NDCC By-Laws & Policies
Privacy and Communications Policy (August 2008 - download here)
NDCC By-Laws: Amended September 23, 1997
ARTICLE 1
Name and Office
The Committee, which is composed of the duly elected members of the Ward Committees,shall be known as the “Newton Democratic City Committee”, the office of which shall be located at the residence of its Chairperson. Whenever the word “Committee” appears in these By-Laws, it shall mean the “Newton Democratic City Committee.”
ARTICLE 2
Purposes
The purposes of the Committee shall be to promote the programs, objectives and interests of the Democratic Party on a national, state, city and ward level, to maintain and to encourage interest, registration and activity in the Democratic Party; to assist and to support Democratic nominees in their campaigns for public offices; to expand the membership of the Democratic Party; to formulate and to carry through activities to maintain the interest and cooperation of its membership; and, in this connection, to do all those things necessary or desirable to effectuate these purposes.
ARTICLE 3
Policies
a. The policies of the Committee shall be in harmony with the policies of the Democratic State Committee and the Democratic National Committee.
b. No candidate shall be endorsed by the Committee until after the Primary Election.
c. The name of the Committee shall not be used by officers or members in connection with or in furtherance of campaigns of Democratic candidates in Primaries or of non-Democratic candidates in any election.
d. The Committee may cooperate with other organizations and agencies in furtherance of the purposes stated in Article 2.
e. The Committee shall not endorse candidates for office in non-partisan municipal elections.
ARTICLE 4
Officers
a. The officers of the Committee shall be: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, two District Vice Chairpersons (one elected from a district composed of Wards 1,2,7 & 8 and the other elected from a district composed of Wards 3,4,5 & 6), Recording Secretary, Correspondence Secretary, Treasurer and Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer.
b. Said officers shall be elected at the organizational meetings of the Committee, and shall hold office for a term of two-years. In presidential election years, the organizational meeting shall be held as prescribed by law. In non-presidential even numbered years, the organizational meeting shall be held between March 1st and May 15th. Notice of the organizational meeting shall be sent in writing to all members of the Committee at least fourteen (14) days before the day set for the meeting and shall specify the offices to be filled.
c. A majority of those present and voting shall be necessary and sufficient for the election of any officer.
d. The Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer shall be responsible for developing strategies and activities to expand participation in the Committee of the Democratic Party’s Affirmative Action target groups.
e. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Committee shall be of different genders.
ARTICLE 5
Officers’ Duties
a. Chairperson: The Chairperson shall be the presiding officer and shall organize,plan and be responsible for the carrying out of all Committee activities.
b. Vice-Chairperson: The Vice-Chairperson shall advise and assist the Chairperson; shall act in the absence or incapacity of the Chairperson; and shall be an ex officio member of all standing committees.
c. District Vice-Chairpersons: The District Vice-Chairpersons shall advise and assist the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson and, in the absence or incapacity of both of them shall act as co-chairpersons.
d. Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings,maintain Committee records, including a current roster of the entire membership of the Committee, of the Executive Board and of all the committees; and shall perform such other duties assigned by the Chairperson, as well as the usual duties of a recording secretary.
e. Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall notify the membership of meetings, shall be responsible for all membership mailings, and shall perform other duties assigned by the Chairperson.
f. Treasurer; The Treasurer shall:
1. have charge of the funds of the Committee;
2. receive and deposit and disburse such funds in a bank in the City of Newton in the name of the Committee;
3. sign checks in the name of the Committee;
4. pay bills of the Committee, provided that expenditures exceeding $300.00 shall not be made without prior authorization of the Executive Committee (as amended 9/9/97);
5. prepare a monthly financial statement;
6. be a member of the Finance Committee
In the absence of the Treasurer, the Chairperson is empowered to carry on the duties of the treasurer
ARTICLE 6
Committees
The Chairperson shall appoint a Finance, Registration, Legislation and Issues and Program and Publicity Committees and such other committees as he or she deems necessary or desirable, subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE 7
Executive Board
The Executive Board of the Committee shall consist of Ward Chairpersons, Chairpersons of all standing committees, all previous Committee Chairpersons who are members of the Committee, Democratic State and National Committee members who are members of the Committee, and all members of the General Court who are members of the Committee. All meetings of the Executive Boards shall be open to all Committee members. In addition to the powers herein granted to it, the Executive Board shall be an advisory committee to the Chairperson. No person shall have more than one vote on the Executive Board.
ARTICLE 8
Vacancies
Vacancies created by the resignation or death of an officer of the Committee, or otherwise created, shall be filled by a majority vote of the members of the Committee present and voting at a meeting of the Committee, provided that the existence of the vacancy has been transmitted in writing to Committee members at least seven (7) days before the date set for the meeting. Resignations of an officer shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the Chairperson.
ARTICLE 9
Meetings
The Committee shall hold a minimum of four (4) meetings during the calendar years. Meetings may be called by the Chairperson, or by written petition of a majority of the Ward Chairpersons, or by written petition of twenty percent (20%) of the Committee. Such a petition shall be delivered to the Chairperson, with a copy sent to the Corresponding Secretary, not later than fifteen (15) days next preceding the date set for such meeting. The Corresponding Secretary shall notify the membership in writing of the time, place and purpose of such meeting at least seven days before the proposed meeting date. All meetings shall be governed by the most recently published edition of “Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.”
ARTICLE 10
Quorum
A quorum shall consist of twenty-five (25) members of the Committee. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of nine (9) members of the Executive Boards.
ARTICLE 11
Voting
Unless otherwise provided in these By-laws, a majority of the Committee members present shall carry a vote.
ARTICLE 12
Amendments
These By-laws may be amended at any meeting of the Committee by a two-thirds vote of the Committee members present, provided that the proposed amendment or amendments have been transmitted in writing to the Committee members at least seven (7) days before the date of the meeting.