ARTICLE I — NAME The name of this resident group is The Democrats in Sun City , Palm Desert , hereinafter referred to as The Democrats in Sun City . The Democrats in Sun City is a chartered Democratic Club recognized by the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee and the California Democratic Party.

ARTICLE II — PURPOSE

SECTION 1. As a political community-based resident group, The Democrats in Sun City , shall study local, state, and national issues and make recommendations to members and/or other individuals in the community. On the basis of knowledge, verifiable information, and consensus, the organization seeks to influence decision making and the electoral process by educating the electorate and supporting qualified Democrats wishing to run for public office.

SECTION 2. The Democrats in Sun City will sustain a strong and viable membership whose collective influence shall create a major political presence in various communities of the Coachella Valley .

SECTION 3. The membership shall: Elect officers who , along with the committee chairs, shall constitute the Executive Board; Hold fundraising activities to support programs, study issues, educate the electorate, and support candidates; Play an influential role in electing Democratic candidates; Maintain a credible resident group whose prestige and support will be crucial to Democratic candidates seeking office Recommend and support legislative issues; Exercise influence wherever possible in the appointment of members to commissions and other bodies whose jurisdictions affect the lives of persons living in the Coachella Valley;  Exercise influence on socio-political decisions made outside the Coachella Valley which affect the affairs of agencies and institutions in the Coachella Valley ; Promote voter registration and turnout.

ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1 . Any registered Democrat who pays full dues shall be an active member and shall have one vote which may not be by proxy.

SECTION 2. A majority vote of the membership shall govern this resident groupin all matters that may come before it.� A majority shall be counted only of those members present and in good standing.

SECTION 3. A member may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting for the following causes: a) affiliating with or registering as a member of another Party, b) publicly advocating that the electorate should not vote for the nominee of the Democratic Party for any partisan office, c) publicly giving support or publicly avowing a preference for a candidate of another party or a candidate who is opposed to a candidate nominated by this Party, d) Any member of the Club may be removed from membership for improper activity involving administrative practices, such as mismanagement or improper distribution of funds and any other such activity, as determined by the Membership.

SECTION 4 . The procedure for removal shall be as follows: a) Any member of the Club, at any meeting of the Club, may make a motion that any other member of the Club may be removed from the membership for reason or reasons set forth in this article. The motion shall state in detail the act(s) or omission(s) which the person making the motion considers warrant the removal of the member who is the subject of the motion. b) The motion to remove a member shall automatically be deemed postponed until the next meeting of the membership and shall automatically be taken up for action as an item of old or unfinished business at that meeting. c) Within seven days after the making of such a motion for removal, the Secretary of the Club shall send a certified letter to the member who is the subject of the motion for removal, (hereinafter the Cited Member), notifying the Cited Member that a the next meeting of the Club a motion will be taken up concerning the Cited Member’s removal. The mail piece shall be accompanied by an enclosed proof of service, executed pursuant to the Proof of Service provisions of Section 1013 of the California Code of Civil Procedure. d) The letter shall: 1) advise the Cited Member of the names of the members who made and seconded the motion, 2) advise the Cited Member that at the next meeting the Cited Member will be given an opportunity to challenge the allegation, and 3) inform the Cited Member of the date, time and location of the next meeting. e) At the next regular meeting, the Cited Member, if present, shall be given opportunity to admit, deny and/or explain the charges lodged against her/him. An equivalent amount of time shall be made available to the maker of the motion and/or his/her spokesperson(s) to substantiate the charge(s). Immediately thereafter, a vote shall be taken on the motion to remove the Cited Member from Club membership.. A two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting, representing a majority of the total official membership of the Club, shall be required for the motion to pass. f) In all motions for removal, the burden of introducing evidence justifying removal shall be upon the person or persons urging the removal. They shall be required to prove the case for removal by clear and convincing evidence .

ARTICLE IV — DUES

SECTION 1. The annual dues of this resident group shall be set by the Executive Board and approved by the membership. Beginning January 1 all dues shall become payable for the fiscal year, January 1 – December 31.

SECTION 2. Any registered Democrat joining the Democrats in Sun City in the months of October, November, or December will be considered a paid up member until December 31 of the following calendar year.

ARTICLE V — OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

SECTION 1. �The officers of this resident group shall be President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President , Recording Secretary, and Controller/Treasurer.

SECTION 2. The officers shall serve for one year from January 1 through December 31.

SECTION 3. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Two members will be appointed by the President and three elected from the membership. The latter shall be elected at the October membership meeting. The Nominating Committee shall make its own rules as to the nominating process.  The Nominating Committee shall nominate one member for each of the offices of President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. With the nominee’s consent, any active member shall be eligible for any office. No member serving on the current Nominating Committee shall run for election to any office. Each nominee must confirm the willingness to run for office.

SECTION 4.  At the regular meeting in November, the chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall announce the recommendations of the Committee.� The President shall open the floor to additional nominations for any of the offices. At this time any nominations made from the floor must have the consent of the nominee. Only persons attending the meeting will be considered. Nominations will then be closed.

SECTION 5. �Election of all officers will be held at the December membership meeting.� Notification of elections will be announced at the membership meeting in October, and November meetings and published within the SCPD community prior to the election.� There will be no proxy voting. There will be (1) one vote per member. Voting will be by secret ballot if there is more than one (1) candidate for any given office.

SECTION 6. If there is more than one (1) person running for a specific office, there must be a plurality of valid votes to be elected. A tie vote for any one office requires re-voting.

SECTION 7. Vacancies during the elected term in office of the 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, �Recording Secretary, or Controller/Treasurer shall be filled through recommendation of an active member by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Board. Such recommendation shall be placed before the membership at the next meeting. A nominee shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the 1st Vice President shall succeed to the office and serve as President for the remainder of the term.

SECTION 8. Any Club officer may be recalled from her/his office by a two-thirds majority vote of the total official membership present and voting at a regular meeting of the Club, provided, however, that the number of official members present at such meeting shall represent not fewer than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total official membership of the entire Club. The motion to recall any officer shall be communicated in writing to that officer at least seven days before the meeting. The results of such a vote shall be communicated in writing to the individual concerned

SECTION 9. A Club Officer may be proposed for removal for the following reasons:  a) Absence from three membership or Executive Board meetings in a row without a valid reason; b) Disloyalty to the Party, such as a change in registration from Democrat or publicly advocating the election of another party’s candidate opposing a Democrat; c) Fraud or malfeasance, such as mismanagement of funds; d) Failure to perform the duties of the office to which elected .

ARTICLE VI � — DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

SECTION 1. The Executive Board shall manage the affairs of this resident group subject to and in accordance with the Bylaws.

SECTION 2. The President shall preside over membership meetings. The President shall also do the following:  Provide leadership and direction for this resident group;  Have access to all information of this resident group;  Be the official representative of this resident group;  Prepare the agenda for and chair the Executive Board meetings as well as the general �membership meetings;  Chair the Executive Board meetings.

SECTION 3. In the absence of the President, the 1st Vice-President shall preside at all meetings and exercise all duties of the President, and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated by the President. The 1st Vice President shall be in charge of the membership programs, and shall develop a committee for input, and the requirements of presenting a program.

SECTION 4. The 2nd Vice-President shall be in charge of Political Action. The 2nd Vice-President shall form a committee to be prepared to interact with other Democratic Clubs in actions, rallies, demonstrations, voter registration and wage an effective campaign to Get Out The Vote of the Democrats in Sun City . This committee shall expand its involvement based on the election process.

SECTION 5.  The Recording Secretary shall keep general meeting minutes, Executive Board meeting minutes, and shall provide copies of such minutes to the President.� The general meeting minutes shall be presented to the membership for corrections, if any, and adoption, the reports of this resident group, and shall provide such copies to the President. The records shall be open to inspection at all times to any member.

SECTION 6. The Controller/Treasurer shall manage the finances of the Club and coordinate all financial dealings with the professional accountants. Collect all dues, provide reimbursement forms and submit the same to the accounting firm. The Controller/Treasurer shall make a financial report at every membership meeting and board meeting.

SECTION 7. Officers shall not receive remuneration for performance of their duties other than expense reimbursements. The President shall have a yearly discretionary fund approved by the Executive Board in their annual budget.

ARTICLE VII — FINANCES

SECTION 1.  A meeting of the Executive Board shall prepare a proposed budget of anticipated receipts and expenditures for the calendar year, January 1 through December 31.� Notice of the time and place of the meeting of the Executive Board at which the budget will be considered will be publicized.

SECTION 2. The Executive Board shall adopt the proposed budget at its regular meeting, which shall be prior to the general membership meeting. The proposed budget shall be submitted to the membership for adoption at the February membership general meeting.

ARTICLE VIII — MEETINGS

SECTION 1. Regular meetings shall be held monthly. A special function may take the place of a regular meeting. The installation of officers shall be held in December. The Executive Board may suspend up to four membership meetings per year. The Executive  Board may call special meetings at any time.  Notice of special meetings shall be given to all active members at least seven days prior thereto and no business shall be transacted at a special membership meeting except that specified in the notice .

SECTION 2.  Ten percent of the active members or ten members that include two officers shall constitute a quorum at any general membership meeting of this resident group. The ten percent or ten members must be paid up members in good standing.� A smaller number may adjourn such meeting to any subsequent time .

SECTION 3. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist in excess of 50 percent of the elected officers and active chairpersons of standing committees.

SECTION 4. No member shall incur expenses or obligate the membership in any way without prior approval of the President or the Executive Board.

SECTION 5.  In the event of an absence of a quorum at a general membership meeting, the club will set a time and place for the next meeting and adjourn. The Executive Board may enact any action necessary to fulfill the obligations of Article II of the By-Laws of this organization until such time as confirmed by the membership at a club meeting.

SECTION 6. “Robert’s Rules of Order” will govern any procedure not specifically addressed by these Bylaws.

ARTICLE IX — COMMITTEES AND STANDING COMMITTEES 

SECTION 1 .� The Executive Board shall review the standing committees listed in the bylaws each year to determine if a committee should be discontinued or new committees added. The chairs of committees shall be appointed annually by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Board as soon after the installation of officers as is feasible. The committees shall continue in office until the newly-elected President has appointed a new chair . The President or Executive Board may, from time to time, designate other committees and may direct the disbanding and discontinuance of any committee.

SECTION 2. Any member of any committee who is absent at three consecutive committee meetings without good cause will be deemed to have resigned from said committee. A majority of the committee shall determine the question of “good cause.”

SECTION 3. An Ad Hoc committee, once established by the Executive Board, shall elect its own chairperson and such other officers as it may require from time to time and shall establish its own procedures for the conduct of business, subject to review and supervision of the Executive Board.  Each committee shall report to the membership at least annually, naming its officers and summarizing its procedures and activities. Committees may include any member.

SECTION 4. Each committee shall have the power to fix its own time and place of meetings and to adopt rules for its own government and course of proceedings consistent with these Bylaws and the direction of the membership. Each committee shall keep a written record of all its proceedings. A majority shall constitute a quorum at meetings of committees..

SECTION 5. Standing Committees are the following: THE FUND RAISING COMMITTEE shall raise monies on an on-going basis and sponsor events for such activities . THE PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE shall compose, distribute, and have published all official press releases of this resident group, and promote the organization in the public eye . THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE shall recruit new members, keep records of all members, make rules and create special categories of membership. The chairperson  shall keep a record showing the name and place of residence and the date when each person became a member. THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE shall develop a slate of officers to be presented to the membership at the November Membership Meeting. The Nomination Committee is comprised of two presidential appointments and three selected by the membership at the October Membership Meeting. THE HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE shall provide refreshments at all regular Membership Meetings. The committee will coordinate will all Ad Hoc committees planning special events and functions. THE WEB SITE COMMITTEE shall maintain the web site on the Sun City Palm Desert Community Association web site in accordance with the regulations of that group .

ARTICLE X — AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1. The Bylaws may be amended at a General meeting or at a special meeting of this resident group by a two-thirds vote of the members in good standing who are present. Notice of the date of the bylaws revision must be given to the active members at least ten days in advance of the meeting. At the meeting preceding the by-laws revision, notice will be given to the membership present and copies of the proposed revisions will be presented for viewing.

SECTION 2. Club members and officers shall be subject to the rules, regulations and jurisdiction of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee as set forth in its Bylaws and in the standing orders of the RCDCC.

SECTION 3. If a conflict occurs between the Club Bylaws and Riverside County Democratic Central Committee Bylaws, the language of the RCDCC Bylaws shall prevail.

SECTION 4. The Club shall support only candidates and nominees of the Democratic Party for election to partisan and nonpartisan office and will not endorse as an organization any candidate for partisan or non-partisan office unless the Central Committee or the Democratic Party chooses not to take a position. Recommendations for endorsement in non-partisan races will be sent to the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee for possible endorsement .