DENTON COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

We, the young Democrats of Denton County, see it necessary to expand the beliefs of the Democratic Party, to have involvement with the Democratic process, and to enlighten others about the Democratic Party message, ideals, and processes; as such, we unite to form an Organization that shall be named the Denton County Young Democrats.

Article I.

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be Denton County Young Democrats.

Section 2. This organization shall be affiliated with the Texas Young Democrats.

Article II.

The purpose of this organization shall be to support and promote the ideals of the National Democratic Party, and to further the causes and interests of the Democratic Party in Denton County, to build towards the future of the Democratic Party and a return to victory.

Article III.

Section 1. Membership in this organization shall be open to any Democrat who is 14 years of age or older, but has not attained the age of 41 years. Any eligible Democrat may become a member of this organization by completing an application blank. All members of this organization shall be members of Texas Young Democrats.

Section 2. A Democrat, for membership purposes, is defined as any person who subscribes to the following pledge:

“I, undersigned person, do now support the principles of the National Democratic Party. I pledge to further the causes and interests of the Democratic Party in Denton County. Resignation from this organization will release me from the pledge.”

Section 3. The application for membership shall contain the following information:

1) name and address of person seeking membership

2) applicant’s date of birth

3) date of application

4) the pledge specified in Section 2 of this article, which shall be signed by the applicant and witnessed by at least one member of the Texas Young Democrats personally present.

Section 4. A member in good standing will be considered a delegate to any Texas Young Democrat activity or annual convention. As stated in the Texas Young Democrats Constitution Section 202a, Regular Members are, “an individual who has membership in an affiliated organization is deemed be a member of the Texas Young Democrats upon the charting of that organization with the Texas Young Democrats for the present year. The member shall be counted in awarding delegates to the various affiliated clubs. Each member shall have regular membership in only one club at a time.”

Section 5. A member is considered to be in good standing unless:

1. The member has failed to attend three consecutive regular meetings.
2. The member has taken verifiable action against the interests of the Denton County Young Democrats.

Section 6. The Executive Committee may absolve a member’s lack of good standing at its sole discretion based on legitimate reasons causing conditions in Article 3, Section 5, Paragraph 1.

Section 7. Any member not in good standing due to conditions in Article 3, Section 5, Paragraph 2, will be subject to expulsion from the Denton County Young Democrats at the next regular meeting by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of members present and voting, provided that notice of this proposed action has been given at the prior regular meeting. Any member subject to expulsion for such reasons shall be afforded the opportunity to defend his or her actions and controvert any evidence presented as verification of actions against the interests of the Denton County Young Democrats.

Article IV.

Section 1. Regular meetings of this organization shall be held the second Wednesday of each month and shall be called by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Special meetings shall be held when necessary and shall be called by the President and two (2) members of the Executive Committee or by any seven (7) members.

Section 3. All members of the organization shall be notified at least five (5) days in advance of any meeting.

Section 4. The organization in meeting assembled shall be the supreme policy-making authority of this organization, subject only to this Constitution, amendments to this Constitution, and Denton County Young Democrats bylaws.

Section 5. No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum of the regular members is present or two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee are present, unless a special circumstance is designated by the President and at least two members of the Executive Committee. In such a case, a 2/3 majority vote (two-thirds) shall be considered equal to a quorum for policy-making purposes.

Section 6. No member shall be eligible to vote in any meeting unless she or he is a member in good standing.

Section 7. No member shall be eligible to propose business or policy to be voted on by assembled members in an official meeting unless she or he is a member in good standing.

Article V.

Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Parliamentarian, a Texas Young Democrats State Executive Committee Representative, and any other officers the organization shall approve.

Section 2. All officers shall be elected at a regular meeting in the month of July, and shall serve until their successors are elected.

Section 3. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote.

Section 4. Any officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of members present and voting at any regular organization meeting, provided that notice of this proposed action has been given at a prior meeting. Any officer shall be automatically removed upon failure to attend three consecutive meetings of the Denton County Young Democrats or the Executive Committee, except that the organization may, by majority vote, excuse such actions.

Section 5. In the event of a vacancy in any office, the office shall be filled by special election at the next regular meeting of the organization.  In the case of a vacation of the office of President, the Vice-President will serve as President pro tempore until said special election.  In the case of a vacation of any other office, the President may appoint someone to serve in the vacated position pro tempore until said special election.

Section 6. All officers shall serve on the Executive Committee, and have the duties and powers stated in this Constitution.

1. The President shall preside at all the meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee of this organization, and with the approval of said Executive Committee, appoint members and chairpersons of all committees, and call regular meetings of the organization.
   
2. The Vice-President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President and serve as Membership Committee Chair.
   
3. The Secretary shall take minutes of organization meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and keep complete records of the actions of the organization.
   
4. The Treasurer shall keep all monies of the organization in a special bank account, disburse monies on the order of the organization or the Executive Committee, keep complete financial records, and present reports at each meeting of the organization and the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall also serve as Finance Committee Chair.
   
5. The Parliamentarian shall maintain and enforce parliamentary procedure at meetings adherent to Robert’s Rules of Order Revised.
   

1. The Texas Young Democrats State Executive Committee Representative shall act as liaison between the Denton County Young Democrats and the Texas Young Democrats, shall pursue and advance the interests of the Denton County Young Democrats within the Texas Young Democrats, and shall attend meetings of the Texas Young Democrats State Executive Committee whenever possible.

Article VI.

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers, and all committee chairs. They shall meet at the call of the President or any three members. The Executive Committee shall:

1. Set the time, date and place and agenda of meetings
2. Suggest policy to the organization
3. Authorize expenditures of money when necessary
4. Take action in the name of organization, when necessary, subject to the approval of the organization at the next meeting

Section 2. The Steering Committee shall be composed of Presidential appointees. It shall act in an advisory role to the President.

Article VII.

Section 1. This organization shall have the following standing committees:

1. Campaign Coordination & Candidate Screening
2. Finance & Fund-Raising
3. Membership
4. Issues, Media, & Message
5. Strategic Planning & Assessment
6. Social Activities

Section 2. The President may form temporary committees to meet any needs that arise in the administration of the organization.

Section 3. The President shall have the power to appoint a chair to any committee to which the chair is not elected outright. This appointment requires a majority vote approval by regular standards.

Section 4. The duties of the standing committees include, but are not limited to:

1. Campaign Coordination & Candidate Screening

1. Identifying candidates to which the organization shall offer aid to

1. Coordinating volunteer activities for the organization’s members in aid to a candidate or issue campaign

1. Finance

1. The Finance Committee shall be comprised of four members available to the group on a daily or semi-daily basis, which considers and approves or disapproves all expenditures on a majority vote basis.

1. This committee shall be comprised of the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, and one additional member to be drawn from the Executive Committee, nominated by the Treasurer.
2. The Finance Committee shall approve and implement a budget, detailing all proposed and actual expenditures made by the Denton County Young Democrats.
3. The President shall be authorized to write checks amounting to no more than $100 twice a month for unforeseen or contingency administrative expenditures, and have such access to funds as to enable the President to exercise said authority.
4. The Denton County Young Democrats shall not make expenditures or raise funds that are not strictly for administrative purposes or party-building activities.

1. Membership

1. Increasing and maintaining membership at all applicable age levels

1. Issues, Media, & Message

1. Communications and media relations

1. Message management and framing
   

1. Steering Committee

1. Overall, broad-scope direction for the organization

1. Strategic planning and assessment

1. Social Activities

1. Arrange social events

1. Aid Finance Chair in event planning for fundraisers

Section 5. Any member in good standing at any meeting may propose additional Committees. Approval for committee formation requires majority vote.

Section 6. Membership of committees is open to any member in good standing, except for:

1. The Executive Committee, to which membership requirements are previously defined in this Constitution; and
2. The Steering Committee, to which membership requirements are previously defined in this Constitution.

Article VIII.

Except as otherwise provided, Robert’s Rules of Order Revised via the Parliamentarian shall be the parliamentary authority of this organization. In the event of conflict, the Constitution of the Denton County Young Democrats shall prevail over all other documents.

ARTICLE IX.

Section 1: No member may individually use the name of Denton County Young Democrats in endorsing any candidate for office.

Section 2: The Denton County Young Democrats may collectively endorse Democratic candidates in local, state, and federal elections of any kind; and city or state referendums, ordinances, or amendments that are on the ballot in a general election or a special election. The membership by a two-third vote must approve to endorse such candidates, referendums, ordinances, or amendments and it will be the job of the Executive Committee to produce a procedure for the endorsement.

Article X.

This Constitution shall become effective when adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting at the meeting. Amendments to the Constitution, after its adoption, may be introduced at any regular meeting of the organization, and shall be voted on at the next regular meeting. Amendments approved by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting shall be adopted.

Ratified by two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting on this 12th day of July, 2006.