ARTICLE 1. NAME

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• Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the Fort Bend Young Democrats.

 

• Section 2. This club shall be affiliated with the Texas Young Democrats.

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ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE

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The purpose of this club shall be to assemble, educate, and mobilize young people who are interested in promoting the issues and candidates of the Democratic Party.
 

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP

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• Section 1. Membership in this club shall be open to any Democrat who is 14 years of age or older, but has not yet attained the age of 40 years. Any eligible Democrat may become a member of this club by (a) completing a signed registration form, (b) submission of form to the Vice President, or in his/her absence submission to the President, (c) paying an annual membership fee of $20, and (d) attending a meeting after submission of registration form with dues. Membership will begin after adjourned of first meeting attended. All members of this club will also thereby become members of Texas Young Democrats.

 

• Section 2. A Democrat, for membership purposes, is any person who subscribes to the following pledge: “I (the undersigned person), do now support the principles of the National Democratic Party. Resignation from this club will release me from this pledge.”

 

• Section 3. The registration for membership shall contain the following information: (1) Name of member; (2) Address of member; (3) Member’s date of birth; (4) Date of registration; (5) The pledge enumerated in Article 3 Section 2; (6) Signature of member; (7) Name and signature of Vice President, or in his/her absence the President as a witness to registration. Any edits to the form will void registration.

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ARTICLE 4. MEETINGS

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• Section 1. Regular meetings will be held on the 2nd Monday of each month, unless announced otherwise by the President at the previous month’s meeting, and shall be called by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee by simple majority.

 

• Section 2. Special meetings shall be held when necessary and shall be called by the President and approved by a simple majority of the Executive Committee. Special meetings can also be called by a two-thirds majority vote of the general membership of the organization.

 

•  Section 3. All members of the club shall be notified at least 7 days in advance of any meeting by Email and web-site. Mailed newsletter or postcard announcements shall also be encouraged.

  

• Section 4. The club in meeting assembled shall be the supreme policy-making authority of this club, subject only to this constitution.

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• Section 5. No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum of at least 15 members or a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee is present.

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• Section 6. Persons eligible to vote shall meet criteria as defined in Article 3.

ARTICLE 5. OFFICERS

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• Section 1. The officers and Executive Committee of this club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Events Director, Communications Director, and Historian.

 

• Section 2. All officers shall be elected at a regular club meeting in the month of May by secret ballot if race is contested and shall serve for one calendar year. All members seeking an office for the coming year must notify the current president by the due date the president has established which is at least 21 days prior to the upcoming election.

 

• Section 3. All officers shall be elected by majority vote of members present, with run-off elections in cases where no one candidate received a simple majority.

 

• Section 4. Any officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds majority vote of officers present and voting at any regular club or officer meeting with anonymous input from members at previous meeting(s). Any officer shall be automatically removed upon failure to attend three consecutive meetings of the club, except when a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee excuses such absences. Absent officers are strongly encouraged to send a proxy report.

 

• Section 5. In the event of a Presidential vacancy, the Vice-President shall assume the office of President until the next regular election is held. In the event of any other executive committee vacancy, the office shall be filled by a special election at the next regular meeting.

 

• Section 6. All officers shall serve on the Executive Committee of this club, and have the duties and powers stated in this constitution. 

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• Part 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the club and the Executive Committee of this club, and, with approval by a simple majority of the Executive Committee, may appoint Committee Chairs for the purposes of specific projects and goals. The President shall call regular and special meetings of the club and meetings of the Executive Committee. The President shall also be authorized to write checks from the club bank account, with the approval of the Executive Committee as detailed in Article 6.

 

• Part 2. The Vice President shall serve as the successor to the President in the event of a vacancy. The Vice President shall assist the President in all aspects of the President’s job shall serve as the chair for any regular membership or Executive Committee meeting that the President is not able to attend. The Vice President shall keep the listing of club members’ registrations, be responsible for verifying membership forms, and coordinate efforts to promote increased membership.

 

• Part 3. The Secretary shall handle the correspondence of the club and keep records of it, maintain official meeting minutes to be presented upon request by the President or Executive Committee members, and inform officers of deadlines for reports, mailings, and future commitments. The Secretary shall also maintain a roster of officers and other board members with current address, including email, and telephone information and maintain complete and up-to-date copies of the club’s bylaws and other organizational documents.

 

• Part 4. The Treasurer shall coordinate efforts to increase funding for the club and shall keep records of the funds owned by the club with the Secretary and submit Political Action Committee finance reports. The Treasurer shall also be the secondary person authorized to sign checks from the club bank account.

 

• Part 5. The Events Director shall manage the details of arranging for regular meetings and special projects or events and shall coordinate efforts to send members of the club to outside functions.

 

• Part 6. The Communications Director of the club shall organize and distribute meeting notices, press releases, newsletters, electronic communications (including website, social media, and email), advertisements for the club, and is responsible for managing and updating the club website to include relevant information.

 

• Part 7. The Historian shall keep a record of the club’s accomplishments and activities for the year, manage the photo and video documentation of club meeting and events, and collect items such as pictures and news clippings about the club and its members. The Historian shall work with the communications director to keep the club website up to date with relevant media.

 

ARTICLE 6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the club. They shall meet at the call of the President or any three members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall: (1) Set the location and time of the next regular meeting; (2) Plan programs for meetings; (3) Suggest policy and initiatives for the club; (4) Approve an amount of funds that may be spent by the President and (5) Authorize expenditures of the club’s funds beyond regular costs previously approved for monthly meetings.

ARTICLE 7. MEMBERSHIP DUES

There will be mandatory dues of $20 for an annual membership. In addition, members are requested to contribute to the regular expense of maintaining the club to the best of their financial ability. 

ARTICLE 8. CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE DURING OFFICER ELECTIONS

In the event of Constitutional debate during officer elections or at the request of the President, a representative selected by the Harris County Young Democrats President shall serve as Parliamentarian and chief arbiter. This person cannot subsequently serve as an officer of the club for one year thereafter.

ARTICLE 9. ENDORSEMENTS

The Fort Bend Young Democrats can only make or announce an "Endorsement" or "Endorse" with the following procedure:

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• Section 1: Creating the Endorsement Committee:​

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• Part 1: An Endorsement Committee with be created with a Chair that is appointed by the President of FBYD. The Endorsement Committee Chair must be a member of the Fort Bend Young Democrats. The President of the FBYD has the authority to disband the Endorsement Committee and cancel the process at any time.

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• Part 2: The Endorsement Committee Chair will create a committee that has at least (5) other officers on it from various backgrounds and fields of work/schooling. These officers will serve on the committee to interview, review questionnaires, and vet candidates. These individuals must be approved by the Executive Committee.

 

• Part 3: The Endorsement Committee will choose the positions/offices they will allow for an Endorsement with a 51% majority vote within the Endorsement Committee. The Executive Committee must then approve the list of positions/offices the Endorsement Committee will be interviewing with a 51% majority vote and if there are any positions/offices that the Executive Committee does not want to be interviewed, the Executive Committee will have the ultimate authority to veto those positions/offices.

 

• Part 4:  Officers that are being paid by a candidate as a staffer or consultant cannot partake in the interviewing and voting process of that candidate’s position/office.

 

• Part 5: Transparency Clause: If any candidate contacts any Officers then it is the responsibility of the Officer to report that interaction with the Endorsement Committee. If that Officer doesn’t report the interaction they will be removed from the Endorsement Committee.

 

• Part 6: Candidates running for public office will be contacted by the Endorsement Committee at least twice to complete a questionnaire and setup a time to be interview by the Endorsement Committee.
   

• Section 2:  Voting Process within the Endorsement Committee:

 

• Part 1: The candidates that have been interviewed, vetted, and had their questionnaire reviewed by everyone, will be put to a vote within the Endorsement Committee. The Endorsement Committee officers have one whole point to give for a position/office but they can split a point (.5) among two candidates. If there are more than two candidates, the top two candidates with the most votes will go into a run off. 

 

• Part 2: The Endorsement Committee will make Recommendations to the membership body during an Endorsement Meeting when the Endorsement Committee agrees by a 67% super-majority vote within the committee that they approve of a candidate for a position/office.

 

• Part 3: When a Recommendation is made the Endorsement Committee should have a description of why they Recommended the candidate for a position/office.

 

• Section 3:  Voting Process during Endorsement Meeting.

 

• Part 1: The membership body during an Endorsement Meeting will vote to approve of the Recommendations from the Endorsement Committee with a majority vote of 51% to become an Endorsement.

 

• Part 2:  If the membership body does not approve of the Recommendation from the Endorsement Committee with a 51% vote then the floor can be opened to take nominations but they must be of candidates that the Endorsement Committee has interviewed, reviewed their questionnaires, and vetted for that specific position/office, if they do not meet these requirements they are null and void to be nominated to the membership body.

 

• Part 3: Once nominations are closed the membership body will vote on the candidates. If there are more than two candidates, then the top two candidates go into a runoff. The membership body must approve one candidate by a 67% super-majority vote to get an "Endorsement" from FBYD.

 

• Part 4: If no candidate can reach the 67% threshold during a nominated membership body vote, for a specific position/office then No Endorsement is made.  

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