Revised 2024
BY-LAWS OF CAMDEN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE, INC.
ARTICLE I. NAME AND OBJECT
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Camden County Democratic Committee, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the County Committee).
Object
The object of this organization shall be to promote and foster good government on the local, county, state and national levels by procuring the election of those Democrat candidates nominated in the Democrat primary election.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP, TERM AND VACANCIES
Membership
The elected members of the County Committee shall be elected bi-annually at the primary for the general election in the manner provided by law for the selection of party candidates to be voted for at the general election by voters of a municipality. The County Committee shall be as equally divided as practicable between men and women (determined by gender self- identification). In the case of gender non-binary committee members, they shall not be counted as either a male or female, and the remainder of the delegation shall be as equally divided as practicable. Members of the County Democrat Committee must be registered Democrat voters in good standing and shall actually reside in the municipalities which they respectively represent.
Units of Representation
2.02. Elected representation on the County Committee shall be as equally divided as practicable between men and women for every 750 registered Democrat voters or part thereof, from each municipality in the County of Camden. The number of registered Democrat voters shall be ascertained by examining the Official County Election Books and reviewed yearly thereafter for additions and deletions. The official number of Democrat registrations as established by the formula set forth above shall be certified by the Democratic Chief Clerk of the Camden County Board of Elections.
All elected County Committee members shall run at large in each municipality of the County, except those municipalities wherein the councilmatic governing body is elected in whole or in part by ward. In such municipalities, two members, as equally divided between male and female members as practicable, shall be elected from each ward.
Term
3. The members of the County Committee shall take office on the first Saturday following their bi-annual election, on which day the terms of all members of such committees theretofore elected shall terminate.
Vacancies
4. When a member of the County Committee ceases to be a resident of the district or municipality from which elected, a vacancy on the County Committee shall exist. A member of County Committee may resign the office to the Committee, and upon acceptance thereof by the Committee a vacancy shall exist. A vacancy in the office of a member of the County Committee caused by death, resignation, failure to elect or otherwise, shall be filled for the unexpired term by the municipal committee of the municipality wherein the vacancy occurs, if there is such committee, and if not, by the County Chairperson(s).
Voting Membership
5. Each elected County Committee member shall be entitled to one vote.
ARTICLE III. MEETINGS
Organizational Meeting
1. The bi-annual reorganization meeting of the County Committee shall be held after the Primary Election of the reorganization year, not later than the first Tuesday after the Primary Election or within seven (7) days of the certification of the results of that Primary Election, whichever is later, at an appropriate time and place designated by the County Chairperson(s) in the call for a meeting unless circumstances, in the discretion of the County Chairperson(s), that may jeopardize the health, safety and/or welfare of the County Committee members require the postponement and rescheduling of the bi-annual reorganization meeting until such time as the bi-annual reorganization meeting may be held.
Regular Meetings
2. Regular meetings shall be held at the call of the County Chairperson(s) at appropriate times and places designated by the County Chairperson(s).7PT371502
Special Meetings
3. Special Meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the County Chairperson(s), majority of the Executive Committee, or upon the written request of fifty one (51%) percent of the elected members of the County Committee addressed to the County Chairperson(s) and the Secretary of the County Committee.
Right to Members to Speak
4. Only those members who are elected to County Committee shall be entitled to attend County Committee meetings and speak. At the option of the County Chairperson(s), County Committee meetings may be open to non-members. Should the County Committee meeting be open to non-members, only County Committee members shall have the right to speak on county business. Non-members may be given the right to speak at the discretion of the County Chairperson(s).
Quorum
5. Thirty (30%) percent of the full membership of the County Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, subject to the limitations set forth in Article X.
Notice of Meetings
6. Written notices of meetings, setting forth the place, date, and hour of meeting, shall be mailed and/or electronically communicated to all members as follows:
a) Bi-Annual Reorganization Meeting: As soon as practicable after the Primary Election.
b) Regular Meetings: At least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting.
c) Special Meetings: At least seven (7) days prior to the date of such meetings, if possible, such notice to state the matter(s) to be considered at such meeting. If circumstances prevent the giving of such notice, then as much notice as possible shall be given in the most appropriate manner.
Order of Business
7. At the appropriate hour set in the call for the meeting, if a quorum be present, the County Chairperson(s) shall call the meeting of the County Committee to order.
a) At the Bi-Annual Reorganizational Meeting of the County Committee, the order of business shall be as follows:
1) Salute to the Flag.
2) Nominations of officers.
3) Election of officers.
4) Other business.
b) At all other meetings of the County Committee, the order of business shall be as follows:
1) Salute to the Flag.
2) Consideration of minutes of previous meeting.
3) Reports of Officers.
4) Reports of Executive Committee.
5) Reports of Standing Committee.
6) Reports of Special Committee.
7) Old Business.
8) New Business.
9) Good of the Order.
ARTICLE IV. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Qualifications
1. Any registered Democrat residing in any of the 37 municipalities of Camden County shall be eligible to hold the offices of County Chairperson(s) or County First Vice Chairperson. The First Vice Chairperson shall be, to the extent practicable, of the opposite sex from the Chairperson. Only members of the County Committee shall be eligible to hold the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, or Sergeant at Arms of the County Committee.
Election of Chairperson and First Vice Chairperson
2. The County Chairperson(s) and County First Vice Chairperson shall be elected at the bi-annual reorganization meeting.
Term
3. All officers shall hold office until the next succeeding bi-annual reorganization meeting of the County Committee and until his or her successor is elected or appointed.
Nominations for County Chairperson(s) and County First Vice Chairperson
4. Candidates for the offices of County Chairperson(s) and County First Vice Chairperson shall have their names placed in nomination from the floor by any member of the County Committee. Each candidate shall have the opportunity of addressing the County Committee prior to a contested election at the County Committee meeting at which said election shall be held.
Method of Election
5. Elections shall be held as follows:
a) If there is no contest for the office of the County Chairperson(s) or County First Vice Chairperson, the election shall be held by voice vote.
b) If there is a contest for either office, the election for that office shall be by roll call vote to be called by the Secretary.
c) In the event of a contest for either office, the successful candidate must receive fifty (50%) percent plus one (1) of the total number of votes cast for said office. An abstention shall not be considered a vote cast for purposes of determining the required total for election. In the event that on the first ballot no candidate receives the required total, then, in that event, there shall be a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.
Contested Elections
6. The procedure for the conduct of contested elections shall be as follows:
a) The balloting for County Chairperson(s) and for County First Vice Chairperson shall take place separately, with the balloting for County Chairperson(s) held first.
b) Each candidate for office for which there is a contest may select one challenger to assist in the tally of the vote, with candidates for such office entitledto select the same challenger(s) if they so choose.
c) The Secretary, assisted by said challenger(s), shall conduct the election. Each member entitled to vote shall respond to the call of the Secretary and upon showing his or her credentials, if requested, shall voice his or her vote.
d) Each member must voice his or her own vote and may not delegate this right to anyone else. No member shall be permitted to vote unless he or she establishes that he or she is a duly elected member of the County Committee. Voting by proxy shall be permitted only by completion of the annexed certification form.
e) After each member entitled to vote has done so, the Secretary, assisted by the challenger(s), shall tally the votes and announce the name of the candidate who has received the largest number of votes for such contested office.
f) Some other suitable person designated by the incumbent County Chairperson(s) may perform the duties of the Secretary herein outlined in the Secretary's absence.
ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
County Chairperson(s)
1. The County Chairperson(s) shall have the following duties:
a) To preside at all meetings of the County Committee and of the Executive Committee.
b) To appoint the following officers within thirty (30) days of assuming office as County Chairperson(s):
1) General Vice Chairperson(s)
2) Secretary
3) Treasurer.
4) Sergeant at Arms.
5) Solicitor and assistant Solicitors.
6) All members of the standing committees hereinafter defined.
In addition, the Chairperson may appoint an Executive Director and whatever other officers or committees he deems necessary and appropriate. All of these appointments shall be for a period of one (1) year until the next bi-annual reorganization of the County Committee.
c) To serve as ex-office member of all standing committees.
d) To faithfully abide by these By-Laws and execute the decisions of the County Committee.
e) To designate and approve the bracketing in the same column of the names of the candidates under the party slogan Camden County Democratic Committee, Inc.
f) To act as the titular head of, and spokesperson for, the Democrat Party in Camden County.
g) To co-sign with the Treasurer all checks disbursing funds of the County Committee.
h) To designate the presiding officer of any meeting in the absence of the Chairperson, or both in the event of co-chairpersons, and First Vice Chairperson.
i) Whenever a dispute occurs between different factions of the Democrat Party in a local municipality, it shall be the obligation of the County Chairperson(s) to do everything in his or her power to resolve the dispute and also respect the rights of the duly elected County Committee members.
County First Vice Chairperson
2. The County First Vice Chairperson shall have the following duties:
a) To assist the County Chairperson(s) in the performance of his or her duties.
b) To, in the absence of the County Chairperson(s), or both in the event of co-chairpersons, preside at meetings of the County Committee.
County General Vice Chairperson(s)
3. The County General Vice Chairperson(s) shall have the following duties:
a) To assist the County Chairperson(s) and the County First Vice Chairperson in the performance of their respective duties.
Secretary
4. The Secretary shall have the following duties:
a) To take full and accurate minutes of all meetings of the County Committee and Executive Committee.
b) To file a typewritten copy of County Committee meeting minutes with the Executive Director within ten (10) days subsequent to any such meetings.
c) To have the minutes approved or corrected at the next County Committee meeting by a majority of the quorum present.
d) It shall be the duty of the Secretary to prepare and mail notices of all meetings of the County Committee and the Executive Committee and also senda copy of the minutes of the prior meeting to all members of the County Committee and the Executive Committee.
Treasurer
5. The Treasurer shall have the following duties:
a) To be custodian of all funds paid to the County Committee.
b) To deposit all funds of the County Committee, in his/her custody, in such bank as the County Committee shall designate, subject to the joint order of the County Chairperson(s) and himself/herself.
c) To maintain complete and accurate accounts of all monies received and disbursed by him or her.
d) Prepare and file such financial statements as may be required by law, and by direction of the County Committee, for all funds received by him/her.
e) To render at the direction of the County Chairperson(s) a complete financial report at each County Committee meeting. Said report shall be complete as to receipts and disbursements to date. Said report is to be approved by a majority of the quorum present.
f) Render an income statement and balance sheet as directed by the County Chairperson(s).
Executive Director
6. The Executive Director shall have the following duties if appointed by the Chairperson:
a) To attend to the daily administration of the County Committee.
b) To establish and maintain suitable headquarters for the County Committee if funds are available for same.
c) To perform such other tasks as are assigned to him/her by the County Chairperson(s).
d) To attend to all matters of correspondence, as may be directed by the County Chairperson(s), the Executive Committee, or the County Committee.
e) To maintain all files, documents, and records of the County Committee.
Sergeant At Arms
7. The Sergeant at Arms shall have the following duties:
a) To assist the County Chairperson(s) in maintaining order at all County Committee meetings.
b) To appoint such aides as he/she may deem necessary to facilitate the discharge of said duty.
Solicitors
8. The Solicitor and Assistant Solicitors shall have the following duties:
a) To counsel the County Committee on any contemplated action by the County Committee upon request or his/her own initiative.
b) To counsel the County Committee in all other matters relating to, or affecting the interests of, the County Committee, upon request or his/her own initiative.
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Membership
1. The County Chairperson(s) may, within thirty (30) days subsequent to the bi-annual reorganization meeting of the County Committee, appoint an Executive Committee consisting of members who shall serve at the pleasure of the County Chairperson(s) who shall be members of the Democrat Party residing in the County of Camden.
Meetings
2. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at the call of the County Chairperson(s) or upon written call signed by the majority of the members of the Executive Committee. One member more than fifty (50) percent of the total membership of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.
Duties
3. The Executive Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a)To advise and assist the County Chairperson(s) in the administration of the County Committee, in the conduct of campaigns, in formulating party policy, in coordinating the activities of the standing committees and in the implementing the decisions of the County Committee.
b) To call special meetings of the County Committee pursuant to these By-Laws.
c) To present to the County Committee such recommendations as it may, by a majority vote, deem advisable on any matter.
d)To be consulted by the County Chairperson(s) on matters of patronage. The County Chairperson(s), or Executive Committee, shall not recommend on matters of patronage without the approval of the majority of the County Committee people in the nominees' own municipalities.
e) To act as a grievance committee.
ARTICLE VII. STANDING COMMITTEES
1. There may be the following Standing Committees of the County Committee:
a) Finance Committee.
b) Registration Committee.
c) Rules Committee.
d) Campaign and Political Education Committee.
e) Entertainment Committee.
Membership
2. Each of the above Standing Committees shall consist of County Committee members as follows:
a) A Chairman appointed by the County Chairperson(s) at the bi-annual reorganization meeting of the County Committee or within thirty (30) days thereafter.
b) Five (5) to twelve (12) other members, appointed by the County Chairperson(s), at the bi-annual reorganization meeting of the County Committee or within thirty (30) days thereafter.
c) A quorum for the transaction of business for a Standing Committee shall consist of thirty (30%) percent of the membership of the Standing Committee. Approval of any action by the Standing Committee must be by a majority of the quorum present.
Duties
3. The foregoing Standing Committees shall have the following duties:
a) Finance Committee. To conceive, formulate, and conduct, in conjunction with other appropriate committees, all fund-raising efforts and activities to adequately and properly fund all election campaigns and other necessary and proper activities of the County Committee, turning over the proceeds thereof to the Treasurer.
b) Registration Committee. To formulate and conduct all necessary and proper efforts to register persons desiring to vote.
c) Rules Committee. To consider and report upon, to the County Committee, all proposals for changing the within By-Laws, or, if deemed desirable, to initiate and report upon, to the County Committee, such proposals.
d) Campaign Committee.
1) To formulate and document issues for each campaign on the county level through continued scrutiny of the performance of office holders representing the people of Camden County.
2) To conceive, formulate, and provide appropriate and effective campaign advertisement, exposure, and coverage for Democrat programs, records, and candidates.
3) Coordinate such activities with appropriate organizations of the County Committee and local organizations, providing data, speakers, candidates, literature, and technical assistance to local organizations.
4) To assist the County Chairperson(s) in approaching news media and general public as spokesperson for the Democrat Party.
e) Entertainment Committee. To provide a year-round program of social activities on the county level coordinating same with the Finance Committee and Publicity Committee as well as the local organizations.
Reports
4. Committees may report at each regular meeting of the County Committee and at such other times as requested to do so by the County Chairperson(s). Any report containing a recommendation for specific action by the County Committee shall be submitted in writing to the County Chairperson(s) at least five (5) days prior to the meeting at which such recommendation is to be considered.
ARTICLE VIII. SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Special Committees
1. The County Chairperson(s) from time to time may appoint such Special Committees for specific purposes as he/she may deem advisable.7PT371502
ARTICLE IX. APPOINTMENTS AND VACANCIES
Appointments
1. All appointments to paid positions or non-paid advisory positions must have the recommendation of a majority of the County Committee members from the municipality where the appointee resides.
Vacancies
2. Vacancies in any office shall be filled in the manner in which the original office was filled at the next succeeding meeting of the County Committee, provided there has elapsed a thirty- day period between the occurrence of the vacancy and said meeting; otherwise, said vacancy shall be filled at the next succeeding meeting of the County Committee subsequent to the expiration of said thirty-day period.
Removal of Officers
3. Any motion to remove for just cause any officer of this County Committee shall be submitted in writing to the County Chairperson(s). The County Chairperson(s) shall submit the motion to a special committee, appointed by the County Chairperson(s), for study and recommendation. The motion and any special committee recommendations shall be submitted to the entire County Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which such motion is scheduled to be considered and voted upon. Any such motion for removal shall be adopted only in the event that it is approved by an affirmative roll call voice vote of two-thirds of the entire membership of the County Committee.
ARTICLE X. EFFECTIVE DATES AND AMENDMENTS
Effective Dates
1. These By-Laws shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
Proposals of Amendments
2. Any proposed amendment to these By-Laws initiated by the Rules Committee shall be submitted to the whole County Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting at which said proposed amendment is to be considered and voted upon.
3. In the event an amendment is proposed by any other member, it shall be submitted in writing to the County Chairperson(s), who shall in turn submit it to the Rules Committee for study and recommendation. The Rules Committee shall then make the recommendation and submit a copy to the entire County Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which such proposed By- Law is scheduled to be considered and voted upon.
Adoption of Amendments
4. Any proposed amendment shall be adopted only in the event that it is approved by an affirmative roll call vote of two- thirds of the entire membership of the County Committee. Any proposed amendment so adopted shall be effective immediately, unless the proposed amendment provides otherwise.