 OFFICIAL BYLAWS
Rappahannock County Democratic Committee
Democratic Party of Virginia
Adopted April 6, 2004
Article I: Name
This Committee shall be known as the Rappahannock County Democratic Committee (RCDC).
Article II: Authority
1. The RCDC is created under the authority of and in accordance with the Democratic Party of Virginia State Party Plan and the rules of the Democratic National Committee. The State Party Plan of March 7, 1998 specifies that the Democratic Committee in each county or city shall prepare bylaws to govern its activities.
2. These Bylaws are adopted by the Committee under the authority of the Plan of Organization and the Plan of the Democratic Party of Virginia and shall continue in effect subject to amendment as provided for in Article XII of these Bylaws. Where these Bylaws are, in any way, not as all encompassing as the State Party Plan or, if they are in conflict with such plan, the instructions given in the Party plan shall guide the actions of the RCDC.
Article III: Statement of Principles
The principles for which the RCDC stands are:
1. To work toward a government at federal, state and local levels which will fairly represent the interests of the persons within Rappahannock County, whether rich or poor;
2. To support and foster public institutions, including the public schools, that improve the quality of life in the County;
3. To respond sensibly to the needs of the unfortunate among us; and
4. To encourage the participation of all Democrats, as well as all those who share our Democratic perspective, in the political process.
Article IV: Purposes and Objectives
The RCDC shall:
1. Have full charge of the affairs of the Democratic Party within Rappahannock County;
2. Support candidates once they have become official nominees of the Democratic Party;
3. Have full control of the Party’s interests in all primary, general, and special elections in Rappahannock County and shall do all within its power to aid in the victory of Party candidates and positions at the polls;
4. Actively encourage citizens of all ages to participate in the political process at all levels of government. It will actively organize efforts to increase voter registration and voting by qualified residents of Rappahannock County, and will otherwise promote and engage in those activities in furtherance of the goals of the RCDC and the Democratic Party of Virginia, or their candidates.
Article V: Membership
1. The RCDC shall consist of those members elected by the Democratic Voters of Rappahannock County and those members, elected by the Committee itself subsequent to election by the Democratic voters of Rappahannock County. All members of the RCDC shall be registered to vote in Rappahannock County.
2. There shall be no limit on the number of members who actively serve on the RCDC. Every effort shall be made to insure that each of the five Magisterial Districts is well represented, as well as each of the two precincts with Wakefield District.
3. When the RCDC is to be reconstituted by the Democratic voters of Rappahannock County, the RCDC chair shall implement the Rules for the Committee Reorganization Caucus adopted for such reorganization. These Rules shall be adopted by two-thirds (2/3) vote of voting members present at a regular or special meeting conducted prior to such reorganization. The Rules shall indicate the time, place, and manner of election, the basis of representation, filing fees, if any, and the time, place and manner of filing declarations of candidacy for election to the RCDC if such is required. The Chair of the RCDC shall cause ample public notice of all these matters to be made in order that maximum participation of the Democratic Voters of Rappahannock County may be encouraged.
4. The RCDC shall assess annual dues of $25.00, which shall be paid on a voluntary basis by all members of the RCDC.
Article VI: Officers
1. Elected Officers: Within forty (40) days of the biennial organizational meeting, the RCDC shall elect the following officers: Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Such elections shall be by secret ballot, except when a candidate is unopposed.
2. Standing Committee Chairs: The Chair of the RCDC shall nominate chairs to head the following standing committees. These nominees will assume leadership of their respective committees after election by the RCDC.
a. Outreach
b. Issues and Resolutions
c. Communications
d. Fundraising
e. District Operations
3. Magisterial District Captains:
a. Within forty (40) days of the biennial organization meeting, the District Operations Chair shall nominate the Magisterial District Captains, one (1) for each of the five (5) Magisterial Districts in Rappahannock County. Such nominees shall assume leadership of their respective Magisterial Districts after election by the RCDC.
b. Magisterial District captains shall call meetings of their respective magisterial district committee members at least annually, and additionally as directed by the RCDC Chair or the Chair of the District Operations Committee.
4. Ad Hoc Committee Chairs: The Chair may appoint, at his or her discretion, such ad hoc committees as he or she deems necessary, and appoint their chairs.
5. Removal from Office: Any officer or chair of a standing committee shall be subject to removal from office if the Executive Committee finds that the officer is guilty of misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty required by the office, and reports the finding to the full RCDC. Removal shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the RCDC members present. The vote shall be taken by secret ballot, taken in closed session. The Chair of the RCDC must notify the officer in question in writing of the finding of the Executive Committee no more than twenty (20) or no less than ten (10) days before any regular or special meeting is to take place to consider such an action. The officer in question shall be afforded the right to be heard and to refute any finding made against him or her by the Executive Committee before any vote is taken.
Article VII: Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Chairs of the Standing Committees named in Article VI, Section 3.
2. The Executive Committee shall:
a) develop plans for future RCDC activities;
b) prepare agenda items for RCDC meetings, and
c) act on behalf of the RCDC between regular meetings of the RCDC, as necessary,
a. subject to ratification by the RCDC.
3. The Executive Committee is authorized to evaluate the activities, aims, and policies of the RCDC, and submit recommendations, based on such evaluations, to the RCDC.
Article VIII: Duties of the Officers
1. The Chair shall:
a. Preside at all meetings of both the RCDC and the Executive Committee, unless the Vice Chair or other RCDC member has been designated to preside;
b. Nominate all chairs of standing committees;
c. Appoint chairs to ad hoc committees;
d. Act as the chief executive officer of the RCDC;
e. Be an ex-officio member of all committees of the RCDC and may designate a representative to attend meetings of such committees.
f. Be the spokesperson for the RCDC and for the Democratic Party in Rappahannock County.
g. Attend or appoint a representative to attend such State and 7th Congressional District Democratic Party meetings as he or she shall consider appropriate.
h. Appoint members to special positions within the RCDC to undertake ongoing or special projects, such as a Registrar of Voter Records, Sergeant-at-Arms or a Parliamentarian.
2. The Vice Chair shall:
Preside at all meetings of both the RCDC and the Executive Committee in the absence of the Chair, or when designated by the Chair to preside, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
3. The Secretary shall:
a. Keep minutes of all meetings of both the RCDC and Executive Committee;
b. Keep faithful records of all correspondence received and sent;
c. Keep all records organized in an accurate and orderly way;
d. Give all notices in accordance with these by-laws and make copies of minutes and all other records available to all members of the RCDC upon request;
e. perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or the RCDC;
f. Appoint an Assistant Secretary at his or her discretion;
4. The Treasurer shall:
a. Keep accurate and faithful records of all monies spent and received by the RCDC;
b. Provide financial report at every RCDC meeting, or when otherwise requested by the RCDC;
c. Pay the Expenses incurred by the RCDC when authorized by the Chair, or the Executive Committee;
d. Cooperate with the Fundraising Committee, as provided in Article IX, Section 4.
Article IX: Missions of Standing Committees
1. Outreach: The Outreach Committee shall enhance the participation of Rappahannock residents and new voters in the activities of the Democratic Party and RCDC and shall take appropriate action to generate interest in the party and RCDC affairs. The Outreach Committee may include sub-committees focusing on reaching different groups within the community. The Outreach Committee shall be open to both members and non-members of the RCDC.
2. Issues and Resolutions: The Issues and Resolutions Committee shall identify and consider issues that are important politically and socially to the people of Rappahannock County. Such issues may be federal, state or local in scope. After due consideration of the issues, the Committee shall frame what it considers a suitable position for the RCDC to take thereon, and draft a proposed resolution embodying that position for adoption by the RCDC.
3. Communications: The Communication Committee shall, in cooperation with the other Standing Committees, develop a mailing list to involve citizens of Rappahannock County in the Democratic Party. The Communications Committee shall, with the approval of the Chair of the RCDC, furnish press releases to media and make use of such other means of communication as may be available and appropriate.
4. Fundraising: The Fundraising Committee shall, in cooperation with the Treasurer of the RCDC, plan such fundraising events as may be appropriate for supporting the activities of the RCDC.
5. District Operation: The District Operations Committee shall organize each district and consider problems and issues that surface in their respective districts. It shall develop lists of Democratic voters and take appropriate action to get out the vote at election time.
Article X: Meetings
1. The RCDC shall meet on the first Tuesday of each month, at a time and place to be specified by the Chair. The RCDC may amend this schedule if it so desires.
2. In addition, meetings of the RCDC may be held:
a. Upon the call of the Chair whenever it is in the interest of the Party, or
b. Within fifteen (15) days following receipt by the Chair of a written request, signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the membership, stating the purpose for which a meeting is requested, or
c. At such times and places as a majority of the membership at a properly convened meeting of the RCDC may determine.
3. Within forty (40) days following the election of members as required in Article V, the new Committee shall meet and organize by electing officers in accordance with the Reorganization Rules as noted in Article V, Section 3. Within thirty (30) days of the election of officers, the out-going officers are required to turn over to the newly elected officers all records, correspondence, financial records, and other property belonging to the RCDC.
4. All RCDC meetings shall be open to the public and to the press, except that any particular meeting or portion thereof may be held in executive session when requested by a majority of the RCDC then present.
Article XI: Removal of Members
1. A member may be removed from the RCDC for the following reasons:
a. Willful neglect of duties to the RCDC, including but not limited to supporting, endorsing, or assisting any candidate opposed to a candidate nominated by the National Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Virginia or any local committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia.
b. Failure to maintain a residence in Rappahannock County.
2. Any vote to remove a member for these grounds will take place by secret ballot held in closed session, and only after that member has been notified in writing no more than twenty (20) and no less than ten (10) days before any such meeting is to take place that a written complaint has been filed against him or her.
3. A member will be removed by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the RCDC present at a regular or special meeting. The result of the vote shall be recorded.
Article XII: Amendment of Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended by the RCDC at any regular or special meeting called for the purpose, provided that a quorum is present. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting shall be required for the adoption of an amendment. Any proposed amendments to the Bylaws must have been disseminated in writing or electronically to the entire membership at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting at which action on the proposal is taken. Whenever proposed amendments cannot be voted on because of a lack of a quorum, the proposed changes shall be carried forward as a special order of business to the next meeting of the RCDC, and no further notice to the membership of such proposed amendments shall be required.
Article XIII: Parliamentary Authority
1. The rules in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the RCDC in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Party Plan of the Democratic Party of Virginia, these Bylaws, or any special rules of order the RCDC may adopt.
2. To the extent any meeting or convention is under control or authority of the RCDC, there shall be no vote cast by proxy, and the unit rule is abolished in respect to its activities.
Article XIV: Quorum
1. A quorum shall consist of forty (40) percent of the active members of RCDC.
2. A quorum shall be required before the RCDC conducts any business.
3. Since the RCDC is an open committee, with no limit on the number of its members, as provided
in Article V, Section 2, it shall be the duty of the Secretary at each meeting to determine the number of active RCDC members. For this purpose, the unexcused absence of a member for two (2) consecutive meetings shall result in his or her designation as inactive, and therefore not to be included in the total number of members on which the determination of a quorum is based.
Article XV: Endorsements
The RCDC, as a committee, shall not endorse any candidate in any primary election, caucus, or convention.
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