February 9, 2019

BYLAWS OF THE WELD COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

PREAMBLE: We, the Democrats of Weld County, State of Colorado, do establish these Bylaws of the Weld County Democratic Party in order to: elect Democrats to public office; enhance an understanding of the political process of the Democratic Party among our members; provide an effective and representative party organization; sustain the human and constitutional rights of all persons; provide a mechanism for making our political institutions responsive and accountable to the aims and needs of our citizens; promote individual freedom in the framework of a just society and political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all citizens.

ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROCEDURES.

1. The name of the organization shall be the Democratic Party of Weld County of the State of Colorado, hereinafter referred to as “the party.”

1. Composition. The party consists of all registered Democrats in Weld

1. 1. The governing body of the party is the county From the time of its convening until the time of final adjournment, the county assembly shall exercise all powers of the party. The county assembly shall be the body with final authority to govern and pass upon controversies.

2. At all other times the governing body of the party shall be the county central committee, with full powers of the county assembly.

3. The county executive committee shall, between meetings of the county central committee, exercise powers as delegated to it.

4. The county chair shall carry out the mandate of the

1. These Bylaws shall complement the “Plan of Organization and Rules of the Democratic Party of the State of Colorado, as Amended and Revised.” Any inconsistency shall be resolved in favor of state rules.
2. Parliamentary The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern in cases in which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

1. Meetings of the county assembly, convention, and central committee shall occur in accordance with state rules. The executive committee shall meet at the call of the chair with proper notification and not less than four (4) times per calendar year. All other committees shall meet at the call of the county chair or their respective chairs, with proper notification.

1. Ex-officio Members. Ex-officio members of any body in the party shall be nonvoting members unless otherwise stated in these bylaws.
2. Fiscal The party fiscal year shall be January 1 to December 31. The Chair shall propose by October 31 a line item budget, with the advice of the Finance Committee, for ratification by the Executive Committee by December 31 prior to each fiscal year.

ARTICLE II. OFFICERS.

1. Party officers shall be the Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and shall be elected in accordance with State Rules.

1. Duties. The officers shall have all powers and duties as stipulated by state rules, with any additions and/or exceptions provided in these Bylaws.

1. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all permanent and temporary
2. First Vice Chair. In absence of the Chair, the First Vice Chair shall preside at all meetings and exercise all authority of the Chair. The First Vice Chair shall be a member of the State Central Committee and State Executive Committee, as provided by state rules, and shall exercise other duties of the vice chair as provided by state rules, the county central or executive committees, or as requested by the Chair.

3. Second Vice In the absence of the Chair and the First Vice Chair, the Second Vice Chair shall preside at all meetings and exercise all authority of the Chair or First Vice Chair. The Second Vice Chair shall exercise such duties as requested by the Chair or provided for by the central or executive committees. The Second Vice Chair shall be a member of the county central committee and the county executive committee.
4. The Treasurer may, by direction of the Executive Committee, be under sufficient bond, the amount of which shall be set by the executive committee and the premium for which shall be paid by the central committee.

ARTICLE III. COMMITTEE SYSTEM.

1. Central Committee. When the assembly is not in session, the central committee shall set policy direction for the party and shall consist of such members and have powers as stipulated by state rules.

1. Executive Committee. Between sessions of the central committee, the executive committee shall make interim policy and administer the affairs of the party. The executive committee shall consist of such members and have powers as stipulated by state rules and these bylaws. All powers of the central committee shall be vested in the executive committee when the central committee is not in session.

1. Regional The executive committee may identify up to twenty-five captaincy regions and may appoint a captain for each region who shall be a member of the Weld executive committee, unless otherwise stipulated by the central committee

2. The chairs of the permanent committees shall be members of the executive committee, unless otherwise stipulated by the central committee.
3. All county, state, and national elected officials who are registered Democrats in Weld County may choose to be members of the executive committee.

4. Weld Democrats elected by the county central committee as members of state or congressional central or executive committees or appointed to fill vacancies shall be members of the county executive committee. These members shall serve as the elected members of the executive committee required in the Colorado Democratic Party Plan of Organization and Rules. Other Weld members of state or congressional central or executive committees may choose to be members of the county executive committee.
5. The outgoing county chair of the Weld Democratic Party who remains a registered Democrat in Weld County may choose to be a member of the county executive committee until the next regular reorganization meeting.
6. The executive committee may fill vacancies in the county central committee, with the exception of a vacancy in the position of county The executive committee may also declare a vacancy to exist in the position of precinct committee person.

7. The president of the Weld County Young Democrats or the president’s designee shall be a member of the executive committee.

1. Permanent Committees. The following shall be permanent committees of the party, and members and chairs of permanent committees shall be appointed by the These committees shall be responsible for their own organization unless otherwise provided by the central committee. In general, these committees shall have duties as stipulated by these Bylaws and the central committee.

1. Committee on Permanent This committee shall serve as a committee on rules and general party organization.

2. Committee on This committee shall serve as a committee on fundraising and providing budget advice to the county chair. The county treasurer shall be a member of this committee.

3. Committee on Candidate Development. This committee shall coordinate candidate recruitment, development, and campaign management activities for the Weld County Democratic Party. Members of the committee shall include the chairs, their designees, or a representative of each legislative, county commissioner, and judicial district representing all or a portion of Weld County, and the county chair or a designee of the chair. The chair may also appoint additional members to the candidate development committee to provide necessary The committee shall have the power to appoint any subcommittees deemed necessary.

4. Committee on Precinct Organization. This committee shall coordinate the activities of the Weld Democratic field organization, including precinct committee persons and regional and area The chair of the committee shall be appointed by the county chair and shall then serve as a member of the county executive committee.

1. Other Committees. These committees shall have duties as stipulated by the body forming Their membership shall be stipulated and selected by the county chair and/or the body forming them.

1. Temporary These committees shall be established by the assembly, central committee, or executive committee as deemed necessary to complete a specific task or responsibility. They shall serve for the length of time necessary to complete their purpose unless sooner terminated by the body forming them, or its superior.

2. Special The chair may form special committees, which shall serve at the chair’s pleasure and discretion.

ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENT.

1. These Bylaws may be amended to make additions, changes, and/or deletions as deemed The procedure for such amendments shall be:

1. Any proposal to amend shall be presented in writing to the committee on permanent The committee will review the proposal and report in writing to the executive committee with a recommendation to adopt or defeat it. Either the permanent organization committee or the executive committee may make any alternations in the proposal to clarify or simplify it without changing the intent of the proposal unless the maker agrees to substantive changes. Proposed bylaws changes may also originate from within the permanent organization committee.
2. A copy of the proposed Bylaws changes shall be provided to members of the executive committee at least ten days before the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.
3. Upon receiving a proposal to amend from the committee on permanent organization, the executive committee may act or may take the proposal under consideration until the next meeting at which action must be taken.

4. Executive committee action is temporarily binding until the next meeting of the central The central committee shall then:
   1. Sustain the executive committee action;
   2. Modify the proposal without changing its intent and then take action on it; or
   3. Overrule the executive

5. The action of the central committee is binding unless overruled by the county assembly upon a motion of a member of the central committee to do The assembly may then dispose of the matter as it sees fit.

1. Amendment of these Bylaws shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at a meeting of the executive committee, central committee, or assembly.

ARTICLE V. IMPLEMENTATION.

1. These Bylaws shall become temporarily effective upon approval by the executive committee. These Bylaws shall become permanently effective upon approval by the central Approval by either committee shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at a meeting of that committee.

1. Implementation of these Bylaws shall occur within ninety (90) days of approval by the executive committee. Full implementation of these Bylaws shall occur within (90) days following approval by the central committee.

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As approved by the Weld County Democratic Party Executive Committee July 30, 1981 and Central Committee September 26, 1981; amended by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee February 11, 1989, February 6, 1993, and February 21, 1998; amended by the Weld County Democratic Party Executive Committee January 22, 2004 and by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee February 28, 2004; amended by the County Assembly May 1, 2004; amended by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee February 18, 2006; amended by the Weld County Democratic Party Executive Committee 4/19/07 and 10/18/07; amended by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee

12/01/07; and amended by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee 2/6/10. Amended by the Weld County Democratic Central Committee 2/9/13.Amended by the Weld Democratic Central Committee 2/9/19.

CLB