FFCDP Constitution 2016
THE FAIRFIELD
COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
2016
The Fairfield County Democratic Party
Principles
As the Fairfield County Democratic Party, we
are proud to adopt these
principles based on our belief in an Ohio and
Fairfield County that values
opportunity and equality for all its citizens,
and respects both the
self-reliance of individuals and the benefits
of teamwork, to meet the
challenges of a fair and just society.
To that end:
We believe the best government is one that is
efficient, yet understanding -- a
government that is based not on systems or
bureaucracies, but on people, ideas
and values.
We believe there is no substitute for fair and
equal representation and strong
public participation in a government chosen by
election.
We believe in a government that stands on the
side of families -- that listens,
understands and addresses their concerns.
We believe all reap benefits when we meet our
challenges together.
We believe in the equality of all citizens and
condemn any discrimination.
We believe in a society that strengthens
families and protects our children.
We believe in the rights of all to achieve
economic security and find
affordable housing; to seek good jobs at a
livable wage; and protection for our
workers in a growing and robust economy.
We believe in a society that puts the health,
safety and prosperity of its
citizens first -- one that promotes excellence
in education, choices in quality
health care and a healthy environment for all
citizens.
We believe in a society that values community
and protects all citizens from
violence and crime.
We believe in a society that respects our
elders who deserve the right to
retire with the resources they need and have
earned to support themselves in
their golden years.
We believe in pursuing these ideals with
honesty and integrity, with respect
for the freedoms that we are proud to call our
own.
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Fairfield County
Democratic Party in order to organize
and perpetuate a representative, effective and
responsible party organization
at all levels in Fairfield County, Ohio,
affiliate with and advance the
interest of the Democratic Party for the State
of Ohio, and nationally, to
sustain and advance the principles of democracy
and uphold human and civil
rights and constitutional government, do
establish this Constitution and
By-Laws.
ARTICLE 1. NAME, MEMBERSHIP AND ELIGIBILITY FOR
OFFICE.
Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be the
Fairfield County Democratic Party.
Section 2. Membership
Membership in this party shall be open to all
residents of Fairfield County in
the State of Ohio who support the Constitution
of the United States of America,
the Constitution of the State of Ohio and the
Constitution, By-Laws and
Principles of the Fairfield County Democratic
Party. No person may be a member
or may vote on any motion, resolution,
nomination or election at any meeting of
the Fairfield County Democratic Party, who does
not meet the aforesaid
qualifications or who is registered as a member
of any other political party
with the Board of Elections at that time.
Section 3. Eligibility for Party Office
Any person who meets the membership
requirements of Article I, Section 2, is
eligible for election to party office, except
as hereafter limited. There shall
be no minimum age requirement for party office,
save where prescribed by law
and he or she shall be an elector.
Section 4. Qualifications
In the event that any person's qualifications
as a member of the Fairfield
County Democratic Party, or eligibility for
party office, must be determined,
the same challenge procedure shall be followed
to determine his or her
qualifications as provided by the Election Laws
of Ohio.
ARTICLE II. CONSTITUTION AND LAWS
Section 1.
Nothing herein shall conflict with the
Constitution of the United States of
America, the laws of the United States of
America, the Constitution of the
State of Ohio, the laws of the State of Ohio,
and the Ohio Democratic Party
Constitution and By-Laws. Any matter which
conflicts with any of the aforesaid
shall be of no force and effect. All
constitutional provisions and laws of the
United States and the State of Ohio are hereby
incorporated by reference and
made a part hereof. Each clause of this
Constitution and By-Laws shall be
considered separately and the illegality or
enforcibility of any one clause
shall not affect any other clause.
ARTICLE III. CENTRAL COMMITTEE -- EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Section 1.
The controlling committee of the Fairfield
County Democratic Party shall be the
County Central Committee consisting of such
membership as shall be elected
according to the laws of the State of Ohio. The
County Central Committee shall
elect a County Executive Committee, which shall
have such powers as are granted
it by the County Central Committee, as are
provided by law and by this
Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 2.
The members-elect of the party's Central
Committee shall meet not earlier than
six nor later than fifteen days following the
date of the certification of the
primary election at a suitable place and time
in Lancaster, Ohio, to be
designated by the retiring chair of the
Committee. Notice of such meeting,
giving the place and time shall be sent to each
member-elect by the retiring
secretary of the Committee by mail and a copy
of the notice shall be posted in
the Office of the Fairfield County Board of
Elections at least five days prior
to any such meeting. If the retiring secretary
does not issue the call within
the time required by law, any five
members-elect may do so. The meeting shall
be called to order by the retiring chair or
secretary or if such officer is
absent, then by a member of the Committee
designated by the Democratic Members
of the Fairfield County Board of Election. A
temporary chair and secretary
shall be chosen and the Committee shall proceed
to organize by the election of
a chair, vice chair, secretary and such other
officers as the Committee may
desire.
Section 3.
The County Central Committee shall then elect
two members to the Executive
Committee from each ward in the City of
Lancaster, and two members for each six
precincts within the Townships with a minimum
of two for each Township. If a
member of the Executive Committee is absent two
(2) successive meetings without
being excused by the Chair or for a valid
reason, s/he may be removed from the
Executive Committee, by the Executive
Committee.
Section 4.
The County Central Committee shall confer upon
the County Executive Committee
all power and authority of the County Central
Committee and the County
Executive Committee shall be authorized to act
for the County Central Committee
in all things pertaining to the welfare,
business, operation and organization
of the County Central Committee and the
Fairfield County Democratic Party
during the period of its existence, which shall
continue until the 6th day
after the certification of the next County
Central Committee at the succeeding
primary election. Any vacancies which may occur
in the County Executive
Committee or in the County Central Committee
shall be filled by a majority vote
of the County Executive Committee. A vacancy on
the Executive Committee shall
be filled by the duly-elected members of the
Executive Committee.
Section 5.
The County Executive Committee shall then be
called to meet immediately upon
its election and shall proceed to nominate and
elect a chair who need not be a
member of the County Central or Executive
Committee. A Democrat in good
standing may be selected. This Chair must have
been a registered democrat for
the last five years. The Chair shall
automatically become a member of the
Executive Committee.
Section 6.
The County Executive Committee shall then
immediately proceed to elect a
vice-chair, secretary and treasurer of said
committee. The Vice-Chair shall be
of the opposite gender as the chair.
Section 7. The Executive Committee members may
nominate and elect twenty onee (21)
At-Large Executive Committee members. Six(6)
such members shall be from the
City of Lancaster and fifteen (15) from the
County. These At-Large Executive
Committee members must be Democrats in good
standing under the criteria
specified in Article 1, Section 2. At-Large
Executive Committee Members will be
elected by the Executive Committee at
reorganization.
BY-LAWS
CHAPTER 1. OFFICERS
Section 1.
The Chair's duties shall be those of chief
executive officer and s/he shall be
subject to the direction of and responsible to
the County Executive Committee.
The Chair shall appoint other personnel as s/he
deems necessary, subject to
confirmation by the County Executive Committee
Section 2.
The Vice-Chair shall act as the chair in case
of the death, resignation,
incapacity, removal or absence of the chair and
shall, in such event, have the
same powers, duties and responsibilities as the
chair until such time as the
County Executive Committee shall properly elect
a new chair. In the event of
the vacancy of the Chairmanship, the Vice Chair
shall, at the next regular
meeting of the Executive Committee, schedule a
special meeting to elect a new
chair to be held within 30 days.
Section 3.
The Secretary shall be in charge of all the
official documents of the Executive
Committee and the preparation of the necessary
notices, minutes and other
documents. S/He shall preserve such files and
records and open them for
examination and, at appropriate times, at the
request of any duly-elected member
of the County Executive Committee under such
rules and regulations as are
prescribed by said Executive Committee. All
minutes of the preceding term shall
be submitted to the newly-elected Secretary at
the reorganization meeting.
Section 4.
The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds
of the party and shall render
up-to-date financial reports to each meeting of
the County Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall be accountable for all
receipts and expenditures of the
party, filing appropriate reports as needed.
1. No bills are to be paid unless presented to
and approved by the Executive
Committee. No monies shall be reimbursed unless
the expenditure was approved in
advance by the Executive Committee.
2. The Treasurer's books shall be audited with
every change of Treasurer and at
the end of each term.
A. The Executive Committee Chair shall appoint
a chair of the auditing
committee, who in turn, shall appoint two
additional members.
3. The Party shall carry a general liability
policy to cover the treasurer and
the party from harm.
CHAPTER 2. COOPERATION
Section 1.
The Chair of the Fairfield County Democratic
Party Executive Committee shall
consult with, and co-operate with the various
precincts or ward committeemen,
and all officers of all officially authorized
Democratic Clubs of Fairfield
County within their duly chartered areas of
jurisdiction.
Section 2.
The Central Committeemen of the precincts or
wards and the presidents of the
various chartered Democratic Clubs shall
consult with, and co-operate with, the
Fairfield County Democratic Party Executive
Committee and its chair on all
matters relating to the business of the
Fairfield County Democratic Party in
their respective areas of jurisdiction of the
Central Committeemen or officers of
Chartered Democratic Clubs. The County Central
Committee shall meet no fewer
than three times each calendar year.
CHAPTER 3. MEETINGS
Section 1.
The County Central Committee shall meet after
its election, as required by law
and this Constitution and By-Laws. The County
Executive Committee shall meet
immediately upon its election by the County
Central Committee and must have a
minimum of ten monthly meetings in each
calendar year. The County Executive
Committee may be called to meet by the Chairman
or by a minimum of one-third of
the membership of the said Committee.
Section 2.
Notice of any meeting, specifying time and
place, shall be sent in writing
through the United States mail to all members
of the Committee not less than
five days in advance of the meeting, unless the
member notifys the secretary
that they want to opt out of the mailings and
receive notice by email instead,
unless provided by law. Notice shall be given
not less than three days prior to
said meeting, if by telephone by the Executive
Chair, or any officer on the
Executive Committee.
Section 3.
Minutes shall be taken of all meetings of the
County Central Committee and the
County Executive Committee.
Section 4.
Twenty-five members shall constitute a quorum
for the Central Committee and ten
members shall constitute a quorum for the
Executive Committee. This would
insure against individual boycotts and
encourage better attendance and
participation at the meetings. No business
shall be conducted without a quorum
present.
Section 5.
Voting shall be done by voice vote unless
otherwise agreed upon, unanimously,
by the Committee present.
CHAPTER 4. PRE-PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS
Section 1.
At any time, the Fairfield County Democratic
Party Executive Committee may make
pre-primary endorsements for any local or
district office providing 60% vote of
the members of the committee present and voting
on such question so determine.
However, No endorsements shall be made without
the candidates being screened by
the screening committee. Candidates must be
filed with the board of elections
as candidates. Candidates must ask the
screening committee for the endorsement.
After the candidate is screened and forwarded
by the screening committee, with
their recommendations, they may be voted on by
the executive committee. At any
meeting at which endorsements are to be
discussed, ample notice shall be given
each member of the committee. Voting on
endorsements should take place on or
before the last executive committee meeting
before the primary.
Section 2.
The screening committee shall consist of two
members from the Central
committee, appointed by its chairman, two
members of the Executive committee,
appointed by its chairman, and one member of
the Executive committee elected by
its members. The term of each member of the
screening committee shall be two
years, in staggering terms (one member from
Central for one year and one for
two years, one member form Executive committee
for one year, and one for two
years, the elected member shall serve two
years).
Section 3.
The Screening Committee shall meet and elect
one member of their members as
chair of the committee. The committee shall
meet as required to preform its
appointed task. The committee shall establish
procedures for their committee.
Section 4.
The screening committee shall interview
candidates for endorsement and make a
determination of: 1. Recommended for
endorsement
2. neutral-neither recommended or not
recommended
3. not recommended for endorsement
Section 5.
No endorsements shall be made in Central
Committee races.
CHAPTER 5. FINANCE
Section 1.
The County Central Committee members of the
Fairfield County Democratic Party
shall be asked to assist in the raising of
monies for the benefit of the
Fairfield County Democratic Party Executive
Committee and its endorsed
Democratic Party candidates.
Section 2.
The Fairfield County Democratic Party shall
make no expenditures to individual
candidates in the primary. Only individual
candidates who have been qualified
be the Board of Elections shall be elgible to
receive funds from the Fairfield
County Democratic Party. The Fairfield County
Democratic Party shall make no
expenditures to candidates outside of the
current election cycle. Nor shall the
Fairfield County Democratic Party make any
expenditures for legal fees incurred
by the candidates or any Democratic Club or
member not officially authorized by
the Executive Committee.
CHAPTER 6. PARTY UNITY
Section 1.
All members of the party, candidates for
office, party officers, party
committees and organizations, and elected
Democratic officials shall support
the principles of the Fairfield County
Democratic Party.
CHAPTER 7. STATE CONVENTION, PARTY STRUCTURE --
NATIONAL GUIDELINES, PARTY
STRUCTURE -- STATE GUIDELINES
Section 1.
The provisions for a State Convention of the
Ohio Democratic Party, Party
Structure -- National Guidelines and Party
Structure -- State Guidelines as
adopted in Article X, Article XI and Article
XII of the Ohio Democratic Party
Constitution and By-Laws adopted on August
twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and
ninety-eight and reaffirmed in two thousand and
three are incorporated herein
and made a part of the Constitution and By-Laws
of the Fairfield County
Democratic Party.
CHAPTER 8. OATH OF OFFICE
Section 1.
All officers of the Fairfield County Democratic
Party Central Committee and
Executive Committee shall be required to take
an oath of office to support the
Constitution of the United States of America,
the Constitution of the State of
Ohio, the Constitution and By-Laws and the
principles of the Ohio Democratic
Party and the Constitution and By-Laws of the
Fairfield County Democratic
Party.
CHAPTER 9. ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER
Section 1.
Any matters regarding the conduct of the
affairs of the Fairfield County
Democratic Party Central and Executive
Committee not governed by this
Constitution and By-Laws or by the convention
rules or by the laws of the State
of Ohio shall be governed by Roberts Rules of
Order.
CHAPTER 10. AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by
a majority of the members of
the Executive Committee of the Fairfield County
Democratic Party at any meeting
called for that purpose. Amendments proposed
under this Section must be
submitted in writing and copies thereof sent to
each member of the said
Committee at reasonable time prior to the
meetings.
Section 2.
This Constitution and these By-Laws shall be
reviewed every five years and
edited and reviewed as desired by the Committee
in office at that time. An
adopted, revised copy shall be filed with the
Ohio Democratic Party, Ohio
Secretary of State, and the Fairfield County
Board of Elections.
Section 3.
This Constitution and By-Laws supercede any
other and shall take effect
immediately upon adoption by the Committee.
In the year 2014 the Fairfield County
Democratic Party Executive Committee made
revisions to the Constitution and By-Laws of
the Democratic Party of Fairfield
County, Ohio. All changes and revisions to the
Constitution and By-Laws of the
Democratic Party of Fairfield County, Ohio,
were voted on and passed by the
Executive Committee in the year 2014. The
procedure for revision in the
By-Laws, Chapter 10 was followed.
Fairfield County Democratic Executive Committee
Michael K. Oatney, Chairperson
Constitution and By-Laws Revision Committee
Paul Johnson, Chairperson Charlotte
Owens, David Bornino
Adopted by the Fairfield County Democratic
Party on Thursday, February 20,
2014
Revised by the Fairfield County Democratic Party on Thursday February 18, 2016
Fairfield County Democratic
Party
3178 Mason Road NW · Canal
Winchester,
OH 43110
(740)422-9755
(740)422-9755
(740)422-9755(740)422-9755
(main) · ffcdpweb@yahoo.com
Copyright 2015, All rights reserved.