The mission of the San Diego Progressive Democratic Club is to create a more just society by advocating for issues and supporting candidates who advance progressive policies. We envision a society where people work together for human rights, equitable economic opportunity, social justice, party reform, and environmental restoration & justice. We work to create a government for and by the people, by getting dark money out of politics and expanding grassroots participation in the political process.
SECTION 1 - ELIGIBILITY
Anyone registered as a Democrat, or is ineligible to vote (due to age, non- residency or other legal impediment) but pledges to register as a Democrat when eligible, plans to gain residency in San Diego County, and supports the purpose of the Club as stated in Article II, above shall be eligible for membership in this club.
SECTION 2 - MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
A person is considered a member upon the receipt by the treasurer of dues outlined in Article III, Section 7 and the Executive Board’s receipt of complete electronic or physical applications for each individual. A member has all the rights and responsibilities of a member in good standing as outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order with the exception of the right to vote. Individuals shall become eligible to vote twenty-eight (28) days after first being considered a member, having completed Attendance Requirements in Article III, Section 10.
SECTION 3 - APPLICATIONS
Applications shall be provided by the Executive Board upon request. They may take the form of physical paper copies or a form provided electronically.
SECTION 4 - RENEWALS
Renewals paid on or after November 1st are valid through December 31st the following calendar year by submitting their dues and having completed the Application Form, Attendance Requirements and the annual Volunteer and Activist Requirements. They shall update any information they provided on the application, and if renewing a voting membership, shall not experience a lapse in voting eligibility which occurs February 28th of that year.
SECTION 5 – DELINQUENCY
A member shall be considered delinquent if they have not paid dues, completed the Volunteer and Activist Requirement, and updated contact information by January 31st of a calendar year. The Membership Chair shall attempt to communicate via phone, e-mail, or mail that delinquent status is impending. Upon delinquent status, members shall lose voting rights and ability to run and/or serve on the Executive Board and committees but shall retain other rights as members. If a member is delinquent beyond February 28th of the same calendar year, then SDPDC shall infer they have resigned and strike them from the membership rolls.
SECTION 6 - MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING
A. San Diego County registered Democrats and residents not yet eligible to vote who pledge to become Democrats, whose annual dues are currently paid for the SDPDC, or had requested a waiver via email from the Executive Board in writing and approved by a simple majority vote, shall be considered a member in good standing.
B. Any member whose actions are judged to be prejudicial or detrimental to the club by a simple majority of the Executive Board may be expelled from membership by a two-thirds vote at any general meeting at which a quorum exists.
SECTION 7 - NON-DEMOCRAT MEMBERS
San Diego County Residents who are registered as any party other than Republican, or are registered with No Party Preference may be a Non-Voting Member if that person pays dues as described for members in good standing. Non-Voting Members may participate in SDPDC meetings, committees, and activities, but may not vote or represent the SDPDC in any San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee, its area meetings, or any other San Diego County Democratic Party chartered entity. Non-Voting members may not run for or hold any club constitutional offices; they may be Ad Hoc Committee members.
SECTION 8 - DUES
A. Dues shall be reviewed mid-year and recommended by the Executive Board, for approval by the membership at the September meeting, to go into effect for the next membership year. The Executive Board shall provide notice to members by September 30 of the following year’s dues. Dues are due and payable upon joining the club, and annually at the beginning of every club calendar year thereafter. Payment of dues shall not be obligatory to anyone for whom it constitutes an economic hardship.
B. Annual dues levels shall be set at:
Sustaining and Patrons include household membership. All individuals must submit separate application forms and share the same residence.*
$15 for the first membership and $10 for subsequent memberships in the same household address to a total of no more than five memberships.
C. The only dues accepted for memberships are on the individual or household levels. Mass membership registration payments shall not be accepted. Mass membership shall be defined as SECTION 10 – VOTING
A member in good standing shall be eligible to vote on club business including endorsement. No proxy or absentee voting shall be permitted.
SECTION 1 - ELECTED OFFICERS
Elected officers of this club shall be the President, four Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Membership Chair, Communications Chair, Treasurer, and four at-Large. All officers must be members in good standing; must be registered as Democrats at their home address; must not hold paid federal, state, or local office; voting Executive Board members must not be a candidate in a paid federal, state, or local race.
To maintain a cohesive transition of club leadership, one-year terms among Executive Board members are staggered. The following officers are elected in:
A. April:
B. October:
The four regional Members at-Large shall be elected annually by their regional chapters along with chapter officers. Should their chapter not meet regularly, the Member at-Large shall be elected by the club.
SECTION 2 - ELECTIONS
Elections shall be held biannually. At the election meeting the floor will be open for nominations. The election may be held by show of hands or voice vote for uncontested offices including Zoom/electronic formats. A secret ballot will be used for any contested offices conducted by paper ballots for in-person meetings and using accepted secret balloting electronic methods. Those nominees who receive a majority vote of those present and voting shall be declared elected. If no person receives a majority of votes cast, a run-off shall be held between those two persons receiving the greatest number of votes. The person receiving the simple majority of the votes shall be declared elected. Ranked Choice Voting may be substituted at the direction of the SDPDC President.
SECTION 3 - OFFICERS WORKING ON CAMPAIGNS
Paid representatives for a proposition, federal, state, local, SDCDP, or California Democratic Party campaign must disclose to membership the campaign compensating them. If an elected officer of SDPDC gains employment or accepts a paid contract from a campaign, they must disclose the campaign and length of employment or contract to membership and be subject to a ratification vote at the following main meeting.
Officers who are paid representatives of any proposition, federal, state, local, SDCDP, or California Democratic Party campaign are expected to recuse themselves from any discussion in the main club or Executive Board meetings regarding endorsements of those campaigns. Officers employed by such campaigns are also expected to uphold fairness and not give their candidate any unfair advantage in seeking the club’s endorsement. During meetings, SDPDC Officers that are also paid representatives of non-endorsed candidates are not permitted to be staffing their candidate at club meetings. Staffing a candidate includes recruiting volunteers, handing out flyers/signup sheets, making announcements for their candidate to the club, and other activities which constitute advocating for their candidate.
Campaign staff are not permitted to use the membership list for whipping votes for endorsements, volunteer recruitment, or securing financial or other support for their non-endorsed candidate. Any usage of the membership list for the purpose of assisting an endorsed candidate by campaign staff must be cleared with the Executive Board beforehand and fall into the prioritization of campaign activities set forth by the club.
Executive Board Officers that are found to have violated the Bylaws are subject to removal from their position by a majority vote of the remaining Executive Board Officers.
SECTION 1 - GENERAL MEETING
There shall be a minimum of six general meetings each year, at least one of which shall be in April. Other general meetings shall be held at such times and places as specified by a majority of the Executive Board.
SECTION 2 - QUORUM
A quorum at any general meeting shall be one and a half times (150%) the number of voting members of the Executive Board, or a majority of membership, whichever is less. A quorum at an endorsing/electing meeting shall be two times (200%) the number of voting members of the Executive Board, or a majority of membership, whichever is less. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be a majority of its elected members.
SECTION 3 - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The parliamentary authority is the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
SECTION 4 - NOTICES
A. Bylaws Amendments
Bylaws Amendments must be noticed and presented at the prior general meeting.
B. Other Notice Requirements
At least two (2) weeks prior to a general meeting at which the following items will be discussed and voted upon, meeting notices shall be emailed to each member of the club in good standing, the SDCDP Director of Clubs, and the SDCDP Office:
Such notice shall specify the time, place and date of the general meeting and describe the event. E-mail is the only acceptable medium for providing notices.
SECTION 1 - FUNCTION
The Executive Board shall approve all expenditures and carry out the club business between general meetings in a manner consistent with actions taken at the general meetings, and perform any other duties provided for in these bylaws. The President or a Vice-President shall pre-approve any written correspondence on behalf of the club. The President, the Vice-Presidents and the Communications Chair shall be the only spokespersons of the club.
SECTION 2 - MEMBERSHIP
Voting membership of the Executive Board shall include all of the currently elected club officers, the president of each of the SDPDC chapters or the appointee thereof, and the parliamentarian. Any member of the SDPDC who has served as president within the last year (1) year may sit as a non-voting member.
SECTION 3 - MEETINGS
The President shall call a meeting, with advance notice, of the Executive Board as needed. Special meetings may be called by a simple majority of the current members of the Executive Board at any time. A simple majority of the current members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 4 - TIMELY ACTIONS
There will be occasions where the Executive Board needs to act in a timely fashion for the interests of the SDPDC Membership. In these cases where timely action is required, a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board may endorse resolutions, legislation, ordinances, joining coalitions, and signing onto petitions or events in the name of our Club and Membership.
SECTION 1 - ENDORSEMENTS
A. Only candidates who are registered Democrats are eligible for Club endorsement.
B. Non-Democrats cannot be endorsed. They can only be rated acceptable or unacceptable.
C. A motion to endorse a candidate, or take a position on a proposition or public issue, may be carried only in a meeting where a quorum is present, and must receive the vote of a fifty-five percent majority (55%) or higher of the Club members in good standing who are present and voting. A secret ballot will be used that includes all candidates and, including the case of a single candidate, an option for “No Endorsement.” If no person or issue receives the required percentage of votes, no position shall be taken. In the case of no position, the floor will be open for a motion for a vote to declare any or all the candidates “Qualified.” This vote may be done by a show of hands of the Club members in good standing who are present and voting and will require a fifty-five percent majority (55%) or higher vote.
D. If the Executive Board recommends a Consent Agenda of candidates, ballot measures, or other items, acceptance shall require the approval of a fifty-five percent majority (55%) or higher vote.
E. Any member may request that a candidate, ballot measure, or other item be pulled from the Consent Agenda for consideration with a simple majority (>50%) or higher vote, unless the item is a Recommendation coming from a chapter in which case a minimum sixty percent (60%) or higher vote will be required.
F. Those items pulled from the Consent Agenda shall be handled as non-Consent Agenda items in accordance with Section C of this Article.
G. Ranked Choice Voting may be substituted at the direction of a simple majority of SDPDC membership.
H. Endorsements by the SDPDC shall not be construed as the CDP or SDCDP endorsement. Words to that effect must be clearly visible whenever the SDPDC’s endorsements are referred to.
I. Any publication of endorsements by the SDPDC shall clearly delineate between endorsed candidates and those rated acceptable.
The club shall affiliate as an associate member of the County Democratic Central Committee and pay the current annual chartering fee.
These Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority (>50%) or higher vote at a general meeting after such amendment has been presented at the preceding general meeting and notice has been provided as specified in Article V, Section 4 of these bylaws.
These Bylaws shall become effective immediately upon their adoption and shall be the governing rules of the club.
Policies & Procedures shall become effective immediately upon their adoption and shall be the second governing document of the club.