PREAMBLE
We, the Democrats of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in common
purpose with the National Democratic Charter, are united in seeking
for our State, our Nation and all peoples individual and political
freedoms and social and economic justice. We affirm that we can
best attain these goals through a strong, cohesive party-honest,
open and accessible to all, and steadfast in the idea that our people
have the ability to govern themselves. Following the National Democratic
Charter, we acknowledge that a political party which wishes to lead
must listen to those it would lead, a party which asks for the people's
trust must prove that it trusts the people and a party which hopes
to call forth the best that the Commonwealth can achieve must embody
the best of the Commonwealth's heritage and traditions. The Democratic
Party demands responsibility and accountability from candidates
and officials using its name. It shall be a party within which all
social, economic, ethnic and geographic groups can gather to clarify
issues, affect public policies and implement systems of equal opportunity
regardless of race, national origin, creed, sex, age, religion or
sexual orientation. It shall be receptive to new solutions to social
and political problems. It shall promote the election and appointment
of Democrats to public office. In office, the Democratic Party shall
act as a coordinator and mediator among the various governing agencies
of towns, cities, counties and the Commonwealth; out of office,
it shall act as a responsible opposition, a channel for legitimate
dissent. To these ends, we pledge ourselves to leadership in a democratic
society through this Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
ARTICLE ONE
Definitions
The following definitions apply to terms used throughout
the Charter:
Convention is a state-wide gathering of Democrats
called by the State Committee.
Conference is a regional gathering of Democrats called
by the State Committee.
Caucus is a gathering of enrolled Democrats called
by a town, ward, city or the State Committee.
Meeting is a gathering of full and associate members
of a Party committee, or sub-unit thereof, at any level.
Agenda is defined as an outline of topics to be considered
and actions to be taken by the Party, such as meetings, programs,
rules, etc.
Accessible is defined as referring to those conditions
which assure openness and provide an equal opportunity for participation,
including locations, convenience and public identification among
others.
Minorities Blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, Native
Americans and Cape Verdeans as defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.
Disability/Handicapped, with respect to an individual,
means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
one or more of the major life activities of such individual, a record
of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.
Youth individuals 18 through 35 years of age.
Low and Moderate Income as defined by the Democratic
National Committee.
Senior those persons 65 years of age or Citizens over.
Wards shall include the term municipal districts.
ARTICLE TWO
Town, Ward and City Committees
SECTION I.
Functions of Local Committees
Town, ward and city committees are the foundation
of Party organization and have the closest contact with the people.
The local committees shall conduct, according to duly established
and recorded local by-laws, such activities as are suitable for
a political organization; among which (without limitation) are:
the endorsement of enrolled Democratic candidates in partisan and
nonpartisan primaries, preliminaries and elections; financial support
of the State Committee and Democratic nominees; the adoption of
resolutions and platforms; the raising and disbursing of funds for
political purposes; voter registration campaigns; and the calling
of caucuses for the purpose of endorsing candidates, adopting resolutions,
or conducting other Party business as provided for in the Call.
SECTION II.
Number of Members; Election of Ward, Town and City
Committees
Town and ward committees shall have no fewer than
3 nor more than 35 members, who shall be elected at presidential
primaries with filing for the office by individual candidates in
conformity with State Election Laws. Ward and Town Committees may
increase the number of members of the Committee up to the maximum
of 35 at any time by a vote of a majority of the members of the
committee, effective upon notification of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
and the Democratic State Committee within 30 days of said vote.
City committees shall be composed of all ward committee members
within a municipality. Town and ward committees may elect associate
members who shall not be limited to a maximum figure. With respect
to current numbers of the town committee who served as such for
20 or more years or current members of any ward committee who have
served within such city for 20 or more years, said member's elected
position on the town or ward committee shall be vacated after the
member has served over twenty years and he or she becomes a voting
member of the town/ward committee by action of this section. Vacancies
in local committees shall be filled by vote of that committee. Associate
members, if any, shall be the candidate(s) for filling any committee
vacancies. Town and ward committees are authorized to constitute
their elected officers plus such members as the committee designates
as an executive board. All members of the town, ward and city committees
shall be enrolled Democrats. State Committee members shall be ex-officio
members of ward, town and city committees.
SECTION III.
Officers of Local Committees
Town, ward and city committees shall elect: a chairperson
or, if deemed advisable, two co-chairpersons and a vice-chairperson
(not both or all of the same sex), a treasurer, secretary, Affirmative
Action and Outreach Advisor and other appropriate officers from
among their members. Officers shall be elected every two years;
except that a committee in its by-laws may provide for a four year
term, running with presidential terms; at the local committee's
organizational meeting, which shall be held no later than April
15th in non presidential years and as defined in state law in presidential
election years. The local chairperson shall be the principal executive
officer of the town, ward or city committee, with primary responsibility
for enforcement of the provisions of this Charter and by-laws at
the local level and for communications between local committees
and the State Committee. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings
of the local committee and at caucuses called by it. Other officers
shall have such duties and responsibilities as assigned by the local
by-laws, chairperson or committee.
SECTION IV.
Meetings of Local Committees
Town, ward and city committees shall meet at least
four times each year, at least once each quarter, at the call of
the chairperson. Special meetings may be called by the secretary
on receipt of signed petition from no fewer than 20% of the membership
of the committee.
SECTION V.
Removal of Local Members
Members and officers pledge themselves by accepting
office to perform diligently and honorably their duties or resign.
Members of town and ward committees may be removed by procedures
guaranteeing adequate notice and due process and by a 2/3 vote of
those present and voting, a quorum being present, for:
a. failure to attend at least half of the regularly
scheduled committee meetings during any calendar year.
b. public support for or financial contribution to
an opponent of a nominee of the Democratic Party which nominee publicly
supports the majority of the platform of the Democratic Party as
adopted at the most recent state and national Democratic conventions.
A member for whom a long and deeply held belief would be violated
by support of the nominee shall not be removed under this section.
c. unauthorized use of the Party name or resources.
d. conviction after appeals are exhausted of a criminal
offense other than a misdemeanor. A member must be given an opportunity
to resign before notice of the hearing on the question of removal
is given to the membership of the committee. If a ward, town or
city committee refuses to act upon or remove a member duly charged,
the charge may be appealed to the Judicial Council. A member removed
under this section shall have 30 days to appeal to the Judicial
Council, and the vacancy may not be filled in such case until the
final decision of the Judicial Council is made.
ARTICLE THREE
State Committee
SECTION I.
Role of the State Committee
The State Convention is no longer the highest authority of the Party, notwithstanding 6.IThe Democratic State Committee shall have general
responsibility for the affairs of the Democratic Party between State
Conventions, subject to the provisions of this Charter and to resolutions
or other actions of a State Convention. This responsibility shall
include:
a. conducting the Party's state campaigns
b. filling vacancies in the nominations for state-wide
and congressional offices
c. formulating and disseminating statements of Party
policy
d. raising and disbursing monies needed for the successful
operation of the State Committee.
The Vinnie Ciampi clause: The old rule was that Democrats were barred from endorsing anyone running against the duly-nominated Democratic primary winner. But that was before Carl Sciortino, a strong progressive beat Vinnie Ciampi, the establishment candidate in the 2004 state rep primary in Somerville/Medford, and the establishment candidate ran in the general election as an independent. Party members could not endorse Ciampi. Now they could. The State Committee shall publicly support the Party's
nominees, except no party resources shall be used to support a Democratic
nominee who publicly supports the opponent of another Democratic
nominee, who publicly endorsed or supported a Republican
or other major party candidate in any one of the last two most recent biennial
elections, and shall not publicly support any opponent. The State
Committee shall take all other actions necessary or appropriate
to carry out the provisions of this Charter, including the adoption
of by-laws to implement the Charter; maintenance of a file of by-laws
of town, ward and city committees that is available for public inspection;
and the maintenance of regular communication with and the provision
for training, information and other services to town, ward and city
committees when finances permitThe DSC is no longer obligated to do any work..
SECTION II.
Number of State Committee Members
Members of the Democratic State Committee shall be
enrolled Democrats consisting of:
Term doubled from two years; this change is redundant to the change in 3.III.a. the two men and the two women elected from each
state senatorial district, who each shall serve for a four year term
b. members of the Democratic National Committee from
Massachusetts
c. the State Committee in consultation with the Affirmative
Action and Outreach Committee shall appointelect members for the purposes
of affirmative action; the number of which will not exceed 10% of
the total State Committee; in determining the affirmative action
appointmentscandidates for election, the Democratic State Committee shall consider the
underrepresented target groups and shall endeavor to maintain proper
geographic distribution of the State Committee as far as possible
d. additional members appointedelected by the State Committee
in accordance with its by-laws, and
I believe the original text of e. was supposed
to be struck and replaced by the new text. Otherwise this doesn't
make sense. If my surmisal is correct, then youth seats have been dropped
from six to four. The approved text may have the unintended effect of
increasing the seats from six to ten.e. four men and four women who are youth, having not
reached the age of 36, and two men and two women who are members
of the College Democrats of Massachusetts (when possible); these
members shall be elected by the Democratic State Committee. Student
members shall serve two-year terms. Additionally,
one man and one woman who are youth having not reached the age of 36
selected by the Massachusetts Young Democrats [Massachusetts Democratic
Future] and one man and one woman who are youth not having reached
the age of 36 selected by the College Democrats of Massachusetts. These
members so appointed shall have made every practical effort to become
members or associate members of their local Ward or Town Committtee.
Student members shall serve for a term of two years.
f. two veterans, one male and one female.
g. one man and one woman who are gay and lesbian
Democrats.
The chairperson of the Party shall publicize the availability
of these positions (Sections C, D, F & G). Nominations shall be
made from the floor at the State Committee meeting, and the appropriate
number of members shall then be chosen by a majority of the members
present and voting. Members chosen under this paragraph, except
student seats, shall serve for terms of four years and only during
the term of the State Committee which chose them.
h. One man and one woman who are youth having not
reached the age of 36 selected by the Massachusetts Young Democrats
[Massachusetts Democratic Future] and one man and one woman who
are youth not having reached the age of 36 selected by the College
Democrats of Massachusetts. These members so appointed shall have
made every practical effort to become members or associate members
of their local Ward or Town Committee. Student members shall serve
for a term of two years.
SECTION III.
Election of State Committee Members
There shall be one hundred and sixty (160) members
of the Democratic State Committee apportioned to the state senatorial
districts. Eighty (80) members of the State Committee, one man and
one woman from each state senatorial district, shall be elected
at the Presidential primary election. Their terms shall begin on
the thirtieth (30th) day following their election and end four years
later on the (30th) day following the presidential primary to be
held that year. Eighty (80) members shall be elected by the Democratic
ward and town committees within the state senatorial district, in
a manner prescribed by the Democratic State Committee. The terms
of members so selected shall begin the day following their election
and end twofourThe 80 members elected by ward and town committees shall now serve four-year terms.
years later on the day of the conference to select their
successors. Within the time period specified by state law for initial
organization of the Committee, the incumbent Democratic State Committee
chairperson, or someone designated by the Chairperson, shall certify
the members elected by state senatorial district conference. Thereafter,
the popularly elected, conference-elected, twenty-year and ex officio
members of the State Committee shall organize the Committee in accordance
with then-applicable state law; however, at its first organized
meeting following a Presidential Primary, the Committee shall elect
additional members as provided by the Committee's by-laws. All members
of the State Committee shall have full and equal voting privileges.
In non-presidential years, the incumbent Democratic State Committee
Chairperson or someone designated by the Chairperson shall certify
the members elected by state senatorial district conferences. Following
the certification of these members, the next order of business shall
be the election of such additional members as provided by the state
committee's by-laws. Members shall serve only so long as they remain
enrolled as voters in the Massachusetts Democratic Party and in
the case of members who serve by virtue of holding public or party
office, only so long as they hold such office. Members appointed
for affirmative action purposes shall serve until their successors
are selected at the initial organizational meeting of the full committee.
Any vacancy in the elected membership shall be filled by state senatorial
district conferences as described above. Any vacancy occurring within
six (6) months before the next regularly scheduled election shall
not be filled.
SECTION IV.
Sub-committees of the State Committee
The State Committee shall appoint such sub-committees
as it determines necessary or appropriate to enable the State Committee
to fulfill the duties and obligations with which it is charged by
the Charter. There shall be an Affirmative Action and Outreach Sub-Committee
responsible for encouraging and assisting target group individuals
at all levels and for overseeing and assisting Party committees
at all levels in meeting affirmative action guidelines.
SECTION V.
Meetings of the State Committee
The State Committee shall meet at least six times
each year, at least once each quarter, at the call of the State
Chairperson. Special meetings shall be called by the Secretary on
receipt of signed petition from no fewer than 25 members of the
State Committee. Meetings of the full State Committee shall be held
regularly on a regional basis. Members of the State Committee elected
at the state senatorial district level shall meet at least twice
each year with members of town, ward and city committees in their
districts.
SECTION VI.
Written Report to the Convention
The annual report of the Party no longer needs to be timely or written. A speech at the convention could satisfy the new text.
The Chair of the State Committee shall submit to the Chairperson
of town, ward and city committees and to the delegates to each State
Convention, at least two weeks prior to the commencement thereof,
a written report on the activities and finances of the State Party
since the preceding State Convention.
SECTION VII.
Removal of State Committee Members
Members and officers pledge themselves by accepting
office to perform diligently and honorably their duties or resign.
Members of the State Committee may be removed by procedures guaranteeing
adequate notice and due process and by a two-thirds vote of those
present and voting at a State Committee meeting for: a. failure
to attend at least half of the regularly scheduled committee meetings
during any calendar year. b. public support or financial contribution
to an opponent ofpublicly endorsed or supported a Republican or other major party candidate in any one of the last two most recent bienial elections against a nominee of the Democratic Party which nominee
publicly supports the majority of the platform of the Democratic
Party as adopted at the most recent state and national Democratic
conventions. A member for whom a long and deeply held belief would
be violated by support of the nominee shall not be removed under
this section. c. unauthorized use of the Party name or resources
d. conviction after appeals are exhausted of a criminal offense
other than a misdemeanor. A member must be given an opportunity
to resign before notice of the hearing on the question of removal
is given to the membership of the committee. If the State Committee
refuses to act upon or remove a member duly charged, the charge
may be appealed to the Judicial Council. A member removed under
this section shall have 30 days to appeal to the Judicial Council,
and the vacancy may not be filled in such case until the final decision
of the Judicial Council is made.
ARTICLE FOUR
State Committee Officers
SECTION I.
Officers of the State Committee
The State Committee shall elect from among its members
a chairperson, a vice-chairperson of the opposite sex, treasurer,
secretary and other appropriate officers. All officers must be members
of the State Committee, except that before choosing a treasurer
or deputy treasurers, a majority of the members of the State Committee
present and voting may suspend this requirement as to the treasurer
or deputy treasurers only.
SECTION II.
Chairperson
The chairperson shall be the chief executive officer
of the State Committee, presiding at its meetings, speaking for
it and directing its organization and activities. The chairperson
shall, with the approval of the State Committee, appoint an Executive
Director for the State Party and such additional staff as deemed
appropriate. The chairperson shall name persons to sub-committees
provided for in this Charter or the by-laws of the State Committee,
and may name other special sub-committees with the approval of the
State Committee. The chairperson shall be an ex-officio, voting
member of all sub-committees. The chairperson may authorize the
use of the name "Democrat" or "Democratic" by any regional, local
or special committees or groups with the approval of the State Committee.
SECTION III.
Vice-Chairperson
The vice-chairperson shall assume the powers and duties
of the chairperson in the temporary absence or incapacity of the
chairperson, and shall have such other responsibilities as are conferred
by the State Committee or the chairperson.
SECTION IV.
Treasurer
The treasurer shall be bonded and be responsible for
the custody of all monies belonging to the State Committee; shall
report annually to the State Committee on receipts, expenditures
and the financial status of the Party; and shall comply with financial
and reporting requirements of state and federal election laws.
SECTION V.
Secretary
The secretary shall keep minutes and other records
of State Committee meetings and actions, and shall have such other
responsibilities as are conferred by the State Committee or the
chairperson.
SECTION VI.
Removal of Officers
Officers of the State Committee may be removed with
adequate notice and due process for failing to perform the duties
of the office by a two-thirds vote of the State Committee. Vacancies
in any office, for whatever reason, shall be filled by vote of the
State Committee at a meeting not less than one (1) month following
the formal announcement of the vacancy at a State Committee meeting.
ARTICLE FIVE
State Judicial Council
SECTION I.
Number and Term of Membership
There shall be a State Judicial Council composed
of five members elected by the State Committee for five-year terms,
one of whom shall be elected each year. Members shall be enrolled
Democrats, but shall not be members of the Democratic State Committee
or any of its subcommittees. Affirmative action procedures shall
be followed in electing members of the Judicial Council.
SECTION II.
Chairperson of the Council
The State Judicial Council shall elect each year
at its organizational meeting following the annual election of its
members by the State Committee one of its members as chairperson.
The Council chairperson shall call and preside at all meetings of
the Council and shall have general administrative responsibilities
for the Council.
SECTION III.
The Judicial Council shall adopt procedural rules
which shall be reviewed by legal counsel. The Judicial Council shall
meet at least once each year. Any member may call a meeting if the
chair fails to do so.
SECTION IV.
Responsibilities of the Judicial Council
The State Judicial Council shall be responsible for
compliance of State and local committees with this Charter and by-laws
for the adjudication of disputes arising therefrom. The Judicial
Council may order any body or officer of the Party to take whatever
action necessary to comply with the Charter or by-laws, including
affirmative action goals. It shall also have general jurisdiction
on appeal over disputes arising between local committees or between
Party committees at different levels, in which case its judgment
shall be final and binding on the parties.
SECTION V.
Removal of Council Members
The chairperson of the State Judicial Council may
be removed at any time for any reason by majority vote of the Council,
but shall in such case continue as a member of the Council. Members
of the State Judicial Council may be removed at any time for any
reason by two-thirds vote of the members of the State Committee.
ARTICLE SIX
State Convention
SECTION I.
Empowerment of the Convention
The State Convention shall be the highest authority
of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, subject to provisions of
this Charter. It shall be empowered to adopt Party Platforms, endorse
candidates for state-wide offices, and act upon such other matters
of Party business as provided in the Call to the Convention. The
Rules of the Convention, providing for all votes by simple majority
except for a two-thirds majority required to suspend the rules,
shall be recommended to the State Committee by the Rules Committee
thereof and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the State Committee.
Delegates now need a super-majority vote of
two-thirds to change the rules of the Convention. Note that the rules
still must be distributed at least two weeks before the Convention (compare to 3.VI).
The rules so adopted shall be distributed to the delegates not less
than two weeks before the convention and may be amended from the
floor of the convention by a majoritytwo-thirds vote of the delegates.
SECTION II.
Issues Convention
There shall be a State Issues Convention in odd numbered
years for the purpose of adopting a Party Agenda and/or Platform
by a majority vote of Convention delegates present and voting based
upon the recommendation, subject to amendments, of the Party Agenda
or Platform Committee. Resolutions may be developed through a process
beginning with caucuses of local Democrats.
SECTION III.
Endorsing Convention
There shall be a State Convention in even numbered
years for the purpose of endorsing candidates for state-wide offices
in those years in which such office is to be filled. Endorsements
for state-wide office of enrolled Democrats nominated at the Convention
shall be by majority vote of the delegates present and voting, with
the provision that any nominee who receives at least 15 percent
of the Convention vote on any ballot for a particular office may
challenge the Convention endorsement in a State primary election.
SECTION IV.
Call of the Convention
The State Committee shall issue the Call of a State
Convention at least four months prior to the date of the convention.
In even numbered years, the State Convention shall be not later
than the Saturday after the date set by the Commonwealth for the
filing of nomination papers with the Secretary of State's office,
further it shall be the responsibility of the State Committee by
vote to schedule the date of the convention in all years.
1. provide for no fewer than 2,500 delegates; and
to ensure adequate representation at the Democratic State Convention,
the Democratic State Committee shall survey the delegates elected
at the caucuses to determine whether the minority representation
reflects the participation of minorities in the Party as defined
in Article I of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. If it does not so reflect the minority population
of the Commonwealth, the Democratic State Committee shall elect,
based upon the recommendation of the Caucus of Minority Democrats
at least thirty days prior to said convention, a number of at-large
delegates to include the selection of not less than 14 handicapped
persons. Those seats that are apportioned to cities and towns under
part 4 of this section but are left vacant due to the failure of
a city or town to hold a caucus by the deadline set forth in the
Rules of the Convention shall be made available to "young" registered
Democrats as defined by Article One of this Charter. The Democratic
State Committee shall elect, based upon the recommendation of the
Youth Services Sub-Committee at least 30 days prior to the convention,
a number of "young" delegates on an at large basis equal to the
number of delegate seats left vacant due to the failure of a town
or ward to hold a caucus. These seats shall be equally divided between
men and women, and preference shall be given to "young" Democrats
residing in towns or wards which failed to hold a caucus
2. assure all enrolled Democrats, full, timely, and
equal opportunity to participate through caucuses in towns and cities
and include publicity and affirmative action guidelines toward that
end
Independent voters must decide by December
this year whether they want to attend the gubernatorial nominating
convention in June 2006. In 2002, potential Reich delegates could
switch from independent status to Democrat until the day before the
caucuses -- which brought in many hundreds of newly registered Democrats
in a few weeks prior to the 2000 caucuses. One might naively think that
the party establishment would like something that brought in many hundreds
of new party registrants.
3. restrict participation to enrolled Democrats prior
to the date ofas of the last day in Decmber preceding the local caucuses
4. allocate one delegate to each city and town and
the remainder on the basis of a formula giving equal weight to Democratic
Party registration as recorded by the Secretary of the Commonwealth
in August of a state election year, and to the average vote for
Democratic candidates in the last general elections for the offices
of Governor and President;
a. the members of the Democratic State Committee and
the State Judicial Council shall serve as ex-officio delegates to
the Convention with full voting privileges
Defunct local committees (such as the Boston city committee) shall be allowed to remain defunct.b. the Chairperson of each city, ward and town committee
(as duly recorded with the offices of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
and the Democratic State Committee) shall serve as an ex-officio
Delegate to the Convention with full voting privileges. If he/she
cannot serve or is a delegate in another capacity, the next highest
ranking officer (vice chairperson, secretary and then treasurer)
shall. If the next highest ranking officer cannot, a meeting of
the full committee shall be called to elect one (1) to serve in
this capacity, provided the Chair held a caucus for the most recent convention.
c. the Democratic elected members of the General Court,
the Democratic members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation
and the Democratic elected state constitutional officers shall serve
as ex-officio delegates to the Convention with full voting privileges.
5. the delegate selection process shall begin within
four (4) months prior to the convention.
SECTION V.
Adherence to Platform by Democratic Officials
The most recent Democratic platform and/or agenda is the official
position of the Democratic Party. Every Democratic committee member,
every Democratic nominee, and every official elected as the Democratic
nominee shall adhere to the national, state, and any local platform,
in that order of priority, in all official statements and actions.
Failure to do so shall not result in any removal or loss of rights
within the Party, but may be publicized by resolutions or other
appropriate action of any Party convention, conference, committee,
or caucus.
ARTICLE SEVEN
Affirmative Action and Outreach
SECTION I.
Support of Affirmative Action Programs
The Democratic Party of Massachusetts, to encourage
full participation by all segments of the population, shall conduct
affirmative action and outreach programs in behalf of target groups:
Blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, Native Americans and Cape Verdeans;
and outreach programs on behalf of persons with disabilities, lesbians,
gay men, workers, youth, low and moderate income people and senior
citizens. Affirmative action procedures shall be shall be followed
in constituting all bodies of the Democratic party.
SECTION II.
Goals
The goals of affirmative action and outreach shall
be:
1. to institute those at all levels and in all units
of the Party which will provide: a. target group members with an
understanding of the methods and procedures for participating in
all elections and programs of the Democratic Party, and b. an opportunity
to participate in all elections and programs of the Democratic Party
2. to elect target group members to all levels and
units of the Democratic Party according to parity of enrolled Democrats
in a voting area, through a formula compatible with United States
Census data
3. this goal shall not be accomplished either directly
or indirectly by the state Democratic Party's imposition of mandatory
quota at any level of the delegate selection process or in any other
Party affairs, as defined in the By-Laws of the Democratic National
Committee and the Democratic State Committee.
SECTION III.
Affirmative Action and Outreach Sub-Committee
The majority of the Affirmative Action and Outreach
Sub-Committee of the State Committee shall oversee the formulation
and implementation of uniform affirmative action plans for each
state senatorial district, to include plans for ward and town committees
therein, for the election of members to all Party committees and
for the selection of delegates to conferences and conventions. All
Affirmative Action and Outreach plans shall be submitted for approval
to the State Committee, which shall remain responsible for all affirmative
action efforts. Challenges to the formulation or implementation
of these plans shall be referred to the Judicial Council.
SECTION IV.
Implementation of Affirmative Action and Outreach
With continual outreach and affirmative action as
a major priority of the National and Massachusetts Democratic Parties,
the goals of affirmative action and outreach shall be achieved by,
but not limited to, the following steps:
1. the equal division insofar as possible between
men and women at every level of party structure
2. a written affirmative action plan by all levels
and units of the Democratic Party, including submittal of population
figures relative to the target groups. The Affirmative Action and
Outreach Sub-Committee shall help devise, implement and hold accountable
individual Affirmative Action and Outreach plans.
3. the establishment of uniform implementation guidelines,
data sources and procedures for setting goals
4. the allocation of financial resources by the State
Committee to affirmative action and outreach as a priority program
5. the communication of all Party programs and Party
elections shall be frequent, public and explicit. All meetings,
caucuses, conferences and conventions shall be held in centrally
located, accessible and well publicized sites
6. the formulation of all Party rules, regulations
and processes written in clear, explicit language
7. the establishment by each ward and town committee
of an affirmative action and outreach advisor, who shall serve as
an officer of the local committee
8. the State Committee shall hire a full-time staff
person to assist the Affirmative Action and Outreach Sub-Committee
in the discharge of their duties, if funds are available.
SECTION V.
Non-Compliance with Affirmative Action and Outreach
Delegate and member elections at every level will
be monitored by the Affirmative Action Committee. The failure to
achieve affirmative action goals will result in an automatic compliance
review by the Affirmative Action and Outreach Committee. If a compliance
review determines that affirmative action plans were not adequately
implemented, then the matter shall be submitted to the Judicial
Council which may order that a committee not be recognized or a
delegation not be seated unless and until a new and adequate election
is held. If a compliance review determines that, although a "good
faith" effort was made to formulate and implement affirmative action
goals, the effort failed, in that case, the Judicial Council is
empowered to recommend that the unit in question be designated a
priority area for special affirmative action efforts by the State
Committee.
SECTION VI.
Challenges
Challenges to the formulation, implementation or achievement
of affirmative action goals may be brought before the Affirmative
Action and Outreach Committee by an enrolled Democrat from the area
in question with right of appeal to the Judicial Council.
ARTICLE EIGHT
General Provisions
SECTION I.
Ethical Practices
The State Committee shall adopt and publish a code
of ethical conduct of Party officials and a code of fair campaign
practices for all candidates of the Democratic Party.
SECTION II.
Openness
All drafting meetings (aka where rules are established) are closed to the public. As "excutive session" is not defined, any other meeting of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, from ward committee to state committee, may be made secret.
All meetings of all Party committees, or sub-units
thereof,except workshop or drafting committees,
at all levels shall be open to the public, unless an executive session is authorized by a two-thirds vote, and no vote
shall be taken by secret ballot. However, secret ballot is permitted
in local caucuses.
SECTION III.
ProxyVoting
Voting by proxy shall not be permitted at a State
Convention, a committee or sub-unit thereof at any level of the
Party, or the State Judicial Council.
ARTICLE NINE
Amendments, By-Laws and Rules
SECTION I.
Majority Rule
This Charter may be amended by a vote of a majority
of all delegates to any State Convention.
SECTION II.
State Committee
By-laws to implement this Charter shall be adopted
by majority vote of the State Committee, with the provision that
they be consistent with actions of State Conventions. By-laws may
be amended by majority vote of the State Committee provided that
written notice is given all Committee members at least 30 days in
advance of the vote thereon.
SECTION III.
Local By-Laws
Permitted by whom, one wonders. . . the DSC is declaring control over "Democratic" political organizations. Including national ones like DL21C? Party committees at the local level and/or political organizations permitted to use the word Democratic, shall adopt by-laws
consistent with this Charter and subject to review by the State
Committee. The State Committee shall maintain current copies of
all such by-laws.
SECTION IV
Rules of Party
In the absence of other provisions, Roberts' Rules
of Order, as most recently revised, shall govern the conduct of
all Democratic Party meetings.
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