ByLaws

Section 1.  All persons over eighteen years of age who are descended from a passenger on the  Mayflower   on the voyage which terminated at Plymouth, New England, in December, 1620, shall be eligible for membership;  provided,   that such persons shall have as sponsors two members in good standing with the  Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Georgia; provided   however,  (a) that no person shall be eligible for membership - Regular or Life - who is pledged to or advocates the overthrow, by force or violence, of the Government of the United States, or that of any State or Territory; or who has been guilty of other treasonable practices; or who is not of good moral character; and this Society shall have the right to expel from its membership any person for any of these causes; and any question arising under this proviso (a) shall be determined by the Board of Assistants .of this Society ; and provided further  (b) that no one may become a member of this Society unless personally acceptable to it.

Section 2.  A Life Member is any member in good standing who shall have attained the age of fifty-five (55) years and who shall have paid to the State Society Treasurer the fee as set by the Board of Assistants, payable in a single payment. Such payment shall exempt the Life Member from payment of subsequent annual dues. A Life Member accepted prior to April 1994 shall be exempt from further dues. A transfer of Life Membership from the Georgia Society to another state society is prohibited. If after a reasonable search (two years) a Life Member cannot be located by the State Society, that Life Member shall be removed from the Society's rolls.

Section 3.  Every application for membership in this Society shall be made on a preliminary application blank provided by the Membership Chairman. Such application shall bear the autograph signatures of the candidate and two members of the Society, in good standing, who shall vouch for the applicant.

Section 4.  Any applicant for membership in this Society, who shall make a request through the State Historian for a copy of any lineage paper or copies of documentary proofs in the office of the Historian General, shall be given information by the State Historian on proper procedure for the applicant to follow in securing this information directly from the office of the Historian General. Said fees for this information shall be paid by the applicant to the General Society through the Historian General.

Section 5.  After the preliminary application has been approved, the lineage papers shall be issued. If the lineage papers are not filled out in duplicate and filed with the Society within twelve (12) months after the approval of the preliminary application, such application shall become void. However, an extension of time may be granted by the Board ,of Assistants. If the formal application is rejected by the General Society, the applicant may receive a refund of up to fifty percent of the current application fee.

Section 6.  Any member may hold membership in more than one State Society, and, if so, shall be eligible to represent such State Societies as a delegate to a General Congress.

Section 7.  Members of other State Societies residing in the State may become active members of this Society under the provisions for Regular Members, except that payment of the entrance fee shall be waived.

Section 8.  Any member who can trace descent from more than one  Mayflower  ancestor or more than one line from any  Mayflower  ancestor, may file supplemental lines of descent, but shall pay a lineage paper examination fee set by the Board of Assistants, plus the General Society assessment, for each supplemental line so filed.

Section 9.  Any member may resign from the Society on giving written notice to the Recording Secretary,provided the member's dues, including annual dues for the current year, are paid.

Section 10.  The name and record of ancestry of each member who died in good standing shall be forever retained in the books of the Recording Secretary and Historian. A record of the date of his or her death shall be published in one printing of the  Directory of Members  of the Society.

Section 1.  A member of this Society may be transferred to another State Society upon the written application of such member of the State Society to which transfer is desired.

(a) The applicant, if entitled thereto, shall be granted a letter of good standing forthwith and a copy of his, or her, lineage papers, from the Historian of this Society, and shall file the same with the Society to which transfer is requested. The' transferring applicant's membership shall not be affected by such request for transfer, nor be terminated thereby until said applicant for transfer has been duly elected a member of the transferee State Society and the Georgia Society having been duly notified of the transfer by the General Society.

(b) No charge shall be made for the letter of good standing, but a fee to cover the cost shall be made for the

copy of the member's lineage papers.

Section 3.

(a) A former member who has. resigned may be reinstated to membership in this Society on payment of dues for the current year.

(b) A member dropped for non-payment of dues, and who desires reinstatement, may be reinstated by the State Society upon payment of a fifteen dollar ($15.00) penalty fee, plus the dues for the previous year and the dues for the year of reinstatement.

(a) This Society may accept transfers of members from other State Societies upon receipt of a copy of their lineage papers and letter of good standing indicating that all dues have been paid. A written request to the Georgia Society for admission by the transferring member is required.

(b) The Board may permit the transfer of an out-of-state member into this Society without payment of dues for the current year.

(a) The fiscal year of the Georgia Society shall be May 1 through April 30.

(b) An annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year shall be prepared by the Finance Committee and approved by

the Board of Assistants at the first Board Meeting in the calendar year.

(a) The entrance fee of this Society shall be set by the Board of Assistants. Changes in the annual

dues of the Georgia Society shall be recommended by the Board of Assistants and approved by the membership. These annual dues shall be in addition to the dues of the General Society, payable on or before the twenty-first of November each year.

(b) Each member whose lineage papers are approved by the Historian General will be considered as a member in good standing for the current year.

All members shall pay dues before December 31 for the following year.

Section 3.  The fee for each life Member shall be as provided in Article III, Section 2.

Section 4.  Members who are in arrears in payment of dues as of December 31 of the year and having had;

second notification shall be dropped from the rolls of the Society.

Section 5.  Special assessment shall not be levied except in cases of pressing necessity, and then only by a

two-thirds vote of those members of the Georgia Society present and voting.

(a) All Georgia Society funds shall be deposited in a banking institution which is insured by the FDIC. All such institutions shall be approved by the Board of Assistants and shall be reasonably convenient to the Society for transacting business in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. Only the interest from the Reserve Account Funds may be used in defraying the expenses of the Society. Short term accounts may be established for specified expenditures, via., the printing of the  Directory of Members,  the Governor General's visit, memorial gifts for Georgia Society Governors, past Governor's pin, etc.

(b) A fund of $600.00 shall be appropriated yearly, not to be cumulative, to help defray expenses of the Deputy Governor General and the Assistant General, or their representatives, to the Triennial General Congress at Plymouth Massachusetts, and the Board of Assistants meeting of the General Society. No individual is to receive more than one-half of the appropriated amount. All delegates to the General Congress shall bear their own expenses.

Section 7.  Any expenditure over the amount of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) incurred by an officer or member of the Georgia Society must be approved by the Finance Committee before removal of funds from the Treasury.

Section 8.  Any expenditure over two hundred dollars ($200.00), not included in the annual budget, must have the approval of the Board of Assistants before the Treasurer will make payments.

Section 1.  The officers of this Society shall be a Governor, a Deputy Governor, a Recording Secretary, , Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a Historian, and an Elder. If deemed advisable by the B0ard of Assistants, the following officers may also be elected: A Captain, a Surgeon, and a Counselor.

Section 2.  The officers and other members of the Board of Assistants shall be elected at the annual meeting, biennially, in even numbered years. They shall assume office at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and shall serve for two (2) years or until their successors are elected.

Section 3.  Election shall be by a majority vote.

Section 4.  In case of vacancy in the office of Governor, the Deputy Governor shall become Governor for the unexpired term. Vacancies in the other offices shall be filled by the Board of Assistants until the next annual meeting at which time the Society shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

Section 5.  The Nominating Committee shall consist of no less than three (3) members to be appointed by the Governor at least two months preceding the Annual Meeting of the year in which elections shall take place. It shall be the duty of this committee to present the names of a full slate of officers and two (2) Members-at-Large for election. However, names may be presented from the floor for any of the positions to be filled.

Section 1.  The Governor shall preside at all meetings  of  the Society and  of  the Board  of  Assistants, appoint all committees and perform such duties as pertain to the Chief Officer  of  any organization.

Section 2.  The Deputy Governor shall perform all  of  the duties  of  the office  of  Governor during the absence or disability  of  the Governor.

Section 3.  The Recording Secretary shall keep a record  of  all meetings and proceedings of the Society and  of  the Board, keep complete lists of all members, and shall perform all duties usually pertaining to such office.

Section 4.  The Corresponding Secretary shall notify members of the Society and of the Board of Assistants of meetings to be held; shall make such notices and communications as may be ordered by the Society or the Governor; and report to the Secretary General and the Historian General respectively all address changes  of  members and transfers, change of names, deaths, dropped, resigned or reinstated members. The Corresponding Secretary shall order all insignias, rosettes and other emblems furnished by the General Society.

Section 5.  The Treasurer shall take charge  of  the .funds belonging to the Society; keep suitable books  of  accounts; charge, collect, receive and deposit all fees, dues, and other monies payable to the State Society; disburse authorized funds; and make a Treasurer's report at all stated meetings of the Society and Board of Assistants. He shall balance and prepare the books for a biennial audit (occurring in the year of elections) with fifteen (15) days  of  the close of the Society's fiscal year. Certificates  of  Deposit shall require two  of  the following officer signatures: Treasurer, Governor or Recording Secretary.

(a) The Historian shall examine and report on all lineage papers  of  applicants. He shall be custodian  of  all blank applications and lineage papers. He shall keep a record  of  all certificates signed by him and perform any other duties assigned to him by the Board  of  Assistants. He shall, when practicable, advise applicants in filling  out  their lineage papers. It is not the responsibility  of  the Historian to conduct lineage research for applicants.

(b) The State Historian shall place the State number  on  all lineage papers accepted by the Historian General.

(c) All passports shall be dated by the State Historian. The correct date  of  admission to the State Society shall be placed thereon and the passports given to all new members.

(d) The State Historian shall be the keeper  of  the genealogical books purchased by the State Society and shall make information therein available to members and applicants.

Section 7.  The Elder shall officiate when called upon at any regular meeting of the Society. If possible, he shall be a man who has been ordained as an Elder, Bishop, Minister, or Deacon of  a Christian Church. He shall send a message of condolence after having been notified by the Governor or Corresponding Secretary of the death  of  a member.

Section 8.  The Captain shall carry out all orders  of  the Governor and act as Marshal at parades and on occasions of ceremony. He shall also be the custodian of the State Society's flag and shall arrange for its display at all meetings and church services.

Section 9.  The Surgeon preferably shall have been duly admitted to the practice of medicine. He shall be under the orders of the Governor and Board  of  Assistants.

Section 10.  The Counselor preferably shall be an Attorney-at-Law. He shall render aid and opinions upon. matters pertaining to the Society when requested to do so by the Governor or by the Board  of  Assistants.

Section 1.  The Annual Meeting  of  this Society shall be held on or near the first Saturday in April  of  each year.

Section 2.  The annual Compact Day Meeting shall be held on or near the twenty-first day of November, the

anniversary of the signing of the Compact on board the Mayflower at Plymouth, New England.

Section 3.  Special meetings of the Society shall be called by the Governor when directed to do so by the Board of Assistants or when requested in writing by six (6) or more members.

Section 4.  Notice of all general meetings shall be mailed to each member at least ten (10) days in advance.

Section 5.  Eight (8) members of the Society shall constitute a quorum.

(a) The management and control of the affairs of the Society, subject to such instructions and limitations as may from time to time be prescribed by the Society in meetings assembled, shall be vested in a Board of Assistants.

(b) Said Board shall consist of the Officers, the two (2) Members-at-Large, the former active Governors (attending at least one Board meeting a year), the Deputy Governor General, the Assistant General, and all other General officers who are members of this Society ex-officio.

(c) Five (5) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum.

(a) It shall be the duty of the Board of Assistants to nominate a Deputy Governor General and an Assistant General to the General Congress. The Deputy Governor General nominated preferably should be the immediate past Governor and the Assistant General nominated preferably should be the Governor. If the said General Officer/s cannot attend the General Meeting/s, an Acting Deputy Governor General and/or an Acting Assistant General shall be named to serve at said meeting/so

(b) The Board shall fill all vacancies that may occur in the Board or offices of the Society as provided in Article VI Section 4.

(a) Unless otherwise provided, all meetings of the Board of Assistants will be called at the direction and discretion of the Governor.

(b) A written notice to the Governor signed by five (5) members in good standing of the Society shall require the Governor to call a special meeting of the' Board of Assistants within 14 days of receipt of said written notice, and one or more of the five members shall be present at said. special meeting.

Committees appointed by the Governor may include the following: Americanism, Bylaws, Education, Finance, Hospitality, Membership, Press Relations, and such others as may advance the work of the Society.

Members of the Membership and Finance Committees shall meet at the call of their chairmen, perform such duties as are given them by the Governor, and report through their chairmen at all stated meeting.

Section 1.  For geographical consideration and convenience, the Board of Assistants may authorize the formation of a Colony when five or more members of the Society, in good standing, shall sign a request for a charter for such Colony and file it with the Recording Secretary. The name of such Colony shall be in the following form: "The (name to be inserted) Colony of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Georgia."

Section 2.  Such Colony, after formation shall have been authorized by the Board of Assistants, shall elect a Lieutenant Governor, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Historian, who shall constitute an Executive Committee. Other officers may be added at the discretion of the Colony. The Lieutenant Governor shall present a written report on the activities of the Colony at the Annual Meetings of the Society and shall, on request, furnish the Board of Assistants with information concerning the Colony.

(a) The Secretary of a Colony shall immediately notify the State Corresponding Secretary of the death of a member.

(b) The Secretary of a Colony shall send a list of newly-elected officers to the State Governor as soon as possible.

Section 4.  A member of the State Society who wishes to affiliate with a Colony within this State shall make the request to the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony.

Section 5.  A Colony may set nominal dues for the operation of said Colony.

The representation of the Society at meetings of the General Society shall be as provided in the Bylaws of the General Society. A fund shall be appropriated to help defray the expenses of the Deputy Governor General and the Assistant General, or their representative/s, to the Triennial General Congress at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and the Board of Assistants meetings of the General Society.

The rules contained in the current edition of  Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised  shall govern this Society in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws and any special rules of order of the General Society or of this State Society.

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular business meeting of the Society by a two- thirds vote of those members present and voting, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing a! the previous regular business meeting or is included in the written announcement of a regular stated meeting mailed to the general membership in advance. Unless otherwise provided prior to its adoption or in the motion to adopt, an amendment shall become effective upon adjournment of the meeting at which it is adopted.

When it is necessary for the State Society to disband:

Section 1.  The Society shall comply with the procedures in the Bylaws of the General Society.

Section 2.  All debts of the Society shall be paid.

Section 3.  Any property which has been loaned to the Society shall be returned.

Section 4.  A resolution shall be adopted designating that any remaining historical documents, artifacts or any monies remaining in the Society treasury shall be given to the General Society or a  Mayflower   project.

Section 5.  No money shall inure to a member or individual as specified in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal

Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Revision of Bylaws adopted April 1995;

As amended November 14, 1998;

As amended April 27, 2002.