Log Cabin Republicans
of Tampa Bay

ARTICLE I:   Name and Jurisdiction

 

Log Cabin Republicans Tampa Bay is a Republican organization. The name of this Chapter is the “Log Cabin Republicans of Tampa Bay “(hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter”). The Chapter’s membership will be open to any registered Republican in the State of Florida, primarily those who reside in Tampa Bay Area and others described herein who adhere to Chapter’s principles, purposes, membership requirements, and in good-standing. (Hereinafter referred to as a “member”)

 

ARTICLE II:   Principles.

 

1.           A. The principles of the Chapter are the same as those outlined in ARTICLE I, Section1.01 of the Standing Rules and Bylaws of the Republican Party of Florida (as amended), to wit:

 

We adhere to the precepts of our Nation’s Founding Fathers as reflected in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, with particular emphasis upon the rights of the individual, limited governmental power under the law. We believe in the free enterprise economic system, private property ownership, individual rights, and representative government.

 

2.           Additionally, we believe in a strong national defense, free trade, fair trade and that government, at all levels, must live within its means and not create an undue burden of debt to future generations of Americans.

 

3.           In keeping with the rights of the individual and power under the law, we affirm that no American should be discriminated against, in employment, housing, public accommodations, taxation, or credit on the basis of sexual orientation, gender/gender identity or any other arbitrary basis, and that all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation, are entitled to equal treatment under the law.

 

ARTICLE III:  Purposes

 

1.                        To assist the Republican County Committees and Republican party of Florida in their party building efforts at fundraising, signature gathering, grassroots organizing, GOTV, and other related activities necessary for winning elections.

 

2.                        To help grow the Republican Party through coalition building, the use of media, visibility in the community, petition drives, and voter registration efforts.

 

3.                        To recruit, develop, and support the Chapter’s members for election to office at all levels of government and appointment to state, regional, and local boards and commissions, governmental administrative posts, and to the judiciary.

 

4.                        To endorse Republicans for local office who share our principles specified in ARTICLE II and to recommend the endorsement of Republicans for state and federal office to Log Cabin Florida, to help these candidates to win election to local, regional, state, and federal office.

 

5.                        To endorse and help pass legislation and ballot measures consistent with the principles specified in ARTICLE II.

 

6.                        To educate the Republican candidates and officeholders; Republican Party and Republican County Committee leaders and members, Republican volunteer organizations, Republican volunteers and Republican voters about issues of concern to LGBT Republicans and the LGBT Community as a whole.

 

7.                        To promote Republican candidates, issues, and ballot measures within the LGBT Community as well as other constituencies and the general public, and

 

8.                        Provide a home for Republicans, regardless of sexual orientation, and their allies to network, socialize, learn about candidates and issues, and be mobilized to grow the Republican Party and win elections.

 

ARTICLE IV:   Membership.

 

1.           Any registered Republican in the State of Florida, regardless of sexual orientation, who agrees with the Purposes and Principles in ARTICLE II of these By-laws and pays the requisite annual dues as set by the Board of Directors of the Chapter, may join this Chapter as a regular voting member.

 

2.              The Log Cabin Republicans of Tampa Bay will require annual dues of Sixty-Five

Dollars (65) and zero cents. Annual dues are non-refundable.

3.               Members will be given a 30-day grace period to renew their memberships.

4.           Treasurer will have the responsibility for monthly membership status reporting.

 

5.           The Board of Directors of the Chapter set lower annual dues for a regular voting member who is/are an active full-time student in good standing/ Member of the Armed Forces/ Veteran to (50) Fifty percent of base general membership.

 

6.           The Board of Directors may refuse or revoke membership of any individual for cause, or for failing to comply with the membership requirements set in these bylaws. The dues or other monies (other than loans) collected from the individual whose membership has been refused, will not be returned to the individual.         Cause for refusing membership or revoking membership include, but are not limited to bringing discredit to the Chapter, Log Cabin Republicans, the Florida Republican Party or the Republican National Committee, serving on parole or probation upon being convicted of a criminal offense, having been formally charged of a felony or serious misdemeanor, engaging in unethical behavior including malfeasance, fraud, or issuance of bad checks, for engaging in abusive and/or disorderly behavior in public or at meetings, or for endorsing any person other than a Republican in a race where there is a duly endorsed Republican candidate or any person other than a Republican where there is a Republican running in an open primary election.

7.      

8.           Any member who demonstrates poor conduct or behavior inconsistent with the standards of the organization will be subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary measures shall proceed in the following order: a formal warning, followed by a temporary suspension of six (6) months, and, if necessary, permanent suspension. Once a member has been permanently suspended, they are prohibited from rejoining the chapter under any circumstances. The name of any permanently suspended member will be submitted to the National organization for inclusion on the permanent ban list, thereby barring participation in the organization at any level.  In order to suspend a member, there must be a majority vote from the board on all accounts at the next official monthly meeting. The member will be notified by US certified mail as well as National via email.

 

ARTICLE V:  Membership Audit

 

Annually, in December, or when requested, the Chapter will provide to Log Cabin Republicans National, a self-certified membership list verifying that all regular voting members are currently registered Republicans. At the same time, the Chapter will also provide Log Cabin Republicans (National) a list of the current officers, the current annual budget after yearly election.

 

ARTICLE VI:  Rights and Responsibilities of Regular Voting Members.

 

Regular Voting Members of the Chapter have the right to be notified of all regularly scheduled and emergency meetings and events of the Chapter. To fully participate at membership meetings and events, to vote on bylaws amendments, resolutions, and to endorse or recommend endorsement of candidates and take positions on legislation and ballot measures, run and serve as members of the Chapter’s Board of Directors, serve as a delegate at a LCR National convention, or run and serve as a member of the LCR Board of Directors, and to a periodic and transparent accounting of the Chapter’s finances. No Regular Voting Member of the Chapter shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities or obligations of the organization. Regular Voting Members are expected to pay their dues in a timely manner and to conduct their political and chapter activities in accordance with these Bylaws. Hereinafter, timely manner is furthest elaborated as attending two

(2)    meetings in a calendar year. It is suggested an active member described as a minimum of two (2) general monthly meetings.

 

ARTICLE VII:   Membership Meetings.

 

1.           The Chapter will hold at least six (6) regularly scheduled membership meetings a year, plus one annual membership meeting in which the Chapter’s elects’ officers and the bylaws can be amended. Depending on the number of elections taking place in the County or Region in which the Chapter holds its meetings, there will be at least one endorsements meeting held per election cycle. The Board of Directors will determine the venue within the Greater Tampa Bay Area for membership meetings and board meetings.

 

2.           No action item may be addressed by the membership at a regularly scheduled or emergency scheduled meeting without first being noticed by the Secretary in the meeting agenda. Additional action items may be addressed at a meeting subject to a 2/3 vote of the membership present and voting at any regularly scheduled or emergency meeting, immediately after the quorum has been established.

 

3.           All literature, petitions, materials, or announcements of any description shall first be submitted to the President or the Board of Directors, for their approval, before being circulated at any meeting.

 

4.           Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all procedural matters not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VIII:   Quorum Requirements.

 

1.     Annual Meeting. A quorum will be established by the attendance of a simple majority of the total dues paying regular members as of 72-hours before the meeting being convened. The chapter Secretary is responsible for maintaining the membership list and determining the number of members for a quorum.

 

2.     Endorsements Meeting.     A quorum will be established by the attendance of at least fifty-one (51%) or more percent dues paying regular members or a simple majority of the total dues paying regular members, which ever number is greater. The membership numbers will be certified by the Treasurer as of 30-days before the meeting is convened. To prevent the stacking of the membership, no regular member may vote at an endorsement meeting who has not previously attended at least three regularly scheduled or emergency meetings of the Chapter in the preceding 12 months. The Secretary will take the roll at every membership meeting and shall certify those members who are eligible to vote on endorsements. The number of members required for a quorum will be established by the Treasurer, 72 hours before the meeting being convened.

3.     Maintenance of Quorum. Once a quorum has been established by the Secretary or the President’s designate in the Secretary’s absence, the meeting will continue until adjourned, whether a quorum remains in existence or not. However, no action item, bylaws amendment, or endorsement may be voted on if a member challenges the presence of a quorum and the quorum is determined by the Secretary of the President’s designate in the Secretary’s absence to have been lost. In that case, the meeting may be recessed to regain the quorum, or the vote on an action item, bylaws amendment, or endorsement will be deferred to the next regularly scheduled or emergency meeting of the membership.

 

ARTICLE IX:  Board of Directors.

 

1.           Composition. The chapter will have (5) directors, President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Executive director. The number of directors may be increased by amendment to these By-laws. A quorum will be established by the attendance of a majority of the current officers and directors.

 

2.           Terms. The terms of each member of the Board of Directors will be 12 months, and no member may serve for more than four years in any particular office, nor for more than eight years consecutively in any position on the Board of Directors

 

3.           Contracts and Expense of Funds. Only the board of directors has the authority to sign contracts and instruments on behalf of or expend funds or resources belonging to the Chapter.

 

4.           Banking and Administrative Oversight. The Board of Directors are listed in the State of Florida corporation documents filed annually with Sunbiz.com (no later than September 1st of each year). Signers on the Chapter’s bank accounts are the President and Treasurer.  Bank account signees and corporate documents are updated following the annual elections, or earlier as needed. 

 

ARTICLE X:   Election of the Board of Directors

 

1.       The Board of Directors will be elected at the Chapter’s annual membership meeting.

 

2.       The positions Article X.1 will be voted on individually, in the order listed. No regular voting member nominated for any of the offices will be elected without accepting his or her nomination, and being elected by a majority of the members who cast secret ballots. If more than two candidates run for an office, and no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated, and a second ballot will be held immediately following announcement of the results of the first ballot. If a candidate is running unopposed for an office, if he or she doesn’t get a majority of the votes of the ballots cast, the Secretary will so announce, and the office will be voted upon at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting.

 

3.         If any seat remains vacant because the requisite number of officers were not elected at the annual membership meeting or if the seat becomes vacant due to resignation or removal from the board, that seat or seats will be voted upon at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting.

4.       Attendance may be virtual or in person.

ARTICLE XI:   Endorsements

 

1.     Candidates

 

a.        The membership at its Endorsements Meeting, may endorse candidates for local or regional non-partisan office. These endorsements are regardless of party affiliation of the candidates, provided that no Republican candidate has qualified for the local ballot. All candidates seeking Log Cabins endorsement must agree with the purposes and principles of the Chapter. If a Republican candidate is running on a slate with non-Republicans for nonpartisan office with multiple seats (judges, city council members or county supervisors elected at large) and requests the Log Cabin endorsement of the slate, the Chapter may endorse the slate, provided no Republicans not on the slate are also running for those respective seats.

 

b.       State-wide Office. Upon a majority vote of the membership, the Chapter may recommend to the LCRTB Board the endorsement of any Republican candidate for state partisan office (e...g, statewide office, Board of Education, or the State legislature) within their region.

 

c.        National Office. Upon a majority vote of the membership, the Chapter may recommend to the LCR National Board, via the LCRTB Board, the endorsement of any Republican candidate for national office (President/Vice President, United States Senator, or the U.S. House of Representatives).

 

d.       At its discretion, the Chapter’s Board of Directors may require candidates seeking the Chapter’s endorsement to complete a questionnaire by a particular deadline prior to considering the candidate for endorsement. If required, the questionnaire must be required of all candidates seeking the Chapters endorsement.

 

2.     Ballot Measures. The membership may also endorse, oppose, or state no recommendation on any local or regional ballot measure that has qualified for the ballot or any local initiative which requires signatures to qualify for the ballot.

3.     Minimum Required Vote. To receive an endorsement or a recommendation for endorsement, a candidate must receive the affirmative votes of 60% of the total ballots cast by regular members, or the hand vote of 60% of the regular members, present and voting.          To receive an endorsement recommending either Yes or No on a ballot measure or initiative, the recommendation must receive 60% of the total ballots cast by regular members, or the hand vote of 60% of the regular members, present and voting. Members will be asked to vote in favor of the measure, opposed to the measure, or for “no recommendation”. Abstentions and members not voting will not be counted against the total votes cast in determining the 60% threshold.

4.     Florida Election Code. Pursuant to Section 7413 of the Florida Elections Code, under no circumstances, may the Chapter or any of its officers or directors advocate that voters should not vote for the nominee of the Republican Party for any office, or give support or avow a preference for a candidate of another party or candidate who is opposed to a candidate nominated by the Republican Party.

 

ARTICLE XII:   Association with Unwelcome Organizations.

 

Neither the Chapter nor its officers shall in any way cooperate with unwelcome organizations in promoting, arranging, or facilitating their meetings, their hospitality functions, or the presence of individuals representing the interests of such organizations at the meetings of the Chapter. These are organizations whose express purposes and/or activities are inimical or hostile to, or in direct contradiction with, Republican philosophy and principles. Sponsorship of such groups as "Republicans for <Democratic Candidate>”, exhibiting high levels of campaign spending on behalf of opponents to Republican candidates, and/or routine opposition to Republican candidates, nominees, and/or ballot issues shall constitute prima facie evidence of hostility to Republican philosophy and principles. Neither the Chapter nor its officers shall in any way cooperate with unwelcome organizations in promoting, arranging, or facilitating their meetings, their hospitality functions, or the presence of individuals representing the interests of such organizations at the meetings of the Chapter.  However, the Chapter may form coalitions with any Unwelcome Organization on specific local issues or causes that advance the principles and purpose of the Republican Party.

ARTICLE XIII:   Dissolution of the Chapter.

 

Upon dissolution of the Chapter all remaining assets after debts have been satisfied with transfer to Log Cabin National or its successor organization.

 

ARTICLE XIV:   Adoption and Amendment of the Bylaws.

 

These Bylaws will be amended as needed by the board of directors.  After the board has adopted the new amendments, they will either send them to the membership or they will be posted on the chapter’s website for the membership to review at least 30 days prior to the next meeting. The membership will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the Bylaws prior to the vote.  At the meeting following, the board will vote to approve the new bylaws. A majority vote establishes the new Bylaws. 

 

ARTICLE XV: DESIGNATED SURVIVOR POLICY

 

The LCRTB line of succession is the order in which officials of the LCRTB Elected offices assume the powers and duties of the office of president of the LCRTB if the incumbent president becomes incapacitated, dies, resigns, or is removed from office and a special election cannot be organized. The order of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president; if the

vice presidency is simultaneously vacant, or if the vice president is also incapacitated, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the treasurer; if the treasurer is simultaneously vacant, or if the vice president is also incapacitated, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the Secretary. If there are no elected officials able to assume the president, the powers, and duties of the presidency pass to the longest sitting appointed board member on the LCRTB Board of Directors.

 

SECRETARY’S CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

I hereby certify that I am the duly elected and acting Secretary of Log Cabin Republicans of Tampa Bay, and that the foregoing Bylaws constitute the Bylaws of said Log Cabin Republicans of Tampa Bay as duly adopted as of January 21, 2026.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed my name this 24th day of January 24, 2026

 

Wesley Jensen

Secretary of Log Cabin Republicans of Tampa Bay