Statement of Purpose: The Kittery Democratic Municipal Committee shall promote the ideals, principles and welfare of the Democratic Party in the Municipality of Kittery, the county of York, the State of Maine, and the Nation through voter education and the election of duly nominated Democratic candidates.
Article I
The name shall be the Kittery Democratic Municipal Committee.
Article II
Membership - Residents of Kittery who are registered as Democrats may join the Municipal Committee at the biennial caucus, or by attending a meeting of the Committee. There shall be no limit to the total number of Committee members. Removal from the list of enrolled Democrats in the Municipality of Kittery shall automatically disqualify a person from membership on the Municipal Committee. Members of the Committee may resign at any time in writing.
Article III
Meetings: Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least four times a year, and may be called at any time by the chair. Meetings shall also be called by the chair upon written request of four (4) or more members of the Committee. The chair shall have two (2) weeks to notify the membership and hold the meeting. A quorum shall consist of four (4) committee members. No Committee member may vote in any election of officers or to fill a legislative vacancy unless he or she has attended at least one {1) of the previous four (4) meetings.
Article IV
Officers: The officers of the municipal Committee shall be the following: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past Chair.
Article V
Sub-Committee Representatives; The Executive Committee, on an as needed basis, will determine the number of sub committee representatives of the Kittery Democratic Municipality Committee. A sub-committee representative will be one person who will assume a leadership role for a particular project, activity, or program. Following are suggested areas for which a sub-committee representative may be appointed: Finance, Party development, Campaign, Special projects, Caucus and Communications.
The Finance Committee Representative shall be responsible for organizing all fundraising activity, and shall keep track of the financial situation of the Municipal Committee.
The Party Development Committee Representative shall be responsible for seeking ways to increase enrollment in the Democratic Party and expanded membership in the Municipal Committee.
The Campaign Committee Representative shall be responsible for assessing ways in which to help elect Democrats to office by studying campaigning methods and strategies. This committee representative shall present a report on its recommendations at least three (3) months prior to each November election. The report shall be made available to Democratic candidates for their campaigns.
The Special Projects Committee Representative shall recommend ways in which the Municipal Committee can provide service to the Kittery area. Such service may take the form of charitable activity or involvement in community projects.
The Caucus Committee Representative will handle the details of caucus arrangements and formulate caucus procedures within the party rules. The membership of the Caucus committee representative shall be responsive to the needs of the political campaigns and issues likely to come before the caucus. The caucus committee representative shall make recommendations to the Municipal Committee.
The Communications Committee Representative shall disseminate information for the full Committee to both internal and external audiences. The Communications committee representative shall recommend to the full Committee appropriate and comprehensive policies and procedures. These policies and procedures once adopted will then be implemented and monitored by the Communications committee representative.
Article VI
Elections: the Kittery Democratic Municipal Committee shall elect its officers biennially at the regularly scheduled January meeting of even numbered years. All elections shall be conducted by a method determined by a majority of the caucus members present. Nominations will be accepted from the floor until no further nominations are made. In the event of a candidate replacement caucus and election, the rule in Attachment A shall be utilized.
Article VII
Biennial Caucuses: The Municipal Committee shall conduct its biennial caucus in accordance with established rules of the Democratic State Committee.
Article VIII
Miscellaneous Provisions: Unless otherwise stated in these bylaws, all meetings of the Municipal Committee and its biennials caucus shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order. A roll call vote may be called by one third of the members in attendance for those motions not requiring a roll call vote for passage. No officer or member of the Democratic Municipal Committee other than the Treasurer as outlined in Article Ill may contract financial obligations for the Committee with the specific directive of the Committee.
Article IX
Amendments: Any member of the Kittery Democratic Municipal committee may submit a written amendment for these bylaws. It shall be read at two (2) separate meetings of the Municipal Committee, which shall be held at least (7) days apart. Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Committee members present and voting.
Attachment A
Candidate Replacement Caucus Rules:
Article I
The name shall be the Kittery Democratic Municipal Committee.
Article II
Membership - Residents of Kittery who are registered as Democrats may join the Municipal Committee at the biennial caucus, or by attending a meeting of the Committee. There shall be no limit to the total number of Committee members. Removal from the list of enrolled Democrats in the Municipality of Kittery shall automatically disqualify a person from membership on the Municipal Committee. Members of the Committee may resign at any time in writing.
Article III
Meetings: Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least four times a year, and may be called at any time by the chair. Meetings shall also be called by the chair upon written request of four (4) or more members of the Committee. The chair shall have two (2) weeks to notify the membership and hold the meeting. A quorum shall consist of four (4) committee members. No Committee member may vote in any election of officers or to fill a legislative vacancy unless he or she has attended at least one {1) of the previous four (4) meetings.
Article IV
Officers: The officers of the municipal Committee shall be the following: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past Chair.
- The Chairperson, hereafter referred to as Chair, shall be the executive officer of the Committee; shall preside at all Municipal Committee meetings; shall be an ex officio member of all sub-committees ; shall appoint the chairs and members of each sub-committee; and shall countersign all checks in excess of two hundred dollars ($200.00).
- The Vice-Chairperson, hereafter referred to as Vice Chair, shall serve as an ex-officio member of all sub committees; and shall perform other duties as assigned by the Chair. In addition, the Vice-Chair shall conduct meetings and otherwise assume the role of Chair in the Chair's absence.
- The Secretary shall serve as recorder at each Municipal Committee meeting; shall be responsible for keeping all Municipal Committee records and documents, which shall be made available, within a reasonable amount of time, upon request by any members of the Municipal Committee.
- The Treasurer shall keep the funds of the Municipal Committee on deposit in a bank; shall keep the record of these funds and their disbursement; shall sign all checks; shall keep all receipts for expenditures, and shall disburse no more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) without specific authority for the Municipal Committee..
Article V
Sub-Committee Representatives; The Executive Committee, on an as needed basis, will determine the number of sub committee representatives of the Kittery Democratic Municipality Committee. A sub-committee representative will be one person who will assume a leadership role for a particular project, activity, or program. Following are suggested areas for which a sub-committee representative may be appointed: Finance, Party development, Campaign, Special projects, Caucus and Communications.
The Finance Committee Representative shall be responsible for organizing all fundraising activity, and shall keep track of the financial situation of the Municipal Committee.
The Party Development Committee Representative shall be responsible for seeking ways to increase enrollment in the Democratic Party and expanded membership in the Municipal Committee.
The Campaign Committee Representative shall be responsible for assessing ways in which to help elect Democrats to office by studying campaigning methods and strategies. This committee representative shall present a report on its recommendations at least three (3) months prior to each November election. The report shall be made available to Democratic candidates for their campaigns.
The Special Projects Committee Representative shall recommend ways in which the Municipal Committee can provide service to the Kittery area. Such service may take the form of charitable activity or involvement in community projects.
The Caucus Committee Representative will handle the details of caucus arrangements and formulate caucus procedures within the party rules. The membership of the Caucus committee representative shall be responsive to the needs of the political campaigns and issues likely to come before the caucus. The caucus committee representative shall make recommendations to the Municipal Committee.
The Communications Committee Representative shall disseminate information for the full Committee to both internal and external audiences. The Communications committee representative shall recommend to the full Committee appropriate and comprehensive policies and procedures. These policies and procedures once adopted will then be implemented and monitored by the Communications committee representative.
Article VI
Elections: the Kittery Democratic Municipal Committee shall elect its officers biennially at the regularly scheduled January meeting of even numbered years. All elections shall be conducted by a method determined by a majority of the caucus members present. Nominations will be accepted from the floor until no further nominations are made. In the event of a candidate replacement caucus and election, the rule in Attachment A shall be utilized.
Article VII
Biennial Caucuses: The Municipal Committee shall conduct its biennial caucus in accordance with established rules of the Democratic State Committee.
Article VIII
Miscellaneous Provisions: Unless otherwise stated in these bylaws, all meetings of the Municipal Committee and its biennials caucus shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order. A roll call vote may be called by one third of the members in attendance for those motions not requiring a roll call vote for passage. No officer or member of the Democratic Municipal Committee other than the Treasurer as outlined in Article Ill may contract financial obligations for the Committee with the specific directive of the Committee.
Article IX
Amendments: Any member of the Kittery Democratic Municipal committee may submit a written amendment for these bylaws. It shall be read at two (2) separate meetings of the Municipal Committee, which shall be held at least (7) days apart. Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Committee members present and voting.
Attachment A
Candidate Replacement Caucus Rules:
- Candidates' names will be placed in nomination , with nominating statements - (3 minutes for each)
- Each nominated candidate will have the opportunity to speak - (5 minutes for each)
- Voting by electors will be by secret, written ballot.
- The Chair will appoint two non-voting committee members to count the votes and provide the Chair, in writing, with the name of the candidate receiving the most elector votes. The Chair will announce the results. (Ballots will be available for inspection after the meeting has been adjourned.)