SECTION 5 - DUES

Dues in an amount set by the Executive Board shall be due and payable upon joining the Club, and annually at the beginning of every calendar year thereafter.

SECTION 6 - VOTING

No proxy voting shall be permitted.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

SECTION 1 - ELECTED OFFICERS

Elected officers of the Club shall be the President, Vice President for Development, Vice President for Political Action, Secretary and Treasurer. Each shall be elected at the General meeting in May and hold office for one year.

SECTION 2 – DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS

A. President

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club. He/she shall preside over all General meetings of the Club and Executive Board meetings; make appointments to other positions as required; act as official spokesperson of the Club; make decisions for the Club on policy when specifically empowered to do so by the Executive Board; advise the membership of pertinent matters affecting the welfare of the Democratic Party and the Club; disburse funds of the Club within limits set by the Executive Board; and act as Treasurer in the absence or inability of the Treasurer. A president shall, on the election of his/her successor, become the immediate past- president. S/he may serve as a voting member of the Executive Board for two years, unless s/he had resigned or been removed from the presidency before the end of the term. In addition, the President should stimulate active interest in the political process, provide a constructive role for the active volunteer; contribute to effective leadership and individual responsibility; promote harmony among the Club membership, between other Clubs and within the San Diego County Democratic Party.

B. Vice-President for Development

The Vice President for Development shall preside at General meetings and Executive Board meetings in the absence or inability of the President and shall be jointly responsible for disbursing funds of the Club along with the President, within limits set by the Executive Board, and for coordinating Club activities related to programs, volunteers, special events, membership, fund-raising, and communications.

The Vice President for Political Action shall preside at General meetings and Executive Board meetings in the absence or inability of both the President and the Vice President for Development and shall be responsible for coordinating Club activities related to candidate and elected official evaluations, endorsements, political campaigns, voter registration, precinct organization, and legislative action.

D. Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the General meetings and Executive Board meetings, conduct correspondence, maintain the records of the Club, and be responsible for internal communications.

E. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of dues, receive and deposit all Club funds received; maintain an accurate record of Club receipts and expenditures; make the record of Club receipts and expenditures available to any member when requested; provide a report of the Club financial status at General meetings as requested; provide an annual written report of Club financial status; and provide all information necessary for periodic audits as may be directed by the Executive Board. In addition, the Treasurer shall be responsible for filing appropriate Federal and State campaign disclosure reports.

SECTION 3 - ELECTIONS

Elections shall be held each May at a General meeting. The President shall appoint a nominating committee, subject to approval of the Executive Board, no later than March 31, to select at least one candidate for each elective office and report their selections at the General meeting the following May. At that meeting the floor will be open for additional nominations and a secret ballot will be held if any positions are contested. Those nominees who receive a majority vote from members in good standing shall be declared elected. If no person receives a majority of votes cast, a run-off shall be held between those two persons receiving the greatest number of votes. The person receiving the majority of the votes shall be declared elected.

For the election of Club officers only, absentee ballots shall be accepted from members who are eligible to vote but unable to attend the General meeting at which the election is held. Policies and procedures for absentee balloting shall be prescribed by the Executive Board. For the election of Club officers, absentee ballots shall count toward a quorum.

Should any officer resign or fail to attend three General meetings or Executive Board meetings in a row without cause approved by the Executive Board, the Executive Board shall declare that office vacant and appoint a successor to that office to complete the unexpired term. Any such appointment shall, however, be approved by the membership at the next General meeting. At that meeting, nominations to fill the vacancy shall also be accepted from the floor. Voting shall be by secret ballot with a majority of those members in good standing present required to elect.

SECTION 5 – REMOVAL OF ELECTED OFFICERS

An officer may be removed from office upon recommendation of a majority of the Executive Board on a roll call vote or upon submission of a petition signed by at least 25 percent of the members. Such recommendation or petition must be submitted to the membership at a General meeting and shall require a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting to remove the officer.

SECTION 6 - APPOINTED OFFICERS

The President shall appoint a parliamentarian and any other At large officers not otherwise specified by these bylaws as required for the general well-being of the Club.

ARTICLE V- MEETINGS

SECTION 1 - GENERAL MEETINGS

There shall be a minimum of six General meetings each year, at least one of which shall be for the purpose of electing Club officers. Other General meetings shall be held at such times and places as specified by a majority of the Executive Board.

SECTION 2 - QUORUM

A quorum at any General meeting shall be ten percent of the membership in good standing. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be by a majority of its elected members.

SECTION 3 - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall be the parliamentary authority for the Club on all questions not covered by these bylaws.

SECTION 4 - NOTICES

Notice shall be given to members of all General meetings in a timely fashion. Such notice shall specify the time, place and date of the meeting and describe the event. When a meeting includes a vote on any of the items listed below, the Secretary shall notify by email, or absent an email, by phone or regular mail each member in good standing at least fourteen days prior to the meeting:
Proposed resolutions
Endorsements of candidates and/or ballot measures Election or removal of elected officers
Proposed amendments to these bylaws

In addition, amendments to these By Laws must be presented at the General Meeting prior to the meeting in which the vote will be taken.

SECTION 5 – CLOSED MEETINGS

Meetings may be closed to non-members and/or associates at the request of any member and the approval of two-thirds of members in good standing present and voting.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD

SECTION 1 - FUNCTION

The Executive Board shall approve all expenditures and carry out the Club business between General meetings in a manner consistent with actions taken at the General meetings, and perform any other duties provided for in these bylaws. The President shall pre-approve any written correspondence on behalf of the Club. The President or his/her designee shall be the sole spokesperson of the Club.

SECTION 2 - MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Executive Board shall include all of the currently elected Club officers, and the At large officers appointed by the President.

SECTION 3 - MEETINGS

The President shall call a meeting, with advance notice, of the Executive Board as needed. Special meetings may be called by a majority of the currently elected members of the Executive Board at any time. A majority of the then currently elected members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES

Committees shall be appointed by the President, subject to ratification by the Executive Board. The powers and duties of committees shall be assigned by the Executive Board. Financial and/or policy recommendations by a special committee shall be submitted to the Executive Board for approval prior to committee action.

SECTION 1 – NOTIFICATION

Endorsement proceedings may be placed on the agenda of a General meeting by majority vote of the Executive Board or by membership approval of a motion introduced by a member in good standing at the previous General meeting. Notification of pending endorsement proceedings must be sent to the membership as described in Article V, Section 4. Reasonable attempts shall be made to notify and invite all declared Democratic candidates to an endorsement meeting where their race is being considered at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting. A copy of any meeting notice sent to candidates shall be supplied via email to the Director of Clubs and the SDCDP.

SECTION 2 – QUALIFICATIONS

Only registered Democrats can be endorsed. Non-Democratic candidates may only be rated acceptable or unacceptable. Endorsements by the club shall not be construed as the CDP or SDCDP endorsement. Words to that effect shall be clearly visible whenever a club's endorsement is referred to. Any publication of endorsements by the club shall clearly delineate between endorsed candidates and those rated acceptable. All endorsements of candidates or resolutions concerning ballot measures or public issues must be in accordance with the standards established by the California State Democratic Party and the San Diego County Democratic Party. It is also the tradition and stated goal of the Club not to make endorsements or to pass resolutions which will adversely affect the unity of the Democratic Party. Under no circumstances shall a motion for endorsement be entertained that is deemed against the laws of the city, county, state, or national governments.

SECTION 3 – ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

To be eligible to vote for endorsements, a member must be in good standing, and must have been a member of the club for 60 days and attended at least one meeting prior to the endorsement meeting.

SECTION 4 – VOTING
Voting shall be by secret ballot. An affirmative vote of at least 50 percent plus one of the club members in good standing present shall be required to endorse a candidate, rate a candidate, or take a position on a ballot proposition. The vote required is measured by all those eligible members “present,” not just those “present and voting”. The option of “No Endorsement” shall be included on the endorsement ballot for each race or ballot measure. If no candidate receives the required 50 percent plus one vote for endorsement, subsequent ballots shall be taken deleting the candidate receiving the least number of votes and those receiving no votes on the previous ballot. If after the completion of balloting, no candidate has received the 50 percent plus one of the vote required for an endorsement, no endorsement shall be made.

ARTICLE IX - AFFILIATION

The Club shall affiliate as an associate member of the County Democratic Central Committee and pay the current annual fee.

ARTICLE X – CLUB REPRESENTATIVES

SECTION 1: CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Club representatives to the California Democratic Party’s Pre-Endorsement Conferences shall be allocated as follows: one representative, resident in the Assembly District, for each full (not fraction thereof) 20 registered Democratic members in good standing in the Assembly District who are listed on a roster submitted, by July 1 of each odd-numbered year, to both the San Diego County Democratic Party and the appropriate CDP Regional Director(s). The roster shall be certified by the Club’s President, Secretary, or Treasurer. Representatives should be equally apportioned between men and women to the extent possible.

SECTION 2: SAN DIEGO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Under the club’s charter with the San Diego County Democratic Party, its President is a representative to the SDCDP Central Committee as an Associate Member. If the President is already a Central Committee member or chooses not to serve, a different representative may be selected to serve his or her term according to the provisions of Sections 3 and 4 of this Article. An Associate Member application, for the President or any other representative, must be submitted to the SDCDP within 30 days of his or her selection by the club.

SECTION 3: SELECTION

Club representatives to the CDP and SDCDP – and any other official representatives, delegates, and alternates from the club to conferences, caucuses, councils, conventions, and other meetings – shall be selected by a vote of members in good standing at a duly noticed club meeting or, if that cannot occur at a regular or special meeting, by designation of the President.

Club representatives described in this Article, when participating in voting and discussion in that capacity, shall adhere to and represent the club’s official positions on endorsements and other matters wherever applicable, and shall agree to do so prior to their selection.

SECTION 5. OTHER SDCDP REPRESENTATIVES
A. The Executive Board will designate a GO Team Liaison.
B. The Executive Board will designate a SDCDP Voter Registration Liaison.

ARTICLE XI - TERMINATION

Should this Club be dissolved, the monies remaining in the treasury, after payment of all obligations, shall be returned to the San Diego County Democratic Party.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote by those members in good standing at a General meeting after such amendment has been presented at the preceding General meeting and notice has been provided as specified in Article V, Section 4 of these bylaws.

ARTICLE XIII - ADOPTION

These bylaws shall become effective immediately upon their adoption and shall be the governing rules of the Club.

Date: September 21st, 2004
Amended: 2008 – changed elections to February

Amended: 2015, May – Added Article X, Club Representatives, & added “(or had waived)” to Article III, Section 2.

Amended: 2015, Nov – Expanded Article VIII “Endorsements”
Amended: 2017, Feb – changed elections to May, Nominating committee to March

Amended: 2018, March - Article V, Section 4, changed requirement for notice of change of General meetings from ten days prior to meeting to fourteen. Article VIII, Section 3, added requirement to live in certain zip codes to be eligible to vote for endorsements

Amended 2019, May--Article IV, Section 2--changed who can disburse funds. Article IV, Section 3--delineates when there must be a secret ballot Article VIII, Section 1--Notification of candidates of endorsement meeting, Article VIII, Section 8

2--Publicizing endorsements, Article VIII, Section 3--Voting requirements Article X, Section 5 added--Other SDCDP Representatives.