By Laws of the Rafael Sabatini Society

ARTICLE I: PURPOSE

The Rafael Sabatini Society (RSS) is formed to increase public awareness and appreciation of the works of Rafael Sabatini.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Charter members shall be those who responded to the June 14, 2006 call on the Rafael Sabatini Yahoo! Group for contact by those who wished to establish this society.

Regular members shall be all persons who join, or rejoin after a lapse in membership, the Rafael Sabatini Society after the initial charter membership has been established.

Charter members and regular members shall have the same rights and membership renewal requirements.

Any real person who applies for membership or for annual renewal of membership and is in agreement with the purposes of this organization and willing to adhere to its bylaws may become a member or renew their annual membership by:

1. paying dues of $20, OR
2. submits at least one article, illustration, or review each year to the Society's newsletter, OR
3. contributes to Society's web site, OR
4. giving at least one hour of volunteer time to the society by arrangement with its officers.

Upon completion of any of items a-d above a person shall be granted membership.

Annual renewal of membership in the organization for another year requires the completion of any of items a-d prior to the end of their current membership year.

Any member who does not complete the requirements for membership renewal prior to the start of the New Membership Year will be dropped from the membership roll on January 1st and must reapply for membership.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

The officers of the Rafael Sabatini Society shall be the President, Vice President, and Secretary. Together these officers form the Executive Committee. The term of each office shall be one year. No individual may serve on the Executive Committee, in any office or combination of offices, for more than three consecutive years.

The President shall preside over meetings of the society and of the Executive Committee and, with the approval of the Executive Committee, establish other committees and name committee chairs, who shall serve during his/her term of office.

The Vice President shall assist the President in carrying out the duties of that office, and in case the office of the President shall be vacated, assume the presidency and arrange for a special election within 30 days. The Vice President shall also serve as the organization's historian and present a summary of the society's activities to the organization once each year.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep minutes of all meetings and records of decisions made by the Executive Committee, and ensure that any member may have access to agendas and minutes of the society's meetings. The Secretary-Treasurer shall take receipt of membership dues and donations made to the society and keep them in a safe place or bank account designated by the executive committee until called for use by the executive committee.

ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The President shall set the Executive Committee's times and methods of meeting, but the Executive Committee shall be in contact to carry out the business of the organization no less than quarterly. E-mail discussion in which all officers are copied (cc'd) is an acceptable method of contact.

The Executive Committee shall have full power to administer the business affairs of the society, and to take measures to further the society's interests and purposes as set forth in these bylaws.

The Executive Committee shall ensure that a newsletter for the society is published by e-mail at least once each year.

Any vacancy in the Executive Committee shall be filled within 30 days by special election.

ARTICLE V: ELECTIONS

The first election shall be held by an arrangement agreed upon by the Charter members. For all elections thereafter, the Executive Committee will appoint a nominating committee. No candidate for office may serve on this committee.

The nominating committee will solicit nominations from the membership. Any member of the society may nominate candidates for office.

The nominating committee will prepare a ballot, including any bylaws amendments, and e-mail it to the membership. Response by e-mail will be allowed, however, the committee shall also make it possible for completed ballots to be returned by mail to a designated address, to allow for secret ballots.

Ballots shall contain a space for write-in votes.

Ballots shall be sent to all members who are not provisional members on or before November 15th, and be counted no later than December 20th by a counting committee selected by the nominating committee.

Those candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be elected to office. In the case of a tie between two candidates, the incumbent Executive Committee shall decide the winner.

ARTICLE VI: TREASURY

Should the organization elect in the future to collect dues and donations from its membership, no less than two officers shall be signatory to any accounts holding these funds. Before collecting funds, the Executive Committee must devise a set of financial procedures and guidelines for the organization. The Executive Committee shall ensure that a financial statement is published in each newsletter, and no less often than twice each year, even if the statement is the only content of the newsletter.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee, or by any member who obtains the signatures (or e-mail approval) of 20% of the regular membership, excluding provisional members. Such proposed amendments shall appear on the ballot and be adopted by a majority of votes cast.

[By Laws approved August, 2006, amended December 2008]

December 2008 Amendments:

It was observed that the last sentence of Article III, "The Secretary shall prepare the annual ballot," contradicts the election procedure outlined in Article V, which states, "The nominating committee will prepare a ballot, including any bylaws amendments, and email it to the membership." The last sentence of Article III was stricken from the By Laws.

Article II was rewritten to clarify membership requirements for Regular and Charter members and to add dues.