Charter

PREAMBLE

We, the Young Democrats of Arizona, in an effort to strengthen and promote the relationship between the youth of the state of Arizona and the Democratic Party, to promote involvement of youth in the political process towards the goal of participatory activism in issues that affect youth and our nation, to promote the policies and practices which are consistent with the highest principles, to increase the efficiency of popular government and to provide the highest degree of justice and social welfare to the citizens of our state and of our country, and to promote the particular cultural and environmental heritage of the State of Arizona, do hereby adopt the following Charter in order to establish and promote the development of an active, permanent organization and to ensure continuity in the policies and procedures of the Young Democrats of Arizona.

ARTICLE I – CHARTERED UNITS

SECTION 101 Chartered Units.

Section 101(a) Definition.

This organization shall be composed of chartered units representing Young Democrats within the State of Arizona’s boundaries. Chartered units must properly charter with the Young Democrats of Arizona (YDAz) as described hereafter.

Section 101(b) Issuance of Unit Charters.

Unit charters shall be issued annually in accordance with By-Laws Sections 101.10, 102.10, 103.10 and 104.10. Interim unit charters may be issued by the YDAz Executive Board, in accordance with Sections 101.10, 103.10 and 104.10 in the interim, subject to renewal by the next and all succeeding Annual State Conventions. All unit charters that have not been renewed by the close of the Annual State Conventions shall be terminated at that time.

SECTION 110 Revocation of Unit Charters.

Section 110(a) Revocation of Unit Charter; Cause.

Unit Charters may be revoked for inactivity, non-compliance with this Charter or violation of any law or rule of the Democratic Party.

Section 110(b) Consideration; Notice.

The revocation of a unit Charter shall be considered by the YDAz Executive Board. Said committee may not consider such a revocation unless the subject unit shall have been notified in writing at least thirty (30) days prior thereto. Said notice shall contain the grounds for revocation and the date, time, and place of the first consideration thereof by the said committee.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 201 Categories.

Section 201(a) Regular Member.

Any person who has not yet reached the age of thirty-six (36) may be accorded regular membership in this organization by and through a chartered unit once they have completed a YDAz membership application and paid membership dues as described in the bylaws

Section 201(b) Honorary Member.

Any person who has reached the age of thirty-six (36) may be elected to honorary membership in this organization upon nomination of the President and by an affirmative vote of three quarters (3/4) of the YDAz Executive Board. Prior to nomination and election to honorary membership, candidates shall have demonstrated a commitment to the highest ideals of the Democratic Party and shall have performed extraordinary service to the Young Democrats of Arizona. Honorary members shall be accorded full, non-voting, floor privileges at any meeting of the Young Democrats of Arizona.

Section 201(c) Life Member.

Any person who professes to support the Young Democrats of Arizona and the Democratic Party may enter into a Life Membership upon payment to the Young Democrats of Arizona for a sum set annually by the Vice President for Finance and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Life members who have reached the age of thirty six years shall not be permitted to vote at any meeting of the Young Democrats of Arizona, but shall receive notices of meetings and all mailings.

Section 201(d) Non-voting Member.

Any person who is a member of a chartered subunit that has not paid its dues to the YDAz in sufficient amount to allow that member to vote shall be deemed a non-voting member. Non-voting members shall not be allowed to vote on any substantive or procedural matters at any YDAz meeting, but shall be granted speaking rights. Individuals who are members of subunits that are not properly chartered with YDAz may petition the executive board in writing for specific designation as non-voting members. Individuals who wish to have voting rights even though they are not a member of a properly chartered unit may do so if approved by the Executive Board or Convention Credentialing Committee by a three-fourths vote.

ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE BOARD

SECTION 301 Authority.

Except for powers reserved to the State Convention and General Assembly, the governing body of Young Democrats of Arizona shall be the Executive Board.

SECTION 302 Composition.

The Executive Board shall be composed as follows:

(a) Voting members of the committee are individuals holding offices listed in Charter section 501, the chairperson or designee of each caucus created pursuant to Charter section 601 (not to exceed one person per caucus), and the President or designee of each duly chartered local unit.

(b) No person shall be entitled to cast more than one vote on the Executive Board by virtue of holding multiple offices.

(c) Ex-officio non-voting members of the Executive Board shall be the immediate Past-President of the YDAz, all officers of the Young Democrats of America residing in Arizona, appointed committee chairs, and the chairperson or designee of each caucus created pursuant to Charter section 602.

(d) Charter section 501 offices created by vote of the Executive Board shall be considered ex-officio non-voting members of the Executive Board until their creation is ratified by the YDAz General Assembly.

(e) Caucuses created pursuant to Charter section 602 shall be considered ex-officio non-voting members of the Executive Board

SECTION 303 Meetings.

The Executive Board of the Young Democrats of Arizona shall meet at least four (4) times a year at the call of the President. Subsequent meetings of the Executive Board may be called at the direction of the President, or upon the written request of twenty percent (20%) of the current membership of the Executive Board of the Young Democrats of Arizona. At the direction of the President or upon receipt of the requests of the requisite number of Board members, the Secretary shall send written notice to all members of the Executive Board specifying the location, date and time of the meeting, said date not less than fifteen (15) days nor more than forty-five (45) days from the date of said notice.

SECTION 304 Accessibility for Conventions, Meetings, and official functions.

State Conventions, Executive Board and Committee Meetings, and all official functions shall be held only at sites which are accessible to the physically challenged.

SECTION 305 Email Voting

The President may call a vote via email of the Executive Board.  Executive Board members must submit their vote to the President and Secretary.  The deadline to vote shall be no less than seventy two (72) hours and no more than one hundred and sixty-eight (168) hours from the time the vote is requested. Upon meeting the deadline, the secretary shall send the vote result to the Executive Board.  All votes completed via email are subject to all other bylaws regarding voting procedures.  Any vote which does not reach quorum requirements per Charter Section 601(a) shall be considered invalid.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

SECTION 401 Officers; Named.

The officers of the Young Democrats of Arizona shall be a President, an Executive Vice President, a Vice President of Finance, a Vice President of Membership, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a National Committeeperson, and a Sergeant at Arms.

SECTION 402 Duties.

The officers of the Young Democrats of Arizona shall perform such duties as required by the Bylaws.

SECTION 403 Eligibility.

Regular members who have not yet reached the age of thirty-five (35) years shall be eligible for elected office. Candidates for the office of President must have been a regular member of a duly chartered unit for at least one year.

Section 403a Executive Vice President, Residency.

In addition to the other requirements described in this section, eligible candidates for the office of Executive Vice President must reside in a different county from the President. Residency shall be defined as living within a county for seven (7) or more months of the year.

SECTION 404 Election.

All officers except shall be elected by a majority vote of the State Convention held in the Spring for a term of one year or until their successors are elected.

SECTION 405 Attendance at Meetings.

Officers and standing caucus chairs shall be required to attend all meetings of the Executive Board Officers and standing caucus chairs who fail to attend two successive meetings of the Executive Board, shall be deemed ipso facto; guilty of nonfeasance of assigned duties, and to have been removed from office. Vacancies created as a result of this section shall be filled as prescribed in Section 640 of this charter. Persons who have been removed from elected office, pursuant to this section shall be ineligible for election or appointment to any office in the Young Democrats of Arizona. For the purposes of this section, any officer or standing caucus chair with an excused absence submitted in writing to the President and Secretary, as approved by the Executive Board shall not be considered to have failed to attend a meeting.

SECTION 406 Impeachment.

Section 406(a) Cause.

Officers of the Young Democrats of Arizona are subject to impeachment and removal from office for conduct unfitting an elected officer of the Young Democrats, misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance of assigned duties or for violation of any law or rule of the Young Democrats of Arizona, the Young Democrats of America or the Democratic Party.

ARTICLE V – CAUCUSES

SECTION 501 Caucuses.

The YDAz General Assembly may adopt a resolution creating certain caucuses to represent special interests in the Young Democrats of Arizona. These caucuses shall automatically dissolved upon the adjournment, sine die, of the subsequent State Convention unless a subsequent resolution confirming and ratifying the caucus is adopted by that assembly. The Chairs of each of these caucuses shall serve as voting members of the Executive Board.

SECTION 502 Additional Caucuses.

There may be additional caucuses created at the pleasure of the Executive Board. The Chairs of these caucuses shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Executive Board.

SECTION 503 Provisions.

Each caucus shall establish bylaws and rules necessary for operation, not in conflict with this charter, and subject to the approval of the Executive Board.

SECTION 504 Standing Caucuses

The standing caucuses of the YDAz shall be the High School Caucus, the College Caucus, and the Working Caucus. The chairs of these caucuses will work with the President, and executive Board to encourage the creation and growth of new chapters.

ARTICLE VI – MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 601 Quorum.

Section 601(a) Executive Board.

A quorum of the Executive Board shall be not less than one-third (1/3) of the total voting-members Executive Board members, including four (4) statewide officers and members from at least two (2) counties.

Section 601(b) Vacancies.

The quorum requirements set forth in Section 601(a) can be waived by the unanimous consent of the members present if there are less than the proscribed numbers for quorum actually holding office. All of the current office-holding members must be present for such a motion to be made.

SECTION 602 Proxies.

Section 602(a) Authorized.

Proxy voting shall be permitted. Proxies shall not be transferable. Under no circumstances may any Young Democrat of Arizona present at an Executive Board Meeting cast more than two (2) votes total.

SECTION 603 Requirements; Restrictions.

No law or rule of any chartered unit may conflict with this Charter and any provision which does so conflict shall be null and void. The Executive Board shall have authority to revoke the Charter of any unit for violation of any law or rule of the Democratic Party, at any level. Restrictions on voting commonly referred to as “unit rule” are prohibited. Units shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion, national origin, economic status, gender or sexual orientation.

SECTION 605 Definitions.

Section 605(a)Executive Board.

Executive Board means the Executive Board of the Young Democrats of Arizona.

Section 605(b)Executive Committee.

Executive Committee means the Executive Committee of the Young Democrats of Arizona.

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENT AND BYLAWS

SECTION 701 Amendment.

This Charter may be amended by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates to the State Convention. This Charter may also be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board present and voting at a meeting for which quorum has been established, provided at least thirty (30) days written notice of the meeting and any proposed amendment has been given to all members of the Executive Board no less than fifteen (15) days prior, further provided, that any amendment so adopted shall become null and void at the adjournment, sine die of the subsequent State Convention unless a majority of the delegates thereto shall confirm and ratify said amendment.

SECTION 702 Bylaws.

Bylaws may be adopted or amended by a majority vote of the Executive Board or the State Convention. Bylaw amendments must comply with all procedural requirements for charter amendments as to notice and committee approval. Bylaw amendments adopted by the Executive Board do not require ratification by the State Convention. Bylaws may not conflict with Charter.