378.603. Representative form of government, requirements.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

378.603. Representative form of government, requirements.

Representative form of government, requirements.

378.603. A society has a representative form of governmentwhen:

(1) It has a supreme governing body constituted in one ofthe following ways:

(a) The supreme governing body is an assembly composed ofdelegates elected directly by the members or at intermediateassemblies or conventions of members or their representatives,together with other delegates as may be prescribed in thesociety's laws. A society may provide for election of delegatesby mail. The elected delegates shall constitute a majority innumber and shall not have less than two-thirds of the votes andnot less than the number of votes required to amend the society'slaws. The assembly shall be elected and shall meet at least onceevery four years and shall elect a board of directors to conductthe business of the society between meetings of the assembly.Vacancies on the board of directors between elections may befilled in the manner prescribed by the society's laws;

(b) The supreme governing body is a board composed ofpersons elected by the members, either directly or by theirrepresentatives in intermediate assemblies, and any other personsprescribed in the society's laws. A society may provide forelection of the board by mail. Each term of a board member maynot exceed four years. Vacancies on the board between electionsmay be filled in the manner prescribed by the society's laws.Those persons elected to the board shall constitute a majority innumber and not less than the number of votes required to amendthe society's laws. A person filling the unexpired term of anelected board member shall be considered to be an elected member.The board shall meet at least quarterly to conduct the businessof the society;

(2) The officers of the society are elected either by thesupreme governing body or by the board of directors;

(3) Only benefit members are eligible for election to thesupreme governing body and the board of directors;

(4) Each voting member shall have one vote and no vote maybe cast by proxy.