Bylaws of the DSRC

The purpose of the Democrats of Southwest Riverside County shall be to foster the ideals of the Democratic Party. To fulfill this purpose, the DSRC will provide a constructive role for the volunteer in Democratic politics, will contribute to Party leadership and responsibility, will promote harmony within the Party, will support the Party platform, and will assist in the selection of Democratic candidates.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Members

1a. Active Members:

Any member who is a registered Democrat and who has paid dues in full or has requested and received a hardship waiver shall be considered a “member in good standing” and shall have one vote which may not be by proxy. Voting rights are subject to compliance with other provisions of these bylaws.

1b. Non-voting members:

Student Members: Persons under the age of 18 who are not eligible to vote and declare their intention of registering as a Democrat when they are eligible to do so.
Associate Members: Persons who are not eligible to vote and declare their intention of registering as a Democrat when they are eligible to do so.

Section 2. Voting Rights

All active members in good standing who have been members for 30 days or more, are eligible to vote in meetings, endorsements and elections.

Section 3. Nondiscrimination

DSRC does not require or use any test of membership or oath of loyalty which has the effect of requiring prospective or current members to acquiesce in, condone or support discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, national origin, physical ability, sex, age, religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, or economic status.

Article IV. Dues

Dues shall be set annually by the Executive Board and approved by the membership. Dues shall be due and payable upon joining the DSRC. Thereafter, membership dues shall be paid annually at the beginning of every calendar year. However, any new member paying dues after October 1st shall be deemed to be fully paid through December 31st of the following year. The membership of any member whose dues for a given calendar year remain unpaid beyond March 10th of that year shall be deemed to have lapsed and to be of no further force or effect.

Article V. Officers

Section 1. Titles and Terms

Officers of the DSRC shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Fourth Vice President, Secretary, Controller, and Communications Director. They shall hold office for two years.

Section 2. Duties

1. President

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer, preside over all General Meetings of the DSRC and the Executive Committee, appoint three Members-at-Large to the Executive Committee, and appoint all other committee chairs, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws.

2. 1st Vice President

The 1st Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President, serve as Chair of the Programs Committee, and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

3. 2nd Vice President

The 2nd Vice President shall serve as Chair of the Membership Committee, keep the membership list current in coordination with the Controller, and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

4. 3rd Vice President

The 3rd Vice President shall serve as Chair of the Events Committee and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

5. 4th Vice President

The 4th Vice President shall serve as chair of the Political Action Committee and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

6. Secretary

The Secretary shall record and have custody of the Minutes of the General Meetings and of the Executive Committee Meetings, and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

7. Controller

The Controller shall be responsible for the financial matters of the DSRC, which include keeping the financial records and making the required filings with government entities. The Controller, with concurrence of the President, may write checks for non-budgeted funds up to the amount of $500 per action without further approval.

8. Communications Director

The Communications Director shall prepare notices of meetings, chair the Communications Committee, assist with the newsletter and other publications, and fulfill other duties assigned by the President of the DSRC.

Section 3. Elections

The officers shall be elected either by acclamation or by written ballot at the first General Meeting in January of odd-numbered years and shall hold office for two years. If elected by written ballot, each ballot must be signed by the voting member. A majority of those Active Members present shall be required to elect. Upon election the new officers will be installed.

Section 4. Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall consist of three Active Members and a chairperson appointed by the President. Any member in good standing shall be eligible for any office. Potential nominees shall be informed of the duties and responsibilities of the offices. No member serving on the current Nominating Committee shall be nominated for an office. Each nominee must accept the nomination in order to be on the slate of officers for election. The Nominating Committee shall recommend one candidate for each elective office and give a report to the general membership at the December meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the January meeting before voting takes place.

Section 5. Vacancies

Should any officer fail to attend two consecutive General Meetings, or two consecutive Executive Committee Meetings without just cause, that office may be declared vacant upon written notification to that officer. The Executive Committee shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term. Any such appointment shall be ratified at the next General Meeting. If an officer resigns, the Executive Committee shall follow the procedure indicated above.

Section 6. Recall of Officers

10% of the Active Membership may petition for removal of any Officer. Any DSRC officer may be recalled from his/her office by a two-thirds majority vote of the Active Members present and voting at a General Meeting of the DSRC. However, the number of Active Members present at such a meeting shall represent no fewer than 20% of the total Active Members of the DSRC. The motion to recall any officer shall be communicated in writing to that officer at least seven days before the General Meeting. If he or she wishes, the officer facing recall must be given an opportunity to defend him or herself regarding the charges that led to the recall. This defense must be given at the meeting before the vote occurs. The results of the vote shall be communicated in writing to the concerned individual.

Section 7. Parliamentarian

The President shall appoint the Parliamentarian.

Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. General Meetings

There shall be a minimum of nine (9) General Meetings each year scheduled for the first Monday of the month, at least one of which will be held in January. Meetings falling on observed holidays (e.g. New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day) will be scheduled for the first Tuesday of the month. Other General Meetings shall be held at such time and place as specified by a majority of the Executive Committee. DSRC meetings are open rule meetings, allowing non-members to attend, but not participate without express invitation by the board.

Section 2. Quorum

A Quorum at any General Meeting shall be 10% of total Active Members or at least 15 Active Members, whichever is higher. A Quorum of the Executive Committee shall be 50% of the members of the Executive Committee, including at least four elected officers.

Section 3. Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the parliamentary rules for all matters not provided in the bylaws.

Section 4. Notice of Meetings

At least seven days prior to a General Meeting, a person designated by the President shall email the meeting notification to each Active Member. The notice shall specify the time, place, and date of the General Meeting, as well as describe any proposed resolutions, endorsements, elections, filling of a vacancy in any office, and proposed amendments to these bylaws being considered. The emailing of the DSRC newsletter at least seven days prior to a General Meeting shall fulfill the obligation to provide notice of meetings. It is the member’s responsibility to notify the Membership Chair of email address changes. Members will have the opportunity to opt out or opt back into email notifications at any time.

Section 5. Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable Accommodation will be provided for persons with disabilities. Accommodations include but are not limited to parking, restroom facilities, American Sign Language requirements, or alternate format materials. Requests should be made to the President at least forty-eight (48) hours before a membership meeting.

Section 6. Limitation of Guest Speakers

Democrats may be invited to speak at any DSRC function.
Non-Democrats may be invited to speak at DSRC General Meetings. They shall not be invited to speak at other events open to the public.
Non-Democrats may speak about local issues. If they currently hold office, they may speak about their office and its duties.
Non-Democrats shall not be invited to speak when actively involved in an election or with a declared candidate.

Section 7. Riverside County Democratic Party Notification

DSRC will keep regular communications with the Riverside County Democratic Party by sending notice of meetings and events to:

a. The Chair of the RCDP at chair.rcdp@gmail.com.

b. Chair(s) of the RCDP Assembly District delegation(s) in which significant numbers of the organization’s members reside.

c. Emailing copies of the newsletter to the RCDP Chair at chair.rcdp@gmail.com

Article VII. Executive Committee

Section 1. Functions

The Executive Committee develops policy with all policy matters open to the General Membership. The Executive Committee shall develop an annual budget, carry out the business of DSRC, and perform any other duties provided for in the bylaws or in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. For off-budget items, the Executive Committee is authorized to approve expenditures up to $1000. Expenditures over $1000 must be ratified by the General Membership.

Section 2. Membership

Membership of the Executive Committee shall include all elected officers of the DSRC, the Immediate Past President, the appointed Chairs of all Standing Committees, and the three appointed Members-at-Large.

Section 3. Meetings

The President shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee at least nine (9) times per year. The President, or a majority of committee members, may call the Executive Committee into Special Session whenever the need arises. Executive Committee members may receive only 24-hour notice of the meeting and may be contacted by e-mail or telephone. In emergencies, the Executive Committee may act by e-mail or teleconference vote. The actions of the Executive Committee at Special Sessions shall be ratified at the next Executive Committee meeting and reported at the next General Meeting.

Article VIII. Committees

The Standing Committees of the DSRC are as follows: Fundraising, Communications, Membership, Political Action, and Programs. Ad hoc committees may be established and dissolved at the discretion of the President. The Chair of each Committee shall recruit and appoint all other members of that committee.

Article IX. Candidate Endorsement

Section 1. Endorsement

The DSRC shall endorse only registered Democrats.
The DSRC may only endorse as many candidates as there are open positions to elect.
The DSRC may support Democratic candidates in any election.
Non-Democratic candidates shall not be endorsed, rated, or given financial support.
The DSRC shall notify their membership, and all eligible Democratic candidates for the office under consideration, at least two (2) weeks prior to the General Meeting that an endorsement consideration will be made at that meeting.
Endorsement by the DSRC shall not be construed as endorsement by either the California Democratic Party or the Riverside County Democratic Party. Words to that effect shall be included and clearly visible wherever DSRC’s endorsement is referenced.
DSRC may endorse, by affirmative vote of sixty percent (60%) of those Active members present and voting, any Democrat who has filed as a candidate for non-partisan office or for partisan office. Blank ballots, void ballots and abstentions shall not count toward the total. The same sixty (60%) shall apply to endorsements in support of, or opposition to ballot measures.
The sixty (60%) threshold is calculated by multiplying the number of ballots cast (excluding blank ballots, void ballots, and abstentions) by .6 and if a whole number is not obtained, rounding up to the next whole number.

Article X. Termination of Membership

Section 1. Grounds for Termination

Membership in the DSRC may be terminated for any of the following reasons:

1. Publicly advocating that voters should not vote for the nominee of the Democratic Party for any partisan office.

2. Publicly supporting a candidate from another party in a partisan or non-partisan race in which a Democrat is running.

3. Committing fraud or malfeasance.

Section 2. Motion to Consider Termination of Membership

Any Active Member of the DSRC who is eligible to vote may make a motion at a General Meeting that an individual’s membership in the DSRC may be considered for termination for one or more of the reasons listed above. The motion to initiate this action shall state in detail the act(s) prompting the motion and shall be presented in writing to the President. If the motion to consider passes, further action will be taken at the next General Meeting.

Section 3. Procedure for Termination of Membership

Within seven days, the Communications Director will notify the member cited in the motion that his or her DSRC membership has been questioned. The letter of notification shall include 1) the names of the person who made the motion and who seconded it, 2) the time and the place of the next General Meeting, and 3) that the cited member has the opportunity to attend that meeting and challenge the allegation(s). At the next General Meeting, the maker of the motion for termination will bear the burden of providing clear and convincing evidence to support his or her motion. After both sides have been heard, DSRC Active Members will vote on the motion. A two-thirds majority of Active Members present and voting will be required for the motion to pass.

Article XI. Disciplinary Jurisdiction

Members and officers shall be subject to the rules, regulations, and disciplinary jurisdiction of the Riverside County Democratic Party as set forth in these bylaws.

Article XII. Selection of Representatives to the California Democratic Party (CDP) Pre-Endorsement Conference

Section 1.

Club representatives shall be allocated as follows: one representative, resident in the Assembly District and duly registered as a member of the Democratic Party of California, for each full (not a fraction thereof) 20 members in good standing registered to vote in the Assembly District who were listed on the roster submitted to Riverside County Democratic Party and to the appropriate Regional Director of the CDP no later than July 1 of the year immediately prior to the endorsing process.

Section 2.

For purposes of this Section:

Only members in good standing as of the July 1 deadline shall be included on the roster;
“Members in Good Standing” shall mean a member whose dues are current or have been waived due to economic hardship;
The status of such members shall be certified by the Club’s President, Secretary or Controller; and
The Club’s representatives to any particular pre-endorsing conference must be from the roster described above and the overall list of representatives to all conferences must be equally apportioned between men and women, to the extent possible.

Section 3.

Said representatives shall be selected by majority vote of a Selection Committee composed of the Elected Officers, a quorum being present. The Selection Committee shall not select one of its own members unless it first determines that no other viable option is available. If such determination is made, they shall inform the membership of their decision, and the reasons therefore, at the next General Membership meeting.

Section 4.

No later than October 1 of each odd number year, this Club shall inform its membership of the process for selection as a Representative to the CDP Pre-Endorsing Conferences, by email to those members who have provided email addresses and by US mail to those members who have not provided email addresses.

Section 5.

In order for a member’s name to be submitted as one of this Club’s representatives to the CDP Pre-Endorsing Conferences, the member must submit a signed written declaration of intent to the Selection Committee declaring his/her intent to support this Club’s endorsed candidates at the Pre-Endorsing Conferences by voting for them at the Pre-Endorsing Conferences.

Article XIII. Amendment of By-Laws

Any proposed amendment is to be submitted to the Executive Committee for their recommendation(s).
Such recommendation(s) may be considered at any regular or special Executive Committee Meeting provided five (5) days’ notice that such a review or modification of the bylaws is given to Executive Committee members.
If approved by the Executive Committee, a notice of the recommended amendment shall be sent to all Active Members with a meeting notice of least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting at which the amendment is to be put to vote.
Amendment of the bylaws requires a two-thirds vote of those Active Members present at any General Meeting.

Article XIV. Requisite Provisions

Requisite provisions not covered by these bylaws shall follow those of the Riverside County Democratic Party (RCDP) or of the California Democratic Party (CDP) where applicable.

In the absence of any specific applicable bylaw by any applicable governing body, Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall prevail.

Effective Date

This Constitution & Bylaws or any amendments thereto shall go into effect and become effective immediately upon their adoption.

Amended: On this Third Day of January in the Year 2023.

Frances Anderson, President

Democrats of Southwest Riverside County

Constance Youens, Secretary