Preamble
Whereas the Democratic Organization Of
Troy Township has operated since its inception without a set of
by-laws the following articles are hereby adopted by the membership
of this organization. A unanimous vote having been taken by the
duly elected/and or appointed Precinct Committeemen of the Democratic Organization Of
Troy Township, present on this Twelfth day of December, 2007, and by that
vote having approved the following articles as the by-laws of the
organization, we the duly elected/ and or appointed Committeemen of
Troy Township do here by affix our signatures below as evidence that
we have approved these articles on behalf of the whole. Let the
articles below therefore be, and they are therefore, the only
by-laws for the Democratic Organization of Troy Township.
MISSION STATEMENT
Democratic Organization Of Troy Township Mission Statement
The mission of the Democratic Organization of Troy Township shall be
to improve the lives of all residents of Troy Township through
strong participation in democracy and the processes that are
intended to preserve personal freedom for all. We shall consider it
our duty to register people to vote, to educate voters, and to
encourage citizens to participate in the election process by voting.
We will support Democratic Party candidates for National, State,
County and local offices. We shall endeavor to create a society that
promotes the general welfare of the residents of Troy Township, and which promotes the
participation of all members of the community in civic matters.
Article 1
ADOPTION OF THESE ARTICLES
The following articles, having been approved by a vote of the duly
elected/ and or appointed Precinct Committeemen of Troy Township, are hereby adopted
and shall be known as the by-laws of the Democratic Organization Of
Troy Township.
1.1 - Whereas the existing Law of Will County, Illinois refers to
Precinct Committeemen in the singular as a Committeeman, without
acknowledgement of gender, this body shall similarly defer to that
term.
1.2 If the existing law of Will County shall be modified to
include terms that refer to committeemen so as to acknowledge gender
differentiation the terminology herein used in compliance with the
law may be so modified. No vote shall be required to comply with
such law.
Article 2
APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS
At a convention held for The Democratic Organization Of Troy
Township, hereinafter known as the D.O.T.T., the eligible elected
Committeemen of Troy Township did on May 2, 2006 elect a Chairman, a
Vice Chairman, Secretary and a Treasurer. We do hereby modify that
action as follows: In all succeeding conventions to be held
henceforth, the Chairman, after having been duly elected by vote
according to these by-laws, shall appoint a First Vice Chairman, a
Second Vice Chairman, A Secretary, a Treasurer, and a
Sergeant-at-Arms. Such appointments shall be approved by a majority
of the eligible voters present.
2.1 - The Chairman shall make additional appointments as needed
except that the creation of a new office hereafter shall require the
approval by vote of a majority of the Committeemen present when a
vote for the creation of such office shall be taken. The current
Chairman, being seated at the time of the adoption of these by-laws,
shall be empowered to make such additional appointments as
prescribed in this article.
2.2 The Chairman, the First Vice Chairman, The second Vice
Chairman, the Secretary, Treasurer, and all other official positions
that may be created by the Chairman shall be known collectively as
The Executive Board.
2.3 The Chairman shall preside over all meetings and activities or
meetings that are conducted by the Executive Board. If the
Chairman is unavailable, the pro tem shall go to the First Vice
Chairman to the least senior Executive Board member.
Article 3
Term
of Executive Board Members
The Chairman, First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Secretary, and the Treasurer who were duly
elected by vote shall serve in good conduct for two
years the conditions of Article 2 notwithstanding. If an
Executive Board member resigns, refer to the Election year to the
next election year of committeemen to Article 12 for replacement of
that vacated position.
Article 4
CONVENING OF A CONVENTION
The Organization shall convene a convention every two years to elect
a Chairman. The convention shall be convened as soon as possible
after the closing of the Will County Central Democratic Committee
Convention but no later than thirty days from that closing.
Article 5
TERMS OF SERVICE
The duly elected Chairman shall serve his office for a period of two
years. The terms of officers appointed by the Chairman shall end
when the term of the Chairman expires.
5.1 - If a Chairman is re-elected to serve an additional term in
office he shall appoint officers for the respective offices that
serve as his Executive Board. This shall be subject to
approval from a 2/3 majority of elected/and or appointed
committeeman present at the meeting of appointment.
5.2 - The Chairman may re-appoint any officer who has previously
served him or he may replace any officer upon his re-election as the
Chairman. The Chairman may appoint an officer who has previously
served in office to any office that may be vacant at that time.
The officer needs to be eligible per 5.5.
5.3 The Chairman may replace any appointee. All such actions shall
be approved by a majority of the eligible voters present.
5.4 - In the event of catastrophe or other event beyond the control
of the organization that may make it impossible or impractical to
hold a convention, the Chairman and his appointed officers shall
continue to serve with full authority to conduct the affairs of
their respective offices until such time as a convention can be
safely and properly convened.
5.5 - All officers must be elected or appointed committeemen, with
the exception of the Chairman, who shall be an elected Precinct
Committman.
Article 6
IMPEACHMENT AND SUSPENSION
Any Chairman or other officer shall be removed from his office upon
a dereliction of his/her duties of office or acts of immoral
turpitude. A petition must be signed by 25% of the precinct
committeemen to raise an impeachment issue, and a 3/4 majority to
act on the petition.
6.1 - The fact that a Chairman or other officer is under indictment
or investigation shall not in and of itself be cause for removal
from office. The membership may call for a vote to suspend any
officer who has been indicted or who may be under investigation of
any felonious crime. Such suspension shall require a two-thirds vote
approval.
6.2 - If such officer shall not be convicted of a felony that
officer shall be restored to his rightful office. Impeachment for
conviction of a felony shall require only proof of conviction and no
vote shall be required. The matter shall be discussed publicly and
the facts presented to the membership prior to the official
implementation of the impeachment and removal from office.
Article 7
MEETINGS
The organization shall convene a meeting at least one time each
calendar month. The time and place of such meetings shall be
established by a majority vote of the Committeemen. The time and
place of the meeting may be altered by motion from time to time by a
majority vote. When possible, meetings shall be held within
the Troy Township boundaries.
7.1 Meetings shall be conducted procedurally in accordance with
Roberts Rules of Order. In the event that a conflict exists between
these by-laws and Roberts Rules of Order these by-laws shall prevail
unless such prevalence shall be in conflict with civil law, criminal
law, or administrative law.
7.2 The Secretary shall notify the membership at large of the
dates of all meetings, the time and place. Such notification shall
be made no less than one week (7 days) prior to the meeting, section
9.5 excluded.
7.3 Notification of members pursuant to sec. 7.2 of this article
may be made by electronic means.
7.4 A meeting may be cancelled or postponed by motion.
Article 8
VOTING
All duly elected Committeemen or those appointed by the D.O.T.T.
Chairman shall be entitled to one vote in all matters brought upon
motion and seconded or in motions that do not require a second.
8.1 - This article shall not apply to Convention votes. Only duly
elected Precinct Committeeman may cast votes at a convention held to
elect the Chairman.
Article 9
CONVENTION RULES AND VOTING
The membership shall adopt rules and voting procedures for each
convention. The value of a vote, whether weighted or singular, shall
be established in such rules. The rules established for such
convention shall comply with these by-laws.
9.1 Such rules shall be unique to the particular convention. Thus
in one election the rules may use a weighted vote but in a different
convention the rules may provide for a singular, one vote option.
9.2 The Chairman may appoint a committee to develop such
Convention Rules and Procedures. Such committee shall present those
rules and procedures to the membership at large who may by vote
adopt, modify, or reject them in part or in their entirety.
9.3 In the event that the membership shall reject such rules and/
or procedures the Committee shall convene to consider any changes or
amendments that may have been proffered. The committee shall then
resubmit their modifications to the membership for a vote at a
subsequent meeting.
9.4 Convention rules and/or procedures shall be ratified by the
membership no less than thirty, (30) days prior to the holding of a
convention.
9.5 Extra additional meetings may be convened for the purpose of
ratifying such rules and/or procedures. Such meetings shall be held
to avoid a conflict between the need to hold the convention at a
date in accordance with these rules and to have rules and procedures
in place for the proper convening of the convention according to
these articles.
Article 10
COMMITTEES
Committees shall be established from time to time for the purpose of
conducting business of the organization, for research, for community
service, and to do any of the things the Organization may properly
do by law.
10.1 - All committees shall be temporary in nature but may continue
in service so long as it shall be deemed that such committee is
needed.
10.2 - It shall be the duty of the Chairman to establish a committee
or committees. The Chairman shall terminate the service of a
committee at any time should he deem that its service is no longer
needed.
10.3 - A person may sit on a committee who is not an elected
Committeeman.
10.4 The members of the committee shall present a written report
of their activities to the membership or in advance to the Executive
Board should that be deemed appropriate prior to a vote.
10.5 Upon the dissolution of a committee the Secretary shall note
their service in the record.
10.6 - The Chair shall formerly acknowledge the service of a
committee after the dissolution of the committee.
Article 11
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
The Chairman shall be responsible to oversee all business of the
D.O.T.T. The Chairman shall fulfill all duties required of him by law
and he shall cast all votes required of him by the Will County
Democratic Central Committee. The Chairman shall assign
responsibilities to his appointees and to Precinct Committeemen.
11.1 - The Chairman shall appoint The First Vice Chairman. He shall
perform those duties that are assigned to him or her by the
Chairman. In any absence of the Chairman the First Vice Chairman
shall be the acting chairman.
11.2 The Chairman shall appoint the Second Vice Chairman.
He shall perform those duties that are assigned to him or her by
the Chairman. In any absence of the Chairman and the First Vice
Chairman the Second Vice Chairman shall be the acting chairman.
11.3 The Chairman shall appoint the Secretary. The Secretary shall
perform all record keeping, vote tallying and other secretarial
duties prescribed by the Chairman. The Secretary shall maintain
records of all committees. The Secretary shall take a roll call at
each meeting to determine the presence of each Committeeman in
attendance. The Secretary shall preserve all reports and perform
those functions required by law.
11.4 The Secretary shall cooperate with the Treasurer to file
timely documents relating to the organizations activities that are
required by law. The Secretary shall preserve all reports, pictures
or other data, including those that may be delivered to him or her
by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
11.5 The Chairman shall appoint the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall
be responsible for all bank deposits and for maintaining all
financial records relating to the funds and expenditures of the
organization. The Treasurer shall issue checks and endorse checks
for deposit in any bank accounts that may be established for the
organization.
11.6 - The Treasurer and the Chairman shall co-sign all checks that
are issued by the organization.
11.6a The Secretary shall be a signatory on the checking account
with the Chairman and the Treasurer.
11.6b The Secretary shall be authorized to co-sign checks in the
absence of either the Chairman or the Treasurer.
11.7 - The Treasurer shall cooperate with the Secretary to file
timely documents relating to the organizations activities that are
required by law. The Treasurer shall comply with all requirements of
the law.
11.7a The Treasurer shall oversee the Finance Committee and its
sub-committees.
11.8 The Chairman shall appoint the Sergeant-at-Arms. The
Sergeant-at-Arms shall maintain order prior to, during and after all
organizational meetings or affairs. When a call to order has been
made by the Chairman it shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms to
enforce the order. In the event that such disorder shall persist
after attempts to restore order the Sergeant-at-Arms shall ask the
offender to leave the premises. In the event that order cannot be
restored without additional intervention the Sergeant-at-Arms shall
immediately call for police assistance. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall
be responsible to properly display the American Flag during meetings
and shall remove the flag for safe and secure keeping until it is
next displayed. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall inspect the premises at
which an organizational activity has been conducted and shall assure
that the premises are restored to the condition in which they were
found prior to the affair; except that in the case of any damages
that may have been incurred to any property he or she shall keep an
accurate report of the same and if necessary obtain a copy of any
report(s) that may have been filed by any law enforcement agency.
All reports, pictures or other pertinent data of any such damage
shall be given to the Secretary.
11.9 The Sergeant-at-Arms is not a member of the Executive Board
but may be present at meetings of the Executive Board by invitation
of the Chairman.
11.10 The Sergeant-at-Arms can be, but is not required to be,
either an appointed or elected committeeman.
Article 12
SUCCESSION OF OFFICERS
In the event that the Chairman shall be unable to serve his office
for any reason that shall prevent him or her from fulfilling the
duties of that office for a period of six months or longer, by
motion, the First Vice Chairman shall assume the office of the
Chairman and thereafter, within thirty days thereof, appoint a
replacement to assume the duties of the First Vice Chairman. The
Chairman pro-tem shall serve the remainder of the term
vacated by the elected Chairman. The Chairman pro-tem shall
assume all authority that has been assigned to the office of
chairman.
Article 13
FUNDRAISING
The Chairman shall establish a committee annually whose function
shall be to organize fundraising events. Fundraising may be carried
out as often as is practicable by the organization except that there
shall be one annual fundraising event conducted by the organization.
The committee shall be known as the Fundraising Committee and
it shall operate under the supervision of the Chairman and the
Treasurer.
13.1 The Fundraising Committee shall be a sub-committee of the
Finance Committee.
13.2 - The Fundraising Committee shall keep records of its
activities and lists of the donors with amounts contributed and
other pertinent data.
13.2a The Fundraising Committee shall provide copies of its
records to the Treasurer and to the Secretary.
13.3 Funding of the Fundraising Committee to fulfill its duties
shall be authorized by vote.
13.4 - The Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for working
with the Chairman, Treasurer and the Secretary to select a location
at which a fundraising function shall be conducted; to arrange for
the funding of such an event, and all other functions including but
not limited to obtaining food, beverages, entertainment, prizes, or
decorations for the event.
13.5 A vote shall be required to approve decisions that are made
pursuant to sec. 13.4.
13.6 - The Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for obtaining
appropriate tickets for the event and for the production of any
manner of publicity that may be necessary to promote the
fundraising.
Article 14
COMMITTEEMEN
Precinct Committeemen are elected by law or appointed by the
Chairman of the D.O.T.T., and are subject to the laws of the county
and state that pertain to their office.
14.1 Precinct Committeemen shall be responsible for the appointment
of election judges within their own precinct.
14.2 - Committeemen are eligible by law to be appointed as Deputy
Voter Registrars by the Will County Clerk. All Precinct Committeemen
should avail themselves of the opportunity to become a Voter
Registrar.
14.3 - The Precinct Committeeman shall be responsible for the
distribution of political materials that are supplied to him or her
for distribution within his or her precinct.
14.4 - The Precinct Committeeman shall post signs within his or her
precinct that have been supplied by candidates and those signs shall
not be posted prior to the date allowed by law. The signs shall be
removed no later than the date established by law for their removal.
14.5 - It shall be the duty of the Committeeman to make him or
herself known to the voters of the precinct over which he or she
presides. The Committeeman shall promote voter registration within
his or her precinct. The Committeeman shall promote the election of
Democratic candidates in all elections.
14.6 - Block Captains - The Precinct Committeeman may
establish an organization within his or her precinct for the purpose
of assisting in the posting of signs and campaign literature for
Democratic candidates. The volunteers who are enlisted to assist the
Precinct Committeeman shall be known as Block Captains. The Precinct
Committeeman shall instruct the Block Captains as to how and where
to post signs and in the proper distribution of campaign materials
for the Democratic candidates. A Block Captain shall not be required
to reside within the Precinct.
Article 15
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
No Officer, Committeeman, or Block Captain shall communicate
information or opinions to any manner of news media unless such
information has been first examined and approved by the Chairman
regarding the opinions or business of the D.O.T.T.. The
Chairman shall be the defacto spokesperson of the D.O.T.T., unless
the Chairman has otherwise appointed another spokesperson to
represent the D.O.T.T..
Article 16
VOTER REGISTRATION
The Chairman shall submit a plan to the membership annually for the
registration of voters within the township. All Precinct
Committeemen are eligible to become Deputy Voter Registrars. The
Chairman shall encourage each Precinct Committeeman, elected or
appointed, to become a Deputy Voter Registrar. Deputy Voter
Registrars are trained and certified by the Will County Clerk.
16.1 - The Chairman shall appoint a committee whose purpose shall be
to register voters who for any reason are not registered to vote
within their specific precincts. That committee shall assist
committeemen to register voters and shall provide Deputy Voter
Registrars to assist Committeemen who are not Deputy Voter
Registrars.
16.2 - The Committee shall submit biannual reports to the membership
and submit a written record to the Secretary of all newly registered
voters.
Article 17
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Chairman shall annually appoint a
Finance Committee. The Treasurer shall be the Chairman of the
Finance Committee. The Chairman and the Treasurer shall define the
duties of the Finance Committee.
17.1 The Finance Committee shall assist the sub-committees of the
Finance Committee.
17.2 The Fundraising Committee shall be a sub-committee of the
Finance Committee.
17.3 The Treasurer shall be in control of the Finance Committee
and its sub-committees and shall supervise their activities.
Article 18
AMENDMENTS
This constitution and by-laws may be amended at any convention of
the D.O.T.T., or at any special convention convened for that express
purpose.
18.1 Any member of the D.O.T.T. may propose an amendment to these
by-laws and constitution.
18.2 All proposed amendments must be made in writing and must be
presented to the Chair and to the Executive Board. The Chairman and
the Executive Board shall examine every suggested amendment.
18.3 The Executive Board shall vote upon the merits of said
proposed amendment. If they shall determine that the amendment is
duplicitous, is without merit, is frivolous or is incorporated
within existing by-law(s)the Chairman and the Executive Board shall
report their determinations to the membership at the next regular
meeting. If the Chairman and his Executive Board shall determine
that the proposed amendment is not duplicitous, is not without
merit, is not frivolous, and is not currently incorporated within an
existing by-law(s) the Chairman and his Executive Board shall report
their findings and the Boards vote to the membership at large at
the next regular meeting.
18.4 - The Chairman shall report the determinations and vote of the
Executive Board to the membership and call for a vote to (1) quash
the proposed amendment, or (2) proceed to discussions of the
proposed amendment.
18.5 A committee may be appointed by the Chairman to make further
determinations concerning any proposed amendment.
18.6 The determinations of such committee shall be presented at
the earliest regular meeting. The Chairman shall call for further
discussion.
18.7 At the conclusion of all committee reports and all further
discussion the Chairman shall call for a vote to determine if the
membership wishes to convene a convention at which to vote upon the
proposed amendment change.
18.8 No less than seven days (7) prior to the convention the
Secretary shall notify all eligible voters within the membership of
the time and place of the convention at which the proposed
amendment(s) will be voted upon.
18.9 An amendment shall be passed if two-thirds of the elected or
appointed Precinct Committeemen, who cast votes, vote to adopt the
amendment.
18.10 An amendment that is adopted shall become a by-law or
section of a by-law commencing with the next business day unless the
membership shall vote for some other date for its inception.
18.20 Any proposed amendment that fails to be adopted by vote may
not be proposed as an amendment to the by-laws again for a period of
6 months (6).
18.21 A tabled amendment may not be given further consideration
until and unless there is an appropriate motion of reconsideration
passed to bring it to the floor for discussion.
Article 19
Quorum
There shall not be less than five (5) Committeemen present to have a
quorum at any regular meeting.
19.1 No motions may be made without a quorum other than a motion
to adjourn.
19.2 Discussions of business may be conducted but no votes may be
taken without a quorum.
Article 20
Dissolution
The D.O.T.T. cannot dissolve while there are three (3) dissenting
Committeemen. In the event of secession, dissolution, or
disaffiliation, all properties, funds and assets, both real and
personal, shall become properties of the Will County Democratic
Central Committee. Under no circumstances shall any properties be
distributed among the members of the D.O.T.T.
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