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Governance and Policies

Nondiscrimination Policy

Democracy for Monroe County will not discriminate in the implementation of its programs on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

Privacy Policy

Democracy for Monroe County will not share your personal contact information with any other group, including Democracy for America, without your explicit permission. Indiana law requires us to report the name, address, occupation, and employer for each DFMC contributor who gives more than $100 during each calendar year. You may opt out of our electronic mailing list by following the instructions provided to subscribers monthly. Unsubscribe information is also included at the bottom of each email.

Bylaws

Adopted May 2008
(You may also download a PDF copy of the bylaws below.)

Contents:

Article I. Name, Organization, and Purposes

Section 1.01 Name

The name of this organization is Democracy for Monroe County, referred to hereafter as DFMC.

Section 1.02 Organization

This organization shall be organized and registered with the State of Indiana as a Political Action Committee (PAC) as defined in Indiana Code, IC 3-5-2-37.

Section 1.03 Purposes

This organization exists for the purpose of:
• Empowering the voters of Monroe County through education and activism;
• Recruiting, training, and supporting socially progressive and fiscally responsible candidates for local and state offices;
• Promoting progressive policies at all levels of government.

Article II. Membership, Fees, and Meetings

Section 2.01 Membership Eligibility

Any person who is 18 years of age or older and is a resident of the State of Indiana, who agrees with the purposes of this organization, may become a member of Democracy for Monroe County. Each member shall have one vote on any matter properly before the membership at any membership meeting. “Good standing” membership shall commence one month after enrollment and payment of dues and shall end when dues payments cease.

Section 2.02 Fees

Membership fees and due dates shall be determined by the Board of Directors at the beginning of each calendar year.

Section 2.03 Membership Meetings

Membership meetings (also called Linkups) will be held at least six (6) times per calendar year. Regular membership meetings are open to the public. At least one of these meetings must serve as the Annual Meeting for the purpose of electing Directors and Officers. In addition, special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall provide notice by any reasonable and common means of communication of the date, time, place, and purpose of any membership meeting to each member of record at least five (5) days prior to the meeting. A quorum shall consist of at least one-third (1/3) of Directors and at least two (2) Members who are not on the Board of Directors.

Article III. Board of Directors

Section 3.01 Function

The function of the Board of Directors of DFMC is to provide guidance, policies, and planning in accordance with the stated purposes of the organization.

Section 3.02 Powers

The Board of Directors shall be entrusted with the powers enumerated in these Bylaws, subject to the laws and regulations of the State of Indiana:
• To enter into legally binding agreements in accordance with the stated purposes of the organization;
• To determine major organizational, fiscal, and program policies;
• To establish and dissolve any standing or ad-hoc committees, and to define the scope and rules for any such committees;
• To appoint and remove members from any committees by a simple majority vote;
• To determine overall program plans and priorities for DFMC, including provisions for evaluating progress against performance goals;
• To make final approval of all program proposals and budgets;
• To determine the rules and procedures for the Board of Directors.

Section 3.03 Composition of Board

The Board of Directors shall be made up of no fewer than five (5) and no more than twelve (12) members of the organization. In addition, Directors may elect to add non-voting, ex-officio members to the Board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The members of the Executive Board shall serve as members of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.04 Qualifications

Members of the Board of Directors must be Members of DFMC in good standing.

Section 3.05 Selection and Terms

Members of the Board of Directors may be nominated by any Member of DFMC, and will be elected annually by the membership. Directors serve a term of one (1) year.

Section 3.06 Meetings

The Board shall meet no fewer than six (6) times per calendar year. All Board meetings will be open to Members of the organization.

Section 3.07 Vacancy and Appointments

In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Directors, the current members of the Board shall elect any qualified member by a two-thirds (2/3) vote to serve out the remainder of the term.

Section 3.08 Resignation and Removal

A Director may resign at any time by submitting a letter of resignation to the Chair or Secretary. The Board may remove any Director by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.

Article IV. Officers (Executive Board)

Section 4.01 Officers

The officers of DFMC shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. They shall fill the same offices on the Board of Directors. Together, the four officers comprise the Executive Board.

Section 4.02 Election and Terms

The members of the Executive Board shall be elected by the Members annually for one (1) year terms.

Section 4.03 Qualifications

(a) Chair
The Chair must be a Member of DFMC in good standing for at least two (2) years. The Board of Directors, by a simple majority vote, may waive this requirement and approve the candidacy of a Member in good standing for one (1) year.
(b) Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary
The Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary must be Members in good standing for at least one (1) year. The Board of Directors, by a simple majority vote, may waive this requirement and approve the candidacy of a Member in good standing.

Section 4.04 Duties and Responsibilities

(a) Chair
The Chair of DFMC shall:
• Preside over all meetings of the Board and all meetings of the Membership;
• Serve as the official representative of DFMC to the media and to other organizations;
• Prepare (or cause to be prepared) agendas for Board and Membership meetings;
• Delegate authority and tasks to other Members of DFMC as needed;
• Prepare (or cause to be prepared) an annual report for the Members of DFMC.
(b) Vice Chair
The Vice Chair of DFMC shall:
• Work closely with the Chair and assist with leadership duties as needed;
• Assume the duties of the Chair when the Chair is absent;
• Perform other duties as directed by Chair.
(c) Treasurer
The Treasurer of DFMC shall:
• Prepare the budget, present it to the Board of Directors for approval, and ensure that organization activities adhere to the budget;
• Collect and record member dues, and bill members for unpaid dues;
• Maintain accurate financial records, reconcile bank statements, and regularly inform the organization of its financial strengths and weaknesses;
• Monitor and maintain compliance with all reporting requirements;
• Disburse funds and pay bills promptly as approved by the Board of Directors;
• Deposit organization funds in a timely fashion.
(d) Secretary
The Secretary of DFMC shall:
• Record (or cause to be recorded) minutes from all meetings, assuring accurate reflection of meeting discussions and actions;
• Distribute minutes to Steering Committee members for review in a timely manner, following each meeting;
• Make corrections as indicated and distribute final minutes prior to next meeting;
• Perform other duties as directed by Chair.

Section 4.05 Order of Succession

The order of succession shall be:
• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Treasurer
• Secretary

Section 4.06 Vacancy

In the event of a vacancy, the Members of the organization shall elect a new officer at the next Membership meeting.

Section 4.07 Resignation and Removal

An Officer may resign at any time by submitting a letter of resignation to the Chair or Secretary. An Officer may be removed for cause by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors; such a vote can take place only if reasonable notice has been given to all Directors that the removal of an Officer will be considered.

Article V. Amendment and Adoption of Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended, repealed, or modified, and new Bylaws adopted, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the membership of the DFMC. The notice of a meeting at which these Bylaws are to be amended must include notice of such proposed action.