BYLAWS

DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF GREATER FALLBROOK

 

(also known as the Fallbrook Democratic Club)

 

BYLAWS

 

FDC By-Laws 7th Revision_Ratified_August-2021

 

ARTICLE I – NAME

 

The name of this organization shall be the Democratic Club of Greater Fallbrook, also known as

Fallbrook Democratic Club. The Fiscal year shall be from January 1 to December 31.

 

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this club shall be to foster democratic ideals by stimulating active interest in the

Democratic Party, to support the party platform, contribute to party leadership and responsibility, to

provide a constructive role for the volunteer in Democratic politics, and to promote an activist base in

the Greater Fallbrook area.

 

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1 – Eligibility

Anyone registered as a Democrat or has expressed intent to register as a Democrat, shall be eligible for

membership in this club. Members registered as other than Democrat are Associate members.

Section 2 – Good Standing

Everyone eligible to be a member of this club and whose annual dues are currently paid (or had waived)

shall be a member in good standing. A member may be removed from membership either for

nonpayment of dues or by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board if during his/her term of membership said

member violates the club bylaws, causes harm to the reputation and/or finances of the club.

Section 3 – Dues

Dues in an amount set by the membership shall be due and payable upon joining the club, and annually

at the beginning of every calendar year thereafter. Dues paid after November 1st will include

membership for the following calendar year.

Section 4 – Voting

No proxy voting shall be permitted.

 

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

 

Section 1 – Elected Officers

Elected officers of this club shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Political

Action Chair. Each officer shall be elected at the general meeting in January and hold office for two

years. The President and Treasurer shall be elected on odd years and the Vice President, Secretary, and

Political Action Chair on even years.

Section 2 – Duties

1. President will

(1) Be the Chief Executive Officer of the club.

(2) Preside over all meetings of the club and the Executive Board.

(3) Make appointments to other non-elected committee positions as required.

(4) Act as the official spokesperson of the club.

(5) Stimulate active interest in the political process.

(6) Provide a constructive role for the active volunteer.

(7) Contribute to effective leadership and individual responsibility.

(8) Promote harmony within the club membership, between other clubs and within the San Diego

County Democratic Party.

1. Vice President will

(1) Serve at the direction of the President.

(2) Preside at meetings if the President is unable to do so, or is requested by the President to do so.

(3) Shall take over the duties of the President in the absence of that officer.

(4) Recommend speakers to the elected officers (E-Board) with adequate lead time for board approval

and publicity.

(5) Chair the Annual Audit Committee.

(a) Select 2 members in November

(b) Audit financial reports by the end of January

(c) Prepare annual audit report to Executive Board by the February board meeting, and present to the

membership at the March general meeting.

1. Secretary will

(1) Keep the minutes of the general meetings and the executive committee meetings.,

(2) Conduct correspondence, maintain the club’s records and be responsible for internal

Communications,

(3) Chair meetings in the absence of the President and Vice-President.

1. Treasurer will

(1) Prepare a budget for Board and membership approval by March general meeting.

(2) Collect dues from the membership and all funds.

(3) Receive and deposit all funds into the checking account.

(4) Pay and reimburse for expenditures.

(5) Pay annual charter fee for San Diego County Democratic Party, (SDCDP).

(6) Maintain an accurate record of club receipts and disbursements,

(7) Make the record of club receipts and expenditures available to any member when requested.

(8) Provide a report of the club’s financial status at club meetings as requested.

(9) Make the books and all other financial records of the club available to the Audit Committee each

year by January 10th.

(10) Provide an annual written report of club financial status by end of January.

(11) See that the Club meets federal, state, and local political campaign reporting requirements.

1. Political Action Chair will:

(1) Promote public event participation,

(2) Encourage local issue development,

(3) Support legislative lobbying.

SECTION 3 – Elections

1. Elections shall be held in January.
2. Only members in good standing are eligible to vote. For Club elections, members who renew or new

members who join at the January meeting are able to vote.

1. The President shall appoint a chairperson for the Nominating Committee. The Chairperson of the

Nominating Committee shall recruit four additional members to serve on the committee, consisting of

both Board and non-Board members.

1. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each elective office. All

discussion of this committee in regards to candidates shall be held in strict confidence. The report of

their selections shall be made at the last general meeting of the year.

1. The Slate of Officers shall be presented at the January meeting for election. At that meeting, the floor

will be open for additional nominations and the election will be held. Those nominees who receive a

majority vote 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.

Section 4 – Vacancies

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 held with a majority of those

members in good standing present required to elect. Voting requires a quorum of members present.

Section 5 – Appointed Officers

The President shall appoint a parliamentarian and any other officers not otherwise specified by these

bylaws as required for the general well-being of the club. All chairpersons of Standing Committees shall

become board members.

 

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 in January

and at least one each quarter. Other general meetings shall be held at such times and places as

specified by a majority of the Executive Board.  Meeting dates, time, and locations are provided to

SDCDP at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting.

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 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

At least ten days prior to a general meeting at which the following items will be discussed and voted

upon, the Secretary shall cause to be deposited in the regular United States Mail or by e-mail a notice

addressed to each member of the club in good standing: proposed resolutions, ballot measures, filling of

any vacancies, and proposed amendments to these Bylaws. Such notice shall specify the time, place, and

date of the general meeting and describe the event.

 

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 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 then-

current Committee Chairs.

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 – SUGGESTED COMMITTEES AND DUTIES

 

1. The suggested Standing Committees for the club may be as follows: (1) Audit, (2) Fundraising/Sales,

(3) Local Election, (4) Membership, (5) Nominating, (6) Parliamentarian, (7) Precinct Organization, (8)

Publicity, (9) Voter Registration, and (10) Resolutions Committee.

(1) Audit Committee will:

1. Review the club’s financial records annually.
2. Prepare annual audit report for Executive Board to present at the February board meeting, and

present to membership at March general meeting.

(2) Fundraising/Sales Committee will:

1. Organize one or more fundraising events/activities each year as needed (dinners, auctions, picnics,

theater parties, etc.).

1. Invite candidates and elected officials to participate.
2. Look for co-sponsors to share the workload, to produce larger crowds (may enable attraction of a

major speaker).

1. Plan small fundraisers as needed for regular meetings (door prizes, auction works of art, donation

boxes, etc.).

1. Present to Executive Board for approval.

(3) Local Election Committee will:

1. Identify and recruit candidates for local office.
2. Assist candidates in their campaign activities.

(4) Membership Committee shall:

1. Recruit new members.
2. Maintain membership records,
3. Encourage membership renewal,
4. Greet new attendees, pass out name tags, and log all attendee’s names, addresses, and phone

numbers at meetings,

1. Submit dues received to Treasurer.

(5) Parliamentarian shall:

1. Answer questions that may arise during meetings concerning conformity to the current edition of

Robert’s Rules of Order (Newly Revised).

(6) Precinct Organization Committee shall:

1. Enlist, train, monitor, and assist precinct leaders for the Greater Fallbrook area.
2. Provide precinct lists, maps, voter registration materials, and campaign literature to precinct leaders.

 

(7) Precinct Leaders will:

1. Contact voters in their assigned precinct.
2. Assist all interested persons to register Democratic.
3. Encourage each registered Democrat to become an active member of the Club,
4. Provide Democratic Party information to voters in their precinct.
5. Urge all voters in their precinct, especially Democrats, to vote, either by absentee or at the polls.
6. Ensure that all Democrats in their precinct know the location of their polling place, and
7. Serve as poll watchers on Election Day and work to get out the vote.

(8) Publicity Committee shall:

a.  Prepare and arrange for club publicity in local papers or other media,

All publicity should be coordinated with Club President prior to distribution.

(9) Voter Registration Committee shall

a.    Be a year-round activity,

b.    Encourage registration by telephone solicitation, door-to-door canvassing, booths at neighborhood fair/special events or public locations.

c.    Have registration forms available to everyone requesting one.

d.    Assist in completing the forms and mail them in a timely manner.

(10) The Resolutions Committee will:

a.    Meet as needed throughout the year,

b.    Be chaired by an officer of the Executive Board selected by the President.

c.    Only accept resolutions that meet the formatting requirements of the San Diego County Democratic Party. The committee may provide helpful information. However, the purpose of this committee is not to help write or to prepare resolutions. Preparing a resolution is the responsibility of the submitter(s).

d.    Critically examine resolutions for their content, with reference to Article IX, Section 2. A

resolution is not to be approved solely because it meets a minimum requirement of formatting.  A resolution should be judged for its merit and benefit to the club’s well-being.

e.   Provide input on submitted resolutions to the Executive Board for consideration by the Executive Board to move to the floor during a general meeting of the club.

1. The suggested Ad Hoc Committees for the club may be as follows: (1) Nominating Committee, (2)

Picnic Committee, and (3) Campaign Committee.

(1) Nominating Committee shall:

1. Consist of both Executive Board and non-board members.
2. Nominates a slate of candidates for office prior to each annual election meeting.

(2) Picnic Committee shall:

1. Plan, organize, and execute the Club’s annual Picnic.

(3) Campaign Committee shall:

1. Coordinate the Club’s participation in election campaigns at the County, State, and National levels.
2. Work under the direction of the County party.

 

Article VIII – CLUB FINANCES

 

Section 1- Budgeting

1. The Executive Board shall prepare a budget with the guidance of the Treasurer in February for

adoption by the membership at the March meeting.

1. List all anticipated income and expenses.
2. The Board decides how funds to meet the projected expenses are to be raised.
3. Any new expenditure to the budget after initial approval must be presented to the membership for

approval.

Section 2- Audits – addressed under committees.

 

ARTICLE IX – Endorsements

 

SECTION 1- Candidate Endorsements

1. The club may only endorse candidates who are registered Democrats.
2. Candidates who are not Democrats may only be rated acceptable or unacceptable.
3. To win endorsement, a candidate must receive 60% of the votes cast.
4. If there are more than two (2) candidates, and a winner is unable to be declared on the first round of voting, the two (2) candidates receiving the most votes shall move on to a final round of voting.

SECTION 2- Resolutions

1. Resolutions may be submitted by any club member in good standing.
2. The Club may consider and take public positions on any matter of general public concern as

resolutions.

1. Resolutions are intended to be statements of our principles. Resolutions are not directives

telling anyone to do anything.

1. All resolutions will meet the usual format required by the San Diego County Democratic Party

and California Democratic Party, such as number of words and other formatting requirements.

1. All Resolutions shall adhere to and reflect the goals and principles of This Club and those

enumerated in the Bylaws and the Platforms of the San Diego County Democratic Party, The

California Democratic Party, and the Democratic National Committee.

1. Submitted Resolutions must be reviewed by the Resolution Committee for the above-

mentioned requirements before going to the Executive Board for its consideration to be put on

a general meeting agenda.

1. A Resolution can be approved by a simple majority vote at a general meeting after notice has

been provided, as specified in Article V, Section 4 of these Bylaws.

 

SECTION 3- Notice

1. Reasonable attempts should be made to notify and invite all candidates to a candidate endorsement

meeting where their race is being considered at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting.

1. Full membership is given notice of candidate endorsements in a particular race or races at least

fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting via email or alternative method for those without email. Notice for

resolutions is ten (10) days as described in Article V, Section 4 of these Bylaws.

SECTION 4- Voter Eligibility

1. To be eligible to vote for the endorsement of a candidate, ballot proposition, or resolution, a

member must have been a member in good standing at least 25 days prior to the meeting.

1. A member whose membership expired within 65 days of an endorsement meeting shall be able to

vote upon payment of dues, whether in advance of or at an endorsement meeting.

1. Proxy voting and absentee voting is not permitted.

SECTION 5- Validity

1. Endorsements are valid only for the current election season. Following the relevant election,

endorsements are considered expired.

1. Endorsements by the club shall not be construed as the CDP or SDCDP endorsement.

ARTICLE X – AFFILIATION and CLUB REPRESENTATIVES

 

The club shall affiliate as an associate member of the County Democratic Central Committee and pay the

current annual fee.

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

1. Charter Requirements by San Diego County Democratic Party are that Club roster has at least twenty

(20) members who are Democrats or intend to register as Democrats as soon as they are eligible to do

1. At least two-thirds (2/3) of members (both members and associates) are registered Democrats or

intend to register as Democrats.

1. 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 of Club Representatives

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.

 

SECTION 4- Adherence to Club Positions

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.

 

ARTICLE XI – TERMINATION

 

Should this club be dissolved, the monies remaining in the treasury, after payment of all obligations,

shall be turned over to the San Diego County Democratic Party.

 

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS

 

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote 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 of Original Bylaws: August 10, 2004

Revised: November 2005

Ratified: January 2006

Revised: January 2014

Ratified: February 2014

Revised: May 2014

Ratified: June 2014

Revised: October 2014

Ratified: November 2014

 

Revised: May 2015

Ratified: June 2015

Revised: July 2018

Ratified: August 2018

Revised: July 2021

Ratified: August 2021