Madison County Democrats

By Laws

By-laws of the
DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE
Madison County, New York

            In accordance with Article II of the Election Law of the State of New York, the Democratic County Committee of Madison County, New York, constitute the following Rules and Regulations for the government of the Democratic Party in said County.

 

ARTICLE I   GENERAL PROVISIONS AND MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 Representation

  1. The basis of the organization of the Democratic Party of Madison County shall consist of the Democratic electors of the Election District who have qualified and enrolled as required by law in their respective election districts, for the purpose of participating in the Primary Election of the Democratic Party.
  2. The unit of representation shall be the Election District.
  3. Members of the County Committee shall be elected bi-annually at the Primary as prescribed by the Election Law.
  4. The Democratic County Committee of Madison County shall be constituted by the election in each Election District within the County of at least two members, an additional member from each Election District which casts over 100 votes for the Democratic candidate for Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election, and a second additional member for each Election District which cast over 300 votes for the Democratic candidate for Governor at the last gubernatorial election.

Section 2 Qualifications of County Committee Members
Each member of the County Committee shall

  1. be an enrolled voter of the  Democratic Party,
  2. have resided for at least 30 days prior to the election in the Assembly District containing the Election District which the member is to represent
  3. continue to reside in that Assembly District throughout the member’s term of office, and
  4. be familiar with the goals, organization and procedures of the Party as set forth in the Platform and the By-Laws of the Madison County Democratic Party.


       
Section 3 Terms of Office and Removal from Office

  1. The term of office of any person elected to the County Committee shall commence at once upon such person’s election.
  2. A member or officer of the County Committee may be removed by such Committee for disloyalty to the party or corruption in office, or failure to perform the duties of the office, after notice is given and a hearing upon written charges has been held.   The hearing shall be held by the Committee, or a sub-committee thereof, appointed for that purpose by the Executive Committee, which shall report its findings to the full Committee.

Section 4 City, Town and Village Committees

  1. The City of Oneida and each Town in Madison County shall establish its own Democratic Committee.  Incorporated Villages may do the same.
  2. In addition to participating in the affairs and government of the County Committee, such City, Town or Village Committee shall elect its own officers and make its own rules (including a provision for associate members who will not have a vote in the County Committee), provided said rules are not inconsistent with the rules of the County Committee or Election Law.
  3. The Chair of a City, Town or Village Committee shall be elected every two years, on even years, within 20 days after the Primary Election by the members of each City, Town or Village Committee.  In the absence of an election, the County Committee Chair shall designate the Chair of such a Committee.  If the position of Chair becomes vacant, an interim Chair shall be elected or designated as stated above.
  4. The primary duty of said Chair will be to organize the City, Town or Village Committee.
  5. The duties of the City, Town or Village Committee members will be to stimulate activity within the Democratic Party by meeting periodically for such purposes as:
  •  
    1. promoting voter involvement and participation in political action,
    2. registering new Democratic voters,
    3. acting as a liaison between the voters and the County Committee,
    4. circulating educational materials and identifying voter concerns,
    5. finding and supporting candidates and circulating petitions,
    6. identifying future candidates and Party leaders,
    7. raising funds for political purposes,
    8. enjoying the social benefits of the community, and
    9. any other activities that support the efforts of the Democratic Party.

ARTICLE II   OFFICERS AND STATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Section 1 Officers

  1. The County Committee shall have the following officers: the Chair, two Vice-Chairs (one a man and one a woman), Treasurer, Secretary and four Regional Vice-Chairs.  All but the Secretary shall be elected in accordance with Article III, Section 5 D, iv and v.
  2. The four regions shall be as follows:
      Region 1.        Towns of Cazenovia, DeRuyter, Fenner, Georgetown and    Nelson
      Region 2.        Towns of Brookfield, Eaton, Hamilton, Lebanon, Madison and Smithfield
      Region 3.        City of Oneida and Town of Stockbridge
      Region 4.        Towns of Lenox, Lincoln and Sullivan
  3. All Officers must be members of the County Committee at the time of their election.

 

Section 2 Duties and Responsibilities of Officers

  1. The Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Treasurer and the Secretary shall exercise the powers and perform the duties usually incident to their respective offices and as specified below, or as may be assigned to them by vote of the County Committee, or by law.
  2. The Chair is the Presiding Officer of all meetings of the County Committee and the Executive Committee, an ex officio member of all other committees, and the recognized leader of the Madison County Democratic Party.
  3. The office of First Vice-Chair shall be held by the Vice-Chair of the opposite gender of the Chair.  He or she shall perform the duties of Presiding Officer in the absence of the Chair. The Second Vice-Chair shall perform these duties when neither the Chair nor the First Vice-Chair is present.
  4. The Vice-Chairs shall have such other duties and responsibilities as may be determined by the Chair or the County Committee.
  5. The Treasurer has the following specific duties and responsibilities:
    1. Maintain and archive the records of all financial transactions, including complete lists of contributors at fundraisers.  Pass them on with an audit to the successor in the office of Treasurer.
    2. Make prudent investments of the County Committee’s assets.
    3. Present a financial report to every regular meeting of the County Committee and on request to the Chair and the Executive Committee.
    4. Comply with the campaign finance disclosure obligations under state and federal election law.
    5. Appoint with the approval of the Chair an Assistant Treasurer, who shall assist in the performance of the Treasurer’s duties.
    6. The Chair and the Treasurer may prepare an annual administrative budget to be submitted to the Executive Committee.
  6. The Secretary shall:
    1. Record the Minutes of all meetings of the County Committee and Executive Committee, subject to final review by the Presiding   Officer.
    2. Post on the website the Minutes and at the direction of the Chair and/or Executive Committee other official County Committee documents, such as the updated County Committee membership.  At the direction of the Chair distribute the Minutes to all members with the notice of the next meeting of the County Committee and/or Executive Committee.
    3. Archive and pass on to the successor in the office of Secretary all records of the County Committee, Executive Committee, and other committees, except for the financial records of the Treasurer.
    4. Comply with the certification requirements of the Election Law.
    5. Perform such other secretarial duties as may be assigned by the Chair or County Committee.
    6. Appoint with the approval of the County Chair an Assistant Secretary, who shall assist in the performance of the Secretary’s duties
  7. Four Regional Vice-Chairs shall be responsible for the fostering and growth of the Democratic Party in the City, Towns and Villages of their respective Regions.  Said duties shall include, but not limited to, attendance at City, Town and other Party Committee meetings within their respective Regions, helping the City and Town chairs fill vacancies on the County Committee, assisting them in recruiting candidates, assisting the candidates on their campaigns, and reporting on their activities to the County Committee and any committee in their respective Regions.
  8. Two State Committee members, one a man and one a woman, are elected in the bi-annual Primary by the enrolled Democratic voters in Madison County.  They represent the Madison County Democrats and the County Committee on the State Committee, the official organization of the Democratic Party of the State of New York. 

Section 3 Nominating Committee 

  1. There shall be a Nominating Committee, composed of five persons to be appointed by the County Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee.
  2. The Nominating Committee shall convene not more than 90 days before the bi-annual organization meeting and will disband after that meeting.
  3. The Nominating Committee shall present nominations for County Chair, two Vice-Chairs, and Treasurer to the County Committee at its last meeting to be held before the September Primary. 

ARTICLE III   MEETINGS

Section 1 Meetings of the County Committee shall be held as follows:

  1. The bi-annual organization meeting in even years for the primary purpose of constituting the County Committee and electing Officers, to be held within 20 days after the date set for primary elections for members of the County Committee.
  2. Regular meetings to be held no less than four (4) times per year at pre-determined times and places.
  3. Special meetings as may be called by the Chair, a majority of the Executive Committee, or by a written petition signed by at least 20% of the County Committee.  The County Chair shall then call a meeting within 15 days thereafter, and a written notice shall set forth the time, the place, and the purpose of said meeting.

Section 2 Notices

  1. Meetings of the County Committee shall be announced by written notice, which     states the time and place of the meeting.   Every member of the County Committee shall receive the notice at least five (5) days in advance of such meeting.   Notices may be sent to the current e-mail or post office address.  Each member may request to be notified by regular mail.
  2. Notices of County Committee meetings shall include an agenda, the minutes of   the previous regular meeting and any special meetings.  They shall also include the minutes of Executive Committee meetings held since the last meeting of the County Committee. The notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose of such meeting.
  3. The text of substantive motions and resolutions to be presented at the meeting must be included in the notice in order to be submitted for a vote.

Section 3 Quorum

  1. A quorum for regular and special meetings of the County Committee shall be 20% of its members, and no business shall be transacted at any meeting that lacks a quorum.
  2.  The quorum for the bi-annual organization meeting shall be 20% of the members of the County Committee elected at the preceding primary.

Section 4 Voting

  1. A majority vote of the members present in person at any meeting of the County Committee shall be sufficient to carry any motion or resolution, which may be legally made at such meeting, unless otherwise provided herein.
  2. The presiding officer shall vote only in case of a tie.
  3. Vacancies in County Committee positions shall be filled at regular meetings by a vote of 60% of the County Committee members present. 
  4. Vacancies in the position of Regional Vice-Chair shall be filled during a brief recess of a regular meeting by a vote of 60% of the respective Region’s County Committee members present.
  5. There shall be no voting by proxy.

Section 5 Order of Business and Procedures

  1. All meetings of the County Committee and its subordinate committees shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, unless specified otherwise.
  2. Regular meetings of the County Committee are conducted according to the following order of business, unless the presiding officer otherwise directs:
    1. Call to order
    2. Secretary’s report
    3. Treasurer’s report
    4. Report of the State Committee
    5. Reports of Regional Vice-Chairs for Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4
    6. Filling of Vacancies
    7. Unfinished Business
    8. Report of Executive Committee
    9. Reports of other committees
    10. New Business
  3. Special meetings are opened by the Chair with the call to order and limited to the purpose for which the meeting is called.
  4. The bi-annual organization meeting, which constitutes the new County Committee for a term of two years following the primary in which the members were elected, shall adhere to this order of business:
    1. The current Chair shall call the meeting to order, preside until the new Chair has been elected, and present a comprehensive report.  
    2. The current Treasurer shall present a comprehensive report.
    3. The current Secretary shall read the roll of the duly elected members of the County Committee, as certified by the Board of Elections.  Only the elected members present shall have the vote at this meeting.
    4. Following the report by the Nominating Committee and any further nominations from the floor, the County Committee as a whole shall elect the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, and the Treasurer.
    5. The Chair appoints the Secretary, subject to the approval of the County Committee.
    6. Each of the four Regional Vice-Chairs shall be elected separately by the County Committee members from their respective Region during a brief recess of the bi-annual organization meeting.
    7. Following these elections of officers, the elected County Chair shall conduct the meeting and determine the remaining order of business, which may include the filling of vacancies.  

Section 6 Vacancies

  1. In case of death, declination, disqualification, removal from the district or removal from office of a member of the County Committee or State Committee, or the continued absence of a member without good reason, or the failure of a district to elect a member, including by reason of a tie vote, vacancies created thereby shall be filled at regular meetings of the County Committee.
  2. The chair of the respective Town or City Committee affected shall propose a qualified person to fill the vacancy within two months of its creation.  Otherwise the County Committee may fill the vacancy on its own motion.
  3. A proposed member must be present at the meeting in order to be nominated and elected by the County Committee in accordance with the provision in Article III, Section 4 C.

ARTICLE IV   COMMITTEES

Section 1 Standing Committees

  1. There shall be the following Standing Committees of the County Committee:  Executive Committee, Finance and Fundraising Committee, Publicity and Website Committee, Candidate Recruitment and Campaign Committee, Education Committee, and such other Standing Committees as shall be established by the County Committee.
  2. Except as otherwise provided, the County Chair shall appoint the chair and the members of all Standing Committees following consultation with the Executive Committee
  3. If a Standing Committee does not include a member of the Executive Committee, its chair or a designated member shall report to the Executive Committee on request.
  4. Subject to the approval of the County Chair and Executive Committee, each Standing Committee may co-opt active Democrats who are not current members of the County Committee, provided that the chair and a majority of its members shall be members of the County Committee.
  5. To the extent feasible, each Standing Committee shall have representation of both genders.

 

Section 2 Special Committees

  1. The County Chair, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may establish temporary committees for specific purposes.
  2. Special Committees shall include but not be limited to a Nominating Committee to propose a slate of officers to the bi-annual organization meeting and committees to organize special events or address specific policy issues.
  3. The chair and members of Special Committees are appointed and charged by the County Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee.
  4. The chair and a majority of its members shall be members of the County Committee.  Other members may be co-opted from the ranks of enrolled Democratic voters.

ARTICLE V   EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1 Composition
The Executive Committee shall consist of 11 voting members and one non-voting member as follows:

  1. The Officers of the County Committee, including the Chair who shall preside at meetings; the two Vice-Chairs who shall preside as provided for in Article II, Section 5; the Treasurer; the Secretary who shall serve as secretary; and the four Regional Vice-Chairs.
  2. The two members of the State Committee.
  3. The preceding County Chair who shall be a non-voting member.

Section 2 Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Committee advises and assists the County Chair and takes emergency actions subject to approval by the County Committee. 

  1. Regular duties and responsibilities:
    1. To assist the County Chair in setting the date and the agenda for   regular special meetings of the County Committee.
    2. To receive and review reports from the Standing Committees and Special Committees of the County Committee.
    3. To develop a master plan of the Party for each calendar year.
    4. To propose motions and resolutions for consideration and adoption by the County Committee
    5. To keep in direct contact with the Democratic Supervisors and other elected Democratic county officials.
  2.  Special duties:
    1. To approve expenditures of funds deemed an emergency.
    2. To interview candidates for elective public office.
    3. To recommend candidates for appointment to positions for terms specified by law or by the County Committee.  No such recommendation shall be made by the County Chair without prior approval of the Executive Committee, except as provided below in items iv. and v.
    4. When, in the judgment of the Chair, an emergency exists with respect to the Chair’s recommendation for an appointment to a position, the Chair may act without convening the Executive Committee, provided its members have been consulted by e-mail or phone.
    5. All temporary or hourly rated jobs may be filled by the County Chair or the Chair’s designee, without the prior vote of approval by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 3 Meetings and Procedure

  1. The Executive Committee shall meet as follows:
    1. When called by the Chair on the Chair’s motion or when directed to do so by a vote of the Executive Committee or a written request of no less than 50% of its members.
    2. Excepting in an emergency, the Chair shall give written notice at least 5 days in advance, specifying the time, date, place and purpose.
    3. The written minutes of the Secretary of the Executive Committee shall be posted on the website and distributed to the full Committee prior to the next meeting.
  2. Procedure
    1. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the members entitled to vote thereat.  There shall be no proxy voting on the Executive Committee.
    2. Action by the Executive Committee shall be by a majority of all members entitled to vote, whether present or not.
    3. No member of the Executive Committee shall have more than one vote on the Executive Committee.

VI   OTHER STANDING COMMITTEES

Section  1  Finance and Fundraising Committee

  1. The Committee is responsible for fundraising in support of the County Committee’s ordinary expenses and its campaign contributions to local, state and federal candidates.
  2. The Treasurer shall be an ex officio member.
  3. The Committee shall conduct an annual audit of the Treasurer’s accounts and records.

Section  2  Publicity and Website Committee
The committee promotes the visibility of the Democratic Party in Madison County through the party’s official website http://www.madisonconydems.org/ and with press releases and other communications that publicize the County Committee’s actions, fundraisers, candidates for public office, and campaign events.

  1. The Committee shall have 5 voting members, including the County Chair, a Communications Director, and a Website Administrator.  One of its members shall be a member of the Campaign Committee.
  2. The Communications Director shall have the primary responsibility for cultivating media contacts and issuing press releases.
  3. The Website Administrator shall have the primary responsibility for maintaining and improving the website under the supervision of this committee and with the assistance of a Webmaster, who serves ex officio as a non-voting member.
  4. The liaison to the Campaign Committee shall secure the assistance of the Communications Director and Website Administrator in support of the party’s candidates.

Section  3  Candidate Recruitment and Campaign Committee
The Committee shall assist the Regional Vice-Chairs and local party committees in recruiting candidates for local office, assisting them in their campaigns, and developing effective GOTV efforts in support of all Democratic candidates.

  1. The Committee shall have five members, at least one shall be a member of the County Committee.
  2. The Committee shall be chaired by a Campaign Director, who is a member of the County Committee.
  3. The Committee may conduct regional and countywide workshops to promote party-building and effective campaigning under the auspices of the County Committee.

Section  4  Education Committee
The Committee is responsible for recruiting and activating rank-and-file Democrats who are not members of the County Committee.

  1. The Committee shall be chaired by an Education Director, who is a member of the County Committee.  It shall have an open-ended membership that includes educators and young adults.
  2. It shall conduct in cooperation with school administrators and teachers of Social Studies annual voter registration drives for High School students and encourage their enrollment as Democrats.
  3. It shall encourage the formation of Democratic clubs in the county’s High Schools and Colleges and serve as a liaison to such organizations.
  4. It shall welcome newly registered and enrolled Democratic voters, direct them to the committee website, put them in contact with the Town and City Committees, and encourage their participation in party activities and political campaigns.
  5. It shall promote Democratic visibility with participation in parades and presence at farmers markets and other public forums.
        

ARTICLE VII   AMENDMENTS TO RULES

Section 1 The Rules and Regulations of the County Committee may be amended at any time by a majority vote of the Committee, provided the following requirements are met:

  1. A copy of the proposed amendment shall be sent with the notice of the meeting at which such amendment shall be sent with the notice of the meeting at which such amendment is to be proposed, such notice to be not less than 5 days before such meeting, and to be sent by e-mail or regular mail to the current address of each member of the Committee.
  2. Until the adoption of such rules or amendments, the existing rules of the Committee shall continue to be the rules by which the Committee shall be governed.
  3. Within ten days after the adoption of any rule or amendment thereto a certified copy thereof shall be filed by the Committee in the office of the New York State Board of Elections and in the office of the Madison County Board of Elections.

Section 2 Nothing herein above contained shall supersede or conflict with the Election Law of the State of New York.  In event of any conflict with or with respect to matters not covered herein, the Election Law of the State of New York shall prevail.  As to matters of the procedure not heretofore covered, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern.

ARTICLE VIII   CODE OF ETHICS

The Code of Ethics of the County Committee is set forth in full on Schedule A annexed hereto, and is incorporated as part of the By-laws, as fully as if set forth at this point.

 

 

 

We, the undersigned, Chair and Secretary, hereby certify that the foregoing By-laws were duly adopted by the Madison County Democratic Committee, and that this is a true and complete copy of those By-laws in effect as of June 5, 2007.

 

 

                                                                              _______________________________
                                                                                        Marianne Simberg, Chair

 

                                                                              _______________________________
                                                                                        Laura Costello, Secretary