Bylaws of the 41st District Democrats
(Amended March 20, 2024)
- Preamble
- Article I: Name
- Article II: Membership
- Article III: Precinct Committee Officers
- Article IV: Officers and Duties
- Article V: Executive Board
- Article VI: Voting Procedures and Election of Officers
- Article VII: Resolutions
- Article VIII: Committees
- Article IX: Meetings of the General Body
- Article X: Removal from Office
- Article XI: Vacancies
- Article XII: Endorsements: Candidates and Ballot Measures
- Article XIII: Expenditures
- Article XIV: Duration of Rules
- Article XV: Amendments
- Article XVI: Precedence
- Article XVII: Parliamentary Authority
Preamble
This organization is committed to electing Democratic candidates to office, to upholding the principles of the Democratic Party, to educating the residents of the 41st District about endorsed candidates and issues, and to provide opportunities to participate in the Democratic Party to all residents of the 41st Legislative District. Our PCOs and members represent our community and provide input for the Democratic party at the local level.
Article I: Name
The name of this Organization shall be the 41st District Democrats (“Organization”).
Article II: Membership
Section 1
The membership of this Organization is open to:
- All 41st District Precinct Committee Officers (hereafter PCOs); and,
- Residents of the 41st district who declare themselves to be Democrats and who complete a membership/dues form available online at 41dems.org.
Section 2
Members who are not PCOs have membership that is valid for the year in which the contribution was received.
Section 3
For all new members who are not PCOs, voting privileges shall be granted twenty-eight (28) days after receipt of the membership/dues form.
Article III: Precinct Committee Officers
Section 1
PCOs are selected by a vote of the current PCOs of the 41st Democrats. Once elected, that PCO application is forwarded to King County Democratic Central Committee for approval.
Section 2
No application for acting or appointed PCOs shall be considered except at a general meeting. A prospective PCO must be present.
Section 3
New PCOs must be approved by majority vote of the existing PCOs present and voting at a general meeting.
Section 4
If there is only one applicant for a precinct, such voting shall be by voice vote, unless there is a request for a written ballot. If there are two or more applicants for the same precinct, they shall be voted on at the same time by written ballot. An application for PCO presented to the Organization at a meeting of the general body must be approved or denied at that meeting and cannot be tabled or postponed.
Section 5
An acting PCO shall be superseded by the appointment as a PCO of a resident of that precinct. The acting PCO may be assigned to another precinct that does not have a resident PCO.
Section 6
A PCO shall have resigned from this Organization upon:
- Written resignation directed to the Chair; or
- Termination of their registration to vote in the precinct he/she represents.
Section 7
All resignations of PCOs made known to the Chair shall be made public at the next meetings of both the Executive Board and of the general body.
Article IV: Officers and Duties
Section 1
The officers of this Organization shall be Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, two King County Democratic Central Committee Representatives and two Alternates, and two State Democratic Central Committee Representatives. All officers must be members of the organization. Each term of office shall expire upon the election of a successor at the reorganization meeting called by the Chair of the KCDCC after each even-year general election.
Section 2
The Chair and the Vice-Chair shall not be of the same gender. However, if the Chair resigns their office or is removed from office, the replacement Chair can be of the same gender as the Vice Chair until the next reorganization meeting of the Organization.
Section 3
The Chair shall be the executive officer of the Organization. They shall preside at all meetings of this Organization and its Executive Board and perform all duties customarily entrusted upon the executive officer of an organization. They may designate members to perform such duties, as they may deem necessary. The Chair shall serve as ex officio member of all committees of this Organization. The Chair shall represent the Organization on the Organization of County and District Chairs and Vice Chairs.
Section 4
The Vice-Chair shall serve in the absence or incapacity of the Chair and shall perform other duties as directed by the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall act as the alternate to the Chair at meetings of the KCDCC, or as an alternate to either KCDCC Representative if their Alternate is not in attendance.
Section 5
The Secretary shall prepare minutes of all meetings of the general body and of the Executive Board and shall keep these and the other non-financial records of the Organization, making them available to the members.
Section 6
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the funds of the Organization; shall write checks for the disbursement of funds; shall prepare monthly financial reports; shall comply with Public Disclosure Commission requirements; and shall perform all functions normally attendant to the office.
Section 7
The King County Democratic Central Committee Representatives or their alternates shall represent the Organization at each meeting of the KCDCC and report on those meetings to the Executive Board and the general body. The two KCDCC Representatives must have different gender identifications than each other and the two alternatives must have different gender identifications than each other.
Section 8
The Washington State Democratic Central Committee Representatives shall attend and represent the Organization at meetings of the Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC) and report on those meetings to both the Executive Board and the general body. The two WSDCC Committee Representatives must have different gender identifications than each other.
Article V: Executive Board
Section 1
There shall be an Executive Board composed of all elected officers of the Organization plus chairs of committees who are appointed by the chair. Any member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) who lives within the 41st District shall be a member of the Executive Board during his/her term of office. At no time shall the number of committee chairs on the board exceed the number of board members elected by the general body.
Section 2
Each Executive Board member shall have a voice and a single vote in all matters coming before the Executive Board, except in those matters which are only within the province of PCOs.
Section 3
The Executive Board shall meet on a regular basis for the purpose of planning and directing the policies and activities of the Organization, such meetings to be called by the Chair. An Executive Board meeting may also be called by fifty percent (50%) of the members of the Board. Notice of Executive Board meetings shall be given at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
Section 4
The Executive Board may take necessary and timely emergency actions in-between regular meetings. Decisions on such actions may be made by a majority of the Executive Board at a special meeting held with notice provided at least 24 hours in advance by mail or email.
Article VI: Voting Procedures and Election of Officers
All members of this Organization may vote on all business of this Organization, except that only elected PCOs may vote in the election of Chair, Vice-Chair, King County Democratic Central Representatives and alternates, and Washington State Democratic Central Representatives, at the reorganization meeting. Elected and duly appointed PCOs may vote to fill such vacancies as may occur during the biennial term. Only elected and duly appointed PCOs may vote on applications for PCO.
Section 2
For the biennial reorganization meeting, notice of the meeting shall be sent at least 10 days prior to the meeting to all elected PCOs.
Section 3
The election of all officers shall be by signed, written ballot or online election process that verifies identity.
Section 4
The nomination and election of officers shall be held one office at a time. Nominations may be made from the floor. Each person nominated must be present or have notified the Chair in writing prior to the election of their willingness to accept the nomination and the reason for their absence.
Section 5
All elected officers shall be elected by a majority of those voting. In the event that no person receives a majority of the first ballot cast, the person receiving the least votes shall be eliminated and another ballot held. On each succeeding vote the same rule shall apply until one person receives the majority of votes for the position.
Section 6
No proxies are allowed in any election or vote.
Article VII: Resolutions
Any resolution may not be voted on unless notice of such action was provided at the previous Executive Board meeting, and then emailed to the membership or published in the newsletter at least 7 days prior to the meeting. However, if the subject is urgent and in the best interest of the Organization, a vote on the resolution can occur if agreed by a two-thirds majority of PCOs and members present and voting.
Article VIII: Committees
Section 1
Committees may be created and filled at the discretion of the Chair and confirmed by a majority of the Executive Board.
Section 2
The Chair shall determine the committee structure, their functions, and composition, in consultation with the Executive Board, to further the goals of the Organization.
Section 3
Ad hoc committees shall be created and dissolved as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Chair.
Article IX: Meetings of the General Body
Section 1
General meetings shall be held monthly unless changed by the Executive Board. The Chair shall determine the time and the place.
Section 2
A quorum shall be twenty percent of the Precinct Committee Officers.
Section 3
All meetings shall be open to the public.
Article X: Removal from Office
Officers of the Organization may be removed from office. On written request of 20% of PCOs or by 60% of the Executive Board, a meeting may be called for the purpose of removing any officer. Notice must be provided to those eligible to vote and to the officer at last 14 days prior to the meeting, stating the grounds for removal. The challenged officer may respond with a rebuttal to the grounds for removal to those eligible to vote, either separately or with the notice. The challenged officer shall be removed by a two-thirds vote of the PCOs.
Article XI: Vacancies
Elections to fill a vacancy in any office require ten (10) days prior notice to the PCOs and Members. Whenever a position is vacant at least ten (10) days prior to a regular general meeting, an election must be held at that meeting and notice must be sent.
Article XII: Endorsements: Candidates and Ballot Measures
Section 1
The Organization may endorse candidates.
Section 2
The Organization may endorse a position for or against a ballot measure.
Section 3
Notice of a motion to endorse shall be sent to members and PCOs at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. The Chair shall be responsible for the notice.
Section 4
Endorsements shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of PCOs and members present and voting. More than one candidate for the same office may be endorsed.
Section 5
Endorsements may be used freely by the campaigns for endorsed candidates and ballot measures. The Organization shall publicize endorsements as appropriate and may also give financial and in-kind support to endorsed candidates and committees. Campaign literature, supplied by endorsed candidates and endorsed positions on ballot measures, will be made available by the Organization to PCOs, members, and residents.
Section 6
Endorsements may be rescinded or withdrawn by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those PCOs and members present and voting at a meeting of the general body.
Section 7
An endorsement remains in effect until (1) the general election takes place; (2) the endorsed candidate is defeated in a primary; (3) the candidate withdraws from the race, or (4) the endorsement has been rescinded or withdrawn by the Organization.
Section 8
No candidate shall be endorsed who has not requested an endorsement to the Chair.
Section 9
Prior to consideration for endorsement, a candidate applying for the first time for federal, state, county, or municipal office must submit answers to a KCDCC endorsement questionnaire. Incumbent candidates are not required to repeat the questionnaire process.
Article XIII: Expenditures
Section 1
All expenditures not in the budget over $100 require approval at a meeting of the general body. All expenditures will be paid by check or debit card and signed by the Treasurer or Chair. The Treasurer may make reimbursements for expenditures on behalf of the district.
Section 2
Routine expenditures of less than $100 shall be authorized by the Chair or the Executive Board and do not need the approval of the membership. Such expenditures shall be reported to the Public Disclosure Commission.
Section 3
There shall be an annual budget approved by the majority of the PCOs and membership at a meeting of the general body.
Section 4
Campaign contributions shall be made only after endorsement. Contributions can be made only by a majority vote of the PCOs and members at a general meeting or by a majority of the Executive Board.
Article XIV: Duration of Rules
These Bylaws shall become effective upon adoption by a majority of PCOs and members at a general meeting.
Article XV: Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended at a meeting of the general body:
- By a majority vote of PCOs upon the recommendation of the Executive Board or;
- By a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of PCOs without such recommendation.
Notification of any proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be made at least ten (10) days prior to the general meeting. The complete text of proposed amendments shall be made available in the notice.
Article XVI: Precedence
This Organization shall operate under the Bylaws and/or charters of the WSDCC. In case of a conflict between these bylaws and WSDCC bylaws, the bylaws of the WSDCC shall take precedence. Any statute or regulation applicable to this organization that does not authorize the provisions of these bylaws shall take precedence.
Article XVII: Parliamentary Authority
The most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern matters not provided for in these Bylaws.