Chatham Dems

By-laws of the Chatham County Democratic Party

(Approved May 12, 2003)

ARTICLE I
NAME - The Democratic Party of Chatham County and/or the Chatham County Democratic Party.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE -
A. Foster development of local Democratic activities and affiliated organizations;
B. Seek and encourage candidates for public office;
C. Support Democratic nominees and activities;
D. Perform such primary and election functions as may be required by state law;
E. Maintain financial and other party records, as shall be provided in the state and local bylaws;
F. Assist in the election of Democratic candidates involved in a general or special election;
G. Adopt and promote statements of policy for the furtherance of the beliefs and goals of the Democratic Party of Georgia;
H. Assist local Democratic organizations in the election of their candidates and the education of voters;
I. Establish standards and rules of procedure to afford all members of the County Party full timely and equal opportunities to participate in decisions concerning the formulation of policy and conduct of party affairs;
J. Provide voter education;
K. Raise and disburse monies needed for the operation of the County Party, for contributions to the State Party, and for contributions where appropriate to candidates running on the Democratic ticket;
L. Work with Democratic officials at all levels to achieve the objectives of the State Democratic Party;
M. Promote fair adjudication of disputes and fair campaign practices; encourage and support codes of political ethics that embody substantive rules of ethical guidance for all public officials and Party members; and assure that public officials shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner that reflects credibility upon the offices in which they serve;
N. Where financially feasible, assist in

• Distributing sample ballots at election time;
• Arranging for rides to the polls for those needing assistance;
• Arranging for voters in nursing homes or hospitals to receive absentee ballots;
• Recruiting volunteers to distribute literature; and
• Mailing postcards or letters to all Democrats on the County Committees mailing list as a reminder to vote; and

O. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed in the State and local bylaws or by the State Party.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Any person over the age of 18, who resides in and is registered to vote in Chatham County, and who shall declare himself or herself to be a member of the Democratic Party shall be entitled to membership in the Democratic Party of Chatham County.

ARTICLE IV
GOVERNING AUTHORITY -
1. The County Party shall be subject to the authority of its Charter and to the bylaws adopted in accordance with the provisions thereof.
2. When either the County Charter or Bylaws are in conflict with the State Charter or the State Bylaws, the State Charter and the State Bylaws shall prevail.
3. The County Party members shall elect the Chatham County Democratic Committee (CCDC), which shall have general responsibility for the affairs of the Democratic Party of Chatham County.

ARTICLE V
THE CHATHAM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
1. Any member of the Chatham County Democratic Party is eligible to be elected to the CCDC.
2. There shall be 6 posts for each county commission district plus 16 at large posts, for a total of 64 regular members of the CCDC. At all times during his or her membership on the CCDC, a regular member must reside in and be registered to vote in the appropriate district from which he or she was elected.
3. In addition to the regular members, every elected Democratic official who resides in or represents a portion of Chatham County may be an ex officio member of the CCDC.
Amendment:
Ex-officio members include those elected to office in a non-partisan race, provided such member signs a Declaration of Democratic Party Affiliation (see attached).
4. All CCDC members, regular and ex officio, should pay $25.00 per calendar year dues.
5. All CCDC members, regular and ex officio, shall be entitled to vote.
6. District posts shall be established and apportioned by the CCDC in such a way as to provide for equitable representation for each such district and to allow full participation by all segments of the population.

ARTICLE VI
ELECTION AND TERMS OF THE CHATHAM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE -
1. Regular CCDC members shall be elected either by a General Primary Ballot or a Party District Caucus.
2. Half of the regular membership of the CCDC shall be elected in Gubernatorial election years and the remainder shall be elected in presidential election years. Regular CCDC members shall serve 4-year terms except where terms are affected by reapportionment.
3. The term of office shall be from September 1 after election through August 31 of the fourth year.
4. Whether the election of regular members shall be by primary election or caucus shall be decided in the odd numbered year preceding the election. If the CCDC fails to officially select a method, then regular members shall be elected by Caucus.
5. Where the Caucus method is selected, such Caucus shall be held within 45 days following the General Primary. If the CCDC does not officially set a time and place, the County Chair shall set the time and place of the Caucus.
6. Where the General Primary ballot method is selected, the same procedures and rules as those for other county elected officials shall prevail, except that the CCDC may set reasonable fees for the qualification of CCDC candidates.
7. Whether the election is by Caucus or General Primary ballot, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected without the necessity of a run-off.
8. Whether the election is by Caucus or General Primary ballot, public notice of the election shall be given by posting the notice in a prominent place in the County Courthouse and by publishing the same in a newspaper of general circulation in the County at least once a week for the four weeks preceding the closing of qualifications for such office.
9. Only Chatham County Democratic Party members who reside in a particular County Commission District may vote for a regular member from that District.
10. The County Committee Chair shall appoint chairs of Party District Caucuses.

ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS
1. Regular meetings of the CCDC shall be held at least once every calendar month.
2. The Committee Chair upon at least 10 days notice to all members may call special meetings.
3. Emergency meetings may be called with 5 days notice upon approval of all Committee officers, and may be held by teleconference.

ARTICLE VIII
OFFICERS
1. There shall be a Chair, at least two Vice Chairs, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
2. All officers shall be elected at the appropriate December meeting for a two year term and shall hold office from January 1 following election through December 31 of the second year.
3. All officers shall be elected by regular members who are in midterm plus those who were elected at the previous Caucus or Primary Election. Changed by Amendment.
All officers shall be elected by regular members who are in midterm plus those who were elected at the previous Caucus or Primary Election plus ex-officio members.

ARTICLE IX
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
An Executive Committee, consisting of the officers, shall act on behalf of the CCDC between County Committee meetings.

ARTICLE X
VACANCIES
1. All vacancies in CCDC posts may be filled by election by the remaining Committee members provided at least three such members remain.

2. Amendment Adopted 2005: A candidate to fill a vacancy must be present at the meeting when nominated AND the meeting when elected.

ARTICLE XI
REMOVAL OF OFFICERS AND SANCTION OF MEMBERS
Removal of Officers
CCDC officers may be removed by the CCDC for cause, with reasonable notice, and with the opportunity to be heard, by a 2/3 vote of the County Committee provided at least 40% of all members eligible to vote are present.

Cause for removal may be failure to perform the designated duties of office, conduct or circumstances which reflect discredit or disrepute upon the Party, or public disclaimer of Party affiliation, or missing 3 meetings in any 12 month period. Cause for removal from office shall be intentional misrepresentation of positions or policies of the Party, or conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or which otherwise reflects discredit or disrepute upon the Party.

1. The removal procedure shall be conducted by a subcommittee appointed by the Chair. Where the Chair is the subject of the removal procedure, the subcommittee shall be appointed by a majority of the other CCDC officers.
2. Any officer subject to removal shall receive written notice of the alleged reasons for removal.
3. Rights
a. Notice of Witnesses: The person to be removed shall have the right to be informed of all persons who will be witnesses against him/her and who will testify in support of the charges against him/her, at least ten days before a hearing on said charges before the full CCDC.
b. Counsel and Presentation of Witnesses: The officer to be removed shall have the right to counsel and to present all witnesses, documents and arguments in support of his/her position. The CCDC may likewise have counsel and present witnesses, documents, and arguments in support of its position.

Sanction of Members
Any disciplinary action which could result in Censure, Reprimand, Suspension for up to two years, or, in extreme cases, expulsion from the CCDC may be brought up by any CCDC member at a regular meeting, but the vote cannot be taken until the next meeting. Prior to that vote, which must be by majority vote of the CCDC members voting at the meeting, the individual subject to such a penalty shall be given two weeks written notice and the opportunity to address the Committee.

ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS
1. The Charter and the Bylaws may be amended by a vote of a majority of all regular members present provided at least 40% of all members eligible to vote are present.
2. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chair, or to the Committee at a regular meeting, at least 30 days prior to voting on same.

ARTICLE XIV
GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. All meetings of each body of the CCDC shall be open to the public.
2. The CCDC shall afford all members full, timely, and equal opportunity to participate in decisions concerning the formulation of policy and the conduct of Party affairs.
3. There shall be no discrimination in the conduct of CCDC affairs on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, color, handicap, national origin, or age.
4. In order to encourage full, timely and equal opportunity to participate to all segments of the population, the CCDC shall adopt and implement affirmative action programs in compliance with the Charter of the National Democratic Party.
5. Unless otherwise provided for in the Charter, the Bylaws, or Written Rules, Robert’s Rules of Order as most recently revised shall govern the conduct of all meetings of each body of the CCDC.
6. A quorum for a meeting of the CCDC shall be 20% of the regular membership except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws and Rules.
7. The Chair may provide for other sub-committees as the Chair may deem necessary.
8. The CCDC, and affiliates, are prohibited from supporting a Democratic candidate who has opposition during a primary or Democratic opposition during a special election.
9. No CCDC member shall use his or her office to support (1) any Democratic candidate in a contested Democratic primary election or (2) any candidate who has Democratic opposition in a special election.
10. No CCDC member shall publicly support another candidate other than the Democratic nominee in a General Election. Changed by Amendment, 09-08-03.
No CCDC member, acting in his or her role as a CCDC member, shall publicly support a candidate other than the Democratic nominee in a General Election.
11. The endorsement of, support of, or contribution to a candidate of another party or to an opponent of the Democratic nominee may result in the expulsion of such person from the CCDC.
12. The Chair of the CCDC, even in a private capacity, shall not publicly support any candidate in a contested Democratic primary. Should the Chair wish to support any such candidate, the Chair must temporarily relinquish the office of Chair to a designated Vice Chair. This restriction shall also apply to any acting Chair.
13. Any contributions to a candidate for public office shall be accompanied by a cover letter which shall state in substance,

This contribution is made on the express condition that, after election, you remain a member of the Democratic Party. Your acceptance and/or use of this contribution is your acknowledgement and contract that should you win election yet at any time prior to the end of your term change parties or leave the Democratic Party, you will repay these amounts.

14. The CCDC shall seek reimbursement of any contribution, whether real or in-kind, made to a candidate who qualifies for office as a Democrat and, after qualification, switches to another party.
AMENDMENTS

1. Adopted September 8, 2003
Support of Non-Democrats (see Article XIV, Sec. 10)
No CCDC member, acting in his or her role as a CCDC member, shall publicly support a candidate other than the Democratic nominee in a General Election.

2. Adopted
Contributions
Only the Committee as a whole may authorize contributions to candidates. The Committee may authorize a total amount and specify the candidates, then authorize the Executive Committee to decide the individual amounts to be contributed to the authorized candidates.

3. Adopted
Vacancies (see Article X, Sec. 2)
A candidate to fill a vacancy must be present at the meeting when nominated AND the meeting when elected.

4. Adopted
Ex-Officio Members (see Article V, Sec. 3)
Ex-officio members include those elected to office in a non-partisan race, provided such member signs a Declaration of Democratic Party Affiliation (see attached).

5. Adopted
Voting for Officers (see Article VIII, Sec. 3)
All officers shall be elected by regular members who are in midterm plus those who were elected at the previous Caucus or Primary Election plus ex-officio members.

DECLARATION OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY AFFILIATION

TO: Chair, Chatham County Democratic Party

I am a resident of and registered voter in Chatham County, GA. I hereby make application to be a member of the Democratic Party of Chatham County.

I believe in the goals of the Democratic Party as stated in the Charter and Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States and of Georgia. I am not or am no longer a member of any other political party or body (as defined in the Georgia Election Code), and am not affiliated with any political group whose ideals, goals, and methods are incompatible with the Statement of Principles of the Democratic Party of Chatham County, GA.

I am proud to join the Democratic Party.

This ___ day of _______________, 2006.

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[Name]