Perry County Democrats
Young Democrats
Central Committee
Cannelton Democrats
Women Democrats

About us

Our Purpose:
To encourage the participation of young Perry Countians in the democratic process in order to protect Democratic ideals and values in our community, state, and nation.

PERRY COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS BY-LAWS

Mission Statement
The Mission of the Perry County Young Democrats will be to stimulate young people toward an active interest in governmental and civic affairs through a combination of social fellowship, community involvement, and political activism. Through the promotion of young people and their involvement in the political process, the Perry County Young Democrats will work to support and advance policies of the highest principles and to increase the efficiency of popular government. Through this mission, the Perry County Young Democrats will not only work toward the highest degree of justice and social welfare for the citizens of our country, but also sculpt future leaders from the young citizens in the Perry County and Southern Indiana region community.

Article I: Name & Affiliation

Section I: Name

A) The Name of the organization will be the Perry County Young Democrats, hereafter also known and abbreviated as PCYD.

Section II: Affiliation

A) The PCYD will be affiliated with the Indiana Young Democrats and by and through the Indiana Young Democrats will be affiliated and associated with the Young Democrats of America.

B) The PCYD will be chartered with the Perry County Democratic Party and will work as closely as possible with all levels of the Democratic Party and its officials and elected office holders.

Article II: Membership

Section I: Membership Levels

A) The PCYD will be composed of members, student members, associate members, and lifetime members. The membership shall gather at least once monthly and, through democratic methods, decide what path the PCYD will follow.

  1. Member: an individual who is at least eighteen (18) years old but also younger than forty-one (41) years old. In accordance with both state and national Young Democrats’ charter, members older than thirty-six (36) years of age will not qualify to be voting members at either state or national meetings or conventions. Members older than thirty-six (36) years of age will only have voting privileges within the PCYD chapter.
     
  2. Student Member: an individual who either a) meets all the qualifications for being a member but also has full-time status at a college or secondary school, or b) is a student of a local high school and is under eighteen (18) years of age. Student members will have reduced annual dues, the amount of which to be determined by the organization. Those student members under the age eighteen (18) will not be required to pay annual dues.
  3. Associate Member: an individual, above forty-one (41) years of age. Associate members will serve as mentors, consultants, and can fill positions on both Standing and Sub-Committees, but cannot be elected to a chairmanship of a Standing Committee or to the Executive Committee. In accordance with both state and national Young Democrats’ charter, associate members will not qualify to be voting members at either state or national meetings or conventions.
  4. Lifetime Member: any individual, who contributes a one-time donation or in-kind gift of more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) to the PCYD organization, within the individual’s lifetime. A Lifetime member will be certified by the President and the Treasurer of the organization.
  5. Membership Sponsor: any organization or individual, who donates more than one hundred dollars ($100) to the PCYD organization within a calendar year. 

Section II: Active Membership and Voting Rights

A) Individuals are identified as a part of the active PCYD membership and are eligible to vote at both PCYD membership and assigned committee meetings once all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Qualifies for at least one of the sections listed under Article II, Section A, Clause 1 & 2.
  2. Have annual membership dues current.
  3. Affirms that he/she supports a society based upon liberty, social freedom, economic justice and progress, and considers him/herself a Democrat.

Article III: Executive Committee

Section I: Executive Committee (EC)

The PCYD shall select and duly elect an Executive Committee, the membership of which will include a President, Vice President of Public and Media Relations, Vice President of Political Strategy and Issue Development, Vice President of Membership/Recruitment, Perry County Democratic Party Liaison, Treasurer, and Secretary to lead and represent the membership. These elected officers are sworn to lead and facilitate the development of ideas for the PCYD organization.

A. The duties of the President are as follows, but not limited to:

  1. Planning and providing an agenda for all membership and EC meetings;
  2. Providing leadership and order during organization discussions;
  3. Fill vacant EC position with acting-officers until a special election can be held;
  4. Establish, when necessary, working committees and sub-committees to assist the EC and Standing Committees;
  5. Representing the organization in absence of the organization;
  6. Attend meetings of the Perry County Democratic Party, Indiana Democratic Party, and DNC when appropriate; and,
  7. Assist all other EC officers with duties as requested/necessary.

B. The duties of the Vice President of Public and Media Relations are as follows, but are not limited to:

    1. Serving as assistant to the President;
    2. Sustaining the duties of the President, in circumstances of illness, resignation, or removal;
    3. Acting as parliamentarian during meetings; 
    4. Representing the organization in absence of the organization;
    5. Maintaining or Coordinating the Perry County Young Democrats Website;
    6. Serve as primary media contact to the local, state, and national media as necessary; and,
    7. Prepare or coordinate publicity materials for PCYD activities and events as necessary.

C. The Duties of the Vice President of Political Strategy and Issue Development are as follows, but not limited to:

    1. Serving as assistant to the President;
    2. Sustaining the duties of the President, in circumstances of illness, resignation, or removal;
    3. Acting as parliamentarian during meetings;
    4. Representing the organization in absence of the organization;
    5. Research issues as identified by the EC and membership for development;
    6. Chairperson of the Issue and Strategy Sub-committee;
    7. During election time, serve as liaison between PCYD and political strategists of selected campaigns.

D. The Duties of the Vice President of Membership and Recruitment are as follows, but not limited to:

    1. Maintain current membership lists;
    2. Coordinate with Treasurer to monitor membership dues in determining membership status;
    3. Update lists and notify members of pending membership status changes;
    4. Identify and contact prospective candidates for membership in PCYD; and,
         
    5. Coordinate with VP of P/MR in marketing membership in recruitment for PCYD.              

E. The duties of the Secretary are as follows, but not limited to:

    1. Taking notes and recording the minutes for each meeting;
    2. Sustaining the duties of both the President and Vice-President, in circumstances of illness, resignation, or removal;
    3. Disseminating information to both the organization and the EC, commonly by memorandum or emailwith the approval of the Executive Committee; and,
    4. Representing the organization in absence of the organization.

F. The duties of the Treasurer are as follows, but are not limited to:

    1. Collecting and disbursing all funds for the organization, under the supervision and direction of the President;
    2. Reporting transaction status to both the organization and the EC;
    3. Assisting in fund-raising activities; and reporting this information to all relevant and legal authorities; and,
    4. Representing the organization in absence of the organization.

G. The powers and duties of the Executive Committee, as a combined body, will be, but are not limited to:

    1. Serve as the executive arm of the membership;
    2. Create, when necessary, special memberships, scholarship, and awards to recognize outstanding achievements by individuals of the organizations;
    3. Provide and keep safe the By-Laws and amendments to the By-Laws for the membership; and
    4. Promote the growth and stability of the membership.

Section II: Elections of Executive Committee officers

  1. The term for each officer will be set for one (1) year.
  2. EC officers will be elected by a majority of active PCYD members present at the organizational meeting. The organizational meeting shall be held no later than March 1st of the given year.
  3. Nominations for EC officers should be made in writing to the EC one month prior to the organizational meeting and those nominations will be announced and duly seconded by a voting member at the organizational meeting.
  4. In the event of an EC vacancy, the President shall announce a special election, to occur one no sooner than one month before following the announcement. Nomination should be made from the floor at the membership meeting before the election. A majority of active PCYD members at the membership meeting must vote in the affirmative during the special election to fill the vacancy.
  5. Following the annual elections, the new officers for the next term will take office on the 1st day of following month and be sworn into the offices for which they were elected during the next monthly membership meeting, or any special Democratic event held by the party.
  6. An officer of EC may be removed from office by a vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of those members present at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting, for negligence, Abuse of power, Intentionally misrepresenting or misleading the membership, or Violating Article VI of these By-Laws.

Article IV: Standing Committees

Section I: General Provisions for Standing Committees

  1. The membership will have standing committees to assist the Executive Committee in the organization and operation of the organization.
  2. The standing committees will make regular reports to the membership at the monthly meetings.

Section II: Community Involvement Committee

  1. The membership shall select members to form the Community Involvement Committee with the purpose of investigating, informing, and directing the membership in ways to participate with charitable organizations within the Southern Indiana community.
  2. The Committee shall be headed by a Chairperson, to be selected by the committee. The Chairperson will schedule and chair regular meetings of the Community Involvement Committee.

Section III: Political Activism Committee:

  1. The membership shall select members to form the Political Activism Committee to Investigate, inform, and direct the membership in ways to be active in the local Democratic Party.
  2. The Committee will be lead by the President, or his designee, and will be responsible for scheduling and serving as the chair for regular meetings of the Political Activism Committee.

Section IV: Social Fellowship Committee:

  1. The membership shall select members to form the Social Fellowship Committee to Investigate, inform, and direct the membership in ways they can gather together socially.
  2. The Committee shall be headed by a Chairperson, to be selected by the committee. The Chair will schedule and chair regular meetings of the Social Fellowship Committee.  

Article V: Political Support

Section I: Organizational Support

The organization will volunteer, support, and work to elect candidates, who are Democrats within Perry County, the State of Indiana, and the Nation, but will remain neutral towards any legally filed candidate involved in an opposed primary.

Section II: Individual Member Support

Any individual member, with the exception of the elected officers, can volunteer, support, and work to elect any candidate at any time.

Section III: Conflict of Interest

Any elected officer can volunteer, support, endorse, and work for any candidate at any time, by submitting their intentions of possible conflict of interest in writing to the Executive Committee. Two (2) members of the committee must acknowledge these submissions. Submissions made by each officer will affirm that while supplying their talents for their individual choice of candidates he or she will not be representing the overall organization.           

Article VI: Legalities

Section I: General Provisions

  1. The organization, officers, and its membership, during the course of conducting business for the organization, shall be subject to the laws of both the United States and the State of Indiana.
  2. Conflicts between these By-laws and the governing rules for the Indiana Young Democrats, the Young Democrats of America, the Perry County Democratic Party, the Indiana Democratic Party, and the Democratic National Committee shall be negotiated by the Executive Committee and Amended by the Membership.

Section II: Amendments

These By-Laws shall be amended in the following manner:

  1. At any regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting, by a motion from the floor, duly seconded, and approved by not less than a fifty percent (50%) vote of those members present, a draft amendment will be presented to and then crafted by the EC.
  2. The Executive Committee, or a By-Laws Committee as organized by the membership, may also draft and recommend amendment(s) to the membership at any regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting. 
  3. Any drafted amendment will be disbursed with the minutes of the meeting in which it was proposed, and must be approved at the following monthly meeting, by a motion from the floor, duly seconded, and approved by not less than a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those members present.

Adoption: 6/21/05

 

 

Central Committee | Cannelton Democrats | Women Democrats | Young Democrats

Perry County Democrats • Perry County, Indiana

Copyright © 2008, Perry County Democrats