DISTRICT 19 DEMOCRATIC CLUB BYLAWS (as
amended 6/2/03, 10/27/03 & 1/6/08)
ARTICLE I – NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The
name of this organization shall be the District 19 Democratic Club
(hereinafter, “Club”).
Section 2. The
purpose of the District 19 Democratic Club is to implement policies and
programs which will promote the vitality and effectiveness of the Montgomery
County Democratic Party. As Democrats,
we stand in the proud traditions of those Democratic leaders who have sought to
ensure equal opportunity and social justice for all Americans. We believe in building an economy that
provides jobs and security for all. We
believe in an America
where every person can obtain adequate housing, put food on the table and get a
decent education. We want to live in an America
where every American has access to affordable health care and where our senior
citizens have reasonable financial security.
We seek a society free from crime and violence. We cherish our rights and freedoms and seek
to protect them always. We strive to
exercise responsible stewardship over our environment. We want our country to continue the progress
it has made towards achieving equal justice under the law. We believe the Democratic Party best embodies
the hopes and aspirations of our citizens on the local, state and national
levels.
Specifically,
the Club:
A.
Promotes active and
informed participation of District 19 Democrats
B.
Serves as an
informational and educational group for the 19th Legislative
District
C.
Takes positions on
issues and referenda and makes the Club’s recommendations known to public
officials, District 19 residents and others.
D.
Works primarily within
Montgomery County, particularly in the 19th
Legislative District, for the election of nominated Democrats. The
Club shall not endorse candidates in primary elections.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Voting
membership in the Club shall be open to all registered Democrats who live in
the 19th Legislative District and who shall have paid dues as
provided herein.
Section 2. Adjunct
membership (non-voting) shall be open to all interested Democrats not covered
by Article II, § 1 and who shall have paid dues as provided herein.
ARTICLE III – DUES
The annual dues
for Voting Members shall be $15 effective June 1, 2008. The
annual dues for Adjunct Members shall be $10. Registered Democrats 18 years of age and
younger who live in District 19 may pay $5 per year for
voting membership. Dues shall be
renewed as of June 1 of each year.
ARTICLE IV – EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The
Executive Board of the Club shall consist of a President, First Vice President,
Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Financial
Secretary, Historian/Archivist, Communications Officer, Parliamentarian,
Treasurer, Five Members At-Large, and an Immediate Past President who will
serve in an ex-officio capacity. At
least one member of the Executive Board shall be a Democrat between the ages of
15 and 24. All Executive Board members
shall be current dues-payers. No
publicly elected government official or Central Committee member is eligible to
serve on the Executive Board.
Section 2. The
President shall: be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club; preside at all
meetings of the Club and the Executive Board; appoint all committee
chairpersons; call all meetings of the Club and of the Executive Board; and be
an ex-officio member of all committees of the Club, except the Nominating
Committee.
Section 3. The
First Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in his/her
absence and succeed to the office of the President in the event of a vacancy in
that office.
Section 4. The
Second Vice President shall be delegated executive responsibilities at the
discretion of the President and the Executive Board, and shall succeed to the
office of the First Vice President in the event of a vacancy in that office.
Section 5. The
Recording Secretary shall record, edit, and preserve the minutes of the regular
and special meetings of the Club and of the Executive Board and shall have the
bylaws available at each meeting. He/she
shall have available a current roster of members, take attendance and assume
responsibility for the accuracy of the minutes even if another officer or
member takes them. He/she shall perform
such other duties as designated by the President. The Recording Secretary shall maintain a
record of various committees and shall bring copies of the Bylaws to business
meetings. He/she shall serve as
Secretary of the Bylaws Committee, and as a member of the Finance Committee.
Section 6. The Correspondence Secretary shall
maintain a file of all correspondence, read and answer correspondence as
directed by the Board, have available an updated computer database of members,
and notify members of regular and special meetings. He/she will have available an active updated
roster at each meeting of the Club. The
Correspondence Secretary shall serve as a member of the Finance and the
Membership Committees.
Section 7. The
Treasurer shall receive all funds from the Financial Secretary and request
disbursement of funds through our sub-account which is maintained by the
Treasurer of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. Vouchers
signed by the Treasurer or the President shall be authorization for payment of
all Club bills. The Treasurer of MCDCC
shall make all disbursements by check upon proper authorization of bills and
receipts. The Club Treasurer shall
reconcile bank statements, and prepare monthly Club financial reports of the
financial status of the Club which include the balance on hand at the beginning
of each month, the income received and source, the expenditures made and the
balance on hand on the date of the report.
These reports of expenditures and revenues shall be provided to the
Executive Board as prepared and to Club members upon request. A Finance Committee is hereby
established. The Treasurer shall chair
the Finance Committee.
Section 8. The
Financial Secretary shall collect and record all funds received in the name of
the Club from dues, funds collected for special projects, contributions, etc.,
and give proper receipts for same.
He/she shall prepare a monthly report of all funds received. He/she
shall transfer all funds received to the Treasurer with covering statement
indicating the source of the funds. For
payment of all Club bills, the President and Treasurer shall sign all vouchers
authorizing withdrawals of Club funds.
Section 9. The
Historian shall compile a record of events and activities of the District 19
Democratic Club taking place during his/her term of office. He/she shall be the custodian of the Club’s
records of previous events and activities.
The Historian builds an awareness and habit among Club members of
collecting and preserving relevant documentation of the Club’s
initiatives. He/she shall serve as
chairperson of the Archives Committee and serve on the Communications
Committee.
Section 10. The
Communications Officer shall publicize the activities of the Club in the
Newsletter of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, the Club’s
Newsletter and other suitable media, and establish a rapport with the local
media. He/she shall be responsible for
ensuring the photographing of all Club activities. He/she shall consult with committee
Chairpersons, when requested, regarding publicizing particular activities or
events. He/she shall conduct appropriate
public relations workshops for the Club as needed. He/she shall serve as chairperson of the
Communications Committee and set up a monthly calendar of events. The historian shall be a member of this
Committee.
Section 11. The
Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President and shall assist the
presiding officer in interpretation of the Bylaws of the District 19 Democratic
Club, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, and Robert’s Rules of
Order, Newly Revised. He/she shall serve
as Chairperson of the Bylaws Committee.
Section 12. The
Members-At-Large (4 Regular and 1 young/student) shall serve as a liaison
between members of the Club and the Executive Board. Each Member-At-Large shall be assigned
general and specific designated functions as may be determined by the President
in concert with the Board. The
Young/Student Member-At-Large shall serve as liaison between his/her peers of
the Club and others that he/she may recruit as members.
Section 13. The
Executive Board shall call meetings, plan agendas and programs, establish
policies and carry out all activities concerned with proper functioning of the
Club. Within 60 days of taking office,
the Executive Board shall prepare a budget of expenditures based on projected
dues and other revenues. The membership
may also direct the Executive Board to carry out such activities as it deems
fit.
Section 14. The
Executive Board shall meet monthly during the Club year (meetings are not
scheduled during the summer unless special circumstances exist) and the times,
dates and location for these meetings will be reflected in the Standing Rules. A quorum for the transaction of business
shall be a majority of its members.
Section 15. A
member of the Board may be removed from the Board for violation of the Board’s
policy on attendance at Board meetings and Club events by a two-third vote of the
full board, provided such vote is taken after the midway point of the Board
member’s term of office and after affording the Board member reasonable
opportunity to present his or her views to the Board in person. The Executive Board’s attendance policy will
be available as a section of the Standing Rules.
ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. The
Club shall endeavor to hold at least four general membership meetings or
functions annually. The Executive Board
may call additional meetings of the membership.
All meetings shall be scheduled with every effort being made to avoid
Friday nights, Saturdays during daylight hours, Sunday mornings and all
religious holidays.
Section 2. A
quorum for the transaction of business during General Membership Meetings shall
be 20 members, including the President and a Vice President.
Section 3. A
written notice and agenda of each meeting shall be mailed to all members no
less than 14 days prior to the meeting.
The agenda and the notice will also be posted on the Club’s website.
ARTICLE VI – ELECTIONS
Section 1. A
person who is voting, at the election meeting, must be a Voting Member on the
date that is at least thirty (30) days prior to the Biennial Election Meeting
and have attended at least one General Membership Meeting if he/she is a new
member (having joined the Club during the preceding 12 months)
and have paid dues for the year in which the election takes place).
Section 2. All
officers and at-large members of the Executive Board shall be elected at a general
membership meeting which shall be held between May 15 and June 15 of each
biennial election year or at another time necessary to accommodate extenuating
circumstances.
Section 3. At
least 60 days prior to the Biennial Meeting, the Executive Board shall appoint
a Nominating Committee of at least 5 members who have not announced their
candidacy for the Board at the time of their appointment to the Nominating
Committee.
Section 4. No
later than 14 days prior to the Biennial Election Meeting, written notification
of the nominations shall be sent to the general membership. The Nominating Committee shall endeavor to
ensure that there is at least one candidate for each Board position to be
filled at the Biennial Election Meeting.
The notice of the Biennial Election Meeting sent to members and ballot
forms shall identify, in alphabetical order, all known Board candidates. Nominations may then be made from the floor,
with the prior and written consent of the nominee, if not present, for any
office until the voting for each office actually takes place. Elections shall be held by secret
ballot. There shall be no Proxy Voting in the Club.
Section 5. The
person receiving the largest number of votes for each position will be
elected. In the case of a tie between
candidates in a race involving more than two candidates, a run-off will be held
between the top two vote recipients at the Biennial Election Meeting.
Section 6. A
vacancy in any position of the Executive Board other than President or First
Vice President shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of
the Executive Board.
Section 7. The term of office of the Executive Board
shall be two years (Adopted 6/9/02) or until qualified successors are elected.
Section 8. There
shall be no proxy voting in the Club.
ARTICLE VII – COMMITTEES
Section1. The
Standing Committees of the District 19 Democratic Club shall be Membership, Program, Party Support,
Legislation and Policy, Fundraising, Finance, Communications Committee,
Nominating, Bylaws and Archives.
Section 2. The
President shall appoint chairpersons of Standing Committees and such special
and supplementary committees as necessary for the efficient functioning of the
Club. This excuses those committees set
forth in Article VI. The term of office
for Standing Committee chairpersons shall coincide with the term of officers of
the District 19 Democratic Club’s President.
The terms of office for special and supplementary committees shall also
coincide with the term of the officers of the District 19 Democratic Club’s
President or shall be shorter as the committee’s function dictates. If the appointed chair of any committee
becomes vacant, the President shall fill the position by appointment.
Section 3. The
Membership Committee shall consist
of five members. It shall work to
maintain and increase the active and diverse membership of the Club. The committee shall reach out and increase
young members in the Club and other Multicultural/targeted Democratic
organizations in District 19. It shall
verify the credentials of prospective members.
The Membership Committee shall be responsible for acts of courtesy and
amenities, which will be reflected in the Standing Rules, according to the
guidelines established by the Committee subject to approval by the Club. The
Committee shall provide each member a copy of the Club’s Bylaws, Standing
Rules, other pertinent documents of the Club and a welcome letter. The Corresponding
Secretary shall be a member of this Committee.
Section 4. The
Program Committee shall consist of
five members appointed by the President.
The committee will develop programs, activities, and events consistent
with the concepts of the District 19 Democratic Club as outlined in the purpose
section of these Bylaws. It shall develop,
implement and direct educational programs and events planned by the Club,
including arrangements and scheduling, liaison with speakers and preparation
and coordination of logistics. Members
of the Program Committee, as designated by the President, shall represent the
District 19 Democratic Club in affiliated organizations and others in which the
Club shall vote to hold membership.
Section 5. The
Legislation and Policy Committee
shall consist of three members as appointed by the President. The Committee shall mobilize members to act
through strategies such as letter-writing campaigns, monitoring legislation,
proposing legislation, voicing concerns to elected officials, taking positions
on issues/legislation, preparing letters to editors and television blitzes
generally in response to issues of local, national or global scope.
Section 6. The
Party Support Committee shall
consist of five members designated by the Executive Board. The Committee shall support the general work
of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee by coordinating the
Club’s voter registration efforts, providing general election support,
supporting major fundraising events, and other local party efforts.
Section 7. The
Fundraising Committee shall be
chaired by a member of the Executive Board, as designated by the President, to
plan and develop strategies and events for raising revenues to operate the
District 19 Democratic Club. Any plans
to raise revenue will be subject to the approval of the Executive Board and the
membership prior to its implementation.
Section 8. The
Finance Committee shall prepare an
annual budget and present it to the general membership of the Club at its
annual June meeting for adoption. It
shall supervise banking and investment of the Club’s funds. It shall perform other fiscal duties usually
associated with this type of committee or assigned by the Club. The Treasurer
shall be the Chairperson of the Finance Committee and the Financial Secretary
shall serve as the Co-Chairperson. The Recording Secretary and the Corresponding Secretary shall be
members of the Committee.
Section 9. The
Communications Committee shall
establish and maintain a suitable
rapport with appropriate Party information channels and the local media to
inform them about the activities and
accomplishments of the Club and set a monthly calendar of events. The Communications
Committee shall work closely with the Editor of the Club’s Newsletter and
its Webmaster.
Section 10. The Nominating Committee shall consist of
five members appointed by the Executive Board at least sixty (60) days prior to
the Biennial Election Meeting. Members
will be individuals who have not announced their candidacies for the Board at
the time of their appointment to the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall endeavor to
ensure that there is at least one candidate for each Board position to be
filled at the Biennial Election Meeting.
It shall ensure that appropriate notice of the Biennial Election Meeting
is sent to the membership and that all ballot forms identify, in alphabetical
order, all known Board Candidates.
Section 11. The Bylaws Committee shall consist of three
members designated by the Executive Board, in addition to the
Parliamentarian. It shall be the duty of
the Bylaws Committee to draft revisions or amendments of the Club’s Bylaws when
the membership or the requirements of other echelons of the Party necessitate
changes. It shall be the duty of the
Bylaws Committee to draft revisions or amendments of the Club Standing Rules when
required. The Recording Secretary shall
serve on this Committee and the Parliamentarian shall serve as Chairperson of
this Committee.
Section 12. The Archives Committee shall consist of
three members appointed by the President to collect, maintain, and preserve the
Club’s historical and ceremonial materials, including but not limited to
records of the Club’s previous events and activities. The committee shall develop policies and
procedures for the collection and use of materials by members and non-members
of the Club. The Historian shall serve
as Chairperson of this Committee.
ARTICLE VIII – RULES OF PROCEDURE
The most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be
the parliamentary guide when not in
conflict with specific provisions of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. A. Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must
receive a 2/3 vote of the
Executive
Board which, upon such vote, will present the proposed amendment to the members
in writing within 30 days of the next regular meeting.
B.
Alternatively, Voting
Members may propose amendments to the Bylaws
in
writing and must ask the President to mail the proposed amendment(s) to the
membership 30 days before the Biennial Election Meeting.
Section 2. The
amendments so proposed may be adopted by a 2/3 vote of the Voting Members
present at the meeting with a quorum being present.
ARTICLE X – ADOPTION OF BYLAWS
After a 2/3 vote of the Executive
Board to approve these Bylaws, the membership shall receive a written copy of
the Bylaws along with notice of the next regular meeting at which the
membership can vote to adopt these Bylaws by majority vote, with a quorum being
present. The notice shall be at least 30 days prior to the next regular
meeting.
