Article I: General Provisions

Article II: Membership

Article III: Meetings

Article IV: Officers & Duties

Article V: City, Town and Village Committees

Article VI: Committees of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee

Article VII: Nomination of Candidates for Local Offices

Article VIII: Miscellaneous

Article IX: Amendments to the By-Laws

 

Article I: General Provisions

The official organization of the Democratic Party of St. Lawrence County shall be known as The St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee. It shall possess such powers and perform such duties as may be fixed by statute or prescribed by these by-laws.

 

The purpose of these by-laws is to encourage the greatest number of Democrats to participate in the affairs of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Party, in order to insure the success of the aims and principles of the Democratic Party.

 

The duly enrolled Democrats within St. Lawrence County are the foundation of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Party and shall elect representation to the County Committee in a manner prescribed by New York State Election Law.

 

Article II: Membership

The County Committee shall consist of two (2) committee members from each election district and shall be elected biennially as prescribed by New York State Election Law. Members must be duly registered and enrolled Democrats residing in the county and assembly district of the election district that they will represent.

 

The Officers of County Committee as well as all members of the Executive Committee shall be ex-officio members of the committee but shall have no vote unless they are also duly elected Committee members.

 

State Committee representatives shall be ex-officio members of the County Committee but shall have no vote unless they are also duly elected Committee members.

 

County Committee members shall be responsible for the activities of the Democratic Party within their election district. Their duties are but not limited to:

• Attend meetings of the County and Local Committees

• Register Democrats

• Participate in the nominating process Caucus and/or Primary

• Actively recruit and elect Democratic candidates

• Participate in getting Democrats out to vote

• Recommend competent election inspectors to Local Chair

• Perform all appropriate duties as requested by the Chairperson

 

Committee member vacancies caused by failure to elect, death, disqualification, removal from office or otherwise, shall be filled at a duly called meeting of the County Committee, or in the interim by the Executive Committee upon a written recommendation by the appropriate City or Town Chair. In the absence of a City or Town Chair the Regional Chair for that district or other member of the Executive Committee with the Regional Chair’s approval, may make the recommendation.

 

Where a committee member removes his/her voting residence from the Assembly District or County, such removal constitutes a vacancy.

 

Article III: Meetings

Biennially, there shall be an organizational meeting of the County Committee within (20) days after the election of its members. At this meeting, the Committee shall elect a Chairperson, First Vice-chairperson, Second Vice-chairperson, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Regional Chairpersons. The term of these officers shall be as provided by law and shall continue until the election of their successors.

 

The Chairperson of the last County Committee shall fix the time and place for the organizational meeting, as provided by law.

 

A notice of  meetings shall be given in writing to all members at their last known mailing address, postmarked at least ten (10) days in advance thereof. Said notices shall state the date, time, place, and purpose of such meeting. Proxy forms shall be included for meetings of the County Committee only.

 

Fifty (50) members either in person or by proxy will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No individual may hold more than seven (7)  proxies at any meeting. Proxies shall be non-transferable and their use can be suspended by the Chairperson with the concurrence of a simple majority of the Executive Committee. Said suspension must be stated in the meeting’s written notice. Proxies must designate another county committee member.

 

At the organizational meeting, the Secretary of the last County Committee or someone designated by the Chairperson shall preside, call the roll of the elected members and preside over the election of a Chairperson.  Immediately upon the election of a Chairperson, the meeting shall be turned over to the newly elected Chairperson who shall preside over election of the remaining officers.

 

The order of business for all meetings shall be as follows:

• Roll call

• Election of Officers and Regional Chairpersons (when applicable)

• Minutes of Previous Meeting

• Treasurer’s Report

• Chair and Committee Reports

• Filling of Vacancies

• Unfinished Business

• New Business

 

Officers shall be elected by a majority of votes casts. Voting shall be by ayes and nays; show of hands; roll call vote or by paper ballot upon request of a member. Also, upon request by a member, such vote may  be taken by weighted vote in which the voting power of each member shall be in proportion to the party vote in their election district at the last preceding gubernatorial election, as required by law. 

 

Regular meetings of the County Committee shall be held at least semi- annually as close as feasible to the months of September/October and May/June. All committee members will be notified pursuant to Meetings paragraph 2.

 

Special meetings of the County Committee may be called by the Chairperson, or upon written request of five (5) members of the Executive Committee, or at least 50 County Committee Members. Said written request, accompanied by meeting notice request containing date, place, time purpose thereof, must be delivered to the Recording and Corresponding Secretaries at least twenty (20) days in advance of said meeting. Notices will be sent pursuant to Meetings, paragraph 2.

 

Article IV: Officers and Duties

All officers shall be enrolled members of the Democratic Party in St. Lawrence County but need not be members of the County Committee.

 

The officers of the County Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, First Vice-chairperson, Second Vice-chairperson, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer, who shall be elected for two-year terms by the County Committee at each biennial organizational meeting.

 

Officer vacancies shall be filled at a duly called meeting of the County Committee in accordance with NYS Election Law. The Executive Committee may make an interim appointment until such meeting is held.

 

The County Chairperson, in addition to the duties conferred by law, shall exercise any other powers and duties assigned by the County Committee. The County Chairperson presides at all meetings and possesses the general powers of the presiding officer.

 

The First Vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in the absence or disability of the Chairperson to act.  Additionally, the First Vice-chairperson shall oversee the Regional Chairpersons, oversee quarterly meetings of the Regional Chairpersons, coordinate the recruitment of election inspectors and update the Executive Committee on the activities of the Town Chairs on behalf of the Chairperson. The First Vice-chairperson shall also perform other duties assigned to the office by the County Committee or County Chairperson.

 

The Second Vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in the absence or disability of the Chairperson or First Vice-chairperson to act. In the event that the First Vice-Chairperson takes on the responsibilities of the Chairperson, the Second Vice-Chairperson shall assume the responsibilities of the First Vice-chairperson. Additionally, the Second Vice-chairperson shall oversee standing and ad-hoc committee chairs including the dinner committee, the resource guide committee and the candidate search committee on behalf of the Chairperson and update the Executive Committee as appropriate. The First Vice-chairperson shall also perform other duties assigned to the office by the County Committee or County Chairperson.”

 

The Secretary shall keep a full and accurate account of all proceedings of the Committee and prepare summary minutes for distribution.  The Secretary shall file and preserve all  written reports of the County Committee, be responsible for the preparation of all reports required by law, except those which have to do with finances, or which by law are required to be filed by some other officer and shall make reports available for the inspection of any member of the County Committee. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as the County Committee or the County Chairperson may require.

 

The Corresponding Secretary (appointed by Chair) shall be responsible for all notices required by these by-laws and perform such other duties as the County Committee or the County Chairperson may require.

 

The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the County Committee and shall receive and hold in trust all funds of the County Committee  according to procedures established by the Finance Committee. The Treasurer, with the County Chair, shall be responsible for disbursing funds on behalf of the County Committee, in accordance with the policy approved by said County Committee. The Chair and a majority vote of the Executive Committee is required to incur indebtedness.

 

Article V: City, Town and Village Committees

The members of the County Committee elected from the election districts of the City and Towns shall constitute respectively the Democratic City and Town Committees for the purposes required by statute. Additionally, where Villages exist, the County Committee members elected from the election districts within the Village may also constitute a Village Committee for the purposes required by statute. Within 14 days after the County Committee is organized, the City, Town and Village Committees shall organize. They should elect at least the following officers:  Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. Within seven (7) days, the Secretary of said City, Town or Village Committee shall certify the names and addresses of officers elected to the Recording Secretary of the County Committee and the County Board of Elections.

 

Committees shall include the County Committee members as before mentioned but shall not be limited from expanding membership.

 

Article VI: Committees of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee

Executive Committee

An Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the County Committee, State Committee

members, Regional Chairpersons, the Corresponding Secretary and the Democratic Election Commissioner, Chair of the City of Ogdensburg Committee as well as all Chairs of the (32) Town Committees. The County Chairperson may further appoint three (3) at-large members who are enrolled members of the party residing within St. Lawrence County. At least one member of the Executive Committee must be a County Legislator. 

 

Effective upon the next organization of the County Committee, regional Chairpersons will be elected biennially at the organizational meeting to represent regions as follows:

• Clifton, Edwards, Fine,  Piercefield, Pitcairn, Russell

• Ogdensburg, DePeyster, Lisbon, Morristown, Oswegatchie

• Canton, Dekalb, Hermon, Madrid

• Clare, Colton, Hopkinton, Parishville, Pierrepont

• Potsdam, Brasher, Lawrence, Stockholm

• Massena, Louisville, Norfolk, Waddington

• Gouverneur, Fowler, Hammond, Macomb, Rossie

 

Their duties shall include but not limited to the following:

• Work with the Town Chairs to promote the Democratic Party within their Town and provide them support/ideas.

• Coordinate activities and functions of the County Committee with the Town Chairs.

• When a Town Chair is unable to attend an Executive Committee meeting, touch base to share information.

• Where no Town Committee exists, make contact with elected Democrats to encourage their participation or family/friends as committee members.

 

The Executive Committee shall be concerned with policy, headquarters, audits, liaison with other agencies of the County Committee and other duties assigned by these rules, by the County Committee or by the County Chair.

 

The Regional Chairperson shall be a committee member within the region that they represent and will be elected by the Committee members within the designated region.

 

The Corresponding Secretary and Assistant Treasurer shall be appointed by the County Chairperson and like the “at-large” members, be confirmed by the Executive Committee.

 

Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held every other month beginning with the month of January as designated by the Chairperson. Notices will be given to all members pursuant to meetings paragraph 2. Eleven (11) persons will constitute a quorum. Proxy voting will not be allowed at any Executive Committee meeting.

 

Special meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at the call of the Chairperson, or upon written request of five (5) members of the Executive Committee. Said written request, accompanied by a meeting notice request containing date, place, time and purpose thereof, must be delivered to both the Recording and Corresponding Secretaries at least ten (10) days in advance of said meeting. All committee members will then be notified pursuant to meetings paragraph 2.

 

The Chair shall have the power to appoint ad hoc committees to assist in the functioning and promotion of the Democratic Party in St. Lawrence County.

 

In the event that the Executive Committee determines by a two-thirds vote of the total members of the Executive Committee, the inability of the Chair to act, the First Vice-chairperson shall assume the Chair’s duties for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days. If at that time, the Chair is unable to resume his/her duties, the Executive Committee, by a two-thirds vote of its entire membership, may declare the office of Chair vacant and hold elections to fill the vacancy.

 

Finance Committee

There shall be a Finance Committee consisting of a Chair who shall be the Treasurer of the County Committee and at least three (3) other persons to be appointed by the Chair of the County Committee. It is recommended that this committee shall meet no less than quarterly. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for raising funds on behalf of the County Committee.

 

Article VII: Nomination of Candidates for Local Offices

Candidates for local office shall be nominated at a caucus in the manner set forth in Section 6-108 and Section 15-108 of New York State Election Law. Notwithstanding this provision, however, nominations may be made at the official primary election, at the option of the local committee in such town in accordance with Section 6-108 of the law.

 

Article VIII: Miscellaneous

Except in matters which require the action of the County Committee under the provisions of the election law, or in matters otherwise specifically provided in these by-laws, the Chair shall have the power to act for the County Committee between meetings of the County Committee and any action of the Chair may be overruled by resolution of the County Committee.

 

In all cases not provided for by New York State Election Law or by these By-Laws, the authority for parliamentary procedure for the County Committee and the Executive Committee shall be “Roberts Rules of Order” latest edition, insofar as such rules of order may be appropriately applied.

 

In all cases where there is a conflict between these by-laws and the current New York State Election Law or the New York State Democratic Party By-laws, said New York State Election Law or New York State Democratic Party By-laws shall take precedence.

 

A member or officer of the County Committee may be removed by such committee for disloyalty to the party, corruption in office, or for publicly supporting the opponent of a duly nominated  Democratic candidate for public office. Charges may originate with the Executive Committee or may be brought by a County Committee member in writing to the Executive Committee specifying the grounds for removal. Notice  must be given and a hearing held. The hearing shall be held by the Executive Committee which shall report its findings to the full County Committee. A vote by the full committee will then take place with one vote per member and a simple majority ruling. NYS Election Law 2-116.

 

County Committee Members upon being duly elected, biennially, shall receive a copy of these by-laws and an oath of office which will be mailed along with their notice of the organizational meeting. The signed and dated oath and an acknowledgement of receipt and acceptance of the by-laws must be filed with the Recording Secretary within 30 days; failure to do so will constitute a vacancy in the office. Individuals appointed to fill vacancies by either the full committee or the Executive committee will be required to do the same.

 

Oath and Acknowledgement

"I hereby acknowledge that I have received and read a copy of the by-laws of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee and therefore do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York, and that I will, to the best of my ability as an officer or committee member of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee, work within and abide by the rules of the Committee.”

 

Article IX: Amendments

These By-laws may be amended from time to time by a simple majority of the members of the County Committee, at a meeting at which there is a quorum, provided a copy of the proposed amendment(s) shall be sent with the notice of the meeting at which such amendment(s) is (are) to be proposed, such notice to be postmarked not less than ten (10) days before such meeting and to be mailed to the post office address of each member of the Committee. Voting on amendments shall be pursuant to Article 2, Section 2-104 of New York State Election Law.

 

Filing of By-laws. Pursuant to Article 2, Section 2-114 of New York State Election Law, a copy of these By-laws will be filed with the New York State Board of Elections and the St. Lawrence County Board of Elections.