By Laws
The Governing By-laws of the Democratic Party of Milton Township
Article One: Name.
The name of the Organization is the Democratic Party of Milton Township.
Article Two: Purpose.
The purpose of the Democratic Party of Milton Township is to promote the values of the Democratic Party and to elect Democratic candidates within the area of Milton Township, DuPage County, in the State of Illinois.
Article Three: Membership in the Democratic Party of Milton Township
Section One: Eligibility for Membership.
Residents of Milton Township, DuPage County, in the State of Illinois, who have chosen a Democratic ballot in the last most recent partisan primary election or have chosen a Democratic ballot in at least two of the last four most recent partisan primary elections, are eligible for membership in the Democratic Party of Milton Township. Elected and appointed Milton Township Democratic Precinct Committee people, Democratic Election Judges, Democratic Candidates and Officeholders, and other Milton Democrats are therefore eligible for membership.
Section Two: Members.
Members are persons eligible for membership who have paid their annual dues to the Organization.
Dues are proposed by the Executive Board and must be approved by the membership at a regular meeting. The Executive Board may waive dues in the case of hardship and grant membership in exceptional circumstances.
Non-Resident Members: Democrats residing outside Milton Township may apply for non-resident membership status. Such members will not have voting privileges in election of officers or other party business at meetings of the Democratic Party of Milton Township.
Section Three: Rights of Members.
All members may speak and vote on all matters at the meetings of the Organization and may propose such resolutions as they believe may benefit the Organization. All members shall be have access to an up-to-date and accurate version of the current By-laws, to accurate prior minutes of the Organization and of the Executive Board, to Executive Board Rules and organizational information, and to financial information about the Organization. Requests by members for information shall be directed to the Secretary.
Section Four: Member Benefits.
The Organization provides many developmental benefits to its members, and a variety of opportunities to gain experience, to serve the community, and to help form the direction of our governments and of our lives. Members may request support on issues and for candidates. Members also receive the Organization’s periodic newsletter and other communications.
Article Four: The Executive Board of the Democratic Party of Milton Township.
Section One: Governance.
Responsibility for the management, direction, and governance of the Democratic Party of Milton Township, consistent with the law, resides in an Executive Board consisting of all of the elected Officers of the Organization.
The Executive Board shall be bound by the decisions of the membership.
Section Two: Executive Board - Duties and Responsibilities.
The business of the Executive Board shall be conducted at such meetings where due notice has been given to all Officers. A quorum shall be a majority of current Officers. Decisions shall be made based upon a majority vote of all Officers present and voting, so long as a majority of current Officers is present.
The Executive Board shall have the authority to set the time and place of meetings of the Organization; to designate people to conduct such meetings; to establish Committees and appoint Committee Chairs with the advice and consent of the Officer to whom it is responsible; to review the actions and budgets of committees and to disband them; to resolve disputes among Officers; to undertake such tasks and projects as may benefit the Organization; to supervise the overall operations of the Organization; to review and to approve fund-raising, financial expenditures, and other financial matters; and to propose rules for the operation of the Organization.
Section Three: The Nominations Committee.
Within six months of taking Office, the Chairperson, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint a Nominations Committee, consisting of two members at large and one Officer, to identify potential successors and to fill vacancies of Officers as may occur. One month prior to elections, the Nominations Committee shall recommend to the membership at least one person for each Office.
Section Four: Annual Reports to the Membership.
Each February, the Chairperson is responsible for securing the input of all Officers and for submitting a comprehensive written report to the membership on the work of the Executive Board during the past year and a plan for the remainder of the current year.
Each February, the Treasurer is responsible for submitting a written report to the membership on the financial activities of the Organization during the year and of the financial condition of the Organization as of the end of the year. That written report shall also include comparisons to the activities and expenditures of the prior year and to the condition of the Organization as of the end of the prior year and a budget for the remainder of the current year.
Article Five: Officers.
Section One: Qualifications of Officers.
Any member of the Democratic Party of Milton Township is eligible to be elected an Officer of the Organization.
Section Two: Officers and their Duties.
1. Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Executive Board and coordinate the activities of the other Officers and of the Organization. The Chairperson is responsible for keeping all Officers fully informed of the current actions and directions of the Executive Board and the Organization.
2. Operations Officer. The Operations Officer shall manage activites associated with elections. The responsibilities of this Office include but are not limited to maintaining and increasing the number of elected and appointed Democratic precinct committeemen; coordinating activities designed to help elect and support Democratic candidates and to get out the vote including the distribution of literature and campaign signs; providing other precinct services to precinct committee people including training, the research and development of campaign issues, and analysis of results; maintaining and increasing the number of Democratic election judges; coordinating the Organization’s efforts to guarantee fair elections; registering new voters; coordinating election poll-watchers; and maintaining liaison to the County Election Commission.
3. Outreach Officer. The Outreach Officer shall manage efforts to promote the values of the Democratic Party and to market the Organization within the Community. The responsibilities of this Office include but are not limited to communicating with the public, the media, and with external organizations; providing liaison with city, township, county and state governments; organizing and executing plans for events; coordinating outreach programs in the community and with and for minority groups; and raising funds.
4. Secretary. The Secretary shall manage efforts to ensure organizational integrity and to provide member services. The responsibilities of this Office include but are not limited to communications with the membership, meeting planning and support; preparation and maintenance of meeting minutes; membership services including the maintenance of membership databases, Organization records, and the Organization’s website; and the coordination of technical computer and legal services as needed.
5. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall manage the financial activities of the Organization. The responsibilities of this Office include but are not limited to maintaining the financial records of the Organization; receiving and disbursing funds with the approval of the Executive Board; reporting monthly to the membership on the financial status of the Organization; completing required government reports; and providing accounting, budgeting, and financial advice to the Organization.
Section Three: Rights and Duties of All Officers.
The resources of the Organization and information about the activities, decisions, and directions of the Executive Board and of the Organization shall not be withheld from any Officer. Any Officer may present to the members for final resolution disputes not satisfactorily resolved in the Executive Board.
Each Officer is responsible for managing and organizing the activities of his or her Office and for recommending to the Executive Board the establishment of Committees. Officers and all Committee Chairs are responsible for training and developing the members who assist them in their duties and functions and identifying potential successors.
Section Four: Election of Officers.
The election of Officers shall be held at the regular March meeting of the Democratic Party of Milton Township immediately following the last most recent general election held in the State of Illinois. The Executive Board shall provide rules for the fair and equitable conduct of elections, which shall be subject to the approval of the membership. The membership may nominate and may elect any eligible member as an Officer.
The term of each Officer begins upon election and ends at the next election for that Office.
To promote the growth and development of the Organization, its Officers, and its members, the terms of all Officers shall be limited to two consecutive terms in Office. This provision does not bar former Officers from holding other Offices or from being elected after an intervening term to the Office previously held.
In order to ensure an efficient transfer of authority, each Officer at the end of the term shall transfer to his or her successor all information in any way relating to that Office.
Section Five: Removal and Replacement of Officers.
Any Officer of the Organization may be removed from Office for good and sufficient reason by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Organization present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the Organization. Removal may occur only after all members have been provided notice of such purpose and a period of one month has expired. The Officer who is the subject of removal may not preside at the meeting where removal is debated and decided.
In the event of the resignation or removal of the Chairperson, the Operations Officer shall temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Chairperson, pending an election by the members. Except as described above in the case of the Chairperson, the unexpired term of an Officer arising by resignation or removal shall be filled by election of the members at the second next regular meeting following resignation or removal. The Executive Board is responsible for handling the duties of the vacant Office in the interim before election.
Article Six: Meetings.
Section One: Time and Place of Meetings.
Regular meetings shall be held monthly at a time and place designated by the Executive Board. Special meetings may be held at such other times and places and on such matters as determined by the Executive Board, or by resolution of the membership at a regular meeting. Special meetings shall also be called with five days notice, upon receipt of a petition signed by twenty-five percent of the membership.
Section Two: Notice of Meetings.
Five days in advance of any meeting of the Organization, all members shall be provided notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting, a proposed agenda of business to be discussed, and the minutes of the prior meeting. For purposes of these By-laws, notice shall mean any method of communication reasonably expected to reach the member.
Section Three: Conduct of Meetings.
Each meeting of the Organization shall be presided over by a person designated by the Executive Board. The meeting shall be organized pursuant to an agenda which was previously distributed and which may be amended at the meeting by majority vote of all members present and voting. The meeting shall be conducted applying the most current version of Robert’s Rules of Order. Each regular meeting shall provide an opportunity for members to raise new business of concern to them.
The Organization welcomes non-members at its meetings. However, the person assigned by the Executive Board to preside at the meeting may limit the attendance and participation of non-members.
Article Seven: Amendments to these By-laws.
Members of the Organization may propose amendments to these By-laws at any time, by submitting a written copy of the proposal to any Officer of the Organization. The Officer receiving the proposed amendment shall promptly forward the proposal to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall inform the membership and expeditiously schedule a regular or special meeting of the Organization to address the proposal.
These By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Organization present and voting at the meeting. The By-laws may be amended only after all the members have been provided notice of such purpose and the period of one month has expired.