ARTICLE 1 - PURPOSES AND AFFILIATION

Section 1.1: Name
The name of this Club shall be the Castro Valley Democratic Club".

Section 1.2: Nature of the Club
This Club is organized as a not-for-profit political organization, to function as a local affiliate of the California Democratic Party, in accordance with applicable state and Federal laws.

Section 1.3: Purposes of the Club

• This Club is formed to carry out the following purposes of its members:
• To support and elect Democratic Candidates to State and Local offices, and to encourage new candidates who share our Democratic ideals.
• To foster continuing Democratic action in the Castro Valley community, and provide an enduring local organization affiliated to the California Democratic Party.
• To develop and encourage a grass-roots voice within the California Democratic Party, to foster continuing adherence to Democratic ideals within the Party.
• To work in political education, especially among our people and new citizens, to secure the future of the Party and it's ideals in our community.
• To promote accessibility to Party activity among all interested citizens, and to encourage more Democrats to become active in political affairs.
• To have fun being Democrats

"No member shall support any person not a registered Democrat against a registered Democrat in any partisan election. No member shall authorize the publication of his or her Democratic Party affiliation in support of any candidate not a Democrat in any race. This provision will not be enforced with regard to races in which the State or County Democratic Central Committee has declared the Democratic candidate to be offensive to the principles of the Democratic Party."

Section 2.1: Members
Membership in the Club shall be open to all registered Democrats, and to all persons under the age of voting registration who shall declare their loyalty to the Democratic Party and their intent to affiliate with it in the future. Membership shall not be open to members of the Ku Klux Klan, the American Nazi Party or other organizations found by the Club or the County Central Committee to be similarly repugnant to the principles of the Democratic Party. Diversity shall be encouraged and the Club shall actively recruit members in an effort to have a diverse Club membership.

Section 2.2: Geographic Focus
The focus of this Club shall be the organizing of Democratic action In the Castro Valley Community, and in surrounding areas as shall best serve the purposes of the Club. This Club shall carry out Democratic action in concert with other affiliated organizations of the Democratic Party, and with other organizations as shall best serve the purposes of the Club.

Section 2.1: Dues
Dues shall be paid annually by all members, with each years dues payable by start of the January general meeting. The dues shall be: $10.00 for members, $18.00 for households, and $7.50 for members under 18 years of age and for low-income members at the discretion of the Treasurer. Dues must be paid for a member to be in good standing, and eligible to vote at the Club's meetings.

Section 2.1: Voting
Each member of the Club who is eligible to vote shall have one vote, and no proxies are allowed. Membership in the Club for a period of at least two (2) weeks is required before any new members, who have not previously been members of this Club, may vote on any matter before the Club.

ARTICLE 3 - OFFICERS

Section 3.1: Club Executive
The Club's executive officers shall be four in number: President, Vice-President/President Elect, Treasurer and Secretary. Each shall serve annual terms, with elections by secret ballot at each January General Meeting. The Executive board of the Club shall include the above-four officers, the past year's President, the chairs of the Standing Committees (or vice-chairs as alternates) per Section 4.1 below and other members per Article 5 below.

In the event that any officer or elected Director or Delegate resigns, the remaining Executive Board members shall elect an acting replacement, by majority vote, at the next Board Meeting. Such elections shall be effective until the next Club General Meeting, at which meeting the selection of the new officer, Director or Delegate shall either be confirmed by majority vote of the members present, or a new replacement shall be

Section 3.2: President
The President of the Club shall serve as the chief executive, responsible for execution of the Club's By-laws, purposes and policies and for other overall direction and supervision of it's activities The President shall report to the Club's members on a regular basis regarding the Club's activities, and shall cal]. and preside at general meetings and meetings of the Executive Board.

Section 3.3: Vice-President/President Elect
The Vice-president of the Club shall serve as an assisting executive to the President, and shall preside at meetings in the President's absence. The Vice-President shall become the Club's President for the following year's term, starting at the opening of the January General Meeting. A new Vice-President shall then be elected.

Section 3.4: Secretary
The Secretary of the Club shall retain all records of the Club s activities, including all minutes of committee, Executive Board and general meetings. The Secretary shall also be responsible for maintaining the roster of members, and for updating the Club's roster with the County Central Committee as often as required by the Central Committee, in order to maintain the Club's affiliation.

Section 3.5: Treasurer
The Treasurer of the Club shall be responsible for the Club's funds, and for maintaining sufficient records and filing reports to comply with State and Federal requirements. The Treasurer shall receive all dues, and report same to the Secretary for recording in the Club's roster. The Treasurer shall make a written financial report to the members at each general meeting, and shall arrange for an independent audit of the Club's books to be completed prior to the March General Meeting. The Treasurer shall also prepare a target budget for the approval of the members at the June General Meeting. The Treasurer shall disburse the Club's funds, which shall be used solely for the Club's purposes. The signatures of two of the Club executive officers shall he requited for checks over $150.00.

ARTICLE 4 - COMMITTEES

Section 4.1: Standing Committees
Standing Committees shall be formed to carry out the Club's purposes, and to provide the focus for member's activities. The scope of each committee's activities shall be as directed by the Executive Board. Each committee shall elect a Chair and Vice-Chair, one of whom from each Committee shall attend each meeting of the Club' s Executive Board to report on their activities. Meetings of committees shall be reported in 

writing to the Club's Secretary, Including attendees and decisions reached. The Standing Committees shall consist of:

• Fund-raising Committee
• Newsletter and Publicity Committee
• Program and Telephone Committee
• Membership Committee

Section 4.3: Nominating Committee
A special form of Ad-Hoc Committee shall be the Nominating Committee, which shall be appointed at each October General Meeting by the President, with a minimum of five members, to take nominations for executive officers and delegates. The Nominating Committee shall also preside over the election of new officers (Vice--President, Secretary and Treasurer) and delegates per Article 5 below, at the January General Meeting, and shall certify the results of the elections for the Club's records. The Nominating Committee shall, then dissolve.

ARTICLE 5 - DELEGATES

Section 5.1: Member's Delegates-At-Large
Members of the Club may also elect two Delegates-At-Large to seats on the Executive Board. Such Delegates shall be elected by secret ballot at each January General Meeting, and each serve a term of one year. Such Delegates-At-Large shall not be Executive Officers, or chairs or vice-chairs of Standing Committees.

ARTICLE 6 - MEETINGS

Section 6.1: General Meetings
The members of the Club shall hold General Meetings at least four times each year, on the third Monday of the months of March, June, September and January. Additional General Meetings may be called by the President, or by written petition to the President or Secretary by at least one-fifth of the Club's members, with at least two week's notice to member-s. A quorum for a General Meeting shall include three of the Executive Board and ten of the members In good standing.

Section 6.2: Executive Board Meetings
The Executive Board of the Club shall meet at least monthly, to report on their activities and conduct the

Club's affairs. The President shall report the results or these meetings to the members. A quorum for a Board meeting shall consist of five members of the Executive Board. Board Meetings shall be open to other Club members in good standing, who may participate but not vote.

Section 6.3: Procedures
All meetings of the Club shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, a copy of which shall be present at all meetings.

ARTICLE 7 ENDORSEMENTS

Section 7.1: Offices Endorsed
Subject to the requirements of the State Party By-Laws, and the laws of the State of California, the Club may make endorsements of candidates for local elected offices, as well as Democratic Candidates in primary elections for state and federal offices and for and Local ballot measures that have been qualified. To be eligible for endorsement, a candidate must be a registered Democrat and be nominated by at least three Club members in good standing.

Subject to the requirements of the State Party By-Laws, and the laws of the State of California, the Club may make endorsements of candidates for local elected offices, as well as Democratic Candidates in primary elections for state and federal offices and for State and Local Ballot Measures. To be eligible for endorsement, a candidate must be a registered Democrat and be nominated by at least three Club members in good standing.

Section 7.2; Procedure for Endorsement
A candidate for any of the above offices shall be endorsed only by a vote of the members in a General Meeting. Endorsement must be approved by two-thirds of the members In attendance at the meeting.

A procedure for review of candidates, prior to their presentation to the Club for consideration for endorsement, shall be developed and published by the Executive Board. The procedure shall be open to all Democrats who are seeking the Club's endorsement. The procedure shall include measures to determine that candidates are Democrats, that they are Listed as candidates by the County Registrar of Voters and that no more candidates will be endorsed than there are offices available to be filled. Endorsements shall not be considered in a General Meeting until after the filing deadline for candidates for the office in question. All candidates for an office who are Democrats shall be notified of the Petition for Endorsement by another candidate, prior to the General Meeting at which the endorsement is considered.

Section - 7.3: Procedure 1. Endorsing Ballot Measures
procedure for the review of State and Local ballot measures that have been officially qualified for the ensuing election shall be developed and published by the Executive Board. The procedure shall provide written notice of a general

meeting of the club membership. The procedure shall describe the steps to he undertaken to afford members the opportunity to be heard in support or opposition. At the conclusion of each hearing the club members shall vote to decide whether to endorse, oppose or withhold endorsement by a majority of those members Present and voting.

ARTICLE 8 - REMOVAL

Section 8.1: Removal of Officers
An Executive Officer of this Club may be removed from office for cause, that is: misconduct in the exercise of their duties as an officer or neglect of duty in office, if such officer affiliates with or registers to vote as a member of another political party, publicly avows preference fur another political party, publicly advocates that the voters should not vote for nominees of the Democratic Party or publicly avows a preference for a candidate who is opposed to a nominee of the Democratic Party, or if the officer affiliates with an organization which the Club finds is repugnant to the principles of the Democratic Party.

A petition for removal must he in writing, signed by at least five members ii good standing, state the grounds for proposed removal and be delivered to either the President or Secretary and the accused officer at least two (2) weeks prior to the next General Meeting. Upon receipt of such a petition, the members of the Club and the accused officer shall be informed and the petition placed on the agenda of the next General Meeting. At said General Meeting, the accused officer shall he afforded an opportunity to respond to the charges. Removal of any officer shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present, by secret ballot, and if approved must be followed immediately by the election of an Acting Officer to complete the term of the removed officer.

Section 8.2: Removal of members
Members of the Club may be removed for cause, that is:  A member who fails to meet the requirements of Article 2, Section 2.1 of the By-Laws A petition for removal of a member shall be in writing, shall state the grounds for removal, and be signed by at least three members in good standing. The procedure shall be as for removal of officers.

ARTICLE 9 - AMENDMENTS

Section 9.1; Procedure for Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended by the members in any General Meeting, provided that such amendments be placed on the agenda at least thirty days prior to such meeting to allow for notice to all members. A proposal for amendment shall be in writing, signed by at least three members in good standing and shall require a two-thirds vote of the members in attendance to be approved. An approved Amendment shall take force in thirty days.