Status: Interim / Pending First Collective Vote Effective Date: April 14, 2026

These bylaws serve as the provisional framework for the revival of the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group (WPLUG). They exist for one clear purpose: to govern the transition from our founding phase into a fully member-governed collective.

Until our first official election cycle is completed, J will serve as the Provisional Chairperson. During this transition, the Provisional Chairperson holds the full authority necessary to establish our infrastructure, define initial roles, and manage the shift to a collective model.

The collective is directed by its voting members. If you want a voice, you need a vote.

To prevent flash-voting manipulation and ensure a baseline of community engagement, you must meet the following requirements to vote:

• The Grace Period: You must have been a member for longer than one voting cycle. You earn your voting rights in the cycle immediately following the one in which you joined.
• The Wiki Rule: You must maintain a public Wiki page in the wplug:members namespace. This cannot simply be a blank template.
• The Bylaws Rule: You must affirm that you have read and understood these Bylaws in full.

Membership is strictly contingent on “good behavior”. If a member becomes detrimental to the collective, they may be exiled.

• The Math: Exile requires a 9/13ths majority vote.
• Abstentions: If you abstain, you decrease the total number of votes required to meet that 9/13ths majority threshold.

WPLUG is governed by a Leadership body. These specific portfolios handle both our technical operations and our legal obligations as an aspiring Pennsylvania non-profit.

• Chairperson: The strategic lead and final arbiter.
• Secretary: Responsible for record-keeping and meeting minutes.
• Treasurer: Responsible for financial oversight and reporting.
• Wiki Manager: Oversees the knowledge base and documentation.
• Infrastructure Manager: Manages servers, IRC, and network services.
• FOSS Advisor: Provides technical guidance on open-source standards and sovereignty.
• Event Manager: Coordinates local meetups and InstallFests.

Note: Additional roles may be created as needed to satisfy future legal or operational requirements.

The Chairperson acts as the pivot point between the Leadership and the Collective.

• Duty to Steer: The Chairperson is charged with relying on the Leadership to steer WPLUG forward and must constantly seek the “next step” in the organization's growth.
• Administrative Obligations: The Chairperson ensures we remain in good standing by running mandatory monthly meetings and reviewing the minutes for accuracy.
• Decision Power: The Chairperson has the final say on all proposals. However, Leadership can overrule the Chair's decision with a 3/5ths majority vote.

Our voting system is transparent and member-driven. Voting is not just limited to elections; any Leadership member can call an on-demand vote on any matter at any time.

All official votes are conducted on our self-hosted Loomio instance. This provides structured discussions and a verifiable audit trail. Past results are open to the public at our Voting Group: WPLUG Voting History.

We use staggered elections to preserve continuity.

• Leadership Seats: All non-Chair leadership roles are vacated and re-elected biannually.
• Chairperson: The Chairperson role is vacated annually.
• Term Limits: There are none. Members may be re-elected indefinitely.
• The Substitute: During the annual Chairperson election, we also elect one Substitute. This person is eligible for the Chair role and ensures a smooth transition if the new Chair vacates a previous Leadership seat.

Governance requires active participation and a willingness to serve.

• Self-Nomination: Any eligible member may nominate themselves for a leadership role.
• The “Duty” Clause: If no one volunteers for a specific role, we will randomly select two members to run for it. We will not allow a critical function of this collective to remain vacant.

Leadership is strictly accountable to the membership via a rapid recall process.

• The Trigger: The removal process begins the moment two members bring forth a petition to remove a specific leader.
• The Clock: Once that petition is seconded, a recall vote must be held no later than three (3) days following the seconding.

These bylaws are a living document, but changing them requires a strict chain of approval.

1. Step 1: Leadership Proposal. Requires approval by 2/3rds of the Leadership body.
2. Step 2: Chairperson Approval. Requires approval by the Chairperson. (Note: If the Chair blocks the amendment, this step can be forced through by a 3/5ths majority of Leadership).
3. Step 3: Member Ratification. Requires final approval by 3/5ths of the voting membership.