Bylaws

Home    About Us    News    Events    Executive Board    Links    Bylaws    Sign Up    Donate

Preamble

The Orange County Young Democrats shall endeavor to stimulate in young people an active interest in governmental affairs, increase the efficiency of our government, maintain the viability of our free institutions, and contribute to the growth and influence of the ideals and philosophy of the Democratic Party.

Article I: Name and Affiliation

• Section 1: Name The name of this organization shall be the Orange County Young Democrats.
• Section 2: Affiliation The Orange County Young Democrats shall affiliate with whatever groups deemed necessary by the organization.

Article II: Membership

• Section 1: Club Membership
1. Regular membership in the club shall be open to persons who are at least fourteen (14) years of age and not more than thirty-five (35) years of age who are registered Democrats, or who intend to register when eligible.
2. Persons below the minimum age fourteen (14) or over the age of thirty-five (35) may be admitted, by majority vote of elected officers, as Honorary Members, with full voting powers. Honorary Members shall not be eligible to hold office.

Article III: Officers

• Section 1: Officers
  
  
1. The officers of this organization shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Financial Director, Communications Director, Immediate Past Chair, Political Director, Outreach Director, and Publicity Director.
2. Officers must be registered Democrats in the County of Orange.
• Section 2: Duties
1. The Chair shall be chief executive officer and the official voice of this organization and shall be the representative at functions of all other organizations to which the Orange County Young Democrats is affiliated. The Chair shall preside over all meetings and shall appoint the chairs of all Standing and Special Committees. The Chair shall make all efforts to maintain and strengthen communications between various clubs.
2. The Vice-Chair shall be responsible to the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall be a member of all Standing and Special Committees.
3. The Financial Director shall be responsible for all fundraising activities of the Organization, shall submit financial statements to the Executive Committee at each of the regularly scheduled meetings, and shall chair the Finance Committee. In addition, the Financial Director shall be responsible for seeing that all disbursements, receipts, banking relationships, FPPC statements, and in general, any and all bookkeeping responsibilities of the Orange County Young Democrats are performed. The annual budget of the Organization shall be prepared for approval.
4. The Communications Director shall maintain all records of the Organization, serve all required notices, and discharge any other duties the Chair requires. 
5. The Immediate Past Chair shall assist the Political Director in coordinating communication between the Orange County Young Democrats and other Democratic organizations, shall be responsible for all Standing and Special Committees, and discharge any other duties the Chair requests.
   
6. The Political Director shall coordinate the Orange County Young Democrats’ endorsement process, coordinate activities with candidates, and communicate relevant information to the Executive Board. The Political Director shall build the Organization’s relationships and information exchanges with Democratic Party affiliates with the goal of providing the Organization’s membership with opportunities to participate in Democratic campaigns.
   
7. The Outreach Director shall serve as a liaison to outside organizations whose members have the potential to join the Orange County Young Democrats and shall maintain a calendar of events of such outside organizations. The Outreach Director shall identify, generate, and implement various outreach methods that connect with how young Democrats live and communicate with how they might participate politically.
   
8. The Publicity Director shall coordinate all media, publicity and advertising on behalf of the Orange County Young Democrats.
• Section 3: Election of Officers
1. All officers shall be elected annually.
• Section 4: Term of Office
1. Officers elected annually shall take office immediately after the adjournment of the Elections Meeting.
2. Every officer shall hold office until the installation of his or her successor.
• Section 5: Vacancy
1. In the event of a vacancy in any office other than the Chair, the Chair shall nominate a successor. In the event of a vacancy of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair.
2. Vacancy in any of the offices, with the exception of Chair, shall be filled by majority vote of the general membership at the next scheduled meeting.

Article IV: Executive Committee

• Section 1: Executive Committee
1. There shall be an Executive Committee of this organization, which shall have all the powers and duties of this organization when the full membership is not in the actual session.
• Section 2: Executive Committee Membership The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members:
1. All officers of the OCYD
2. The chairs of all Standing and Special Committees
• Section 3: Executive Committee Organization
1. The Chair shall be the Chair of the Executive Committee, and the Communications Director shall be the Secretary of the Executive Committee.
• Section 4: Executive Committee Meetings
1. The Executive Committee shall meet a minimum of four (4) times a year.
2. The Executive Committee may convene in special meetings in the following manner:
1. At the call of the Chair and at such a time and in such a place as the Chair may designate; or,
2. Upon written request to the Chair of a majority of the members of the general membership OR 2/3 of the Executive Committee and at such a time and in such a place as they may designate.
3. The Communications Director shall give notice of regular and special meetings. The Communications Director shall deposit the notices in the U.S. Mail addressed to each member.

Article V: General Provisions

• Section 1: Expenditures
1. Expenditures in the excess of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be subject to prior approval of the Chair. Expenditures in the excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be subject to prior approval by a majority of the officers. All expenditures must be reported at the next regularity-scheduled meeting.
• Section 2: Campaigns
1. The Orange County Young Democrats may endorse or support the candidacy of a Democratic Party member prior to nomination by the Democratic Party.

Article VI: Amendment of the Bylaws

• Section 1: Amendment
1. These Bylaws may be amended by the majority vote of all members. Any such amendments shall take effect on the first Monday after the adjournment thereof unless a specific exception is stated in the motion to amend.