By-Laws
By-Laws of the Democratic Party of Northfield
Article I – Purpose
Section I — This organization shall be known as the Democratic Party of Northfield. (DPN)
Section II — The purpose of the DPN shall be to nominate, endorse and elect Democratic candidates to public and party offices in the City of Northfield, to support nominees in the Democratic Primary Elections and to endorse candidates in the General Election.
Section III —The DPN shall also try to increase voter participation and public interest in public affairs.
Article II – Membership
Section I — Any person who is a registered Democratic voter in the City of Northfield, including active members who move out of the City and who wish to participate and support the DPN and otherwise meet the requirements of membership, shall be eligible for membership.
Section II — Any Democrat in the City of Northfield who is holding an appointed or elective office in the City, County, State or Federal governments shall be encouraged to participate actively and support the DPN, insofar as the law and their Code of Ethics allow.
Section III — Annual dues of ten dollars ($10.00) shall be payable to the Treasurer by the regular meeting in March. Any change in membership dues must be approved by a majority of the membership at a regular meeting.
Section IV — Members may be expelled for good and sufficient cause. Charges must be submitted in writing to the membership at a regular meeting. The member or members who are bought up on charges must be notified in writing by the Recording Secretary (or by the President if the Recording Secretary is charged) at least one week before the regular meeting. A two-thirds vote of the members present is needed for expulsion. The person expelled shall have the right of appeal, either in writing or in person, at a subsequent regular meeting. A vote of two-thirds of the members present, which two-thirds must include an absolute majority of the entire membership, is required to re-instate the person as a member.
Section V — Any member may resign from the DPN at any time and for any reason. A letter of resignation from the membership shall be directed to the Recording Secretary, who shall file the letter with the records of the DPN. The Secretary shall report to the membership the fact of the resignation.
The Treasurer shall not be required to refund, in whole or in part, the dues of any member who either resigns or is expelled from membership.
Section VI — Persons who resign their membership of their own volition may apply in writing to the Recording Secretary for reinstatement. Reinstatement requests must be submitted to the membership at the next regular meeting. A majority vote of the members present is necessary to reinstate. A Quorum must be present.
Article III – Officers
Section I — The Officers shall consist of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant-at-Arms.
Section II — The President shall preside over all meetings of the DPN; may call special meetings of the DPN; shall represent the DPN at all functions where it is deemed appropriate; and establish such committees as he/she or the membership shall deem necessary. The President shall appoint all members and Chairpersons of all the Committees, excluding the Nominating Committee; and shall be a member ex-officio of all Committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee.
Section III — The First Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President and shall assume such other duties as the President, or the Organization shall assign; and shall become President if a vacancy occurs mid-term.
Section IV — The Second Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President and the First Vice President and shall assume such other duties as the President or the Organization shall assign; and shall become the First Vice President if that office becomes vacant mid-term.
Section V— The Recording Secretary shall:
- Record and keep the minutes of each meeting and read the same at the next monthly meeting.
- Maintain a current and accurate attendance record of the members attending DPN meetings.
- Keep and preserve all records of the DPN.
- Unless otherwise provided for, will assume the office pro-tempore of Corresponding Secretary whenever that office becomes vacant mid-term and until a successor is elected.
- Preside over the DPN in the absence of the President and both Vice Presidents; and if the Recording Secretary so desires, to preside until a chairperson pro-tempore is elected.
Section VI — The Corresponding Secretary shall report on and answer all correspondence; and shall notify, or cause to be notified, by phone or in writing, all members of all regular and special meetings at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. All notifications of annual elections, expulsions, impeachments, and amendments to these By-Laws must be made in writing.
Section VII — The Treasurer shall be the custodian of DPN funds, maintaining such accounts as required in a local financial institution or institutions. A report shall be made monthly to the membership and he/she shall accept the annual dues of the members (of whom he /she shall also maintain a current list). All checks shall be co-signed by at least two of the following officers: President, Treasurer, and/or Recording Secretary.
Section VIII — The Sergeant-at-Arms shall maintain order at all meetings and functions.
Section IX — An officer may be impeached by any member for maleficence or extreme dereliction of duty. The specific charge(s) shall be filed in writing with the Recording Secretary (or with the President if the impeached officer is the Recording Secretary). They shall be recorded in the minutes, and the charges shall be received by the Officer at least one week before the meeting, and the charges shall be heard at the next regular meeting. After the evidence has been presented, and an opportunity for a defense given, a two-thirds vote of those present shall be needed to remove the officer involved.
Article IV – Elections
Section I — All officers shall be elected for a term of one (1) year.
Section II – The membership shall select three members, excluding the President (who shall not serve), to serve as the Nominating Committee at its regular meeting in November.
Section III – The Nominating Committee shall make its report at the next regular meeting in January, with the election of officers to take place at the regular meeting in February.
Section IV – The Committee shall secure the consent of those nominated before their names are submitted to the membership. Nominations may be made from the floor, provided the consent of the nominee is obtained.
Section V — If there is but one nominee for an office, the Recording Secretary may be empowered to cast one vote to elect by acclamation; otherwise, elections shall be by secret ballot, with a plurality vote needed to elect.
Section VI — Officers shall take office in February, at the completion of the meting in which they are elected.
Section VII —When vacancies occur mid-term, the officer elected shall serve only for the unexpired term, and no special notification shall be required of the election. Nominations shall be from the floor, and the person elected shall take office immediately.
Article V — Meetings
Section I – Regular meetings shall be held on the third Wednesday of every month, unless circumstances warrant a change of date or the cancellation of the meeting. This shall be at the discretion of the President.
Section II — Special meetings shall be called by the President, or upon a request of any five members.
Section III – A quorum shall consist of any three (3) officers plus ten percent of the entire membership. The officers present shall not be counted in the ten percent of the entire membership, which number shall be in addition to the officers present.
Section IV – Regardless of Section III of Article V, the organization may set a number in excess of ten percent to be a quorum whenever the membership meets to carry out the provisions of Article II, Section IV or Article III, Section IX.
Article VI – Public and Party Offices
Section I — A member who wishes to fill the unexpired term of Mayor, Councilman or County Committeeperson will be required to meet the following criteria before receiving the support or endorsement of the DPN:
- He or she must be an active party member, having attended at least half of the party meetings in the previous year.
- He or she must have participated in the election campaigns in support of the Party and its candidates, for a minimum of one year.
- He or she must have participated in the fund raising activities of the Party for a period of at least one year.
Section II – The DPN shall not support or endorse any person who is not a member of the DPN for nomination or election to elected public office in this City (provided that the election is a partisan election) or as a member of the County Committee from this City.
Section III —The DPN shall not support or endorse any person who is a resident of Northfield and not a member of this organization for election to any County Party office, for election to the State Committee, or as a delegate or alternate to the National Convention.
Article VII—Amendments to By-Laws
Section I —The By-laws may be amended when proposed in writing by any member, and after a reading at two consecutive regular meetings of the DPN, with a two-thirds vote of the members present to adopt, at the second meeting.
Section II —The amendment(s) shall be recorded in the minutes as proposed, and as adopted, and each member shall be notified in writing of an amendment before its adoption.
Section III —Non-material amendments to a proposed amendment may be made at the second reading, after which the proposed amendment may be adopted. If there is any question, the Chair or a two-thirds majority of the members voting shall determine if an amendment is non-material.
Article VIII – By-Laws
These by-laws supersede all previous By-Laws and Amendments thereunto, and they shall take effect immediately upon ratification by a three-fourths vote of the members present at a regular meeting of the DPN.
The BY-LAWS Were Ratified on the 18 TH Day of August, 1993.
Alice E. Hulse, President
ATTEST: Rose Prevete, Recording Secretary
These BY-LAWS Were Amended on the 17th Day of February 1997 And Were Re-Ratified on the 19 TH Day of March, A.D. 1997 John B. Wemyss, President
ATTEST: Charles W. Wolfram, Recording Secretary
Amendment Added the 27th Day of February, 2002
Tom Cox, President
ATTEST: Charles W. Wolfram, Recording Secretary