Polyamory Society Membership

How to Form a Local Chapter

Local Chapter Definition, Mission, and Purpose


To become a Local Chapter of the Polyamory Society, a group of individuals (no less than 6) must file with the national office the following:

Once that has been accomplished, the national office will officially recognize the Local Chapter.

The primary mission of Local Chapter is to educate the public regarding the importance of the constitutional guarantee of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the right to enjoy privacy in all matters in which the rights of others are not violated, to enter into contracts, and thereby acquire contractual rights, to secure the means to exercise the above natural rights. How this mission is accomplished is the freedom of the Local Chapters as long as they follow policy established by the national office.

The purpose of the Local Chapters is to provide a grassroots presence for the educational work of Polyamory Society. As such, Local Chapters are extensions of the national organization and are to act as the eyes and ears of the Polyamory Society for the defense of our Polyamorous liberty in the local community.

ARTICLE III - Membership


Section C-3.1. Member Local Chapters.


The Polyamory Society is a voluntary Society of autonomous, self-governing Local Chapters, referred to herein as Local Chapter, which have freely chosen to pursue common goals together.

Section C-3.2. Polity.


Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed as infringing upon the polity or internal self-government of Local Chapters and to control its own property and funds. Any action by a local chapter called for by these Bylaws shall be deemed to have been taken if certified by an authorized Representative of the Local Chapter as having been duly and regularly taken in accordance with its own procedures and the laws which govern it.

*Section C-3.3. Admission to Membership.


A group may become a Local Chapter upon acceptance by the Board of Trustees of the Society of its written application for membership in which it subscribes to the mission of and pledges to support the society. The Board of Trustees shall adopt rules to carry out the intent of this Section.

Section 3.4. Larger Local Chapters.


The Larger Local Chapters of the Polyamory Society, shall be a Local Chapter which is not considered to be located in any particular area.

*Section C-3.5. Certification of Membership.


A Local Chapter shall be recognized as certified during the year of the Society in which it becomes a member and during each subsequent year in which it established that during the immediately preceding year:

(a) 6 members of the Local Chapter are certified members in good standing of the Polyamory Society;

(b) It held at least one business meeting of its members, elected its own Representatives and maintained adequate records of membership; and

(c) Made a financial contribution to the Polyamory Society. Local Chapters must furnish the Society with a report of their activities showing compliance with subsection (a) and (b) above. Compliance with subsection (c) above shall be determined by appropriate financial records of the Society. A Local Chapter shall also be considered to be certified for that part of any particular current year which precedes the deadline established by the Board of Trustees for submitting proof of compliance with subsection (a) and (b) above if during the next preceding year such a Local Chapter made a financial contribution to the Society and filed the report required by this section during that year. A Local Chapter which has not been certified for three consecutive years shall be deemed inactive and placed in an "inactive Local Chapter" category. The Board of Trustees shall make rules to carry out the intent of this section and shall determine which Local Chapter meet the requirements set forth herein for any year of the Society.

Section C-3.6. Termination of Membership.


A Local Chapter upon written notification to the Society may withdraw from the Society at any time. The Board of Trustees may terminate the membership of any Local Chapter that, pursuant to the provisions of Section C-3.5, has been placed in an "inactive Local Chapter" category maintained by the Society but shall do so only after consultation with:

(a) The Local Chapter in question, whenever possible;

(b) The Representative of the Local Chapter or such other authorized official in writing to the Society; and

(c) The trustee representing the area in which the Local Chapter is located.

*Section C-3.7. Local Chapter Qualifications.


The Board of Trustees may admit to Local Chapter membership in the Society any major organization whose membership or constituency consists of individuals located throughout the Society and whose purposes and programs it finds to be auxiliary to and supportive of the mission of the Society and which pledges itself to support the Society. At least 6 individual members have successfully completed 3 courses. The Board of Trustees may terminate such a Local Chapter upon finding that the organization no longer meets the foregoing qualifications. The Board of Trustees may adopt rules governing the requirements for admission to and retention of Local Chapter membership. A Local Chapter organization shall be recognized as certified during the year in which it becomes a member, and during each subsequent year if it has made a financial contribution to the Society during the immediately preceding year. The Society shall neither exercise control over nor assume responsibility for the programs, activities or finances of any Local Chapter.

*Section C-3.8. Independent Affiliate Organizations.


The Board of Trustees may admit to affiliated status those independently constituted and operated organizations whose purposes and intentions it finds to be in sympathy with the mission of the Society, and may terminate such status upon finding that the organization no longer meets the foregoing qualifications or is not in compliance with the rules relating to such organizations. The status granted is that of independent affiliate. The Board of Trustees shall adopt rules governing the requirements for admission to and retention of affiliated status. The requirements shall include financial support of the Society by payment of an annual contribution. The Society shall neither exercise control over nor assume responsibility for the programs, activities, or finances of any independent affiliate.

Section C-3.9. Autonomy of Local Chapters and Independent Affiliate Organizations.

Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed as infringing upon the control of Local Chapters and Independent Affiliate Organizations by their own membership.

Section C-3.10. Life Members.


The life members of the Society shall be comprise by those individuals who served as president, member of the Board of Trustees or:

(1) Fully paying the Lifetime membership fee,

(2) Completing any additional qualification that the Board of Trustees decide to enact. The Board of Trustees can award or revoke to any individual or organization that they elect.

(3) This category of membership shall end upon the death of the last person qualifying for such membership.

Section C-3.11. Members of Local Chapters.


For the purposes of these Bylaws, a member of a Local Chapter is any individual who pursuant to its procedures has full or partial voting rights at business meetings of the Local Chapter and who is certified as such by an authorized officer of the Society. An individual that joins the Polyamory Society has no national or international decision making authority. Representatives of Local Chapters have Decision making authority. Each certified autonomous Local Chapter will decide on how it selects its Representative.

Section C-3.12. Personal Membership Qualifications.


I. New Member: A candidate must take 3 courses.

(1) Polyamory Basics 101

(2) How to Resolve Differences in Sustainable Multilevel Relationships - Conflict Resolution

(3) Group Decision Making Skills

(4) Workbooks and lesson plans will be supplied by the Polyamory Society.

(5) Certificate of Completion mailed upon candidate(s) fulfillment of requirements. Confirmation of candidate(s) achievement is done by the "Local Chapter Representative".

II. Practicing Members

(1) To become a" Practicing Member" candidate(s) must "Come Out" by formally writing to the Board of Trustee of the Polyamory Society that he/she is in an intimate relationship with at least one other member of the Polyamory Society candidate(s) required to provide name of Society members in letter.

(2) Certificate of completion mailed upon candidate(s) fulfillment of requirements and confirmation of candidate(s) achievement by the Polyamory Society. The Society will do membership verification.


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