Democratic Party of Orange County Bylaws

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Article I.  Name, Purpose and Governance

Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Orange County Democratic Central Committee, hereafter called the County Committee.

Section 2.  Purpose

The County Committee shall have charge of the party campaign in Orange County and shall perform such duties and services as benefit the Democratic Party.

Section 3.  Governance

These bylaws shall govern the organization, operation, and functions of the County Committee.  Legal authority is vested in these bylaws and governed by the California Election Code and by the California Democratic Party, hereafter called CDP.

Article II.  Membership

Section 1.  Elected Members

1. Elected members shall be registered Democrats elected from Assembly Districts at the Direct

Primary election in each even numbered year and shall consist of six (6) members elected from each Assembly District.  Each member shall reside in the district he/she represents and shall be elected at-large within his/her Assembly District.

1. Elected members shall have all the rights and privileges enumerated in the bylaws.
2. Any vacancies shall be filled as provided for in this Article, Section 8 of these bylaws.
3. An elected member is entitled to a ballot designation of “Incumbent” upon seeking re-election to the County Committee at the next Direct Primary election

Section 2.  Appointed Members.

1. Appointed members derive their membership through appointment to a seat vacated by an elected member, as provided for in this Article, Section 8.
2. An appointed member shall have all the rights and privileges of an elected member, except an appointed member shall not be entitled to a ballot designation of “Incumbent” upon seeking election to the County Committee at the next Direct Primary election, but is entitled to a ballot designation of “Appointed Incumbent”.

Section 3.  Ex-Officio Members

1. Any Democratic nominee for, and any Democrat elected to either the State Senate, Assembly, or House of Representatives, at either a general or special election, whose district lies wholly or partially within the County of Orange, is an ex-officio member of the County Committee.
2. The Democratic nominee for each of the following offices shall be an ex-officio member of the County Committee if he/she resides in the County of Orange:
3. Governor
4. Lt. Governor
5. Secretary of State
6. Controller
7. Treasurer
8. Attorney General
9. State Board of Equalization
10. U.S. Senator
11. Superintendent of Public Instruction
12. Insurance Commissioner
13. Regional Director/s of the CDP for Orange County shall be ex-officio member/s.
14. Ex-officio members shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of other members, except ex-officio members are not entitled to a ballot designation of “Incumbent” upon seeking election to the County Committee at the next Direct Primary election.

Section 4.  Alternates

1. Each member of the County Committee shall designate an alternate.  Such designation shall be in writing and filed with the Secretary of the County Committee.  The alternate will take the oath of office required by members, either orally or in writing
2. Each alternate shall pay dues and meet the same qualifications as the County Committee member appointing him/her and shall be subject to the same rules, regulations and responsibilities of the County Committee.
3. An alternate shall have a voice and motion at all regular and special County Committee meetings and shall be entitled to vote in the absence of the member who appointed the alternate. An alternate has all the rights and privileges of a member in the absence of the member who appointed the alternate, unless as otherwise provided in these bylaws.
4. An alternate may hold membership on any Standing or Special Committee.
5. An alternate may hold an office of the County Committee designated in Article IV, An alternate may not be elected by the County Committee to the Democratic State Executive Board, as provided for in Article XIII.
6. The alternate shall be counted for purpose of a quorum at County Committee meetings, only when the member for whom he/she is the alternate is absent.
7. The term of an alternate shall be the same as the member designating him/her, except that such member may remove the alternate at any time by written notice to the Secretary, provided that such notice be received by the Secretary at least two (2) business days in advance of the regular, special or sub-committee meeting for which it is to be effective.
8. The office of an alternate may be declared or become vacant in the manner provided in Sections 6 and 7 of this Article, except that Section 6 B does not apply to alternates.

Section 5.  Associates

1. There are two (2) types of associates: any member of the Democratic National Committee who resides in Orange County; and, an appointed or elected representative from each Orange County Democratic Club that is chartered by the County Committee as provided in these bylaws after written notification of the County Committee of the name of its representative.
2. Associates shall have a voice at all regular, standing and special committee meetings, but shall not be entitled to vote.
3. The office of an associate may be declared or become vacant in the manner provided in Section 6 and 7 of this Article, except that Section 6 B does not apply to associates.
4. An associate is not entitled to appoint an alternate.

Section 6. Removal

1. The office of any member, alternate or associate, may be declared vacant by resolution of the County Committee if any member, alternate or associate, affiliates with or registers as a member of another party, publicly advocates that voters not vote for an endorsed nominee of the Democratic Party, gives support or avows a preference for a candidate of another party or a candidate who is opposed to a candidate nominated and endorsed by this party.
2. Any member except an ex-officio or associate, shall be deemed to have resigned his/her office if three (3) consecutive regular or five (5) meetings in total are missed during his/her term, unless such member is unable to attend for medical reasons, work related reasons, family necessity or absence from the County and such absence is reported to the Secretary.
3. The attendance of an alternate in the absence of a member does not fulfill the member’s attendance requirements under 6 B of this Article.
4. The office of any member shall be deemed vacant if that member dies, resigns, is removed or becomes ineligible or is disqualified.

Section 7.  Procedure for Removal

1. No member, alternate or associate, may be removed from the County Committee pursuant to Section 6 A of this Article unless said removal is listed as an agenda item in the meeting notice sent out by the Secretary pursuant to Article V, Section 3.  The County Committee Chair shall provide the member at least ten (10) days written notice that such action shall be taken at the next meeting and shall provide that the member have an opportunity to be heard at that meeting.
2. In the event of removal of any member, alternate or associate, the Secretary shall direct a letter to such member at his/her last known address advising him/her of the action taken by the County Committee.

Section 8.  Appointment to Vacant Seat

1. If the office of any member, other than an ex-officio member, is declared vacant, the Chair shall inform the County Committee of the vacancy at the next regularly scheduled meeting and take nominations to fill the vacancy.  Further nominations and the election shall take place at the subsequent meeting.
2. Any Democrat residing in the Assembly District of the vacated seat is eligible to fill the vacancy and all members of the County Committee shall vote to fill the vacancy.
3. Whenever any person is appointed to fill a vacancy on a committee, the Chair of the committee shall file notices of the appointment with the elections official and the Chair of the California DSCC within 30 days after it is made. The notices shall contain the name and address of the person appointed and the name of the person replaced, and shall indicate the date of the appointment.

Article III.  Duties of Elected, Appointed and Ex-Officio Members

Section 1.  Duties

1. All members shall read and become familiar with the Bylaws of this Committee.  All members and alternates shall sign their voting cards.
2. Members shall elect County Committee officers, representatives to the CDP, and a representative from each Assembly District to the County Committee Executive Committee.
3. Members shall maintain regular attendance at County Committee meetings, or provide reasons, as specified in Article II, Section 6 B.  All members shall sign the attendance roster at every meeting to receive their voting card.  At the end of every meeting each member shall return their voting cards.
4. Members shall appoint an alternate and inform the Secretary and their alternate when they are unable to attend a meeting, but the attendance of an alternate does not excuse the member’s absence, as specified in Article II, Section 6 C.
5. Members and alternates shall pay annual dues, as specified in Article XVIII, Section 1, and Article II, Section 4 B.
6. County Committee members shall serve on one or more Standing or Special Committees.
7. Members shall attend chartered Democratic club meetings in their Assembly District area and should:
8. Serve as liaison with any chartered Democratic clubs and report activities to the Communications Chair.
9. Coordinate and assist with year-round voter registration through the Voter Registration Chair.
10. Encourage and help qualified Democrats to run for legislative positions and public offices and notify the Candidate Recruitment and Services Chair of vacancies in local officers and of potential candidates.

Article IV.  Officers

Section 1.  Committee Officers

The officers of the County Committee shall consist of the following:

1. Chair
2. Vice Chair
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer

Section 2.  Election of Officers

1. The Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by a vote of the majority of the membership at the biennial organizational meeting of the County Committee.  Candidates must be elected members, appointed, alternate members or ex-officio members.
2. The nomination and election of officers shall be by elected, appointed and ex-officio members.
3. The immediate preceding Election Chair of the County Committee shall conduct the election of officers.  If the preceding Election Chair is a candidate for one of the offices, or unavailable, then the preceding Election Chair shall appoint a temporary designee who may not be a candidate for any office. 

Section 3.  Removal of Officers

1. Grounds for Removal:
2. Represents his/her views as being those of the Central Committee and/or the Democratic Party
3. Commits the Central Committee to a course of action and/or financial expenditure without authorization to do so

B.  An officer can be removed for misconduct or neglect of duty. 
Any office may be declared vacant in the following instances:

1. If an officer submits his/her resignation, either orally at a regularly scheduled meeting or in writing to the Secretary or the Chair.
2. If an officer is removed by resolution of the County Committee.
3. If an officer is elected to another office of the County Committee.

Section 4.  Procedure for Removal

Any officer of the County Committee may be removed by resolution of the County Committee in the following manner:

1. When at least three (3) elected, appointed or ex-officio members give notice to all members, of their intention to propose removal of an officer, at least (10) days in advance of a regularly scheduled meeting.
2. At the next regularly scheduled meeting, following a vote to remove the officer by two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting, the office shall be declared vacant.

Section 5.  Appointment of Vacant Office

If the office of any officer becomes or is declared vacant, his/her successor shall be elected from elected, appointed or ex-officio members or alternates at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 6.  Limitation of Terms of Office

There shall be no limitation on the number of terms an officer may serve.

Article V.  Duties of Officers and Appointed Positions

Section 1.  Chair

1. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the County Committee and the EC.
2. The Chair shall report all significant actions taken in the name of the County Committee and of the Orange County Democratic Party, and the actions of the EC, particularly decisions regarding expenditures on behalf of campaigns and candidates at every meeting of the County Committee.
3. The Chair shall appoint the Chairs of all Standing Committees, the Sergeant-At-Arms, the Parliamentarian, and the Historian within sixty (60) days of taking office.
4. The Chair shall appoint Chair(s) of Special Committees(s) as he/she deems appropriate.
5. The Chair shall present for approval to the County Committee, within sixty (60) days of taking office, a two (2) year program outlining goals including a preliminary budget, with the principal activities and projects designed and scheduled to accomplish those goals.
6. The Chair shall act as Executive Officer and shall perform such other functions as these bylaws prescribe.
7. The Chair shall require the County Committee to maintain liability insurance for the activities of the County Committee.
8. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of every Standing and Special committee.
   

Section 2.  Vice Chair

1. The Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair during the Chair’s absence, or when necessary to vacate the Chair under Robert’s Rules of Order.
2. The Vice Chair shall be an ex-officio member of every Standing and Special committee.
3. The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair to perform his/her duties as they both shall agree.

Section 3.  Secretary

1. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, true and accurate minutes and attendance records of all County Committee meetings.
2. The Secretary shall maintain an updated membership list of County Committee members, inform the CDP of changes within ten (10) days of notification of the change and shall have present a card bearing the true signature of each member and alternate at all meetings of the County Committee.
3. With respect to signatures offered in support of a resolution, the Secretary or a member acting on behalf of the Secretary who is not a signatory supporting a resolution, shall use the signature cards to establish the authority of the signatures submitted.
4. The Secretary shall give notice to all members of the time, place an agenda of each County Committee meeting, whether regular or special, at least three (3) days before it shall be held.  The notice shall include copies of resolutions scheduled for discussion and a copy of the proposed minutes of the last regular or special meeting.
5. The Secretary shall maintain records of attendance of County Committee representatives to the CDP Executive Board and CDP Conventions.
6. The Secretary shall keep a record of absence requests from members and shall notify a member who has been absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings or absent from five (5) regular meetings without excuses, or other reasons, that his/her office has been deemed vacated pursuant to Article II, Section 6.

Section 4.  Treasurer

1. In conjunction with the Chair, the Treasurer shall develop a preliminary budget reflecting the two (2) year program plan proposed by the Chair within sixty (60) days of taking office.
2. The Treasurer shall provide the following:
3. A biennial operations budget, projecting sources of income and operating expenses including liability insurance that detail the ordinary business costs for the County Committee and its headquarters operations, shall be presented to the Executive Committee within sixty days (60) after the biennial organizational meeting.  Upon approval by the EC, it shall be presented to the members for adoption at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
4. A written Treasurer’s report at regularly scheduled meetings of both the Executive Committee and the County Committee.
5. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.

Section 5.  Sergeant-At-Arms

The Sergeant-At-Arms shall maintain order and may expel any member who is determined by the Chair to be out of order.

Section 6.  Parliamentarian

1. The Parliamentarian, upon request of the Chair, shall advise the Chair and members of the County Committee as to the proper procedures for the conduct of meetings, relying upon these bylaws, the State Election Code, CDP bylaws and Robert’s Rulers of Order.
2. The Parliamentarian shall be available to the Chair during Executive Committee and County Committee meetings.

Section 7.  Historian

The Historian shall maintain a written historical record of the County Committee membership, officers and special events.

Article VI.   Controller

• The Controller shall receive, deposit in a financial institution approved by the County Committee, and safeguard all funds of the County Committee.
• The Controller shall disburse such funds in accordance with Article IX, Section 3A and shall keep a true and accurate accounting of receipts and disbursals.
• The Controller shall prepare and file reports as required by federal, state and county regulations.
• The Controller shall prepare an annual audit to be presented to the County Committee within sixty (60) days following the end of the fiscal year.
• The Controller may be compensated either as an employee or as an independent contractor.  Any compensation agreement must be approved by the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee may enter into an indemnification agreement with the Controller.  Any such agreement must be approved by the Executive Committee.

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