Party Bylaws
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BYLAWS OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE I-NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Montgomery County Democratic Executive Committee.
ARTICLE II-MISSION
The mission of this organization shall be to aid in the election of Democratic Nominees to public office by
increasing political participation among Democratic Voters, promoting the ideals of the Democratic Party
and otherwise maintaining an active Democratic Party Committee in Montgomery County, Tennessee.
ARTICLE III-MEMBERSHIP
Section (I)-All persons who are registered voters in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and who support
the ideals and principals of the Democratic Party are eligible to be elected to this Executive Committee,
and all duly elected Executive Committee Members shall constitute the voting membership of this
organization.
Section (2)-Membership in the Montgomery County Executive Committee shall not be denied because of
race, color, sex, religion, age, gender, disability or ethnic origin.
ARTICLE IV-POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Section (I)-The government and direction of the affairs of the Democratic Party in Montgomery County,
Tennessee is vested in this organization, subject to the laws of the State of Tennessee and those rules of
the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee applicable to this County Committee.
Section (2)-The Officers and members of this Executive Committee shall plan, organize and conduct
activities designed to fulfill the mission of this organization, and shall plan and conduct all meetings and
conventions and other assemblies as required, and record and preserve minutes of the same.
ARTICLE V-OFFICERS
The Officers of this organization shall be Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Third Vice Chair,
Fourth Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Each shall serve a term of two years or until their successors
are duly elected.
ARTICLE VI-EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Section (I)-There shall be a maximum of one hundred-twenty members of the Executive Committee,
including Officers, and each member represents the Democratic Voters residing in his or her respective
County Commission District.
Section (2)-Each district is allotted a minimum of two seats on the Committee, one seat reserved for a
male member and one seat reserved for a female member. More than two members may represent any
district, but in no event shall any district be deprived of its two allotted seats, even if one or more of said
seats is unfulfilled at any given time. However, this number may be exceeded in order to have at least one
male and one female from each voting district.
ARTICLE VII-ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES
Section (I)-Officers and Executive Committee Members shall be elected to two-year terms at a
Convention of Montgomery County Democrats held every two years and as otherwise directed by the
Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee. All voting age residents of Montgomery County who show,
as required by rules of the Montgomery County and Telmessee Democratic Executive Committees, that
they are registered voters and bonafide members o/the Democratic Party, may attend said Convention,
may be nominated for office and may vote in all elections at the Convention.
Section (2)-The rules and order of business of said Convention shall be determined by the Montgomery
County Executive Committee prior to the Convention and shall comply with applicable rules set forth by
the Tennessee Executive Committee.
Section (3)-Officers shall be individually elected by simple majorities, and in the event a majority does
not prevail, the candidate receiving the least votes shall be dropped from the next ballot. All officers will
automatically hold membership on the Executive Committee.
Section (4)-Executive Committee Members for all County Districts shall be elected simultaneously from
a single County Nominations Slate that indicates the Resident District of each Nominee, unless the
Convention passes a resolution calling for separate elections for all members.
Section (5)-Vacancies on the Executive Committee, created by the total number of members dropping
below one hundred-twenty or by a district losing one of its minimum seats as described in Article VI, may
be filled at any regular meeting of the Executive Committee.
Section (6)-Any vacant officer position shall be announced at any regular Executive Committee Meeting
and elected at the following meeting providing that at least thirty days have passed and at least 15 days
written notice is given to all Members of the Executive Committee. Resignation from the Executive
Committee or from an officer position may be accomplished in any manner reasonably designed to give
notice to the Committee, and in any case of questionable intent, the Committee shall send, by first class
mail, confinnation to the affected Member or Officer.
Section (7)-Upon motion by any member, or by request of the affected officer, an officer may be granted
a leave of absence by the Executive Committee for a period not exceeding one year, where the affected
officer, due to illness, long-term conflict or other good cause shown, is unable to reasonably perfonn the
duties of office; and the Chair of the Executive Committee shall appoint a person to serve as acting officer
during the leave of absence.
ARTICLE VIII-MEETINGS
Section (I)-The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each quarter, in January, April, July, and
October. The time and place to be set by vote of the Executive Committee, and at other times when a
meeting is called by the chair of the Executive Committee or by at least one-third of the members of the
Executive Committee.
Section (2)-A quorum for any meeting of the Executive Committee shall be at least 10% of the Executive
Committee, and voting by proxy shall not be allowed at any meeting.
ARTICLE IX-COMMITTEES
The chair of the Executive Committee shall establish standing or special committees as necessary and
appoint their members and officers and inform the Executive COirnnittee thereof.
ARTICLE X-STEERING COMMITTEE
Section (I)-There shall be a permanent Steering Committee composed of all the officers of the Executive
Committee and additional members appointed from the Executive Committee by the chair, for a total
membership of between ten and fifteen members, who shall also comprise the voting membership.
Section (2)-The Steering Committee shall meet at the pleasure of the chair or when a meeting is called by
one-half of the Steering Committee, and this Committee shall function as a policy and operations
planning committee and general advisory group to the chair.
Section (3)-In emergency situations or there is otherwise an urgent need for action, and due to time
constraints, it is not practicable to give all members of the Executive Committee reasonable notice of a
meeting, the Steering Committee may conduct any business relating to the matter of urgency.
ARTICLE XI-RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions submitted to the chair at least one week prior to a meeting will be placed on the agenda and
may be passed by a simple majority vote. All other resolutions may be brought before the body by
consent of a two-thirds majority vote; however, this notice requirement will be considered waived for any
matter where timely objection is not made.
ARTICLE XII-PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
This organization shall follow the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order in all matters where they are
not in conflict with the bylaws or any special or standing rules.
ARTICLE XIII-AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended or submitted by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee Members
present at any regular meeting or at a meeting called for the purpose of considering amendments, and they
may be amended or substituted at a biennial Organizational Meeting (County Convention) by a two-thirds
vote of all qualified voters present. Five days written notice by first class mail to all Executive Committee
Members is required before first reading of the proposed change. The amendment is then read at the
following meeting and voted upon.
