WSD Bylaws

 

Bylaws of the West Side Democrats of Bernalillo County
Amended March 9, 2024

Article I. Name

The name of this organization is West Side Democrats of Bernalillo County, herein referred to as “WSD.” The “West Side” is defined as the area of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, west of the Rio Grande.

Article II: Objectives and Prohibitions

Section 1. Objectives

  1. To identify, engage and involve Democrats of Bernalillo County’s West Side. To inform them, educate them, and encourage them to support issues and activities important to the Democratic Party and the West Side community;
  2. To support the Democratic Party and work for the election of its candidates;
  3. To encourage WSD members to become involved in the political process at local, state and national levels;
  4. To ensure there are Democratic candidates for all open seats on the West Side, and to encourage any candidates or potential candidates to be competent and ready for office and campaigning; and
  5. To increase communication between the WSD, campaigns, and Democratic and other groups in order to maximize effectiveness.

Section 2. Prohibitions

  1. WSD will not:
  1. Endorse candidates during contested elections involving two or more Democratic candidates.
  2. Permit the use of its name or logo in any advertisement or written materials without prior consent of the members.
  3. Support any candidate of an opposing party.
  1. Officers may not use their offices or titles to advance the cause of any individual candidates in contested elections involving two or more Democratic candidates.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Membership

  1. Full membership in WSD is open to all Democrats who are registered to vote in Bernalillo County. Full members will be counted when determining a quorum. Only full members in good standing are eligible to vote.
  2. Associate membership in WSD is open to all Democrats who are registered to vote outside of Bernalillo County.

Section 2. Membership in Good Standing

Members in good standing are those who have paid their membership dues for the current calendar year, conduct themselves in accordance with the WSD Bylaws, and follow the WSD Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics.

Article IV. Meetings and Quorum

Section 1. Meetings

  1. At least nine meetings will be held per year.
  2. Meeting locations will be determined by the chair or the officer who will conduct the meeting.
  3. All general, special, committee and officer meetings are open to all members.

Section 2. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the chair or a quorum of the members. If a special meeting is requested by an individual member, the secretary will communicate to the membership to see whether a quorum supports calling such a meeting.

Section 3. Quorum

  1. The greater of 10 voting members or 20 percent of all voting members, including officers, shall constitute a quorum.
  2. The presence or absence of a quorum at meetings shall be announced by the chair after consulting with the secretary or the treasurer.

Section 4. Notification

At least one week prior to any meeting, all members will be informed in writing of its date, time, place and purpose.

Section 5. Agenda

A sample agenda is given in the WSD Policies and Procedures document.

Article V. Policies and Procedures

The WSD Policies and Procedures document is attached to these bylaws.

Article VI. Parliamentary Procedures

Procedures of WSD shall be governed by Parliamentary Procedure for Meetings, as outlined in the WSD Policies and Procedures document, except where inconsistent with the bylaws.

Article VII. Financial Procedures

Section 1. Financial Responsibilities

WSD assumes responsibility for all funds it collects or disburses.

Section 2. Fiscal Year

WSD’s fiscal year shall be from January 1 through December 31.

Section 3. Accounts of Deposit and Disbursement of Funds

  1. The treasurer, chair and vice chair shall be signatories on any and all deposit accounts.
  2. One authorized signature is required on any checks or documents of withdrawal.

Section 4. Audit

WSD will undergo an audit every two years.

Article VIII. Governance

Section 1. Voting

Each voting member shall have one vote on each issue voted on. Proxies will not be accepted. Elections may be held in person, electronically or both.

Section 2. Elected Officers

  1. WSD elected officers are:
  1. Chair
  2. Vice chair
  3. Secretary
  4. Treasurer
  1. The officers constitute the executive committee, which may conduct business on behalf of the WSD membership.
  2. The majority of officers are needed for a quorum at a meeting of the executive committee.

Section 3. Term of Office

  1. Elections shall be held in May of odd-numbered years. Notification of elections will be given at least 30 days before elections.
  2. Officers of WSD shall serve for a term of two years. An officer can be elected to the same position for two consecutive terms.
  3. Officers shall assume office immediately after their election or appointment.

Section 4. Eligibility

  1. Only voting members in good standing shall be eligible to nominate and vote for officers or to hold an office.
  2. To hold office, a nominee must have attended at least two of the four meetings prior to the election.
  3. Nominees must be a WSD member for the six months before the election.

Section 5. Removal from Office

  1. Any officer may be removed from office for any of the following reasons:
  1. Missing three consecutive meetings.
  2. Missing five meetings within any 12-month period.
  3. Failing to perform the duties specified in the bylaws.
  4. Violating the provisions of either the Code of Conduct or the Code of Ethics.
  1. The process to remove an officer may be begun by any voting member in good standing.
  2. After being properly moved, seconded, and discussed, a vote in favor of removal by two-thirds of the voting members present, shall result in the office being declared vacant.

Article IX. Duties of Officers

Section 1. General Responsibilities of Officers

Each officer shall:
A. Maintain any records in a shared online repository during their term in office.
B. Transfer all records pertinent to WSD to their successor immediately upon the successor’s       election or appointment.
C. Submit a written report at each general meeting and file it with the secretary.
D. Perform such duties as are delegated or assigned by the chair.

Section 2. Chair

The chair shall:
A. Preside at all meetings of WSD.
B. Review and sign all official documents of WSD, along with one other officer.
C. Appoint chairs for all committees.
D. Be a signatory on all WSD bank accounts.
E. Act as custodian of all records.
F. Act as ex-officio member of all committees.
G. Supervise the operation and activities of WSD.

The chair may appoint a parliamentarian/sergeant at arms.

Section 3. Vice Chair

The vice chair shall:
A. Be a signatory on all WSD bank accounts.
B. Help the chair when needed.
C. Perform duties of the chair when the chair is absent or incapacitated.

Section 4. Secretary

The secretary shall:
A. Keep minutes of WSD meetings and present current minutes at the following meeting.
B. Receive and maintain reports of the officers and committees.
C. Maintain a current membership list as provided by the treasurer.
D. Maintain a current list of member contact information.
E. Use the Secretary’s Functions document as a guide for performing these duties.
F. Maintain records in a shared online repository.

MINUTES

  1. Minutes shall include a minimum of:
  1. Date, time and location of meeting;
  2. A list of voting members who were present;
  3. Committee reports;
  4. Motions, seconds, and results of votes;
  5. Verbatim statements at the discretion of the chair or by a vote of members present;
  6. Time of adjournment.
  1. Minutes of a general meeting shall be submitted to the chair within 15 days and disseminated to the membership at the chair’s discretion.

Section 5. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall:

  1. Maintain the care and custody of WSD funds.
  2. Regularly deposit revenue in the name of WSD in a bank approved by the officers.
  3. Sign checks and disburse funds for payment of WSD expenses, with the needed approval as outlined in the WSD Policies and Procedures.
  4. Maintain detailed records of receipts and disbursements, and coordinate with other signatories on the checking account.
  5. Submit a written financial report at scheduled meetings or at the signed written request of a quorum of the membership.
  6. Maintain and submit on a timely basis a list of voting members and associate members in good standing to the chair and the secretary.
  7. File for and maintain local, state and federal tax identification numbers as needed.
  8. Submit financial reports as required to the appropriate local state and federal agencies.
  9. Use the Treasurer’s Functions document as a guide for performing these duties.
  10. Prepare a budget every year, to be approved by the membership.

Section 6. Vacancies

If the office of chair becomes vacant, it will be immediately filled by the vice chair. If any other office becomes vacant, the chair will appoint a replacement, with the approval of majority of the other officers.

Article X. Amendments

The WSD bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of members, provided that members receive written notification 30 days before the election.

Article XI. Dissolution

Upon dissolution of WSD, all assets after payment of costs and expenses shall be transferred to the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County.