MARION COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE BY-LAWS

Revised 12/2007

Article I.   Name 

        This organization shall be known as the Marion County Democratic Central Committee.

Article II.  Purpose

        Section 1.  The purpose of this organization shall be to elect Democrats in Marion County, the State of Iowa, the Third Congressional District and the Nation; and to promote the principles of the Democratic Party.

        Section 2.  The By-laws shall incorporate and adopt those provisions of the Constitution of the Democratic Party of Iowa that are applicable to the County organization.

Article III.  Membership

     Section 1.  The Marion County Democratic Central Committee shall consist of committee persons from each of the precincts within the county.  Committee persons shall be elected every two years by a majority vote at the caucus in their precinct.  The number of committee persons from each precinct is determined by the Democratic votes received in the last election for U.S. President and Governor of Iowa.

     Section 2.  All Marion County residents who are registered in the Iowa Democratic Party shall be eligible for election to the Marion County Democratic Central Committee.

     Section 3.  After being duly elected, a committee person shall serve until a successor is elected unless he or she is removed by the Central Committee for non-residency, inattention to duty, incompetence, or support of a candidate for public office who is running against a nominee of the Democratic Party.

     Section 4.  Vacancies of the Committee shall be filled as soon as possible and voted on by a majority of the Committee members attending any official Committee meeting provided that due notice of such election was previously given.

Article IV.  Meetings

     Section 1.  County Central Committees shall meet at least once every three (3) months.  The Committee may, by majority vote of those Committee members attending any official Committee meeting, direct the Chair to call regular meetings at times and places selected by the Committee.  The Chair shall cause notice of such meetings to be mailed (postal or electronic) to each members and officer of the Committee at least seven (7) days before the date set for each meeting.  Upon receiving a petition signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the County Central Committee, the Chair shall call a special meeting which must be held within twelve (12) days of the receipt of such petition.  The Chair shall cause notice of such meetings to be mailed (postal or electronic) to each member and officer of the Committee at least seven (7) days before the date set for such meeting.

     Section 2.  A quorum at a special meeting shall be those members present at the appointed time and place.

Article V.  Officers

     Section 1.  The County Central Committee, composed of Committee persons elected at the precinct caucuses, shall meet and organize at their biennial organizational meeting which shall be within ten (10) days of the date of the County Convention, before or after.  Members of the County Central Committee assembled shall forthwith elect a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer and such other officers as they may deem necessary.  Such officers need not be selected from County Central Committee membership; however, they shall be qualified voting members of the Iowa Democratic Party.

     Section 2.  The term of office for each officer shall begin immediately upon election by the County Central Committee, and shall continue for two years, and until the successor is elected and qualified; unless he or she is sooner removed by the County Central Committee for non-residency, inattention to duty, incompetence, or support of a candidate for public office who is running against a nominee of the Democratic Party.

Article VI.  Officer Duties

     Section 1.  Chair:  Shall be that of Chief Executive Officer, being a member ex-officio of all committees and presiding at all Central Committee  meetings.  The Chair shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Central Committee, any and all committees and subcommittees necessary to perform Democratic Party functions.

     Section 2.  Vice Chair:  Shall assume the duties of the Chair in the officer's absence.  The Vice Chair shall serve as acting Chair in the event of a vacancy in the office of Chair until that vacancy is filled.

     Section 3.  Secretary:  Shall be in charge of all files and records of the Democratic Party except those specifically required to be in the possession of the Treasurer.  The Secretary shall prepare necessary documents and general correspondence and preserve such material.  The Secretary shall be responsible for sending notices seven (7) days prior to all meetings.

     Section 4.  Treasurer:  Shall have custody of the funds of the Marion County Democratic Central Committee and shall present a written report of total receipts and disbursements at each Central Committee meeting.  The Treasurer shall file all proper financial reports with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board in accordance with the Iowa Campaign Finance Law.  In addition, the Treasurer shall be in charge of all financial records and transactions of the Party, subject to an audit by a committee of three (3) appointed by the Chair.

Article VII.  Parliamentary Authority

     Section 1.  The parliamentary authority shall be the rules contact in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Article  VIII.  Amendments

     Section 1.  These by-laws may be amended at any meeting of the Marion County Democratic Central Committee.  Amendments require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present, and must have been submitted in writing at the previous meeting and included with the notice of the meeting at which the amendment(s) is to be acted upon.

Attachment - Central Committee Members based on the 2006 election.

• Clay Twp.  (2)
• Dallas Twp. - (5)
• Indiana Twp. - (2)
• Knoxville 1 -  (4)
• Knoxville 2  - (4)                
• Knoxville 3  - (5)                 
• Knoxville 4  - (3)                
• Knoxville Twp.  - (6)          
• Lake Prairie - (2)               
• Liberty Twp. - (3)               
• Pella 1 - (3)                      
• Pella 2  - (3)                        
• Pella 3  - (3)                       
• Pella 4  -  (3)
• Pleasant  Grove        (7)
• Summit/Red Rock    (3)
• Washington Twp.      (2)

Total  (60)  for 17 Precincts