BY-LAWS OF THE SOUTH BURLINGTON DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
As adopted JANUARY 22, 2018.
ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE
The name of this organization is the "South Burlington Democratic Committee," herein known as the "City Committee." The purpose of the City Committee is to support the Vermont State Democratic Committee (“State Committee”) and Chittenden County Democratic Committee (“County Committee”), promote the interests, ideals, and principles of Vermont Democrats, assist in the operation of the Vermont Democratic Party (“Party”) pursuant to 17 VSA § 2310, support the election of Democratic candidates, support the process for the adoption of a party platform, seek representation for Vermont Democrats in the Democratic National Committee, and coordinate, encourage, and assist in the organization of voter turnout and choice for Democratic candidates within South Burlington.
ARTICLE II - PARTICIPATION
Any person who is registered to vote in South Burlington and who supports the purposes of the City Committee may participate fully in all Party activities and is eligible to be elected to any Party office. Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, economic status, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, disability, national origin, or color in the conduct of the City Committee affairs is prohibited by Democratic Party principle and policy and by Vermont statute.
ARTICLE III – CITY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
The City Committee is composed of registered voters in South Burlington who are not already members of another political parties committee and who have requested to be included as a committee member. Membership continues for two years from each re-organization and needs to be reconfirmed for the next 2-year cycle.
ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
Pursuant to 17 VSA §2309, The chairperson of the City Committee shall set a date, as determined by the County and State Committees, for the first meeting of the city committee in each 2-year cycle for the purposes of re-organizing. The chairperson of the City Committee shall set the hour and place of the meeting and shall notify Membership by email, place a posting with a local news media and post a public notice in two public places in town.
ARTICLE V - ELECTION OF OFFICERS
At the time and place set for the meeting, the membership shall proceed to elect the following officers and perfect an organization for the ensuing two years:
1. Chair
2. Vice-Chair
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Assistant Treasurer
6. County Committee delegates (number to be determined by State/County notification)
All officers and other members of the city committee and all delegates to the County Committee shall be voters of the city of South Burlington. Officers need not be members of the City Committee at the time of their election, but become members upon their election and consent to serve. County Committee Delegates may not all be of the same gender.
ARTICLE VI – NOTICE
For all City Committee notifications, the City Committee Chair shall notify (or cause the Secretary to notify) all Committee members by email at least 7 days before the meeting date. Additional posting will be made on the City Committee’s social media and/or website as applicable.
ARTICLE VII - VOTING
Except where otherwise provided herein, all matters shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the members present and voting.
All contested elections and nominations shall be conducted by secret ballot.
ARTICLE VIII - QUORUM
All members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the City Committee.
ARTICLE IX - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members:
Chair
-
Vice Chair
-
Secretary
-
Treasurer
-
Assistant Treasurer
The Executive Committee shall have the power to act for the City Committee when necessity demands and time does not permit calling a meeting of the City Committee, provided that the actions of the Executive Committee are submitted to the City Committee for ratification or rejection at its next meeting; that City Committee members are alerted by either email of Executive Committee Meetings contemporaneously with Executive Committee members; and that minutes of Executive Committee meetings are kept and are made available to the City Committee once approved.
The Executive Committee shall act as an advisory body to the City Committee Chair; review the City Committee Chair's annual action plan before presentation to the City Committee; recommend and review budgets, financial reports and audits and authorize borrowing money in accordance with Article XVI. The Executive Committee may not modify the bylaws, reverse decisions of the City Committee, approve any budget or endorse any candidate.
ARTICLE X – CITY COMMITTEE CHAIR
The City Committee Chair (“Chair”) shall be the general executive officer of the Committee. The duties of the Chair are as follows:
1. To preside at all City Committee meetings;
2. To ensure that notice of all subcommittee meetings be sent to all City Committee members and alternates by email at least 7 days prior to a meeting;
3. To ensure that any reports required by state and federal law are filed within the specified time;
4. To work with the Executive Committee to develop plans to advance the goals of the City Committee and the Democratic Party;
5. To appoint members of subcommittees of the City Committee;
6. To give timely notice to all city committee members for the dates of meetings a
7. To perform such other duties as are imposed by law (See Title 17 Vermont Statutes Annotated, Chapter 45).
ARTICLE XI – VICE CHAIR
The Vice Chair shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the Chair in the absence or disability of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall perform such other duties as the Chair, with input from the City Committee, may from time to time assign.
ARTICLE XII - SECRETARY
The Secretary shall be the official recording officer of the City Committee and shall ensure that a complete and accurate record of the Committee meetings is kept and filed with the City Chair. The minutes shall be available for any member of the City Committee upon request five working days following the date of any meeting, and shall be sent by email to all Committee members along with the notice of the next proposed Committee meeting. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as the City Committee may from time to time assign.
The Secretary will also ensure the maintenance of a list of the names and email addresses of the members of the city committee and those who wish to be informed of city committee business and to pass this list to the successor in office, who shall preserve this list and add to or subtract names as needed to keep the list current.
ARTICLE XIII – TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURER
The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the City Committee and shall file all City Committee financial disclosure reports accurately and on time in accordance with Vermont and Federal Campaign Finance Law, be responsible for the custody and supervision of all its funds; cause all debts and obligations of the City Committee to be paid; provide the City Committee with an annual statement of the financial position of the Party; and provide the City Committee a quarterly financial report.
The Treasurer will also maintain the nonprofit political party status of the City Committee.
An Assistant Treasurer shall be elected to assist the Treasurer in the performance of their duties, and serve as interim Treasurer if the Treasurer is unable to perform the duties of the office.
ARTICLE XIV - FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year shall run from January 1 through December 31.
ARTICLE XV - CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES
The City Committee may authorize contributions to Democratic candidates endorsed by the City Committee pursuant to Article XXI from City Committee funds.
ARTICLE XVI – MEETINGS
The Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall determine meeting times, but in no event shall there be less than one meeting during each half of the calendar year. Other meetings of the City Committee may be called at any time by the Chair and shall also be called by the Chair upon the written request of eight City Committee members. Notice of all City Committee meetings shall be sent by email, posted on social media and website at least 7 days prior to said meeting to all City Committee members and shall state time, place and business to be transacted.
Questions of parliamentary law, if not herein provided for, shall be decided in accordance with the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
ARTICLE XVII - RESIGNATIONS
Any City Committee member or officer may resign at any time. Such resignation shall be made in writing (or via email) and shall take effect at the date and time specified therein, or if no time is specified, shall take effect upon receipt by the Chair or Secretary who shall record the resignation, noting the date of its reception.
ARTICLE XVIII - FILLING OF VACANCIES
Any vacancies among the officers of the City Committee or members of the Executive Committee shall be filled at a meeting duly called for that purpose or at the next regular meeting of the City Committee. Persons selected shall serve for the balance of the unexpired term of the vacancy.
ARTICLE XIX - RESOLUTIONS
City Committee members may propose resolutions for City Committee consideration. Members proposing a resolution must send it by email to the City Chair, who will notify all members of the City Committee at least 8 days before the meeting at which it is to be considered. The Chair will, at his or her discretion, determine whether to place proposed resolutions on the agenda for the full City Committee’s consideration, and will determine the order of consideration of resolutions on the agenda.
ARTICLE XX - AMENDMENTS
Every rule or bylaw may be amended by simple majority vote of those present and voting at any meeting of the City Committee, provided written notice of the intention to consider amendment of a specific rule and/or bylaw is provided to all City Committee members by email at least 7 days prior to the meeting. No Amendments shall be considered or adopted which conflict with or are contrary to the Vermont Democratic State Committee By-Laws. The Secretary shall provide an updated copy of the bylaws to the Executive Committee whenever they are amended.
ARTICLE XXI - ENDORSEMENTS
1. The City Committee shall only endorse Democratic candidates seeking an office representing some or all of South Burlington for statewide or local office and then shall not endorse any candidate for office prior to the Primary Election or Caucus for such office, except as provided herein.
2. No motion to endorse any candidate shall be in order for consideration at any meeting of the City Committee unless the Chair shall have notified all members by email at least 7 days prior to the date set for said meeting, that a meeting will be held to act on a written request submitted by one or more candidates for office.
3. At such meeting, the candidates seeking endorsement, who have complied with the requirements of subsection (2) of this Article, may address the City Committee for a time to be set by the Chair after which discussion of the motion to endorse shall be conducted in the regular order of business.
4. Motions for endorsement of one or more candidates for any state or local office shall fail unless it is supported by the written vote of not less than sixty-seven percent (67%) of the voting members attending such meeting.
5. Nothing in this provision, or any other provision of these bylaws, shall prevent the endorsement of more than one candidate for the same office.
ARTICLE XXII – PERPETUITY AND APPLICATION OF BYLAWS
1. The term of existence of these bylaws as currently constituted, and as hereafter from time to time amended by the City Committee or changed by operation of law, shall be perpetual and shall remain in effect for succeeding City Committees.
2. The procedures, including voting prescriptions, set forth in these By-Laws shall apply to the conduct of any sub-committee created by this Committee or by state law.
This revised version adopted at South Burlington, Vermont on January 22, 2018.