The Ward 21 Democratic Committee

The name of the Committee shall be the Boston Ward Twenty-One Democratic Committee.

ARTICLE II PURPOSE

The Committee is elected pursuant to Chapter 52 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The Committee exists to promote economic and social justice and to improve the Democratic Party by finding, encouraging, and, where appropriate pursuant to Article VIII, endorsing Democratic candidates for public office; considering and formulating programs; encouraging interest, registration, and activity in the Democratic Party; increasing knowledge of governmental structures and operations; enhancing communication between government officials and citizenry; furthering the objectives of the Democratic Party; and by carrying out such other activities as shall seem necessary or desirable to effect these purposes. All members are responsible for outreach.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

Membership on the Committee shall consist of up to 21 residents of Ward 21 in Boston, Massachusetts, who shall be registered Democrats and who in the first instance shall have been duly elected at the Presidential Primary by the Democratic voters in Ward 21.

Members shall hold office for four years from the time they are duly organized following their election, and until their successors have organized. [If any member shall change residence from Boston Ward 21, his/her membership shall cease no later than the end of the calendar year during which his/her residence is changed.] * A majority of the Committee may remove any member for any of the following reasons: a) failure to attend at least half of the regularly scheduled Committee meetings during any calendar year, b) public support for or financial contribution to an opponent of a nominee of the Democratic Party which nominee publicly supports the platform of the Democratic Party as adopted at the most recent state and national Democratic conventions, c) unauthorized use of the Party name or resources, d) conviction after appeals are exhausted of a criminal offense other than a misdemeanor.

A member must be given an opportunity to resign before notice of the hearing on the question of removal is given to the membership of the Committee. A member removed under this section shall have thirty (30) days to appeal to the Massachusetts Democratic Party Judicial Council, and the vacancy may not be filled in such case until the final decision of the Judicial Council is made.

Vacancies in membership created by death, written resignation, or change in residence shall be filled by the Committee in the following manner: candidates may be nominated at any regular meeting and may be voted upon at the next regular meeting. Notice shall be sent to all members in writing at least seven days prior to the election meeting.. Associate members will automatically be nominated for vacancies.

ARTICLE IV MEETINGS AND VOTING

There shall be no fewer than * four meetings each year. The site and date of these meetings shall be selected by the Chairperson unless otherwise voted. All regular meetings shall be open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Special meetings may be called at any time at the discretion of the Chairperson or * upon receipt of a signed petition from at least 20% of the members of the Committee.

Notice of all regular meetings shall be sent to each member and to each associate member by regular mail at least * seven days before the date of the said meeting to the address as shown on the records of the Committee. These notices shall include announcements of election, as provided in Article III, Article V, and Article XI; of proposed endorsements as provided in Article VIII; of proposed annual dues as provided in Article X; of proposed nominations for election of members as provided in Article XI; and of proposed amendments to the By-Laws, as provided in Article XII.

One half of the current members plus one shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special meeting. The conduct of the meeting shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, unless otherwise voted or otherwise indicated in these By-Laws.

Voting shall be by a show of hands, except when a vote of those members present and voting choose to waive the requirement of voting by a show of hands.

ARTICLE V OFFICERS

The officers of the Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a *Treasurer, a * Secretary, an Affirmative Action and Outreach Advisor, and any other officers determined by the Committee to be necessary. The officers of this Committee shall be nominated and elected from the membership * every two years during a meeting * which shall be held *no later than April 15th in non presidential years and as defined in *state law in presidential election years. All other officers deemed necessary by the Committee shall be nominated and elected from the membership during a meeting called for that purpose. The term of these other offices shall coincide with those officers specifically mentioned in this Article V. If any officer shall change residence from Boston Ward 21, such officer shall cease his or her duties as soon as a successor is elected.

In the event of a vacancy in any office, a special election to fill said vacancy may be held at the next regular meeting. This special election shall be announced in writing at least * seven days before the meeting.

ARTICLE VI DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The Chairperson shall normally preside at all meetings, shall be responsible for the carrying out of all activities of the Committee, shall issue written notice of all meetings of the committee and shall maintain a current roster of names and addresses of members and associate members. The Chairperson shall have the same voting rights as other members. The Chairperson shall appoint such committees as are appropriate to assist in the duties of the Chair, and the responsibilities of the Ward Committee. The Chairperson shall be ex-officio a member of all such committees.

In the absence or inability of the Chairperson, a vice-chairperson shall assume the Chairperson's duties.

The Secretary shall take attendance at and keep the minutes of the meetings. The Secretary shall within 10 days of the organizational meeting file the names and addresses of the members with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Secretary of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, the Chairperson of the Boston Democratic City Committee, and the Board of Election Commissioners of the City of Boston. Within 10 days from the filling of any vacancy in membership or office, or additions thereto, or election of associate member(s), the * Secretary shall likewise file such names and addresses. The Secretary shall also perform such other duties pertaining to the office as may be required by the Chairperson. *

The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all funds of the committee; shall collect, receive, and deposit all monies and make all disbursements under the supervision and direction of the Committee; and shall keep accurate books of account. At a meeting during the second calendar quarter the Treasurer shall present an annual written report for the year ending March 31; and shall, upon request of any member reasonably in advance, give an oral report at any regular meeting.

The Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer shall have special responsibility for actively recruiting minority members (as defined by the Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as amended) from all social, economic, religious, age, gender, sexual orientation and ethnic groups and geographic areas of Ward 21. The Affirmative Action and Outreach Officer shall also maintain open channels of communication between these various groups and areas and this Committee.

ARTICLE VII ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

The Committee, at any regular meeting, may elect any number of Associate Members, who shall be registered Democrats in Ward 21, have attended three consecutive meetings and whose terms shall run until a new Ward Committee shall take office.

Associate members shall not have the right to vote or hold office but otherwise shall have the rights and duties of members.

ARTICLE VIII ENDORSEMENTS

The Committee may endorse, support and/or oppose only referendums, proposed legislation, any candidates in a non-partisan election, Democratic candidates in a partisan election and any issues pertaining to the stated purpose of this Committee in Article II. No officer, member, or associate member shall use or authorize the use of the Committee's name in furtherance of any campaign unless authorized by the Committee.

The Committee shall endorse only by a vote of at least two thirds of those members present and voting at a meeting duly called for that purpose. The Committee shall not endorse * any of the Democratic candidates running for a particular office without having given fair consideration to all the Democratic candidates in the race.

ARTICLE IX FISCAL YEAR

The Fiscal Year of the Committee shall run from April 1 to March 31.

ARTICLE X CONTRIBUTIONS

Each member and associate member will pay dues to contribute money towards the defraying of expenses. The amount of dues to be paid shall be determined at least annually by a majority vote at a meeting called for this purpose. There will be at least seven days notice of this meeting.

ARTICLE XI NOMINATION OF WARD SLATE FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

A nominating meeting will be held prior to the deadline for filing nomination papers for the Ward Committee in the next presidential primary. This meeting will be announced in the regular meeting notice and also shall be announced to the general public. At the nominating meeting, the Committee shall by majority vote of the members present and voting, nominate candidates for membership during the following four year term. In making these nominations the Committee shall try to achieve a slate of candidates who are committed to the purposes of the Committee and are eager to work actively towards them; and also shall strive for fair representation on the slate of all registered Democrats within the ward, in terms of race, religion, nationality, income, sex, age, and precinct of residence. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson to assist nominees in filing nomination papers. In the event that the Committee shall nominate fewer than twenty-one members, or if any nominee selected by the Committee shall fail to sign nomination papers within seven days following the nomination meeting, the Chairperson shall select additional nominees, to a limit of twenty-one. Such selections by the Chairperson shall be in accord with the above guidelines and with any additional directives voted by the members at the nominating meeting.

ARTICLE XII ADOPTION, AMENDMENT, WAIVER AND EXPIRATION OF BY-LAWS

These By-Laws shall take effect when adopted by the Committee. They may be amended, waived or repealed by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting, provided that the notice is given seven days prior to calling the meeting and shall have stated what alternatives or amendments are to be voted on. These By-Laws shall expire at the start of the Organizational meeting next following the first Presidential Primary subsequent to their adoption.