAL OF AN OFFICER

Section 1. If for any reason such as change of residence, illness or if an officer is not fulfilling his or her duty he or she may be removed from office if it is in agreement with two-thirds of the majority of the executive committee present.

Section 2. After the said removal procedure has been completed a committee will be formed by the remaining officers, their advisors and several appointed members. This committee will appoint someone to promptly fulfill the office.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1. An annual meeting of the North Carolina 4-H Council will be held during North Carolina 4-H Congress.

Section 2. The county council will meet in a manner set by the members thereof.

Section 3. The district councils will meet at least two times each year preceding the meeting of the State Executive Committee and once during North Carolina 4-H Congress.

Section 4. The State 4-H Council will meet twice during North Carolina 4-H Congress.

Section 5. The State Executive Committee will meet at least once before each North Carolina 4-H Congress.

Section 6. The State Council president may call a special meeting when deemed necessary.

Section 7. A quorum, being necessary to enact official business, is a simple majority of the membership of the district or state 4-H councils or the State 4-H Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII: PROCEDURES

The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the authority on all points of parliamentary procedure not otherwise specified in the constitution or in the bylaws of the North Carolina 4-H Clubs.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS AND BYLAWS

Section 1. A proposed amendment becomes binding upon a vote of two-thirds majority of the State 4-H Council members present.

Section 2. Bylaws will become official upon a vote of a simple majority of the State 4-H Council members present.

ARTICLE IX: THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. The Constitution Committee will consist of the current state officers, the State 4-H Leader or his designee.

Section 2. This committee will interpret the constitution and bylaws in all questionable cases.

Section 3. A meeting of the committee may be called by anyone of its members. Three members must be present for an official decision.

ARTICLE X: RATIFICATION

Section 1. Each county in North Carolina with an organized 4-H Club Council will have one vote in the balloting for ratification of this constitution.

Section 2. Counties will be given a 120 day period to cast their vote for or against ratification of the constitution. This constitution will go into effect immediately upon a two-thirds affirmative vote of the counties with councils.

Section 3. Proof of ratification or rejection by each county shall be shown by certification as prescribed below:

This certifies that county casts

its vote ratification of the

(for or against)

constitution as proposed above.

Signed

(President County 4-H Council)

Witnessed

(County Extension Agent)

NOTE: This Constitution was ratified on May 1, 1981. It should be filed in the County Extension Office. Do not return.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, July, 1988.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, February, 1992.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, July 1995.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, July 1997.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, July 1998.

Revised by vote of State 4-H Council, July 1999.

BYLAWS

1. Nomination of candidates for State 4-H Council officers must be postmarked by June 15 of the current year. If for any reason there is still no candidate for an office, the office will be reopened at the first state council meeting during State 4-H Congress. At this time nominations for the reopened office or offices will be made and all nominations will be finalized.

2. The only state office campaigning allowed before nominations at State Congress will be restricted to oral or mailed written statements. No visual displays will be allowed prior to Congress. Presentation of the candidates to all delegates at Congress will be the day following nomination. Each candidate will be allowed two minutes for speaking time. No campaign materials may be displayed at North Carolina 4-H Congress before that time.

3. Elections will be held on the final day of North Carolina 4-H Congress at an assembly with all 4-H'ers attending as delegates. A special seating area for these delegates will be designated.

4. The number of votes a county can cast is based on the number of 4-H'ers enrolled in the official forms of 4-H membership special order, Article III, Section 1. Each county will have four votes, plus one additional vote for each 100 members enrolled in community 4-H clubs and project clubs, one additional vote for each 100 additional reported members with a maximum of 10 votes from these.

5. The decision of how each county's allotted electoral votes are to be cast must be made by the county delegation to North Carolina 4-H Congress. A county representative will be elected by the county group.

6. At the election assembly, there will be an alphabetical roll call of counties at which time each counties attendance at elections will be determined. If a candidate receives a majority vote during the first voting period, the candidate is elected. If during the first voting period none of the candidates for a particular office has received a majority, a second voting period will be held for this particular office, with the top two vote-getters remaining on the ballot. A short caucus period will be allowed for county groups following the first voting period if needed. The county representative will again cast the counties votes for the respective candidate as determined in the caucus. Counties may abstain if desired on either roll call.

7. Only active 4-H'ers are permitted to participate in elections at North Carolina 4-H Congress. Adult volunteer leaders, Extension agents and other non-4-H'ers are absolutely prohibited from campaigning at North Carolina 4-H Congress.

8. In case of a tie, the current four State 4-H Council officers and the State 4-H Leader will be given one vote each in a secret ballot in order to determine the winner.

9. Campaign regulations concerning the use of facilities, parades and posters will be provided by the State Cooperative Extension staff and presented in writing to the candidates immediately following their nomination.

10. Enforcement of election rules will be executed by an election committee. This committee will be composed of one Extension agent, one adult leader, and three 4-H'ers to be appointed by the State 4-H president and approved by the North Carolina State 4-H Council, at the first State 4-H Council meeting of North Carolina 4-H Congress. A candidate for state 4-H office or any member of his campaign staff will be warned after the first violation of a campaign rule and will be deemed ineligible for election for this year if the violation is not corrected or reoccurs. Any election situations not covered in the constitution will be referred to this committee for a final decision.

Last updated Nov 12, 2004

August 29, 2008