Bylaws/Rules

Much like a healthy democracy, a well-functioning organization is open and forthright with membership. All individuals deserve the ability to understand the channels of power within their community, and have a right to access the mechanisms of power.

A healthy, warm and welcoming organization is comfortable sharing its rules with nonmembers. On those grounds, we post our bylaws and rules.

Note: Our bylaws our currently under review. Changes are expected within the coming months.

Click here for a printable version of the bylaws.

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Bylaws of the Democratic Party of Milton Township
Article I Name

This organization shall be known as the Democratic Party of Milton Township.

Article II Purpose

The purpose of this organization is to organize the precinct committeepersons of Milton Township to work for good government, to establish effective two-party government in DuPage County through active support of the Democratic Party, its principles and candidates, to cooperate with the DuPage County Democratic Central Committee, and to bring about the election of Democratic candidates for national, state, county, electoral and township offices.

Article III Members

All Milton Township Democratic Precinct Committeepersons are eligible to be members of the Milton Township Democratic Organization. Membership shall be awarded to all elected or appointed precinct committeepersons, provided that membership shall not be awarded to committeepersons who actively support candidates of other parties or who fail to support the national Democratic Party platform. Membership shall be awarded by a majority vote of the executive committee of the organization.

Article IV Officers

The committeepersons shall elect from their number a Chairperson, a First Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Chairperson, First, Second and Third Vice-Chairpersons shall constitute the Executive Committee which is charged with conducting the affairs of the organization.

Section 1. (a) Election of officers and amendment of by-laws and disbursement of funds shall be by committeepersons only.

(b) Vote shall be by show of hands or voice vote. A majority of members present and voting shall decide.

Section 2. Elections shall be held at the next regular meeting of this organization following the biennial convention of the DuPage County Central Committee. Election for all officers shall be governed by the provisions of Article V.

Section 3. The terms of all officers shall be for two years with a consecutive three-term limit. In the event an officer becomes permanently unable to discharge the duties of that office, the unexpired term shall be filled by election at the next regular meeting of the members. This election shall be published in the notice of the meeting at which election will take place.

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the chairperson to preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be kept informed of actions taken on behalf of the organization by the officers and committees thereof. It may create special committees as it deems necessary and appoint the members thereof, whose terms shall be coextensive with that of the Committee.

Section 5. In the event of the inability of the Chairperson to discharge the duties of the office, they shall be performed by the First Vice-Chairperson, and successively the Second and Third Vice-Chairpersons.

Section 6. The First Vice-Chairperson shall be in charge of precinct organization. The duties shall include finding committeepersons for vacant precincts, helping find people to aid committee persons, instructing such people in techniques of precinct work, organizing canvassing of precincts, distributing campaign literature, and other such tasks as pertain to precinct organization, e.g. appointing and supervising zone captains.

Section 7. The Second Vice-Chairperson shall be in charge of judges of election. These duties shall include maintenance of a full compliment of election judges, obtaining timely information from the County Election Commission concerning the judge certification process, polling places, dates of schools for judges' instruction and other such information necessary for the orderly conduct of the election day duties of the judges.

Section 8. The Third Vice-Chairperson shall be in charge of fundraising. Those duties shall include organizing and implementing ways and means of raising funds to finance the business of the organization. The Third Vice-Chairperson shall cooperate with the Executive Committee in setting financial goals for the organization.

Section 9. The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence for the organization; shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings; shall be responsible for the custody of all records and files, including current membership lists; shall cause advance notice of all meetings to be given to the members. In the event of the temporary inability of the Secretary to discharge the duties of the office, they shall be performed by a member appointed by the Chairperson.

Section 10. (a) The Treasurer shall receive and deposit all monies and securities of the organization and shall maintain accurate books and accounts of receipts and expenditures, of bank and credit balances; shall be responsible for all disbursements of funds of the organization; shall be responsible for filing the required timely financial statements; and shall make no disbursement without the signature approval of the Chairperson.

(b) The Treasurer shall submit an oral report at each regular meeting of the expenditures and income of the organization since the preceding meeting, and of the current treasury balance. A written audited report shall be submitted at the biennial election of officers showing assets and liabilities of the organization, and at such other times as requested by the Chairperson or by two or more committeepersons of the organization.

(c) In the event of the inability of both the Chairperson and all the Vice-Chairpersons to discharge the duties of the Chairperson's office, then the Treasurer shall perform the duties of that office in addition to the duties as Treasurer. In the event of the temporary inability of the Treasurer to discharge the duties of the office, they shall be performed by a member appointed by the Chairperson and approved by a vote of the committeepersons.

Article VI Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held monthly as called by the Chairperson and at such other times and at such places as may from time to time be designated by a majority of the Executive Committee. Date, time and place may be changed, or the meeting may be canceled, as decided by a majority of the Executive Committee. Notice of such changes or cancellations shall be given in writing to members by e-mail or regular mail notice.

Section 2. Special meetings may be held at the call of the Executive Committee, or upon request of 25% of all members. For purposes of this article, "Special Meeting" is defined as a meeting other than the regular monthly meeting where attendees will discuss and vote on township party business but does not include meetings of the township party's executive committee.

Section 3. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of a majority of the members of this organization present and voting.

Section 4. Five day notice of all regular or special meetings shall be given to members. Notice may be by e-mail or direct mail. A proposed agenda for all meetings may be included with the meeting notice or, if not included, shall be provided at least two days before the meeting.

Article VI Rules of Order

The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall apply in all meetings of this organization except insofar as they conflict with these By-Laws. The Chairperson shall appoint a parliamentarian for any given meeting.

Article VII Amendment of Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended during a regular membership meeting by a two-thirds vote, provided the text of any proposed amendment has been presented in writing to the Chair by at least two members during the previous regular membership meeting. The Chair shall cause such proposed amendment to be set forth in full in the notice given of such meeting where the amendment may be voted upon.

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Paid for by the Democratic Party of Milton Township and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
A copy of our report filed with the County Clerk is (or will be) available for purchase from the DuPage County Clerk's office, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.