Nashua Democratic City Committee

 

CONSTITUTION OF THE NASHUA DEMOCRATIC CITY COMMITTEE

Last Amended and Ratified: 23 January 2012

PREAMBLE: Mission Statement

To serve the people of Nashua by promoting and defending New Hampshire’s

democratic values for all, by recruiting Democratic candidates for public

offices, and by mobilizing the community to elect Democratic candidates.

ARTICLE I: Name and Location

Section 1. The name of this committee shall be the Nashua Democratic City Committee,

hereafter referred to as the City Committee or Nashua Democrats. The

addresses of the City Committee are as prescribed in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE II: Purpose of Organization

Section 1. The purpose of the City Committee shall be to promote the election of

registered Democrats in the City of Nashua, the County of Hillsborough, the

State of New Hampshire, and the United States of America; to expand and

strengthen the Democratic Party; to function in an open and democratic

manner, and, ultimately, to aid our government to perform effectively as a

true democracy, representative of all the people.

Section 2. The City Committee recognizes that Nashua is a multi-cultural community

and that we respect and support diversity among our membership and our

activities.

ARTICLE III: Powers and Duties

Section 1. The powers and duties of the City Committee are as follows:

1. To elect the Officers and Executive Board members.

2. To administer the affairs of the Democratic Party within the City of

Nashua.

3. To adopt Bylaws governing its activities consistent with the

Constitution of the New Hampshire Democratic Party and with the

Bylaws of the Hillsborough County Democratic organization.

4. To support the activities of the County and State Committees.

5. To recruit Democratic candidates for office within its jurisdiction.

6. To cooperate with the County and State Committee in the support of

Democratic candidates for local, county, state, and national office.

7. To fill vacancies on the Democratic ballot in accordance with the New

Hampshire Constitution, applicable New Hampshire State Laws,

including RSA 56:27, 56:69-a, 56:70, the State Constitution, and rules

and policies of the New Hampshire State Democratic Party.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

Section 1. Any registered Democrat resident in the City of Nashua shall be considered a

member in the Nashua Democratic City Committee, and eligible to

participate in City Committee activities.

ARTICLE V: Government

Section 1. The government of the Nashua City Democratic Committee shall be vested in

the Executive Board as specified in the Bylaws.

Section 2. The Officers of the City Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a First

Vice Chairperson, a second Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

The Officers are also Executive Board members.

Section 3. The membership of the Executive Board shall consist of the following:

· The Officers of the City Committee.

· Nine (9) Members At Large members.

· One member chosen by the Nashua Democratic Delegation to the New

Hampshire General Court.

Section 4. The Officers and members of the Executive Board shall be duly elected in the

manner prescribed in the Bylaws and shall hold office for their elective terms

or until their successors are duly elected, as prescribed in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI: Amendments

Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the regular

members present and voting at any regular or special General Membership

meeting, provided that notification be given at least twenty-one (21) days

prior to the date of such meeting, as prescribed in the Bylaws. Copies of the

proposed amendment(s) shall be available, upon request, from the Secretary.

 

 

BYLAWS OF THE NASHUA DEMOCRATIC CITY COMMITTEE

Last Amended and Ratified: 23 January 2012

ARTICLE I: Executive Board Meetings

Section 1. An Executive Board meeting shall be called as deemed necessary by the

Chairperson or by petition of at least six (6) members of the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Secretary shall duly notify all members of the Executive Board of a

pending meeting.

Section 3. A quorum for an Executive Board action shall consist of a majority of the

members of the Executive Board.

Section 4. No action taken at any Executive Board Meeting attended by three-quarters

(3/4) of the voting members of the Executive Board shall be invalidated

because of the failure of any member or members of the Executive Board to

receive any notice of properly given or because of any irregularity in any

notice received.

ARTICLE II: City Committee Meetings

Section 1. The Nashua Democratic City Committee may hold monthly meetings, but

shall hold meetings at least twice a year, the first no later than June 30, open

to all Democrats eligible for membership, as stated in the Constitution. All

City Committee Meetings, also known as General Membership Meetings,

shall be attended by Executive Board members, and a quorum of those

Executive Board members are empowered to vote on policy and finance

issues.

Section 2. A City Committee Meeting shall be called by the Chairperson. In the event

the Chairperson fails to call a meeting, the meeting may be called by petition

of at least six (6) members of the Executive Board. If the Executive Board, in

turn, fails to call a meeting, a meeting may be called by petition of at least

seven (7) members of the Nashua Democratic City Committee. The petition

shall be submitted to the Secretary who shall notify the membership within 7

days of the date of such meeting. The meeting must be held within 30 days of

the petition being certified.

Section 3. The Secretary shall cause a public notice of a City Committee Meeting to be

NDCC Bylaws Page 4

effected at least seven (7) days prior to said meeting, stating time, date,

location and purpose of such meeting.

Section 4. The quorum for a City Committee Meeting shall consist of twenty-five (25)

members for any action that calls for taking a vote of the membership.

ARTICLE III: Voting

Section 1. Voting shall be by individuals, and no person shall cast more than one vote.

Section 2. At all City Committee Meetings all elections must pass by a majority of the

members present and voting.

Section 3. All voting members must be registered Democrats residing in the City of

Nashua, NH, and must be checked against the current voter checklist of

Nashua, NH, before casting any vote. The responsibility of this shall be that

of the presiding Chairperson. The Chairperson may delegate this to other

members of the Executive Board present at the meeting.

ARTICLE IV: Duties of the Officers and Executive Board

Section 1. The Chairperson shall preside at, and set the agenda for, all meetings of the

Nashua Democratic City Committee and of the Executive Board, and shall be

an ex-officio member of all committees with the exception of the Nominating

Committee.

The Chairperson, when properly authorized, may sign or endorse checks,

drafts, and/or notes in the absence of the Treasurer, payable in the amount of

two hundred fifty (250) dollars, or less. Checks payable in the amount

exceeding two hundred fifty (250) dollars, when properly authorized, shall be

endorsed by both the Treasurer (or Assistant Treasurer) and the Chairperson.

The Chairperson shall have such usual powers of supervision and

management as may pertain to the Office of Chairperson and shall perform

such other duties as may be designated by the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Vice Chairpersons (a first Vice Chairperson and a second Vice

Chairperson) in the order of their rank, shall, in the event of absence,

resignation, disability, or death of the Chairperson possess all the powers and

perform all the duties of that office. In the event that neither Vice

Chairperson is able to serve in this capacity, the Executive Board shall elect

one of its members to fill the vacancy. The Vice Chairperson shall perform

such other duties as the Chairperson and the Executive Board may designate.

The Second Vice Chairman shall also serve as Assistant Treasurer.

 

Section 3. The Secretary shall record the attendance at and keep minutes of all meetings

of the City Committee and of the Executive Board. The Secretary shall notify

all members of the results of the election. The Secretary shall provide notices

of all meetings.

The Secretary shall sign, with the Chairperson, all contracts and other

instruments when properly authorized.

The Secretary is the keeper of all legal documents of the City Committee.

Section 4. The Treasurer, or the Assistant Treasurer, shall collect and receive all monies

due. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of these monies, shall deposit same

in a bank or banks designated by the Executive Board, and shall disburse

same when properly authorized. The Treasurer shall present periodic

statements to the Executive Board at its regular meetings and shall also

present an Annual Report to the Nashua Democratic City Committee.

When properly authorized, checks payable in the amount of two hundred

fifty (250) dollars or less may be endorsed by the signature of the Treasurer

in their representative capacity. Checks payable in an amount exceeding two

hundred fifty (250) dollars shall be endorsed by both the Treasurer and the

Chairperson.

Section 5. The members of the Executive Board shall have the duties and powers to

make and vote on the policies for the Nashua Democratic City Committee,

and to further vote on the raising and distribution of the funds of the

Committee.

ARTICLE V: Term of Office

Section 1. The Officers and Executive Board Members shall be elected by the City

Committee and shall hold office for two (2) years or until their successors

have been duly elected and qualified. They shall assume office at the

conclusion of the Election Meeting.

Elections shall be held at a City Committee Meeting held in March of 2012,

and in March of odd numbered years thereafter, and the results reported to

both the NH State and Hillsborough County Democratic Party organizations

within thirty (30) days.

Section 2. The Democratic Party members of the Nashua Delegation to the New

Hampshire General Court may designate one member of their delegation to

serve as a member of the Executive Board.

Section 3. No Officer shall be elected to the same position for more than two

consecutive two year terms.

Section 4. The Nominating Committee shall notify, in accordance with the Bylaws, the

City Committee, at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the City Committee

Meeting convened to elect Officers and Executive Board members, of its

slate of candidates. The City Committee may nominate additional qualified

candidates.

ARTICLE VI: Vacancies and Removals from Office

Section 1. If the Chairman’s office becomes vacant, a special election shall be held

within sixty (60) days at a City Committee Meeting, following the same rules

as a normal election, to serve until the end of the current term.

Section 2. Any vacancy occurring among the Officers, other than Chairman, and the

Members At Large Executive Board members shall be filled by an election

by a majority of the existing elected Executive Board members within thirty

(30) days of the notification of such vacancy.

Section 3. If any Officer or Executive Board Member neglects, fails, or refuses to

perform their duty, or publicly supports a candidate of another political party

or other candidate opposed to a duly nominated candidate of the Democratic

Party, the members of the Executive Board by majority vote may remove

such Executive Board member from their position. In the event the

committee neglects or refuses to make such vote within 30 days of notice to

the Executive Board, the NH Democratic State Party Chairperson may

declare the office vacant.

Section 4. Resignation must be in writing and received by the Secretary.

ARTICLE VII: Standing and Special Committees

Section 1. The Chairperson shall determine and appoint such committees as are deemed

necessary to fulfill the purpose of the Nashua Democratic City Committee,

subject to approval of the Executive Board. Standing Committees, including,

but not limited to Finance, Nominating, Elections, and Information

Technology, shall be appointed at the beginning of each new term.

Section 2. A quorum for a committee meeting shall consist of a simple majority of the

voting members of that committee.

Section 3. Committees shall keep minutes of all their meetings, shall submit written

reports of their activities upon completion of their purpose, and shall also

submit financial statements.

Section 4. All committee members shall be notified prior to a committee meeting.

Section 5. Committee Chairpersons must be a member of the Executive Board, but

other members of the committee may be selected from the general

membership of the City Committee.

ARTICLE VIII: Endorsement of Candidates

Section 1. Any member of the Executive Board, representing themselves in an official

capacity, shall be subject to removal from the Executive Board if they

endorse any candidate for public office, other than themselves or a direct

family member, prior to the conclusion of a contested primary election.

An exception would exist if the New Hampshire State Democratic Party had

already endorsed a candidate in a primary, such as a primary to re-nominate

the existing President of the United States.

Section 2. Individual members of the Executive Board, representing themselves in an

official capacity, are prohibited from endorsing candidates in Nashua’s nonpartisan

municipal elections. The Executive Board may vote to encourage

candidacies, support, and endorse candidates in those municipal elections

who are registered Democrats

Section 3. Nothing herein is meant to abridge any individual’s rights to endorse, work

for, or vote for any candidate of their choice, so long as those actions are

completely disassociated from their membership on the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IX: Rules of Order

Section 1. The current edition of “Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall govern

the proceedings of all meetings except as provided in the Constitution and in

the Bylaws.

ARTICLE X: Suspension of the Bylaws

Section 1. These Bylaws may be suspended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive

Board Members present and voting at any regular membership meeting or

Executive Board meeting, provided a quorum is present.

NDCC Bylaws Page 8

ARTICLE XI: Amendments

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members

present and voting at any regular or special City Committee meeting,

provided that notice of the meeting to act on the proposed amendments be

published at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of such meeting.

ARTICLE XII: Resolution of Disputes

Section 1. Any member of the City Committee may appeal an action of the City

Committee that appears to contravene the Constitution of the Democratic

Party of New Hampshire or of the Bylaws of the City Committee to the State

chairperson within five (5) days of such action. The State Chairperson, after

consultation with the legal counsel of the Democratic State Committee, shall

issue, within thirty (30) days of receipt of such complaint, an opinion which

shall be binding upon the City Committee unless an appeal is made, within

five (5) days of receipt of the decision of the State Chairperson, to the next

meeting of the State Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XIII: Notifications

Section 1. Unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws, all notifications to the

Membership of City Committee will be made on the official website with the

Secretary sending email notifications to any member who subscribes to

getting such email notifications. Any City Committee member may request

that the Secretary send their notifications by U.S. Mail.

Section 2. The principal communications address is the web site

www.nashuademocrats.org and the mailing address: PO Box 0291, Nashua,

New Hampshire 03061. The Executive Board is authorized to change these

addresses as required.

ARTICLE XIV: Records

Section 1. All records, materials, and funds shall be and shall remain property of the

Nashua Democratic City Committee and shall be turned over to their duly

elected successors no later than thirty (30) days of the new Executive

Committee taking office.

Section 2. The current Constitution and Bylaws of the Nashua Democratic City

Committee shall be available for review on the official web site. All requests

for a paper copy must be submitted to the Secretary.