The Constitution and By-Laws of the Fayette County (Iowa) Democratic Party
Preamble
We, the people of the Fayette County (Iowa Democratic Party do establish this Constitution and these Bylaws, in order to organize and perpetuate a representative, effective, and responsible Democratic Party organization in the County; advance the interests of the Party in the State and Nation; sustain and advance the principles of social justice and democracy; and to uphold civil rights, civil liberties and constitutional government.
Article I – Name and Membership
The name: The Fayette County (Iowa) Democratic Party.
The Membership: All registered Democrats living in Fayette County, and Democrats who claim Fayette County as their legal residence (e.g. students) are members of the Fayette County Democratic Party.
Youth Observers: All meetings of the Fayette County Democratic Party invite youth not yet of voting age to be observers.
Article II – Bylaws
The Fayette County Democratic Party shall have By-Laws that outline the operational procedures for the implementation of this constitution.
Article III – Precinct caucuses
Definition: The precincts in Fayette Co., as defined by the State of Iowa,
are the foundation units of the democratic party in the county.
Meetings: The precinct caucuses shall be called each even year by the
Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party.
Organization of Caucuses: Upon that call, it is the responsibility of the
Fayette County Chair, or designees, to call and organize the caucuses
within the County.
Rules: All precinct caucuses will follow the rules as set forth by the Iowa Democratic Party.
Article IV – County Convention
There shall be a County Convention each even year, as called by the Democratic Party in the State of Iowa.
Authority: The Fayette County Democratic Convention is the governing body of the Fayette County Democrats while in session. The County Convention shall elect delegates and alternates to the State and District Conventions, members to all District and State Convention committees, transact such other party business that may come before them.
Membership: The members of the Fayette County Democratic Convention are those elected to the body by each precinct caucus in the County, or those elected as alternates and called upon to serve for an elected member who cannot be present.
Call to Meeting: Upon instruction of the State Party, the County Chair will issue a call for the convening of the Convention every two years at the same time as the call for precinct caucuses.
Committees: Four committees serve to further the work of the County Convention: Arrangements, Credentials, Platform and Rules/Nominations. The Convention may name other committees as needed.
Article V – County Central Committee
The County Central Committee is the governing body of the party when
County Convention is not in session.
Purpose: The Central Committee will
Implement any directives adopted by the County Convention;
Be the administrative body of the Democratic Party in the County;
Participate in the activities that will assist the State and National Party to implement its goals;
Contribute to the growth, development and influence of the Democratic Party in Fayette County;
Do all in its power to recruit and register Democrats;
Inform the residents of the County regarding the ideals, goals, and operations of the Democratic Party;
Contribute to, and support, the Platform of the Democratic Party;
Raise monies to support the candidates of the Democratic Party;
Help select and elect the nominees of the Democratic Party; and
Organize Fayette County Democrats to win elections.
Membership and organization – The County Central Committee will comprise of two persons elected (or appointed where there was no election) from each precinct and as many as fourteen persons nominated by the nominating committee and elected by the new Central Committee. Reorganization of the Central Committee will be held within thirty days off the County Convention.
Article VI – Officers and Standing Committees
Officers – The Central Committee shall have a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and an Affirmative Action Officer.
Standing Committees – The Central Committee may have such Standing Committees, as it shall deem necessary.
Article VII – Fiduciary Responsibility
The Fayette County Democrats Central Committee will be empowered to raise, hold, and disburse monies. It shall abide by all applicable laws, all record keeping requirements, and all reporting requirements. The Fayette County Democrats’ Central Committee will use generally accepted accounting principles.
ARTICLE VIII – Affirmative Action
The Fayette County Democrats’ Central Committee will take steps to assure a membership that fairly reflects the Affirmative Action principles that guide our organization, as set forth by the State Party. The Central Committee will actively reach out to include all persons regardless of sex, age, race, religion, color, economic status or national origin. The Fayette County Democrats Central Committee will actively encourage women to hold political office and to hold positions of authority within the county organization. The Fayette County Democrats Central Committee will take steps to assure that all caucuses, Conventions and committees shall include a balance of members from various age, racial, economic, ethnic, and geographical area groups within the County in relationship to population numbers in each group, if at all possible. The County convention will elect the Chair of they county Affirmative Action Committee (as required by the State Party).
ARTICLE IX – Amending the Constitution and By-Laws
Amending the Constitution
Any registered Democrat in Fayette County may propose an amendment to the Constitution by presenting it to the Central Committee Chair. The Central Committee Chair will then refer the proposal to the Constitution and By-laws Committee. The Constitution and By-laws Committee will consider the proposal. It may choose to recommend the proposal as written, amend the proposal or reject the proposal in its entirety. A majority vote of the Constitution and By-laws Committee is required to report any proposal out of the committee. The Constitution and By-laws Committee will report recommendations to the Central Committee, which may, at its next regularly scheduled meeting, approve, reject or amend the proposal. A two-thirds vote of a quorum of fifteen (15) members of the Central Committee, present and voting, is required to adopt the proposal. The amendment becomes binding immediately, in the interim, until the next County convention, and the Central Committee will follow its guidance in conducting the affairs and business of the Fayette County Democrats.
Amending the By-laws
There are three ways to amend the By-laws:\
In Writing. Any member may submit a proposed amendment to the By-laws in writing to the Central Committee. If the Central Committee, or its Executive Committee, believes the proposal has merit, it will then refer the proposal to the Constitution and By-laws Committee for its study and recommendation at the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. When the change is recommended by the Constitution and By-laws Committee the proposal must be circulated to all Central Committee members at least 10 days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Central Committee. This draft coming before the Central Committee shall be considered the first reading. If there are no further modifications or amendments, the change may be voted on at the next regularly scheduled Central Committee meeting. A quorum must be present and a majority vote is required.
(Explanatory note: Meeting #1 – Change proposed and referred to Constitution and By-laws Committee. Meeting #2 – Proposal is read as first readied and may be amended and then circulated to all members. Meeting #3 – A quorum and a majority vote are required to make the change final.
A Written Proposal. If the Constitution and By-laws Committee reports unfavorably, or fails to make a report to the next regularly scheduled Central Committee meeting, then a written proposal, signed by three members of the Fayette County Democrats may be presented to the Central Committee for its consideration at the next regularly scheduled meeting and the Central Committee Secretary will send the proposal to all precinct chairs at least 10 days prior to the meeting where it is to be discussed. At the follow next regularly scheduled Central Committee meeting, a second reading occurs and the vote may be taken. A quorum must be present at both meetings and a majority vote is required to pass the proposed change.
By Petition to the County Convention.
If the By-law change proposal is rejected by the Central Committee then seven signing Fayette County registered Democrats may submit a signed written proposal to the Constitution and By-laws Committee for introduction at the next County Convention. The Central Committee shall see that the proposal is mailed to all County Convention delegates at least 10 days prior to the convention meeting. A quorum consisting of 15 Central Committee members of the convention must be present, and the proposal may be debated and amendments made. Two-thirds of the convention members present and vot9ing may choose to accept or reject the proposal as presented.
ARTICLE X. General Provisions
Should the County Party have a provision that is less than that required by the State Party’s official documents, or the laws of the State of Iowa governing political parties, the State provisions will prevail.
Should the county party not have an organizational provision or procedure, or in the absence of a county party by-law or State Party rules or State of Iowa Laws, the Roberts Rules of Order will prevail.
The Bylaws of the Fayette County (Iowa) Democratic Party
All registered Democrats living in Fayette County, and Democrats who claim Fayette County as their legal residence (e.g. Students) are members of the Fayette County Democratic Party.
2.1 The chair of the Iowa Democratic Party will issue the call to precinct caucuses. It is the responsibility of the Fayette County Chair and his/her designees to organize the following:
a. Arrange a location for each precinct caucus and the county convention.
b. Conduct caucus education programs.
c. Ensure that each precinct is represented by active precinct committee persons as temporary chairperson and secretary of that particular precinct. In the absence of any elected precinct committee persons, the chair will appoint a temporary chair and secretary for that precinct.
d. Arrange for caucus promotion and legal publication
e. Distribute caucus materials and information to each temporary caucus chair.
f. Report results of elections at precinct caucuses to the Iowa Democratic Party.
g. Refer resolutions passed at precinct caucuses to the temporary county platform chair.
h. Arrange the meeting for the county convention planning committee and assuring that all convention committees are functioning properly.
2.2 Rules: All precinct caucuses will follow the caucus rules as set forth by the Iowa Democratic Party.
3.1 Organization: It is the responsibility of the County Chair and the Central Committee to call and organize the Fayette County (Iowa) Democratic Convention in cooperation with the Democratic Party of Iowa.
The Chair and his/her designees shall:
Appoint and arrange for a county convention planning
Committee to meet and plan the meeting;
Appoint and assure all convention committees are
functioning properly.
(To be written as needed)
4.2 Central Committee Membership Elections: Committee persons shall be elected every two (2) years by a majority vote at their precinct/township caucus, or appointed by the Chair if no person was elected. These committee persons, persons elected "at large" by the Central Committee and Central Committee officers shall be the only voting members of the Central Committee.
4.2.1 Duties of the Officers
1. The Chair’s duties shall be those of chief executive officer and chair shall be subject to the direction of and responsible to the County Central Committee. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Central Committee and shall be responsible for setting those
meetings. Shall appoint each January an audit committee of not less than two to conduct a financial audit of the preceding calendar year and to present a report to the Central Committee at the next regular meeting.
2. The Vice-Chair shall act as the chair in case of absence, resignation, incapacity, or death of the chair and, in such event, have the same powers, duties and responsibilities as the chair and shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The vice-chair shall have such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the chair.
3. The Secretary shall be in charge of all official documents of the Central Committee and preparation of the necessary notices, minutes, and other documents. The secretary shall preserve such files and records and open them for examination at appropriate
times at the request of any duly elected member of the Central Committee. All records, including official minutes, maintained by the secretary shall be immediately passed on to the successor in office and all such records shall be maintained by the Secretary as permanent records of the Central Committee.
4. The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the party and shall render up-to-date financial reports to each meeting of the Central Committee. The treasurer shall be accountable for all receipts and expenditures of the party. The treasurer shall be under sufficient bond, the amount to be determined by the Central Committee. The treasurer shall make a report to each Central Committee meeting. All financial records and reports maintained by the treasurer shall be immediately passed on to the successor in office and all such records shall be maintained by the serving treasurer as permanent records of the Central Committee.
4.2.2 Removal of Officers
4.2.2.1 Reasons for recall of any officer include:
1. Absenteeism, unless excused by the Chair, a Fayette County Democratic Central Committee officer is automatically removed for missing four consecutive Central Committee meetings.
2. Failure to Perform Duties – described in Article 4.
3. Making public endorsements of candidates, initiatives or referendums in the name of the Fayette County Democrat’s name without prior approval by the Fayette County Democrats’ or the Executive Committee.
4. Illegal uses, misuse, loss or damage of Fayette County Democrats’ assets such as equipment, property, data or funds.
5. Failure to follow public Disclosure laws and regulations.
6. Authorizing or expending funds or obligating the Fayette County Democrats to debt without proper prior authorization by the Fayette Co. Democrats or Executive Committee.
1. Any motion to recall an officer must be in writing and signed by at lease five (5) Fayette County Democrats Central Committee members (FCDCC).
2. A recall motion shall be referred to the Executive Committee for review. Written notification of a recall motion shall be made to the membership within 10 days of referral to the Executive Committee.
3. Following notification to the membership, the Executive Committee shall conduct a hearing into the recall motion. This hearing shall be open to all FCDCC members and the hearing date notification must be sent to all FCDCC members ten (10) days in advance of the hearing date. At the next FCDCC meeting after the hearing is concluded, or at a specially convened meeting of the FCDCC, the Executive Committee will make its recommendation to the membership.
4. A two-thirds vote of the voting members present at the next regular FCDCC meeting is required to recall an officer.
5. In no case shall a recall motion remain unresolved for more than 45 days.
4.3 Meetings -
Regular meetings. The Fayette County Democratic Central Committee shall be held at least quarterly, at a date, time and place to be designated by the county chair.
Postponement. No meeting shall be postponed or eliminated so that a quarter shall pass without a meeting except when so ordered by a majority
vote of the members at a previous meeting of the Central Committee.
Quorum. Ten percent of the membership of the Central Committee, including two officers, shall constitute a quorum for conducting all business except adoption of bylaws.
4.4 Re-organization.
Following each Fayette County Caucus held in even-numbered years, and after the certification of precinct officers by the county auditor, the incumbent chair, or vice-chair if the chair fails to do so, shall issue the call for a reorganization meeting of the Central Committee. Official notice of the meeting shall be sent by mail or e-mail to each newly elected Democratic precinct officer within Fayette County at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting, which may be at any reasonable time or place. The meeting shall take place no more than fourteen days following the precinct caucuses. The Election of Central Committee Officers and Standing Committees: The nominating committee shall present a slate of Officers and Standing Committees for election each two years following the General Election, at the Reorganization meeting -- others may be nominated from the floor. Standing Committees shall have from three to five members and shall include:
Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Central Committee Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. It shall set the agenda for the Central Committee meetings, perform other tasks assigned by the Central Committee and is empowered to act in the interim for the Central Committee subject to subsequent reporting to the Central Committee. Affirmative Action Committee. The task of this committee is to work with the Nominating Committee to ensure all constitutional affirmative action principles are adhered to, paying particular attention to include representatives of historically underrepresented groups. The county Affirmative Action Committee shall consist of the elected chair and two additional members. The County Chair will represent the County on the District Affirmative Action Committee.
Constitution and Bylaws: The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall consist of five members. The Central Committee officers shall name three, and the Central Committee nominating Committee shall nominate two for election. The Central Committee will vote by simple majority to accept or rejected each proposed member.
If any nominee fails to be elected, this nomination shall be opened to the floor and any Central Committee member may then nominate a candidate to fill the vacancy.
The term of the Committee will be in effect until the first Central Committee meeting after the County Convention, whereby a new committee will be elected.
Nominating: The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members. The Central Committee officers shall name two and the Central Committee shall nominate and elect three.
Candidates: The Committee’s task is to screen and recommend candidates for Central Committee Endorsements.
Fundraising and Special Events: The Committee’s task is to raise money for the County Party, for endorsed candidates and to sponsor special events.
Finance Committee: This Committee shall oversee the annual audit.
Bylaw 5 - Fiduciary Responsibilities
1. Fiscal Officer. The elected Treasurer of the Fayette County Democrats' Central Committee shall serve as the fiscal officer and is the custodian of any and all held funds and has control of receipts and disbursements.
2. Finance Committee. The Fayette County Democrats' Central Committee shall have a standing Finance Committee to oversee the raising of monies.
Fiscal Policies. Financial Policies shall be developed and then reviewed each two years by the Finance Committee and recommended to the Fayette County Democrats' Central Committee for adoption.
Perpetual Endowment. The Fayette County Democrats’ Central Committee is the beneficiary of a perpetual endowment established by members of the Central Committee. This endowment is in the form of a certificate of deposit in the amount of $3,000.00 and the income generated by this endowment is to be used for such purposes as the Central Committee may determine. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to oversee the endowment and to ensure that the investment is accruing interest at an optimal rate that is guaranteed by the FDIC. Neither the Central Committee nor any of its members or officers is nor any of its members or officers is authorized under any circumstances to invade the principal of this endowment. Individual members of the Central Committee or the Central Committee itself by a majority vote at a regular meeting, may add to the corpus of the endowment and any such addition will be subject to the same conditions as apply to the original gift. In the event that the Fayette County Democrats ceases to exist as an organized body, the corpus of the endowment will be awarded to the Iowa Democratic Party for its discretionary use.
(Modified 03/04/06)
Line 357 corrected to read $3000 vs. $3500 per amendment May 13, 2008.