GLOUCESTER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
BYLAWS

ARTICLE I - Name and Authority

(a)     The name of this organization shall be the Gloucester County Democratic Committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee). 
(b)        This organization is a subdivision authorized by the Democratic Party of Virginia.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The purposes and objectives of this organization shall be as follows:

(a) To perfect and foster the Democratic Party in the COUNTY of GLOUCESTER, VIRGINIA;
(b) To identify and register Democratic voters; 
(c) To determine the qualifications of and certify those qualified persons seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for elective office and for the election of Committee members and delegates to the conventions;
(d) To promote, aid, and assist all Democratic nominees in all general and special elections; 
(e) To raise, allocate, and disburse funds to help finance the campaigns of candidates certified by the Committee; 
(f) To develop a grassroots precinct organization that will help elect Democratic candidates; 
(g) To determine the qualifications and recommend persons from the COUNTY of GLOUCESTER being considered for appointment to a government position by officials at all levels of government; 
(h) To seek out, cultivate, and provide training for persons interested in becoming future candidates for party and governmental positions; and
(i)To analyze and evaluate the policies, programs, and administrations of other parties for the purpose of informing the public.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTION OF COMMITTEE

Section 1.  Voting Membership 

The Committee shall consist of the following voting members:

(1) Persons filing for application for full membership must be registered voters living in the COUNTY of GLOUCESTER at the time of filing.
(2) Persons seeking youth membership must be Gloucester residents who are not yet eligible to vote and who commit to register when they become eligible.

Section 2.  Filing Requirements

(a) The Committee may establish requirements for anyone who files as a candidate for election to the Committee.
(b) Any person who is a registered voter in GLOUCESTER, who says they are a Democrat, and who subscribes to the principles of the Democratic Party, is eligible to become a voting member of the Committee.
(c) Applications for filing will be made available through the Committee Secretary and the Membership Committee, and will be filed at the time, place, and manner provided for by the Committee.
(d) When an application for membership is submitted, the fee to the Committee must accompany the application.  Applicants may seek a financial hardship waiver of the filing fee, consent to which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Once the fee and application have been received, the Membership Committee will recommend acceptance, and membership will be voted on by the Committee.
(e) Upon approval by the Committee, the new member will be seated as a voting member at the next regular meeting.

Section 3.  The Election

(a) All candidates for the Committee, before election, are to be approved by the Membership Committee.
(b) No more than two (2) weeks, but not less than seven (7) days prior notice to members, between the first Saturday in December and the second Wednesday in January, the Committee shall conduct a re-organizational caucus to secure members.  
(c) Until further revised, or as mandated by the Virginia Democratic Party, the re-organizational caucus will be held every second year: December of the odd year or prior to the 15th of following January. The date of the reorganization meeting must be set and communicated to the state party by November 1st.

Section 4.  Term of Office

All members of the Committee, with its officers and executive board, duly elected, shall serve a term of two years unless said member dies, moves from GLOUCESTER, resigns, or, is removed from office.  In such case, a vacancy is to be declared and filled by a majority vote of the Committee.

Section 5.  Violations and Appeals

Any ten (10) Democratic voters of Gloucester County who feel that the Democratic Committee has been elected in violation of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, may within fifteen (15) days after such election, appeal in writing to the First Congressional District Committee.

Section 6.  Special and Honorary Membership

(a) All members of the Democratic Party, who represent Gloucester County in the Congress of the United States, the General Assembly of Virginia, and the Constitutional Officers of Gloucester County shall, upon their election, be members of the Committee. 
(b) Nonvoting memberships may be extended to two (2) representatives each for any other organization deemed by the Committee to have for its major purpose the furthering of the Democratic Party and its goals.  Such representatives shall not be entitled to vote, but may otherwise participate in the activities of the Committee.

(c) Honorary membership may be extended by Committee vote to those persons who have shown particularly high standards and efforts in promoting and fostering the Democratic.  Party and its goals.  Said honorary members shall not have voting privileges.
(d) Any person who wishes to contribute to the local Party may become a Partner of the Committee.  A person may become a Partner with a minimum yearly contribution of one hundred dollars ($100.00).  Partners would receive news of the Committee as well as any publications or mailing from the Committee. A person may become a Sustaining Member with a minimum yearly contribution of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00).  Sustaining members would receive news of the Committee as well as publications or mailings from the Committee.  In addition, sustaining members and partners may attend any meeting, but attendance is not obligated.   The Secretary shall maintain and update the List of Partners and Sustaining Members.  

Section 7.  Rights, Dues, and Duties of Members

(a) It shall be the right of the voting members to participate fully in all business of the Committee.
(b) It shall be the duty of all voting members to abide by the Democratic Party Plan and these bylaws, to attend all meetings of the Committee, to campaign actively on behalf of all Democratic nominees, and to fulfill such other responsibilities as the Chair(s) may delegate.  Additionally, voting members shall aid in organizing their precincts, recruiting members, and in raising funds for the promotion of the Party and for the support of candidates.
(c) Annual dues are $20.00 per year, payable in January. Nonpayment of dues shall suspend that member’s voting rights until such time as the dues are paid.  

Section 8.  Vacancies and Removals

(a) The Committee shall have the power to expel any member for cause.  Such action, however, shall not be undertaken without notice to the offending member and an opportunity for him/her to refute such charges before the Affirmative Action/Grievance Committee, and thereafter, to the membership at large.
(b) Should any person be removed, he/she has the right to appeal to the First District Committee within fifteen (15) days of the action.
(c) A member removed under Section 8(b) may reapply for membership, but must pay the yearly dues upon reinstatement.  The member will be listed as a non-voting member for a period of thirty (30) days.  After the thirty (30) days and compliance with Section 7(c) of this Article, he/she will have full voting rights.
(d) Members elected to the Executive Board who fail to attend two (2) consecutive meetings or five (5) meetings in a year without notifying the Chair(s) either in person, by telephone, or in writing of that member’s inability to attend a particular meeting prior to the time the meeting commences, must show just cause to retain their seat.  The member may appeal to the Committee for a waiver.  Upon an affirmative 2/3 vote of the Committee membership present, the member may retain his/her office, and if the person is not voted back in, the member will be removed from the Board and the Committee will elect a new Board member to fill the remainder of his/her term.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers
The Officers of the Committee shall consist of the Chair(s), a Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and Sergeant-at-Arms.

Section 2.  Duties of Officers

(a) Chair(s).  The Chair(s) shall be the administrative director(s) of the Committee and shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and for the Democratic Party in Gloucester, and will, whenever possible, make public appearances to inform the public of the policies, aims, and activities of the Party and the Committee.  The Chair(s) is also charged with generating interest in Party and Committee affairs, serve as an ex-officio member(s) of all committees, entitled to announcements and minutes of all meetings, shall have direct responsibility for the organization of county conventions, and shall delegate as many administrative tasks as possible in order to fully perform the Chair(s)’ public responsibilities.  In the Chair’s absence, or in the event of the Chair(s) inability to perform these duties, they will be carried out by a vice-chair who is present and able to do so.  The Chair(s) is authorized to expend up to $100.00 without approval of the Executive Board or the Committee until the next meeting of the committee.  The Chair(s) shall have the authority to appoint chairmen for all standing committees.

(b) Vice-Chair.  The Vice Chair will assume the duties of the Chair(s) in the event of absence, resignation, or inability of the Chair(s) to perform his or her duties.  The Vice-chair shall be a member of the standing Membership, Outreach/Publicity/Programs, Audit, standing Finance, Precinct Organization and Nominating Committees. They shall be responsible for whatever other duties the Chair(s) assigns.

(c) Secretary.  The Secretary shall record the proceedings of the Committee, be custodian of the bylaws governing the Committee and incorporate therein all duly adopted amendments, keep a roll of the officers and voting members of the Committee and a record of their attendance at Committee meetings.  Additionally, the Secretary shall conduct the correspondence, and send by mail, or email, proper and timely notices of all meetings.  At the expiration of his/her term, he/she shall turn over to his/her successor all books, documents, records, correspondence files, and any other property of the Committee of which he/she may have had control.  The Secretary shall be a member of the standing Membership Committee.

(d) Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall receive the funds of the Committee and disburse them as duly authorized by the Committee.  He/she shall provide a financial report at each regular meeting of the Committee.  At the expiration of his/her term of office, he/she shall turn over to his/her successor all funds, books, records, and property that he/she may have belonging to the Committee.  The Treasurer shall be a member of the standing Finance Committee.

(e) Parliamentarian.  The Parliamentarian shall advise the Committee, the Executive Board, and all committees on questions of parliamentary law or procedure, or on interpretation of the bylaws.

(f) Sergeant-at-arms.  The Sergeant-at-arms shall assist the Chair(s) in maintaining order and decorum at meetings of the Committee and in counting a show of hands vote.  He/she shall assist the Secretary in obtaining a record of all voting members present at committee meetings, and shall also perform the usual duties of such office.

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

(a) Organizational Meeting.  Within forty (40) days following the re-organizational caucus, the Committee shall hold an organizational meeting, at which time the officers as provided for in Article IV, shall be nominated and elected.  Those duly elected officers shall serve on the Executive Board of the Committee for two (2) years.
(b) Regular Meetings.  Meeting shall be held at 7:00 p.m. on the third Monday of every month, except in December and January, when they will be called at the discretion of the chair(s).  Traditionally, the December meeting is a festive gathering rather than a work session.  The January meeting falls on Martin Luther King Day, and committee members are encouraged to participate in community events commemorating voting rights, Civil Rights, and justice.
(c) Special Meetings can be called by the Chair(s) or Vice-Chair with the concurrence of at least three (3) of the members of the Executive Board, or by written petition of ten (10) percent of the voting membership.  Five (5) days written notice of a special meeting should be given, but failure to do so will not invalidate the meeting. Any action taken at a special meeting must be discussed at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
(d) Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all committee, executive committee or special committee meetings.
(e) Quorum

(1) Twenty percent (20%) of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum.
(2) After a quorum is established and declared, at the time of any given vote, members shall determine any issue by a simple majority, except where otherwise provided by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, and as listed below, a two-thirds (2/3) vote is required for:
(a) Amendments to these bylaws; and
(b) Expulsion of a member.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD

(a) The Executive Board shall consist of the chair(s), vice-chair, secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian, sergeant-at-arms, and any standing committee chair(s) appointed by the chair(s).
(b) The Executive Board shall formulate policies and procedures, establish short and long term goals, and shall formulate a Gloucester Democratic Committee platform.
(c)  The Executive Board shall be charged with the responsibility and of acting on behalf of the Committee in emergency matters.
(d) The Executive Board shall have the power to approve unusual expenditures not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).
(e) The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the Chair(s), or four (4) members of the Board.  An emergency may be declared by the affirmative vote of five (5) members of the Executive Board and any action taken concerning such emergency shall require the affirmative approval of seven (7) board members.
(f) A simple majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII – COMMITTEES

Section 1.  Standing Committees

(a) Within sixty (60) days of his/her election, the Chair(s), with approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint the chairmen of the following standing committees:

(1) Affirmative Action/Grievance
(2) Audit
(3) Finance
(4) Membership
(5) Nominating
(6) Outreach/Publicity/Programs
(7) Precinct Organization

Section 2.  Duties of Standing Committees

(a) Affirmative Action/Grievance:  Encourages participation in the delegate selection process and all party functions.  Particular concern shall be paid to young people, women, Blacks, Latinos, LGBT citizens and other minorities.  This Committee shall conduct any investigation requested by the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Virginia Democratic Party and shall investigate, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning any complaint of improper conduct or charge of willful neglect or disloyalty by any member, nominee, or elected official of the Democratic Party in Gloucester.
(b) Audit Committee:  Examines the accounts of the Treasurer and gives a written report to the Committee within ninety (90) days of the close of each fiscal year.  The Audit Committee may choose to appoint an outside auditor to examine the accounts and report.
(c) Finance Committee:  Systematically budgets and solicits funds for the activities of the Committee.  The Treasurer shall be a member of the Finance Committee.  The Finance Committee shall make regular written reports of its expenditures to the Committee and shall present a yearly budget at the February meeting to be approved by the Committee.
(d) Membership Committee:  Responsible for member recruitment, education, and retention.  The Committee will provide the necessary application to all prospective members and assist in completing the application.  This Committee will issue a new member package, if available, to each new member immediately upon their certification.  This Committee will also aid the Secretary in maintaining the membership roster, and will verify that new members shall have met all membership requirements.  The Membership Committee, working with the Secretary and Treasurer, will provide a list of voting members at each meeting of the Committee.  
(e) Nominating Committee:  Seeks out and recommends to the Committee qualified Democrats for vacancies on the Executive Board, Standing Committees, politically appointed positions, advisory commissions, and boards at all levels of government.  The Nominating Committee will also screen all local Democratic candidates for elective office and recommend whether they should receive the endorsement and support of the Committee.
(f) Outreach/Publicity/Programs Committee:  Responsible for communicating and working with neighboring committees and for publicizing Committee events and activities and for presenting programs at each meeting.
(g) Precinct Organization Committee:  Recruits, trains, and coordinates party workers who will organize the voting precincts in Gloucester County.  This Committee shall select precinct captains and will consult and work with campaign managers of all candidates endorsed by the Committee.

Section 3.  Other Committees

The Chair(s), at his/her discretion, shall appoint such other committees as he/she deems necessary and proper.

ARTICLE VIII - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Committee shall be governed by and shall operate under the following rules of procedure:
(1) Code of Virginia, as amended;
(2) The Democratic Party Plan of Virginia; and
(3) The bylaws of the Gloucester Democratic Committee insofar as they do not conflict with 1 and/or 2 above.

Where not inconsistent with these bylaws or with the Democratic Party Plan or with the Code of Virginia, as amended, Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the conduct of business of this Committee. 

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended by the following procedure:

(1) The proposed amendment(s) shall be presented in writing at any meeting of the Committee.  Upon the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the voting members present, the Secretary shall electronically mail or surface mail a copy of the proposed amendment(s) to each voting member at his/her last known address at least ten (10) days prior to the next meeting.
(2) At the next meeting of the Committee, the proposed amendment(s) shall be considered and deemed adopted by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the voting members present.

ARTICLE X - MISCELLANEOUS
(a) The unit rule is abolished.
(b) The rules governing the convening and operation of any mass meeting or convention shall be in accordance with the provision of the “Virginia Democratic Party Plan.”
c) A motion for a monetary contribution to a candidate for office must pass by majority vote of the Committee members present.  No contribution will be made if the amount of the available funds is less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00).  

Revised January 2020