By-Laws

The Henry County Genealogical Society
3rd Reading accepted February 16, 1987

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Henry County Genealogical Society.

Article II – Purpose

To support the objective of The Ohio Genealogical Society.
To create and build interest in preserving and collecting historical records of Henry County and related areas of Ohio.
To encourage active membership in this Chapter and in The Ohio Genealogical Society.
To take an active part in collecting records and in making them available for use in genealogical research.
To publish, if advisable, genealogical materials compiled by the Chapter members and to copyright this material if necessary.

All this foregoing are for the carrying on the work of the Chapter; to operate solely for the education purposes authorized by Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code 1954.

In the event of dissolution, funds and tangible property of the Chapter shall be distributed to an organization or organizations exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or a tax supported library in said County.

Article III – Officers

The officers of this Chapter shall be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Reporter. The officers may be members of The Ohio Genealogical Society. They shall be elected annually in November and take office in January. The Nominating Committee shall be elected or appointed by the Executive Committee, or elected from the floor.
The President shall call meetings of the Chapter and its officers, preside at meetings, and perform duties generally required of this office.
The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in his or her absence or incapacity.
The Recording Secretary shall keep records of all meetings.
The Corresponding Secretary shall handle the correspondence pertaining the Chapter.
The Treasurer shall receive dues and pay bills authorized, as approved by the Chapter. Incidental bills may be paid by the Treasurer without approval of the Chapter.
Officer vacancies shall be filled by the President with approval of the Executive Committee.
Reporter to send meeting reports to all Henry County and area newspapers and other appropriate publications.

Article IV – Executive Committee

Executive Committee, comprised of all elected officers and the standing committee chair shall have charge of all business affairs between meetings. Any member who is a state officer or trustee shall be an ex officio member.

Article V – Membership

Any person may become a member of this Chapter by completing an application for local membership and paying dues. Associate memberships may be available at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Article VI – Dues

Annual dues to the Chapter shall be determined by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Chapter and shall be paid on a calendar year basis.

Article VII – Quorum

The members present will constitute a quorum after all members have been notified of the meeting.

Article VIII – By-Law Revision

By-laws may be revised with the approval of two-thirds of those present at any regular meeting of the Chapter.

Article IX – Meetings

The meeting of this Chapter shall be on the third Monday night of each month at the Deshler Edwin Wood Memorial Library unless otherwise designated.

Article X – Committees

The Executive Committee shall appoint committees as they see necessary.

Newsletter – Compile and publish newsletter.
Publications – To oversee the publication of any information pertaining to the Henry County Genealogical Society.
Library – To select and purchase any material of use or interest to The Henry County Genealogical Society. All material is to be marked with The Chapter’s name to retain ownership, and to record all Chapter holdings.
Program – To set up programs for each meeting on a yearly basis.

Amendments to Constitution of Henry County Genealogical Society Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

For any election of officers for the Henry County Genealogical Society Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society the following procedure shall be followed:

The nominating committee shall ask any and all paid members until they have at least two or more names in nomination for each officer to be nominated. Additional names may be nominated from the floor the night of the election. Write-in candidates may be added by any member at the time he votes. Just prior to voting on a particular office the absentee ballots are to be opened by the recording secretary and the write-in names are to be read for that particular office. The secretary must keep information from these ballots in confidence until it is time to count the ballots with the total vote and totals are recorded.
All members have the privilege of voting for officers. A member (person who have their dues paid) need not be present to vote but may send in absentee ballot if not voting at the regularly scheduled election meeting in person.
All votes for officers shall be by ballot. A ballot if defined as, in most permanent societies, a written form in which all names place in nomination from the floor, and space available for write-in candidates are provided. Absentee ballots must include the names place in nomination by the nominating committee and space for write-in candidates. On an absentee ballot all offices and nominated names with appropriate divisions between may be on the same ballot.
At the election meeting ballots will be handed out, taken up and counted by two impartial person whose names have not been place in nomination. After totaling votes of those present, the absentee ballot should be counted and added to the total vote count which is then given to the recording secretary to be included in the permanent record of the Chapter.
Any person not formally nominated for an office may be elected to an office if that person has the most votes.
The president may vote by ballot in an election of officers if his ballot is turned in before the votes are counted.
All officers are elected by plurality vote meaning more votes than any of the rival candidates which are nominated or written in for that particular office.
The clerk or chairman shall read from the permanent record for each office:
- The total number of votes cast for that office.
- The total votes received by each name nominated in any way.
- The winner of the office determined by plurality vote.

All members whose names appear on the ballot for office (who have been nominated previous to election night) in the Henry County Genealogical Society Chapter shall have a short resume of qualifications and/or activities and interests listed in the September newsletter and a ballot shall be included in that newsletter for the general membership to vote on the candidates listed or for any other name they wish to place in nomination as a write-in candidate for any or all offices. Deadline for submission of ballots shall be November 1 and they shall be opened and counted on election night at the November meeting. All envelopes mailed to the society which contain ballots shall be marked with the word ballot and not opened until the night of election.

By-Laws of the Henry County Genealogical Society
Revisions Accepted April 20, 1998

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Henry County Genealogical Society.

Article II – Purpose

To support the objective of The Ohio Genealogical Society.
To create and build interest in preserving and collecting historical records of Henry County and related areas of Ohio.
To encourage active membership in this Chapter and in The Ohio Genealogical Society.
To take an active part in collecting records and in making them available for use in genealogical research.
To publish, if advisable, genealogical materials compiled by the Chapter members and to copyright this material.

All this foregoing are for the carrying on the work of the Chapter; to operate solely for the education purposes authorized by Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code 1954.
In the event of dissolution, funds and tangible property of the Chapter shall be distributed to an organization or organizations exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or a tax supported library in said County.