Bylaws of the Aroostook County Democratic Committee

Preamble:

We the members of the Aroostook Democratic County Committee in order to foster the principles of justice, equality, respect for democratic institutions and ideals, and to assist in the election of Democrats to positions of trust, responsibility and authority, do ordain and establish, by at least two-third plurality of those voting, these bylaws as the bylaws of the Aroostook Democratic County Committee. No legitimate action of this committee may be taken except in conformance with the authority herein established.

Article 1: Purpose of the Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support the Democratic ideals and to elect Democrats at all levels of government in Aroostook County.

We do this by creating conditions to make it easier for Democrats to be elected, including:

1. Promoting the ideals and principles of the Democratic party

2. Encouraging participation at all levels of the party.

3. Coordinate with local, state and national levels of the Democratic Party

Article 2: Membership

Any enrolled Democratic voter in Aroostook County who expresses a desire to the chairperson shall be a member of the Committee, but voting members are as described in these bylaws. 

1. Members are elected at the biennial municipal caucuses.

2. Each voting municipality in Aroostook county is entitled to as many voting members as they are entitled delegates to the Democratic State Convention in addition to all municipal officers.

3. Substitutions are allowed if voting members are absent. 

4. All eligibility can be challenged and will be determined by majority vote.

Article 2A: Duties of Membership

1. Attend monthly meetings 

2. Participate in the government and direction of the activities of the Committee.

3. Elect officers

4. Elect representatives to the State Committee(at the convention) and Fill vacancies to the State Committee.

5. Approve the budget

6. Affirm the bylaws at the organizational meeting.

9. Promote grass roots Democratic organizations.

10. Participate in County activities and Democratic campaigns 

Article 3: Officers

Officers shall be elected by voting members of the committee at an organizational meeting in January following a general statewide election of members of the U.S. Congress, a chairperson of the committee, a vice chairperson of another gender, three regional vice chairpersons, a secretary and a treasurer of the committee. The three vice chairs should come one from each county commissioner district.

Written notice for this meeting must go out 7 to 10 days before the meeting by text, messenger, email, or social media.

To become an officer you must be a member in good standing but do not need to be a voting member. You can nominate yourself or someone else. You must have permission from said person to nominate them. An officer is removed by death, resignation, failure to gain reelection or failure to attend three consecutive meetings without an excuse.

Article 3b: Duties of Officers

Chair

1. Attend all meetings

2. Establish committees as needed

3. Attend state committee mtgs and report back to the county committee mtgs

4. Take county concerns to the State committee.

5. Approve disbursements of funds.

Vice Chair

1. Attend all Aroostook County committee meetings

2. Preside over mtgs with chair is unavailable.

3. Participate on subcommittees where needed.

Secretary

1. Keeps minutes and attendance for all County committee mtgs

2. Keeps the records of meetings and contact information and makes them available for all members

Treasurer

1. Collects, Records and Disburses funds at the direction of the chair.

Regional Vice Chairs

1. Identify and enlist at least an activist Democrat in each of the municipalities within the assigned region.

2. Assist local Democrats in coordinating their municipality’s biennial caucus.

3. Other duties as identified.

Article 3C – Executive committee

1. Consists of all county committee officers and all state committee members

2. Serves in an advisory role to the County Committee

3. May act on behalf of the County Committee in an emergency.

4. Can be removed for inaction or impropriety.  

Article 4 – Meetings

There shall be no more than 12 regular meetings per year with the chair providing notification and acting as the presiding officer. Notice will be given by text, email, messenger or social media. If the chair is unavailable for the meeting, the vice chair shall preside. If both are absent, a regional chair will preside in a rotating fashion starting in the north.

Regional meetings may be called at any time by their respective regional chair.

Special meetings can be called by the chair or the written request of 5 committee members.

A quorum is 7 people.

No proxies allowed in any votes

Article 5 Resignations

1. May be done by any member at any time.

2. Must be in writing to the chair and takes effect immediately.

3. The County Chair has the duty to notify the municipal chair.

Article 6 Recalls

1. Any officer or member may be recalled for inaction or impropriety.

2. Any recall must be signed by 10 members.

3. Any recall requires a 2/3 vote of all members present and voting.

Article 7 Vacancies

1. If the chair is unable to fulfill their term, the vice chair presides

Until the next regular mtg when an election must be held.

2. All other vacancies are filled at the next meeting.

Article 8 Bylaws

1. Any change to the bylaws should be voted on at the biennial organizational meeting.

2. It shall require a 2/3 vote to pass

3. Changes made at a regular meeting require 80% approval.

4. If 3 or more voting members object, voting will be halted for 15 days while like minded members are solicited to vote.

Article 9 Parliamentary Authority

1. The most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised is to be used in situations not covered by the state law, MDP charter and bylaws or these bylaws.