December 18, 2010

Party Caucuses to Choose Candidates -- What's a Caucus?

Democratic Party Ward Committees
            There shall be established in each ward of the City a Ward Committee, which shares the purpose of the City Committee as stated in Article II.
            A.        Membership: The Ward Committees shall be composed of every Democrat residing within a ward who has submitted their name either orally or in writing – at either a nominating caucus for City offices or the biennial reorganization meetings. Additional members may be added by vote of the Ward Committee at any ward committee meeting. These new members may be eligible to vote immediately, if so determined by the Committee before their elections..
            B.        Officers: As per Article IV, except that in the event of a vacancy of any position, the responsibilities of that position shall accrue to the corresponding officer of the Executive Committee who shall serve as the ward officer until such time as the vacancy is filled.
            C.        Quorum: a quorum shall be determined by the individual ward committees.
            D.        Voting: As per Article VI.
            E.         Committee organization and election of officers: Between August 1 of odd numbered years and the scheduled date of the biennial reorganization meeting for the City Committee, the Ward Chairperson shall call an organizational meeting. The order of business shall be:
                        1.         Reading of the call of the chairperson.
                        2.         Election of a temporary chairperson and secretary.
                        3.         Submission of names for ward committee membership.
                        4.         Reading of the roll.
                        5.         Election of Permanent officers of the Ward Committee.
In the event of a contest for any office, voting shall as prescribed by Article VI.
            F.         Duties of the ward chairperson: The chairperson shall be the general executive officer of the Ward Committee. It shall be the chairperson’s duty to maintain an updated list of all committee members and to provide a copy of the list to the City Chairperson on or before the biennial reorganization meeting.
            G.        Duties of the vice chairperson:; All the duties of the chairperson shall be vested in the vice-chairperson in the absence or disability of the chairperson.
            H.        Duties of the secretary: as per Article XII with deletion of the last sentence.
            I.          Duties of the treasurer and assistant treasurer: as per article XIII.
            J.          Meetings: may be called at any time by the ward chairperson or the City Chairperson with seven (7) days notice, or at the request of five (5) or more members of the committee. In any case, there shall be no less than three meetings a year.
            K.        Duties of the Ward Committees: as per article XV
            L.         Resignations: as per article XVI
            M.        Filling of vacancies: as per article XVII, except that if no person has been appointed after a position has been vacated for thirty days, the Executive Committee may fill the vacancy pursuant to a majority vote of its members at any meeting.
            N.        In the event a ward committee fails to hold an organizational meeting as prescribed by this article, such organizational meeting may be held at the biennial reorganizational meeting of the City Committee.