Any Club chartered after January 1985 will pay a
contribution based on the number of members at the time of chartering
which is consistent with the annual party contribution fee schedule.
Eighty percent (80%) of the contribution will remain with the county
Democratic Executive Committee and twenty percent be remitted to the
Florida Democratic Party no later than April 1 of that year.
ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this club shall be a
president , vice president, recording secretary, corresponding
secretary, treasurer, Parliamentarian, and such other officer as deemed
necessary by the membership. Officers shall perform the duties
prescribed by these bylaws.
Section 2. All terms of office shall be for two (2)
years. The President shall be eligible for no more than two consecutive
terms in the Presidency.
ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings
of the club and Board of Directors, of which the President is
automatically chairman; shall be an ex officio member of all committees
except the Nominating Committee; shall appoint all Standing and Special
Committees and their chairs; shall represent the club at county,
district and state functions; shall give guidance to the committee
chairmen in their work and shall perform all duties pertaining to the
office of President.
Section 2. The Vice President shall render all possible
assistance to the President in matters pertaining to the club, and shall
assume the office of in the absence of, inability of, the President to
serve. The Vice President shall assist and, at the option of the
President, direct this club’s campaign efforts.
Section 3. The Recording Secretary shall keep an
accurate record of all meetings of the club and all meetings of the
Board of Directors; and shall have a copy of the club Bylaws, with any
amendments properly recorded. Copies of all minutes will be made
available to all members, and a copy shall be forwarded to the Chair of
the Volusia County DEC within 20 days of each meeting.
Section 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall handle
correspondence; and shall maintain a list of members with addresses,
phone numbers, E-mail addresses and precinct numbers.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive all monies of the
club; shall keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures; shall
present a statement of all income and all expenditures at each meeting
occurring since the previous meeting of the club, and shall provide a
copy of the statement to the chair of the Volusia County DEC: and shall
pay out funds only as authorized vote of the members of the club. All
financial records shall be audited by the Audit Committee annually and a
report of the audit shall be given to members at the annual meeting or
as close to said date as possible and a copy forwarded to the chair of
the Volusia County DEC. Checks shall be signed jointly by the Treasurer
and the President or a designated board member, who may sign checks at
the President’s request or absence. In the absence of the treasurer, the
designated board member may serve in the treasurer’s place and report
all income and expenditures to the Treasurer.
Section 6. The Parliamentarian shall be a member of the
Bylaws committee, and upon request read from the Robert’s Rules of Order
and interpret the rules when necessary.
Section 7. The creation of additional offices shall be
undertaken in the Bylaws at the time when they are adopted or amended.
Additional sections shall be added for each additional
officer.
ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular meetings of the club shall be held
monthly, on the second Tuesday of each month unless otherwise ordered by
the club or by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the
president or a majority of the Board of Directors with one week’s notice
to the members. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call.
Section 3. Twenty percent (20%) of the total current
membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at
any regular or special meeting. A majority vote is necessary to carry
motions.
Section 4. All meetings shall be in a facility
accessible to the physically handicapped.
ARTICLE IX – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the
elected officers and at least four elected members.
Section 2. The duties of the Board of Directors shall be
to transact business of the club in regular or special sessions, and to
make recommendations to the club.
Section 3. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be
within two weeks prior to the regular meeting of the club, or at request
of the President or three members of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. A majority of the members of the Board of
directors shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE X – ELECTIONS
Section 1. Officers shall be elected bi-annually at the
annual meeting held in March of each year with the exception of the
charter year.
Section 2. The President shall appoint a Nominating and
Election Committee at the regular meeting in January. At that same
meeting two more members of the nominating committee shall be elected
for the floor. This committee shall present a candidate of each elective
office within this club at the meeting in _March. Additional nominations
from the floor shall be in order at that time.
Section 3. With the exception of the organizational
meeting, there shall be a forty-five (45) day paid membership
requirement prior to a member being permitted to vote or participate in
any club election for officer or board members.
Section 4. If a vacancy occurs in the office of
President, the Vice President shall become President. Other vacancies
occurring shall be filled by the club at a regular meeting.
Section 5. Voting for officers and directors must be by
secret ballot. Proxies and absentee voting are prohibited.
Section 6. Any officer may be removed from office upon a
two-third (2/3) vote of the membership of the club at any regular or
special meeting after ten (10) days notice to the membership that a
motion for the purpose of removal of said officer will be considered at
the regular or special meeting. The removal may be for cause, including
but not limited to the following:
malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, incompetence, permanent
inability to perform official duties, or conviction of a felony
involving moral turpitude.
ARTICLE XI – STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. The standing committees shall be Audit,
Campaign, Membership, Publicity,
Bylaws, and Ways and Means, and shall be appointed by
the President promptly after each annual meeting.
Section 2. The Budget Committee shall prepare a budget
for the fiscal year and submit it to the club for adoption of the
February meeting.
Section 3. The Campaign Committee Chairperson shall be a
member of the Board of Directors. The Campaign Committee shall organize
and run the campaign headquarters and all activities relative to
specific campaigns under the direction of the Board of Directors, work
toward the election of Democratic candidates and nominees for the area
covered by this club, including County, State, and National candidates.
Section 4. The Membership Committee shall see that all
persons wishing membership are, in fact, registered Democrats and also
organized and assist on membership campaigns.
Section 5. Publicity Committee shall see that all
activities including meetings, are advertised through the media.
Section 6. The Bylaws committee shall recommend such
changes to the Bylaws as appear necessary and feasible from time to
time, and to file the changes to the Democratic Party within thirty days
(30) from approval by the members.
Section 7. Ways and Means Committee shall find ways of
fundraising and shall coordinate all fundraising activities.
Section 8. The Audit Committee shall audit all financial
records annually and provide a report of the audit to members at the
annual meeting or as close to said date as possible, and forward a copy
to the chair of the Volusia County DEC.
ARTICLE XII – ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS
The club hereby adopts and shall enforce the following
anti-discrimination provisions:
Section 1. No Democratic Loyalty Oath should be used
which has the effect of requiring members of the Democratic Party to
condone or support discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed,
sex, age, national origin, or physical disability.
Section 2. The time and place for all pubic meetings of
Democratic Party clubs shall be publicized fully and in such manner as
to assure timely notice to all interested persons, and should be open to
all members of the Democratic Party regardless of race, color, creed,
sex, age, national origin, or physical disability.
Section 3. In order to fully and adequately inform
prospective and current members of a full description of the legal,
practical and pertinent procedures for selection of all Democratic Club
representatives and officers, the club should publicize full and in such
manner, as to assure notice to all interested Democrats in time to have
adequate opportunity to participate.
ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws maybe amended by a majority vote at a regular
meeting pursuant to notification in writing one week prior to the
meeting. Bylaws and changes or amendments thereto shall be filed with
the Florida Democratic Party within thirty (30) days following adoption.
All amendments are subject to approval by at least two-thirds (2/3) of
the Certification Committee (DEC chairman, State Committeeman, and State
committeewoman) and the Florida Democratic Party Committee on Clubs,
Organizations, and Caucuses, together with copies of the minutes of the
meeting at which these amendments were adopted.
ARTICLE XIV – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly
Revised shall govern the club in all cases to which they are not
inconsistent with these Bylaws and the rules of the County Democratic
Executive Committee, Florida Democratic Party, and the National
Democratic Party.
ARTICLE XV – JURISDICTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Section 1. All items within this club’s charter and
bylaws are within the jurisdiction of the Volusia County Democratic
Executive Committee, the Charter and By-Laws of the Florida Democratic
Party, and the Florida Statutes. Failure to comply with any or all of
these provisions may result in the revocation of the club charter.
Section 2. Charter Recertification: In July of each
odd-numbered year the club shall apply to the Certification Committee
for a Certificate of Compliance. Failure to do so shall result in the
forfeiture of all rights and privileges of the use of the word Democrat,
Democratic, or derivative thereof.
Section 3. Dissolution: In the event this club wishes to
dissolve, a resolution stating the date of dissolution and reasons for
the same shall be adopted by a majority vote of the club after being
submitted in writing at the previous meeting. When the club disbands for
any reason, the club’s assets and funds, after all debts are satisfied,
shall become property of the county Democratic Executive Committee.
Section 4. Grievances: Disputes and grievances maybe
resolved with the county Chairman, State Committeeman, and State
Committeewoman of the county Democratic Executive Committee in the
county of charter. Should one (1) person hold two (2) of these offices
the Vice Chairman of the County Democratic Executive Committee shall
also be involved in said resolution. Such resolution may be appealed to
the county Democratic Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final
unless appealed to the Judicial Council not later than forty-five (45)
days from the date of said decision.
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