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The Town of Rochester Democrats work to elect forward-thinking leaders to local, state and federal office.
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We are a volunteer organization. We knock on doors and talk to our neighbors to build strong community and progressive change from the ground-up. We believe our democracy is strongest when People and Politics come together.
vote@rochesterdemocrats.org • 845-377-0596 |
who we are
Town of Rochester Democratic Committee
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We are actively seeking associate committee members in each of our election districts. Reach out to Andy if you are interesting in joining our committee as an associate member at Chair@RochesterDemocrats.org to learn more. |
monthly meetings
The Town of Rochester Democrats meet on the first Thursday of every month from 7–9pm online with Zoom. Email chair@RochesterDemocrats.org
Our general meetings are open to all democrats in the community—join us! |
Town of Rochester Democratic committee Bylaws
preamble
We, the duly elected members of the Ulster County Democratic Committee representing the Town of Rochester, together with our duly appointed associate members, do hereby form the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee pursuant to Article I of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Party of the County of Ulster (Revised as of 2010).
We have joined together to aid in the election of Democratic candidates for public office and to assist the Democratic County, State, and National Committees when and where possible. To help accomplish these goals, we have established these Bylaws.
We have joined together to aid in the election of Democratic candidates for public office and to assist the Democratic County, State, and National Committees when and where possible. To help accomplish these goals, we have established these Bylaws.
ARTICLE ONE – GENERAL ORGANIZATION
- There shall be two Committee Members for each of the five Election Districts in the Town of Rochester. Any registered Democrat residing within the Town of Rochester shall be eligible to be a member of the Ulster County Democratic Committee.
All Democratic County Committee Members from the Town of Rochester shall be voting members of the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee.
- In the event of the vacancy of a Committee seat,voting members of the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee may, by a majority vote of those present, elect an eligible Town of Rochester Democrat to serve as an acting Committee Member until the County Committee meets and officially fills the seat or until an election is held.
Candidates to fill Committee seat vacancies shall be nominated at a meeting of the Town of Rochester Committee; voting on nominees shall take place at the next regularly scheduled meeting following the nomination(s).
- The Town Committee may elect up to two Associate Committee Members for each election district. The Associate Committee Members must be registered Town of Rochester Democrats, but, like the Committee Members, need not reside within the district they represent.
Candidates to fill Associate Committee seat vacancies shall be nominated by a Town of Rochester Democratic Committee Member at a meeting of the Town of Rochester Committee and elected by a majority vote of those present and who are eligible to vote.
An Associate Committee Member shall bear all of the rights and responsibilities of Committee Members except that they may only vote on Committee matters when one or both of the two Committee members from their Election District is absent from the meeting.
If only one Committee Member is absent and two Associates from that District are present, only one Associate shall be eligible to vote.
- A set day and time for monthly Town of Rochester Democratic Committee meetings will be established and voted upon at the Annual Organizational Meeting described in Article Two, Section Two. The set date will be subject to change only for unforseen circumstances.
A quorum shall be seven. Associates may be counted in this quorum only if they are eligible to vote in that meeting.
Town of Rochester Democratic Committee meetings shall include a public and a private section. The public section of each meeting shall be open to any registered Democrat. When appropriate, non-committee members can be invited to attend the private section of the meeting.
The Chair may recognize a registered Democrat to speak for no more than five (5) minutes unless the Committee, by a majority of those present, votes to give the speaker extended time.
- Notices of regular meetings shall be distributed to all Committee and Associate Committee Members via email, social media (e.g., Facebook) or such other reliable means as the Chair and/or Secretary deem appropriate to provide due notice.
- Special meetings may be scheduled by vote of the membership at a previous meeting, or by direction of the Town Chair, or upon the petition of five Committee Members, stating the nature of the business to be brought before the special meeting.
All Committee and Associate Committee Members must receive 48-hour notice prior to a special meeting, unless waived by the Chair for good reason.
- Procedure, business, and agendas shall be in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. On occasion, and by ⅔ majority vote of present members, these rules may be waived in order to facilitate a more flexible conversational style
- It shall be the duty of each Committee and Associate Committee Member to:
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ARTICLE TWO – ELECTION OF OFFICERS
- Election of Officers shall be pursuant to Article VIII, Section 2 of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Party of the County of Ulster. In addition, an officer other than treasurer must be a member of the County Committee and a resident of the Town of Rochester.
- Within twenty days after the primary at which the Town of Rochester Committee Members are elected, they shall hold an Annual Organizational Meeting at which they will elect by majority vote their officers for two-year terms.
Associate Committee Members already serving shall be nominated and voted upon at this same meeting; however, prospective new Associate Committee Members must be elected pursuant to Article One, Section 3 of these Bylaws. - The outgoing chair shall designate the time and place of the election meeting within three days after the primary at which Committee Members are elected. Should he/she fail to do so, a majority of the newly elected Town Committee Members may do it.
Each Committee Member and Associate Member shall receive at least one week's notice delivered by email or other reliable means deemed appropriate by the outgoing chair. - The outgoing chair, or in his/her absence, any newly elected Committee Member, shall call the election meeting to order.
The members present shall by a majority vote elect a temporary chair and secretary to conduct the elections.
The elections shall be by secret ballot; the candidate receiving a majority of the vote for each office shall be declared elected. Each candidate shall be entitled to appoint one teller to canvass the ballots. - The presiding chair and secretary of the election shall execute a certificate of election of the new officers upon forms provided by the Ulster County Democratic Committee.
This certificate shall be filed with the Ulster County Democratic Committee and the Ulster County Board of Elections within three days after the election meeting.
ARTICLE THREE – OFFICERS
- The officers of the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee shall be the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.
- Vacancies in the offices shall be filled by election at the regular monthly meeting following the vacancy upon notice delivered via mail, e-mail, or other reliable means as the chair deems appropriate to provide due notice thereof to all members and associates.
- The Chairperson shall preside at all Town of Rochester Democratic Committee meetings.
He/She shall serve on the County Executive Committee and shall attend and report on meetings.
He/She will serve as a liaison for the Town of Rochester Committee with the County Democratic Committee and other Town Committees.
Additionally, the Chairperson shall be an ex-officio member of all Committee subcommittees. - The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in his/her duties, and shall serve as Acting Chairperson in the event of the Chairperson’s temporary absence or disability. In addition, the Vice Chairperson shall be an ex-officio member of all subcommittees.
- The Secretary shall respond to such inquiries and letters deemed needed by the Chairperson or the Executive Committee. Copies of all correspondence will be kept on file. The Secretary will be responsible for notifying members of regular, special, or executive committee meetings. The Secretary will be responsible for accurately recording the minutes of all monthly, special, and executive Committee meetings. A copy of such minutes will be forwarded to the Chairperson within 7 days after the meeting.
- The Treasurer shall keep all funds of the organization, collecting and disbursing the same as directed. All accounts shall be deposited in a local banking institution in the name of the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee.
All withdrawals are to be made on the signature of the Chairperson or Treasurer for any amount up to $200.00; expenditures of more than $200.00 require the approval of the Committee.
The Treasurer shall present an up-to-date financial report at each monthly meeting, or when requested to do so by the committee Chair. The Treasurer shall file all reports required under New York State Election Law or Board of Elections Regulations. - Officers shall be eligible for reelection pursuant to Article VIII, Section 3 of the County Rules and Regulations, and shall serve until their term expires, or the resignation, or removal pursuant to Article XIII of the County Rules and Regulations.
- A Town Committee member or Associate may be removed for cause in accordance the provisions of Section 2-116 of the Election Law and/or Article XII, Section 1 of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Party of the County of Ulster. See also Article V, Section 6 of these bylaws.
- Town Committee members and Associate members are expected to comply with professional and respectful norms of conduct and communication, and may be removed for cause if they do not conduct themselves in an ethical manner.
- A vote of 2/3rds of sitting Members is required for removal from the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee. Removal from the Town Committee does not affect membership in the County Committee, but may be the cause of initiation of the grievance procedures outlined in Section 2-116 of the Election Law and/or Article XII, Section 1 of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Party of the County of Ulster.
- A Town Committee officer may be removed for cause in accordance with the provisions of Section 2-116 of the Election Law and/or Article XII of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Committee of the County of Ulster. The removal of an individual as a Town Committee officer shall not affect his or her separate status as a member of the Town of Rochester Democratic Committee.
ARTICLE FOUR–SUBCOMMITTEES
- The standing subcommittees shall be: Candidate Outreach, Events, Public Relations, Canvassing, and Fundraising.
- The Candidate Outreach Committee shall communicate with candidates for office and their campaign committees for scheduling and campaign coordination.
- The Events Committee shall schedule and plan public events to drive engagement and support voter turnout.
- The Public Relations Committee shall be responsible for designing and managing publications and social media for the Committee.
- The Canvassing Committee shall be responsible for recruiting and managing the team of door-to-door canvassers who will build and maintain relationships with Democratic voters in the town. Committee Members are responsible to work with the Canvassing Committee to support canvassing efforts in their districts.
- The Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for raising sufficient funds for the Town Committee to carry out its purposes.
- Chairpersons of all standing committees shall be elected by the entire Town Committee.
- An ad hoc subcommittee may be formed by a majority vote of the Town Committee. Membership on ad hoc subcommittees shall be elected by the Town Committee, unless the Town Committee Chairperson is given the power to appoint the subcommittee by the Town Committee.
- Should a vacancy in an elected subcommittee seat or chair occur it shall be filled at the next regular monthly meeting of the Town Committee by election.
- Membership of standing committees and ad hoc subcommittees shall be elected by the Town Committee. It is not necessary to be a Member or Associate Member of the Town Committee to serve on a standing committee or subcommittee.
ARTICLE FIVE – MISCELLANEOUS
- No Democratic Committee Member may make a public statement on behalf of the Committee, or take public action on behalf of the Committee, unless said statement and/or action has been approved in advance by a vote of the Town Committee. The committee chair will be the designated spokesperson and at his or her discretion may issue a statement or convene an executive committee session in order to make a timely statement.
- All procedures of this Committee shall be held in accordance with the Election Law of New York State.
- Wherever the foregoing rules may be inconsistent with the Rules and Regulations of the County Committee, the latter shall prevail.
- Proxy votes shall not be permitted.
- After the Democratic Party has caucused and chosen their candidates or the Democratic candidate has been selected after a primary vote, any member or associate member publicly supporting the candidacy of a member of another party, who does not have the endorsement of the Democratic Party, shall be considered “disloyal” and subject to removal from the Committee pursuant to Article XII of the Rules and Regulations of the Democratic Committee of the County of Ulster.
ARTICLE SIX – AMENDMENTS
Any amendment to these bylaws shall be proposed and submitted in written form to the Town Committee.
- Proposed amendments shall be introduced and discussed in at least one regular monthly meeting prior to being considered for a vote. Adoption requires approval by at least 2/3 of voting members present at a regular meeting subsequent to the introduction of the amendment.
- A notice of a proposed bylaws amendment shall be given to all Committee members and Associate members with the notice sent in accordance with Article One (5) of the bylaws, of both the meeting at which such amendments will be discussed and the meeting at which it will be voted upon.