By-Laws of the DuPage County Democratic Central Committee

ARTICLE I. NAME AND PURPOSE
All functions of the Democratic Party in DuPage County, in accordance with 10 ILCS 5/7-8, shall be carried out by the DuPage County Democratic Central Committee (“Central Committee”). The Central Committee is an organization composed of all duly qualified elected and appointed Democratic precinct committeemen in the duly organized precincts of DuPage County. In addition to carrying out the functions of the Democratic Party, the Central Committee shall:

A. Seek to stimulate an interest in all governmental affairs and increase efficiency of all units of township, county, state and national governments.

B. Inform voters of issues and present Democratic candidates to the voters of DuPage County; and

C. Act upon civic and other matters of common interest to all residents of DuPage County.

ARTICLE II.  MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING

Section 1:  Membership
All duly qualified elected and appointed committeemen are members of the Central Committee.

Section 2:  Voting
(a) In the organization and proceedings of the Central Committee, each precinct committeeman shall have one (1) vote for each ballot voted in his/her precinct by the primary electors of his/her party, at the primary at which he/she was elected or subsequently appointed.

(b) Proxy voting shall not be allowed at the County Convention or at any other meeting of the Central Committee or Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III.  ORGANIZATION

Section 1:Pursuant to 10 ILCS 5/7-8(a), the Central Committee shall meet 29 days following the primary at which precinct committeemen were elected for the purpose of the County Convention. The County Convention shall take place within DuPage County.

Section 2: At the County Convention, the Central Committee shall organize by electing, from its own members, the Officers of the Central Committee listed in Article IV, Section 1. The County Convention shall also choose delegates for the State Convention of the party.

ARTICLE IV.  OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1: Officers Elected by the Central Committee

(a)County Chair
(1) The County Chair (“Chair”) shall be the executive head of the Democratic Party in DuPage County and shall preside at all meetings of the County Central Committee and Executive Committee.

(2) The Chair, after consultation with the township chair, may fill any vacancy of a precinct committeeman created by resignation or failure to elect a committeeman. Provided, however, that:

(i)   No precinct committeeman may be appointed between the primary election and the
County Convention;
(ii)  No precinct committeemen may be appointed in any township between the County
Convention and the next regularly scheduled township meeting provided the meeting
is held within thirty (30) days of the County Convention;
(iii) All appointed precinct committeeman must be residents of DuPage County, Illinois; and
(iv) No individual shall be appointed as precinct committeeman in any precinct located within
a township other than the township in which he/she resides.

(3) The Chair shall appoint all standing committees and any other committees as may be deemed necessary.

(4) The Chair shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as shall be incident to the office of County Chair or delegated to him by statute.

(5) The Chair shall not serve as the chair of any township Democratic organization.
(b) First Vice-Chair
(1) The First Vice-Chair shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the County Chair.

(2)The First Vice-Chair shall perform such other duties as delegated to him or her by the Chair.

(3)In the event of a vacancy in the office of Chair, the First Vice-Chair shall succeed to the office of Chair until a successor is duly elected.
(c) Treasurer
(1) The Treasurer shall be the official custodian of all monies belonging to the Central Committee or any agency thereof.

(2) The Treasurer shall deposit monies in a bank designated by the Executive Committee and shall maintain precise records thereof, which shall be open for inspection by any member of the Executive Committee.

(3) The Treasurer shall disperse monies only upon vouchers, indicating the purpose and approved by the County Chair. All disbursements over Twenty-Five ($25) Dollars shall be made only by check. All voucher disbursements over Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750) shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

(4) The Treasurer shall submit an annual report to the Central Committee. The Treasurer shall submit all books to an audit committee to be appointed by the Chair at least once annually. The Treasurer shall be bonded at the expense of the Central Committee.

(5) In the event that the office of Chair, First Vice-Chair, or Treasurer is vacated, written notice shall be sent to all members of the Central Committee within seven (7) days of the vacancy. The notice of vacancy shall call a meeting of the Central Committee to elect a successor in office no less than thirty (30) days after the notice and within sixty (60) days after the date of vacancy. However, if such a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair within 120 days before the second Monday succeeding the primary election, the First Vice Chair shall continue as acting Chair.

Section 2: Other Officers

(a) Second Vice-Chair
The Executive Committee shall elect a Second Vice-Chair. The Second Vice-Chair shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. The Second Vice-Chair shall serve as Finance Committee Chair and be responsible for all fund-raising activities. The Second Vice-Chair shall also be responsible for all other duties as assigned by the Chair.
(b) Third Vice-Chair
The Executive Committee shall elect a Third Vice-Chair. The Third Vice-Chair shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. The Third Vice-Chair shall serve as the Governmental Affairs Committee Chair and be responsible for all activities thereof. The Third Vice-Chair shall also be responsible for all other duties as assigned by the Chair.
(c) Recording Secretary
(1) The Recording Secretary shall be the official custodian of all records of the Central Committee and shall maintain minutes of any meeting of the Central Committee and Executive Committee. The Recording Secretary shall maintain lists of committeemen, election judges and registrars and make the same available to the Executive Committee.

(2) The Recording Secretary shall be appointed by the Chair.
(d) Corresponding Secretary
The Executive Committee may elect a Corresponding Secretary who shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. The Corresponding Secretary shall mail notices of Executive Committee meetings and Central Committee meetings to all qualified members of each committee. The Corresponding Secretary shall assist the County Chair with correspondence as requested by the County Chair.
(e) Sergeant at Arms
The Chair may appoint a Sergeant at Arms. The Sergeant at Arms shall keep order at meetings and perform other duties as assigned by the Chair.

Section 3: Parliamentarian

The Chair may appoint a Parliamentarian with the advice and consent of the Central Committee. The parliamentarian shall not be a member of the Central Committee and shall have no voting rights within the Central Committee.

ARTICLE V.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1: Purpose.
The Executive Committee shall, with the Chair, have the general responsibility for all day to day affairs of the Central Committee, and take appropriate steps to accomplish the principles of the Democratic Party. It shall make recommendations to the Chair on appointments to be made by the Chair, and shall serve as a search committee for candidates to present to the voters.

(a) All day to day operations of the Central Committee shall be conducted by the Executive Committee. Provided, however, that this does not inhibit in any way the ability of the Central Committee to conduct any business on behalf of the Democratic Party of DuPage County.

Section 2: Membership Of The Executive Committee
(a) The Chair, First Vice-Chair, Second Vice-Chair, Third Vice-Chair Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer.

(b) Each chair of a Township Democratic Organization, and all past County Chairs residing in DuPage County who are elected or appointed precinct committeemen shall also be members of the Executive Committee.

(c) In addition to the members enumerated in Article V, Section 2(a) and (b), the Executive Committee shall always consist of a set number of thirty-one (31) Delegates to the Executive Committee (“Delegate”). Each township within DuPage County shall be entitled to the percentage of this number of Delegates as per its percentage of the total county Democratic primary vote. No township shall have less than one Delegate in addition to the chair of its Township Democratic Organization.

(d) Within thirty (30) days from the County Convention, each Township Democratic Organization shall elect its Delegates to the Executive Committee. In addition to the members to be elected in accordance with this article, each township shall elect one Alternate for each Delegate serving from that township. Both Delegates and Alternates shall be elected by weighted vote or by a single vote based upon the ruled adopted by each township.

(e) In the absence of a Delegate at a meeting of the Executive Committee, the chair of the applicable Township Democratic Organization shall appoint one of the Alternates to act as a Delegate at such meeting.

(f) In the event of a vacancy in the office of Delegate or Alternate the Township Democratic Organization shall elect a replacement within 30 days after the vacancy is created.

Section 3: Meetings and Notices
The Executive Committee shall meet at least four (4) times each year, with one such meeting held each calendar quarter. Notice of each meeting shall be made in writing or by electronic mail to each member at least five (5) days in advance and shall include the Chair’s proposed agenda and any Resolutions submitted to the Chair for consideration by the Executive Committee.

Upon request of twenty-five (25%) percent of the Executive Committee, the Chair shall call a special meeting upon ten (10) days notice.

The Chair may call a special meeting of the Executive Committee upon a minimum of ten (10) days notice unless an earlier meeting is necessary to approve an expenditure in excess of the amount in Article IV, Section 1 (e) (3).

Section 4: Procedure
(a) A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of no fewer than 40% of the total membership of the Executive Committee.

(b) The Executive Committee shall decide matters by a simple majority vote of members present except as provided in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

(c) After determination that a quorum is present, the first order of business shall be the adoption of the agenda as furnished with notice, or as may be amended. The Executive Committee shall then proceed to the business before them, which shall be conducted in the following order:
(1)  Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting;
(2)  Treasurer’s Report;
(3)  Chair’s Report;
(4)  Executive Director’s Report;
(5)  Standing and special committee reports;
(6)  Communications;
(7)  Unfinished business;
(8)  New Business;
(9)  Resolutions;
(10) Township Reports;
(11) Adjournment.

(d) New business and resolutions submitted for consideration or adoption may be referred by the County Chair to the proper committee for its consideration and report, unless a majority votes to waive the rule.

(e) In order to be considered at a meeting of the Executive Committee, any Resolution shall be submitted in writing to the Chair in electronic format prior to notice of the meeting and agenda being sent to the Executive Committee pursuant to Article V. Section 3(a). Any Resolution not submitted to the Chair in this manner shall not be considered at any meeting of the Executive Committee until it is submitted in this manner except:
(1) Any Resolution of an emergency or time sensitive nature that is provided in writing to the Executive Committee at any meeting thereof shall be considered by the Executive Committee if such consideration is moved, seconded and approved by at least one-third (1/3) of those members and Delegates present and voting.

(f) In the event a Resolution is laid on the table or postponed definitely or indefinitely, the Resolution need not be sent to the members of the Executive Committee together with the agenda of the following meeting. However, copies of the Resolution shall be made available to the Executive Committee at any meeting during which a Resolution is to be considered.

(g) Copies of all Resolutions shall be made available to the Executive Committee at the meeting at which it is to be considered.

(h) All other procedural matters before the Executive Committee shall be governed by the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

(i) The Parliamentarian of the Central Committee shall also serve as Parliamentarian of the Executive Committee.

Section 5: Standing Committees

(a) The following standing committees of the Executive Committee shall be established:
(i)   Finance Committee;
(ii)  Governmental Affairs Committee;
(iii) Media Committee;
(iv)  Issues Committee;
(v)   Candidate Recruitment Committee; and
(vi) Election Judge Committee.

(b) The number of each committee shall be fixed by the Executive Committee. All appointments to standing committees of the Executive Committee shall be made by the County Chair with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.

(c) All Democrats in good standing residing within in DuPage County, whether or not elected precinct committeemen, shall be eligible to serve on committees.

(d) The chair of each standing shall be Ex-Officio Members of the Executive Committee.  Ex-Officio Members shall not have a vote within the Executive Committee, but shall be given a notice of all meetings of the Executive Committee in accordance with these By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI.  AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the Central Committee, provided that written notice of the proposed amendment has been given to the members at least one (1) month in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE VII.  CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

All meetings of the Central Committee and Executive Committee shall be conducted according Roberts’ Rules of Order, except when in conflict with the law of the State of Illinois or these By-Laws.

AS AMENDED BY THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON JUNE 10, 2010 IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

By-Laws of the DuPage County Democratic Central Committee