BYLAWS

OF THE

SALINAS VALLEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB

ARTICLE 1 – PURPOSES AND AFFILIATION

Section 1.1: Name

The name of this Club shall be the Salinas Valley Democratic Club.

Section 1.2: Nature of the Club

This Club is organized as a not-for-profit political organization, to function as a local affiliate of the California Democratic Party, in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

Section 1.3: Purposes of the Club

This Club is formed to carry out the following purposes of its members:

• To support and elect Democratic Candidates to State and Local offices, and to encourage new candidates who share of Democratic ideals;
• To foster continuing Democratic action in the Salinas Valley community and provide an enduring local organization affiliated to the California Democratic Party;
• To develop and encourage a grass-roots voice within the California Democratic Party and to foster continuing adherence to Democratic ideals within the Party;
• To work in political education, especially among our people and new citizens, to secure the future of the Party and its ideas in our community;
• To promote accessibility to Party activity among all interested citizens, and to encourage more Democrats to become active in political affairs;
• To have fun being Democrats.

Section 1.4: Affiliation

This Club shall affiliate, and remain affiliated, with the California Democratic Party via chartering with the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee. In order to secure such affiliation, members agree to the following:

“No member shall support any person not a registered Democrat against a registered Democrat in any partisan election. No member shall authorize the publication of his or her Democratic Party affiliation in support of any candidate not a Democrat in any race.

ARTICLE 2 – OFFICES

Section 2.1: Principal Office

The principal office of the club for its transaction of business shall be in Monterey County, California. The Board of Directors is hereby granted full power and authority to change the principal office of the club from one location to another in the County of Monterey, California. Any such change shall be noted by the Secretary in the minutes of the club.

ARTICLE 3 – MEMBERSHIP

Section 3.1: Members

Membership in the Club shall be open to all registered Democrats, and to all persons under the age of voting registration who shall declare their loyalty to the Democratic Party and their intent to affiliate with it in the future. Membership shall not be open to members of organizations found by the Club to be in opposition to the principles of the Democratic Party. Diversity shall be encouraged and the Club shall actively recruit members in an effort to have a diverse Club membership.

Section 3.2: Geographic Focus

The focus of this Club shall be the organizing of Democratic action in the Salinas Valley and in surrounding areas as shall best serve the purposes of the Club. This Club shall carry out Democratic action in concert with other affiliated organizations of the Democratic Party, and with other organizations as shall best serve the purposes of the Club.

Section 3.3: Dues

Dues shall be paid annually by all members, with each year’s dues payable by the start of the January general meeting. The amount of the dues shall be set annually by the members of the Executive Board at their December meeting. Dues must be paid for a member to be in good standing, and eligible to vote at the Club’s meetings.

Section 3.4: Voting

Each member of the Club who is eligible to vote shall have one vote, and no proxies are allowed. Membership in the Club for a period of at least two (2) weeks is required before any new members, who have not previously been members of the Club, may vote on any matter before the Club.

ARTICLE 4 – OFFICERS

Section 4.1: Executive Board

The Club’s executive officers shall be four in number: President, Vice-President/

President Elect, Treasurer and Secretary. Each shall serve annual terms, with elections by secret ballot at each January General Meeting. The Executive Board of the Club shall include the above four officers, the immediate past-President, the chairs of the Standing Committees (or vice-chairs as alternates) per Section 5.1 below and Delegates-At-Large per Article 6 below. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be one more than half of the voting members.

In the event that any officer or elected Director or Delegate resigns, the remaining Executive Board members shall elect an acting replacement, by majority vote, at the next Board meeting. Such elections shall be effective until the next Club General Meeting, at which meeting the selection of the new officer, Director or Delegate shall either be confirmed by majority vote of the members present, or a new replacement shall be elected by secret ballot, to fill the remainder of the term of the person who resigned.

Section 4.2: President

The President of the Club shall serve as the chief executive, responsible for execution of the Club’s By-laws, purposes and policies and for other overall direction and supervision of its activities. The President shall report to the Club’s members on a regular basis regarding the Club’s activities, and shall call and preside at general meetings and meetings of the Executive Board.

Section 4.3: Vice-President/President Elect

The Vice-President of the Club shall serve as an assisting executive to the President, and shall preside at meetings in the President’s absence. The Vice-President shall become the Club’s President for the following year’s term, starting at the opening of the January General Meeting. A new Vice-President shall then be elected.

Section 4.4: Secretary

The Secretary of the Club shall retain all records of the Club’s activities, including all minutes of Executive Board, committee and general meetings. The Secretary shall also be responsible for maintaining the roster of members, and for updating the Club’s roster with the County Central Committee as often as required by the Central Committee, in order to maintain the Club’s affiliation.

Section 4.5: Treasurer

The Treasurer of the Club shall be responsible for the Club’s funds, and for maintaining sufficient records and filing reports to comply with State and Federal requirements. The Treasurer shall receive all dues, and report same to the Secretary for recording in the Club’s roster. The Treasurer shall make a written financial report to the members at each general meeting, and shall arrange for an independent audit of the Club’s books. S/He shall prepare a target budget for the approval of the members at the January General Meeting. The Treasurer shall disburse the Club’s funds, which shall be used solely for the Club’s purposes. The signatures of two of the Club executive officers shall be required for checks over $150.00.

ARTICLE 5 - COMMITTEES

Section 5.1: Standing Committees

Standing Committees shall be formed to carry out the Club’s purposes, and to provide the focus for member’s activities. The scope of each committee’s activities shall be as directed by the Executive Board. The Chair of the committee shall be appointed by the president with the approval of the Executive Board. The Chair of each Committee shall attend each meeting of the Club’s Executive Board to report on its activities. Meetings of committees shall be reported in writing to the Club’s Secretary, including attendees and decisions reached. The Standing Committees shall consist of:

• Fund-raising Committee/Finance
• Communications Committee
• Membership Committee

Section 5.2: Ad-Hoc Committees

The Club may also establish Ad-Hoc Committees from time to time, as found necessary to carry out the Club’s purposes. An Ad-Hoc Committee may be authorized by a majority vote of the Executive Board. An Ad-Hoc Committee shall operate as do the Standing Committees

Section 5.3: Nominating Committee

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed at each October General Meeting by the President, consisting of a minimum of five members to consider nominations for executive officers and delegates. The Nominating Committee shall also preside over the election of new officers (Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer) and delegates per Article 7 below, at the January General Meeting, and shall certify the results of the elections for the Club’s records. The Nominating Committee shall then dissolve.

ARTICLE 6– DELEGATES

Section 6.1: Member’s Delegates-At-Large

Members of the Club may also elect two Delegates-At-Large to seats on the Executive Board. Such Delegates shall be elected by secret ballot at each January General Meeting, and each serve a term of one year. Such Delegates-At-Large shall not be Executive Officers

ARTICLE 7 – ELECTIONS

Section 7.1: Election Procedures

An election of Officers-and-Delegates-at-Large shall be held yearly at the January general meeting of the membership. The names of the persons nominated for office by the Nominating Committee shall be furnished to the membership thirty days in advance of the election. Nominations may be made from the floor by a member in good standing providing the consent of the nominee is obtained prior to the general membership meeting.

ARTICLE 8 – MEETINGS

Section 8.1: General Meetings

The members of the Club shall hold General Meetings at least four times each year. Additional General Meetings may be called by the President or by written petition to the President or Secretary by at least one-fifth of the Club’s members, with at least two week’s notice to members. A quorum for a General Meeting shall include three of the Executive Board and ten of the members in good standing or 20% of the non-executive board members, which ever is smaller.

Section 8.2: Executive Board Meetings

The Executive Board of the Club shall meet at least monthly to report on their activities and conduct the Club’s affairs. The President shall report the results of these meetings to the members. A quorum for a Board meeting shall consist of five members of the Executive Board. Board Meetings shall be open to other Club members in good standing, who may participate but not vote.

ARTICLE 9 – ENDORSEMENTS

Section 9.1 Offices Endorsed

Subject to the requirements of the State Party By-laws, the laws of the State of California and the MCDCC bylaws, the Club may make endorsements of candidates for local elected offices, and for State ballot measures where the State party has chosen not to make an endorsement, and local Ballot Measures. To be eligible for endorsement, a candidate must be a registered Democrat and be nominated for endorsement by at least three Club members in good standing.

Section 9.2: Procedure for Endorsement

A candidate for any of the above offices shall be endorsed only by a vote of the members in a General Meeting. Endorsement must be approved by two-thirds of the members in attendance at the meeting providing a quorum is present.

A procedure for review of candidates, prior to their presentation to the Club for consideration for endorsement, shall be developed and published by the Executive Board. The procedure shall be provided to all Democrats who are seeking the Club’s endorsement. The procedure shall include measures to determine that candidates are Democrats, that they are listed as candidates by the County Registrar of Voters and that no more candidates will be endorsed than there are offices available to be filled. Endorsements shall not be considered in a General Meeting until after the filing deadline for candidates for the office in question. All candidates for an office who are Democrats shall be notified of the Petition for Endorsement by another candidate, prior to the General Meeting at which the endorsement is considered.

Section 9.3: Procedure for Endorsing Ballot Measures

The procedure for the review of State and local ballot measures that have been officially qualified for the ensuing election shall be developed and published by the Executive Board. The procedure shall provide written notice of a general meeting of the club membership. The procedure shall describe the steps to be undertaken to afford members the opportunity to be heard in support or opposition. At the conclusion of each hearing the club members shall vote to decide whether to endorse, oppose or withhold endorsement by a majority of those members present and voting.

ARTICLE 10 – REMOVAL

Section 10.1: Removal of Officers

An Executive Officer of this Club may be removed from office for cause, that is: misconduct in the exercise of his/her duties as an officer or neglect of duty in office, if such officer affiliates with or registers to vote as a member of another political party, publicly avows preference for another political party, publicly advocates that the voters should not vote for nominees of the Democratic Party or publicly avows a preference for a candidate who is running against the candidate endorsed by the Democratic Party, or if the officer affiliates with an organization which the Club finds is averse to the principles of the Democratic Party.

A petition for removal must be in writing, signed by at least five members in good standing, state the grounds for proposed removal and be delivered to either the President or Secretary and the accused officer at least two (2) weeks prior to the next General Meeting. Upon receipt of such a petition, the members of the Club and the accused officer shall be informed and the petition placed on the agenda of the next General Meeting. At said General Meeting, the accused officer shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to the charges. Removal of any officer shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present by secret ballot, and if approved must be followed immediately by the election of an Acting Officer to complete the term of the removed officer.

Section 10.2: Removal of Members

Members of the Club may be removed for cause, that is: A member who fails to meet the requirements of Article 3 Section 3.1 of the By-laws. A petition for removal of a member shall be in writing, shall state the grounds for removal, and be signed by at least three members in good standing. The procedure shall be the same as for removal of officers.

ARTICLE 11– AMENDMENTS

Section 11.1: Procedure for Amendments

These By-laws may be amended by the members in any General Meeting, provided that such amendments are placed on the agenda at least thirty days prior to such meeting to allow for notice to all members. A proposal for amendment shall be in writing, signed by at least three members in good standing and shall require a two-thirds vote of the members in attendance to be approved. An approved Amendment shall take force in thirty days.

ARTICLE 12 – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

All meetings of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, 10^th edition a copy of which shall be present at all meetings.