Section 2. AFFILIATIONS. This organization shall be affiliated with the Young Democrats of North Carolina and the Cabarrus County Teen Democrats (CCTD). This organization shall be influenced and guided by the platforms and policies of the Democratic Party on the local, state, and national levels. This organization is an auxiliary organization recognized by the Cabarrus County Democratic Party.

Section 1. OBJECTIVE. The object of the Young Democrats of Cabarrus County (YDCC) shall be to foment in young people an active interest in governmental affairs, to serve as a mechanism for political expression, to encourage the role of young people in Party affairs, to support the Cabarrus County Democratic Party in its mission, and to actively recruit and support young Democrats to run for political office.

Section 2. POLICY. This organization and its members shall take an active interest in local, state, and national affairs.

Section 3. ENDORSEMENTS. This organization shall support actively and by appropriate means the nominees of the Democratic Party in national, state, and local elections. This organization shall not endorse or support the candidacy of any persons for public office prior to nomination by the Democratic Party; however, individual members may support candidates prior to nomination

Section 1. ELIGIBILITY. Membership in the YDCC shall be open to all registered Democrats.

Section 2. CLASSIFICATIONS. There shall be three (3) classifications of membership: Active, Associate, and Honorary. Any registered Democrat in Cabarrus County between the ages of eighteen (18) and thirty-five (35) shall be eligible for Active Membership. Any registered Democrat who has attained the age of thirty-six (36) shall be eligible for Associate membership. Any person who is not an Active member of this organization, who professes and demonstrates allegiance with the principle of the Democratic Party, shall be eligible for Honorary membership. Any Associate or Honorary member shall carry all of the rights and privileges of Active membership except that no Associate or Honorary member shall be eligible to vote or hold office in the YDCC.

Section 3. DUES. Dues shall be required of each member in the amount of twenty dollars ($20.00) for Active members, and twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for Associate members.

Section 4. MEMBERSHIP PERKS. The YDCC will actively encourage membership in the organization though providing membership perks, including but not limited to an exclusive e-mail newsletter and discounts to YDCC event fees.

Section 1. DEFINITION. The elected officers of this organization shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

Section 2. PRESIDENT. The duties of the President shall be to uphold and enforce the provision of these Bylaws; to organize and administer the organization; to preside over all
meetings; to call special meetings when necessary; to appoint chairpersons of standing committees; to appoint select committees to serve at his/her discretion; to represent the organization at conventions and official functions; and to chair the Executive Board. The President is an ex officio member of the Executive Board of the Cabarrus County Democratic Party. The President, along with the Treasurer, is one of two members authorized to withdraw funds from the YDCC bank account; all expenditures over $50.00 must be approved in advance by the executive board. All appointments by the President shall be subject to majority approval at an official general membership meeting.

Section 3. VICE-PRESIDENT. The duties of the Vice-President shall be to advise and assist the President in the administration of the organization and to assume the duties of the executive office in the temporary absence of the President. The Vice-President shall also direct the field operations of the YDCC.

Section 4. SECRETARY. The duties of the Secretary shall be to maintain the files of the organization; to record the minutes of all meeting; to conduct the official correspondence of the organization; and to take necessary steps to maintain affiliations and charters with the Young Democrats of North Carolina.

Section 5. TREASURER. The duties of the Treasurer shall be to keep an accurate account of all financial transactions; to compile periodic financial status reports; to collect the annual membership dues; to update members as to the organizations current financial standing at each regular meeting; to file finance reports with the North Carolina State Board of Elections; and to conduct all other financial affairs of the organization.

Section 6. QUALIFICATIONS. Any Active member in good standing shall be eligible to hold elected office in this organization.

Section 7. ELECTIONS. Elections of officers shall be held at the annual County Convention according to Article VI, Section 1 of these bylaws. Officers shall begin their terms immediately upon being sworn in and shall hold office until their successors are chosen and installed.

Section 8. RECALL ELECTIONS. A recall election may be held for any officer that: willfully or habitually neglects or refuses to perform the duties of his or her office; willfully engages in misconduct or mal-administration in office; or willfully engages in corrupt activity.

• The Procedures for Recall Elections are as follows:
  • A complaint setting forth full details and the grounds for recall shall be filed in writing with the Executive Board.
  • Said complaint must be filed by three eligible voting members of the organization.
  • Upon receiving said complaint, the Executive Board shall appoint a three person council of review from the voting members of the organization to hear and investigate said complaint and shall designate one person as chairperson to act as the presiding officer of the review council.
  • The council of review shall conduct all necessary hearings to inquire into the charges. The officer, and complaining parties, may appear before the council of review for the purpose of presenting relevant information to the council. The chairperson shall be the final arbiter on any question of relevance. No hearing shall be conducted without ten days’ written notice of the hearing to the accused officer and to the complaining parties.
• Should a majority of the council of review deem the removal of the officer necessary, then the council of review shall recommend his or her removal from office to the general voting body of the organization.
• A two-thirds vote of the eligible voting members present at the meeting according to ARTICLE VI, Section 1 of these bylaws is required for removal from office.

Section 9. INTERIM APPOINTMENTS. Should a member of the Executive Board resign or be removed from office, the President may temporarily appoint an interim replacement until such time as a free and open election may be held.

Section 10. TRANSITION. Transition procedures shall be as follows:

• PRESIDENT. It shall be the duty of the outgoing President to prepare a year-end report covering the organization’s activities for the year, along with a list of committees, officers and committee members. This year-end report shall be distributed by printed or electronic media to the membership at the end of the calendar year.
• VICE-PRESIDENT: It shall be the duty of the outgoing Vice-President to turn over records for the preceding years to the incoming Vice-President within ten (10) days of transfer of duty.
• SECRETARY: It shall be the duty of the outgoing Secretary to turn over records for the preceding years to the incoming Secretary within ten (10) days of transfer of duty.
• TREASURER. It shall be the duty of the outgoing Treasurer shall transfer all financial records and other monies to the incoming Treasurer within ten (10) days of transfer of duty.

Section 1. MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the organization shall be held each month as announced by the Executive Board.

Section 2. QUORUM. One-fourth of the Active members shall be required for binding action on the business of the organization during membership meetings.

Section 3. BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF MEETINGS. When the organization is not in session during a scheduled meeting, the Executive Board shall act for the organization on all matters unless the Bylaws state that action is to be taken by the full membership of the organization.

Section 1. FREQUENCY; TIME; PLACE. This organization shall assemble as a county convention in conjunction with the CCTD once each year at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2. PURPOSE. The purpose of this County Convention will be to hold officer elections for the upcoming year and to facilitate interaction and collaboration between the members of the YDCC and the CCTD.

Section 1. COMPOSITION. The following standing committees shall be led by a Chairperson appointed by the President of the YDCC.

Section 2. FINANCE. The purpose of the Finance Committee is to prepare the budget for the upcoming year; to track the budget regularly, to maintain a Donor Database, and to organize any YDCC specific fundraising event deemed necessary and appropriate by the Executive Board; the YDCC Treasurer serves as an ex-officio chairperson of this committee.

Section 3. COMMUNICATIONS/COMMUNITY RELATIONS. The Communications/Community Relations Committee shall be responsible for publicizing the time and place of regular meetings and special events as requested by the other committees and Executive Board; and to aid in publishing the organization newsletter or e-mail listserv. The Committee shall also be responsible for maintaining general publicity on the activities and presence of the Young Democrats of Cabarrus County. The chairperson of this committee shall be considered the “Second Vice President” of the YDCC.

Section 4. MEMBERSHIP. The purpose of the Membership Committee is to set yearly membership goals, to obtain new members for the organization in order to meet set membership goals, to encourage current members to maintain active membership. The chairperson of this committee shall be considered the “Third Vice President” of the YDCC.

• MINORITY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE. The Minority Affairs Subcommittee shall be responsible for promoting membership and active involvement in the YDCC by members
  of minority groups and shall foster discussion of issues of particular concern to members of minority groups.

Section 5. FIELD OPERATIONS. The Field Operations Committee shall be responsible for preparing and executing field work, including but not limited to canvassing, call time, Get Out The Vote activities, and the creation of literature and scripts. The Vice-President serves as the ex officio chairperson of this committee.

Section 6. EXECUTIVE BOARD. The Executive Board shall serve as an advisory and planning committee for the organization. The Executive Board shall the four officers, the committee chairs, the President of the CCTD and the immediate past President of the YDCC.

Section 1. COMPOSITION. The following standing committees shall be led by two Co-Chairs appointed by the President of the YDCC and the President of the CCTD.

Section 2. APPROVAL OF MEASURES. Any measures or actions undertaken by the joint-committees must be approved by a majority vote at a general meeting of both the YDCC and the CCTD before enactment.

Section 3. PROGRAMS. The Programs committee shall be responsible for planning and organizing joint programs and events with the YDCC and the CCTD.

Section 4. FUNDRAISING. The Fundraising committee shall be responsible for planning and organizing the joint fundraising efforts of both the YDCC and the CCTD.

Section 1. AMENDMENTS. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of a general membership meeting when notice of the amendment is given at the previous general membership meeting. When no previous notice is given, any amendment may be affected by a three-quarters vote of a general membership meeting.

Section 2. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY. The proceedings of this organization shall be governed by the following authorities in the following order of precedence. The Bylaws of the Young Democrats of Cabarrus County; the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised; and executive discretion.

Adopted: Thursday, June 16, 2011
Amended: Thursday, July 14, 2011