Bylaws of the Democratic Party of Wyoming County, as amended January 24, 2023

 

RULE ONE: ORGANIZATION

Section 101: Name: This organization shall be known as the Democratic Party of Wyoming County.

 

Section 102: Management: The management of the Democratic Party of Wyoming County is vested in the county committee, according to the rules stated herein and the rules of the Democratic Party in the state of Pennsylvania.

 

Section 103: Conformity to the Rules of the Democratic Party in the State of Pennsylvania: All rules of the county committee, or its subordinate committees, shall conform to the rules of the Democratic Party of the State of Pennsylvania.

 

Section 104: Eligibility: Pursuant to the rules of the Democratic Party in the State of Pennsylvania, the following rules shall apply to the members and officers of the Democratic Party of Wyoming County.

 

A. Only regularly registered and enrolled Democratic electors shall be eligible to serve as members or officers of the county committee, or other subordinate committees.

B. No person may be a member or officer of the county committee, or any subordinate committee:

1. Who holds an appointive political office under an administration of any city, county, state, or national party opposed to the Democratic party (except officers of a judicial character or those who are appointed by courts or notaries public or commissioners of deeds).

2. Who has agreed or arranged with opponents of the Democratic Party to promote the election of any candidate opposed to the Democratic Party candidate.

3. Who by their voice, financial support, or public display within two years

has supported a candidate opposed to the Democratic Party candidate.

4. Who supported, aided, or abetted the enactment of legislation repugnant to the declared principles of the Democratic Party and expressed will of the majority of the representatives of the Democratic Party, in any legislative body where the same shall be under consideration.

C. No person may serve as Chair or Vice-Chair of the county committee who has not been a registered member of the Democratic Party for at least two years preceding the date of his election, or who holds an elective office guaranteed by law to the minority party, provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to jury commissioners.

D. Any member or officer of the county committee being disqualified under any provision of this section 104 shall be given a full hearing by the county committee.

E. Charges of violation shall be brought only by the executive committee, in the name of the county committee. The person accused shall be sent written notice to be mailed to the address stated in the secretary's book of rolls. Such written notice shall be mailed not less than ten days prior to the date of the hearing by the county committee. The chair of the county committee shall preside at all such hearings.

F. After full hearing of all the evidence submitted for and against the accused, the county committee, by the majority affirmative vote of those members of the committee present and voting, may find the charge or charges sustained by the evidence and may remove the person so accused from membership or office.

 

Section 105: The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used when there is a question of procedure during all committee meetings.

 

RULE TWO: COUNTY COMMITTEE, MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 201: Function: The county committee shall supervise, regulate, and direct the affairs of the Democratic Party of Wyoming County.

 

Section 202: Term of Members: The term of county committee members shall be for 4 years. Members shall be elected at the spring primary election during gubernatorial election years. For consistency with

the 10-signature requirement for petitioning onto the ballot, 10 write-in votes are also required to be elected on a write-in ballot as a Democratic Committeeperson. The County Director of Elections will

provide the Executive Committee with a list by precinct of all write-in candidates who had between 2 and 9 votes.

Section 203: Number of Members: Each election district in Wyoming County shall be entitled to elect two residents to serve as members of the county committee. Gender parity will be achieved where possible.

Section 204: Duties of Committee Members: All members of the county committee shall, in addition to other duties stated in these rules:

A. Recruit candidates for local offices of their local district as required.

B. Continuously solicit voter registrations.

C. Be accountable for the Democratic vote in all elections.

D. Attend all meetings of the county committee.

Section 205: After notice and opportunity for public hearing, and upon grounds found by the Executive Committee to constitute good and sufficient cause, the Executive Committee may remove any member by two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.

 

RULE THREE: COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Section 301: Time and Place: The county committee shall hold two regular meetings each year, at least 30 days prior to the primary and general elections. All other meetings shall be special meetings. Written notice of all meetings shall be e-mailed to all members.

Section 302: Order of Business: Order of business shall be as follows:

A. Call to order by the Chair

B. Roll call of committee members

C. Report of committees and treasurer

D. Old Business

E. New Business

F. Adjournment

Section 303: Voting, Quorum: The presence of 1/3 of the total membership of the county committee shall constitute a quorum. All action by the committee shall be by the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum. Voting shall be via voice, in body or roll call, as the presiding officer deems appropriate.

Votes may be cast only by member personally. Voting by proxy is prohibited.

Section 304: Special Meetings:

A. The chair may call special meetings at such times, places, and for such purposes as the chair determines.

B. Upon the written request of twenty-five percent or more of the members of the Committee, filed with the Chairperson within a period of thirty (30) days, it shall be the duty of the Chairperson within fifteen (15) days from receipt of such request to issue a call for a meeting of the Committee. The date of such meeting shall be fixed by the Chairperson not later than thirty (30) days

nor earlier than fifteen (15) days from the date of the call. If the chairman fails to convene such meeting, the vice-chair shall convene such meeting and

the vice-chair shall preside at the meeting so convened.

Section 305: Quadrennial Reorganization Meeting: Notwithstanding any other rules herein, the county committee shall hold a Quadrennial reorganization meeting for the purpose of election of a chair and other officers.

A. Such quadrennial reorganization meeting shall be held not later than the sixth Wednesday following the gubernatorial primary. At such meetings, the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Call to order

2. Roll call of committee members

3. Nomination and election of committee chair

4. Nomination and election of other officers

5. Other business

6. Adjournment

B. The incumbent chair shall preside at the quadrennial reorganization meeting until her/his successor is elected. Thereafter, the successor chair shall preside.

RULE FOUR: COMMITTEE OFFICERS

Section 401: Number: The officers of the county committee shall be Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 402:; Term of Office: The term of county committee officers shall be for 4 years, starting from the date of the quadrennial reorganization meeting of the county committee.

Section 403: Duties of the Chair:

A. The Chair shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the committee.

2. Exercise all powers of the first executive officer of the committee under normal parliamentary usage.

3. Have the power to call special meetings at such times, places, and for such

purposes as the chair determines.

4. Appoint a finance committee to monitor all financial matters of the county

committee.

a. The finance committee shall be composed of the treasurer plus two (2)

other committee members nominated by the county chairman.

Nomination must be confirmed by a majority of members at a meeting

with a quorum.

B. The chair shall be elected by the affirmative majority vote of the members present and voting at the quadrennial reorganization meeting.

C. The chair need not be an elected member of the county committee.

D. The chair shall be entitled to vote and voice in all matters coming before the committee.

Section 404: Duties and powers of the Vice Chair: The Vice-Chair shall perform all the duties and exercise all the powers of the chairman in the absence or disability of the Chair and shall assist the

Chair. The Vice-Chair shall exercise such other powers delegated to him by these rules.

Section 405: Duties and powers of the Treasurer: The treasurer shall have charge of all funds of the county committee. The treasurer shall:

A. Sign no check or other instrument unless the same is countersigned by the county chair.

B. Report on the condition of finances of the county committee at all regular meetings as directed by the chair.

C. Account for the financial condition of the county committee to the chair and the finance committee at any time required by the chair or such committee.

D. Be compensated at such rate for the performance of duties as the county committee determines.

Section 406: Duties and powers of the Secretary: The secretary shall:

A. Take the minutes of all committee meetings.

B. Record the name and mailing address of all members and officers of the committee.

C.. Call roll.

D. Have charge of committee documents and record and perform all other duties of a nature handled by

an organization secretary.

E. Assist the Chair and Executive Committee as requested by such officers, including the notification of members for committee purposes.

F. Be compensated at such a rate for the performance of duties as the county committee determines, provided, however, that the secretary's compensation shall be fixed prior to the election of the secretary.

G. Shall, within 30 days after the election of chairman, certify to the chair of the state committee the county committee members present and voting at the quadrennial organization meeting.

 

RULE FIVE: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 501: Powers of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the county committee and to all subordinate committees, and shall conduct the business of the county committee in the interim between meetings of the county committee, and shall disburse campaign funds.

Section 502: Members, Numbers, Officers: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and three additional members of the county committee, elected by the committee members. Officers of the county committee shall be officers of the Executive Committee.

Section 503: Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places as set by the rules of such committee, or by the chair.

 

RULE SIX: VACANCIES

 

Section 601: Vacancy in the Office of County Chair: Upon the death, resignation, or disability of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall call a special meeting of the county committee to meet within 30 days after such vacancy for the purpose of electing a chair to serve the remainder of the regular term.

 

Section 602: Vacancy in Offices: Upon a vacancy occurring in any office other than chair by reason of death, resignation, or disability, the Chair may appoint a member for the remainder of the regular term.

Section 603: Vacancy in Committee Membership: If vacancies exist in precincts, or upon the death, resignation, disability, or forfeiture of membership by any member of the county committee, the committee, by vote of majority, may appoint any qualified Democratic resident of Wyoming County to fill such a vacancy for the remainder of the regular term. Such appointments shall conform to article two, Section 203 of these by-laws.

Section 604: Section 604: Vacancies in Nominations: Whenever, by reason of death, resignation, disability, or any other reason, a duly nominated Democratic candidate for county office becomes ineligible to run or to be elected to the office for which he/she is nominated, and said vacancy cannot

be filled at a Primary Election under the law, the county committee shall select a person to fill such a vacancy on the ticket via a majority vote at the next monthly committee meeting. Candidate(s) all must interview via phone or in-person with at least 3 members of the Executive Committee prior to the monthly meeting. However, if the general election in question occurs prior to

the next monthly meeting, or if there are other deadlines imposed by the local, county, or state government that would require filling the vacancy prior to the next scheduled monthly meeting, such vacancy shall be filled solely by the Executive Committee, via a majority vote involving at least 3 members of the Executive committee (with at least 3 voting members being the ones who interviewed the candidates). In such circumstances, at least 3 members of the Executive Committee will interview candidate(s) via phone or in-person, and the Executive Committee members will communicate via email and/or phone to complete their voting.

Section 605: Limitation on Filling Vacancies: During the period of time intervening between the primary election at which the county committee members are elected and the quadrennial reorganization meeting of the county committee, no vacancies existing in the membership of the county

committee shall be filled, but all such vacancies shall be filled as soon as possible after the reorganization meeting in accordance with these rules.

 

RULE SEVEN: DISPUTED OR TIE ELECTION

 

Section 701: Disputed Election of Chair: Dispute as to the election of county chair shall be decided pursuant to rules of the Democratic Party in the State of Pennsylvania.

Section 702: Tie Election of Chair: Whenever a tie vote results in the election of the county chair, the tie shall be broken by drawing lots and the winner shall be declared elected to the office of the county

chair. The drawing of lots shall be supervised by the State Chair, at a time and place to be set by him/her.

 

RULE EIGHT: AMENDMENTS

 

Section 801: Procedural Vote: These rules may be amended by the affirmative majority vote of the members of the county committee present and voting at any regular meeting, or at the quadrennial meeting. Amendment of these rules at a special meeting is permissible, by the same vote but the written

notice of such special meeting shall state that an amendment of these rules is proposed.