New Haven Dems - By Laws

RULES TO GOVERN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN

ARTICLE I.

Party Membership

Section 1. The membership of the Democratic Party of New Haven shall consist of all persons whose names appear on the enrollment records of the Democratic Party in the custody of the Democratic Registrar of Voters of the City and Town of New Haven.

Section 2. It is the purpose of these Rules to provide an opportunity for the members to participate in the governing and operation of the Democratic Party of the City and Town of New Haven within the framework of the applicable provisions of the General Statutes of Connecticut and the Rules of the Democratic Party of the State of Connecticut.

Section 3. For the purpose of these Rules, the tern "Ward" shall refer to the political sub-division of the City of New Haven represented by a member of the Board of Aldermen of the City of New Haven.

ARTICLE II.

Membership of Town Committee

Section 1. The membership of the Town Committee shall consist of two representatives of each Ward duly elected or appointed, as provided in the State statutes. The Town Committee shall elect from within or without its membership a Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Assistant Secretary. Said Committee shall also elect from within or without its membership a Chairperson who shall be an enrolled member of the Democratic Party for at least five years.

Section 2. The Town Committee shall fix a date in accordance with State statutes for the holding of an election of Town Committee members and shall publish the same in a newspaper having a general circulation in New Haven at least fifty-six days before such election is to be held or such other date as set by State statutes.

Section 3. Members of the Town Committee so chosen shall hold office from the first Monday following their election for two years or until their successors shall have been chosen.

Section 4. In the event of a vacancy in the membership of the Town Committee from any Ward for any reason the Town Chairman shall have-the right to appoint a successor to fill said vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term.

Section 5. No Registrar, Deputy or Assistant Registrar of Voters shall be a member of the Town Committee and any such member who accepts the position of Deputy or Assistant Registrar of Voters shall automatically cease to be a member of the Town Committee, in which event the vacancy shall be filled in the same way as if a resignation had been filed by said member.

ARTICLE III.

Ward Organization

Section 1. The two duly elected or appointed representatives to the Town Committee from each Ward shall be the Co-Chairpersons of their Ward. Their terms of the office shall terminate with the termination of their membership on the Town Committee.

Section 2. Each Co-Chairperson shall appoint one-half of the Ward Committee.

Section 3. Each Ward shall have a Ward Committee of no more than 50 enrolled members of the Democratic Party residing in that Ward unless expanded by agreement of the Co-Chairpersons of a Ward within 30 days of the start of their term of office. No increase or decrease of the size of the Ward Committee shall occur after said 30 days. The Co-Chairpersons of each Ward shall select said members of the Ward Committee from those who apply for membership on the Ward Committee. Said application for membership shall be made within 30 days of the commencement of the term of the Town Committee. Said application shall be made to either of the Co-Chairpersons of the Ward. The Town Chairperson shall publish notice in the New Haven Register of the procedure for membership on the Ward Committee within 10 days of the commencement of his or her term. The Co-Chairpersons of each Ward shall make every effort to contact all registered Democrats In their Ward concerning said procedure. If more than 50 persons or the expanded maximum as determined above, apply for membership on the Ward Committee, the Co-Chairperson shall have the discretion to chose the members of the Ward Committee from among those applying for such membership. If more than 50 persons, or the expanded maximum as determined above, apply for membership on the Ward Committee, any vacancy subsequently occurring shall be filled by the Ward Co-Chairpersons from among those applying for membership within the 30 day period. If fewer than 50 persons apply for membership, all shall be members of the Ward Committee. If all those applying for membership are made members of the Ward Committee, any vacancy shall be filled by the Ward Co-Chairpersons with any enrolled Democrat from the Ward. The Ward Committee shall meet at the call of the Co-Chairpersons or upon petition of 20% of the members of the Ward Committee.

Section 4. The Candidate for Alderman from each Ward shall be endorsed by a convention of delegates in each Ward within the time provided by state statutes. The delegates to each such convention shall be the members of the Ward Committee. The person with a majority of those present and voting at said convention shall be the endorsed aldermanic candidate from that Ward.

Section 5. Each Ward Committee shall adopt its own rules provided such rules are not inconsistent with the rules set forth herein. Said rules shall be filed with the Secretary of the Town Committee. The Ward Committee is encouraged to recommend delegates to conventions, appointment of assistant registrars of voters and endorsements of candidates for any office for which said Ward votes to the appropriate nominating conventions.

ARTICLE IV.

Endorsement of Candidates

Section 1. The Town Committee, at a meeting called for the purpose not earlier than the forty-ninth day not later than the thirty-fifth day preceding the day of the respective primary, shall, by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting select party endorsed candidates for municipal office and delegates to conventions. No candidate for membership on the Town Committee shall be endorsed by the Town Committee. All candidates for membership on the Town Committee shall run by petition as provided by state statutes. In the endorsement of any person for an office other than Alderman or a position as delegate for whom only the electors of a Ward or of a Senatorial District or Assembly District located in the Town of New Haven may vote, only the Town Committee members from such Ward Senatorial District or Assembly District may participate.

Section 2. Candidates for nomination to municipal offices selected as provided in this Article IV, shall run in the primary election for such offices as party-endorsed candidates; provided that any such candidate shall be the nominee of the Democratic Party for the office for which he/she is a candidate if no valid candidacy has been filed by or on behalf of another candidate for such office by four o'clock p.m. on the twenty-first day preceding the day of the primary for such office or if such twenty-first day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, by four o'clock p.m. of the next succeeding business day, which day and hour shall be specified on the petition forms.

Section 3. Candidates for delegates to a convention~ selected as provided in this Article IV shall run in the primary for delegates to such convention as the party-endorsed slate; provided that such slate shall be deemed elected as the delegates to such convention if no valid opposing candidacy by a slate including persons other than party-endorsed candidates been filed, by four o'clock on the twenty-first day preceding the date of the primary or If such twenty-first day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, by four o'clock p.m. of the next succeeding business day, which day and hour shall be specified on the petition forms.

Section 4. If, for any reason, the Town Committee fails to select a party-endorsed candidate for any municipal office or slate of delegates to a Convention, the provisions of sections 9-418, 9-419, or 9-420 of the General Statutes of Connecticut as appropriate and as the same shall be amended from time to time shall govern.

Section 5. The Chairman and the Secretary of the Town Committee shall certify to the Town Clerk the names and street addresses of the persons selected as party-endorsed candidates pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV, the title of the office or delegate for which each person is endorsed, the date upon which the primary in question is to be held and the name and number of the Ward Senatorial District or Assembly District as appropriate.

Section 6. No person selected as a party-endorsed candidate pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV shall accept an endorsement from another political party without the approval of a majority of the members of the Town Committee. Acceptance of such other endorsement without such approval shall void the endorsement made pursuant to this Article IV.

Section 7. No person selected as a party-endorsed candidate pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV shall accept an endorsement from another political party without the approval of a majority of the members of the Town Committee. Acceptance of such other endorsement without such approval shall void the endorsement made pursuant to this Article IV.

Section 8. No later than the day following the day fixed for the holding of primaries to elect delegates to conventions, the Chairman of the Town Committee shall send to the Secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee a list of the delegates to each convention properly attested by the Democratic Registrar of Voters.

Section 9. Each delegate elected to any convention may designate in writing an alternate delegate or proxy to sit for him at sessions of the convention is his or her absence.

Section 10. Each delegate elected to any convention shall be an enrolled Democrat residing in the Town of New Haven and any alternate delegate or proxy shall also be an enrolled Democrat residing in the Town of New Haven.

Section 11. On the day of any Democratic Primary held with respect to an office or position for which party-endorsed candidates may be selected under the provisions of this Article IV, the polls shall remain open for voting from twelve o'clock noon until eight o'clock p.m.

Section 12. If a party endorsed candidate for a nomination to a municipal office or for election as delegate to a convention prior to twenty-four hours before the opening of the polls at the primary, dies or, prior to ten days before the day of the primary withdraws his name from nomination or for any reasons becomes disqualified to hold the office or position for which he is a candidate an endorsement may be made to fill such vacancy by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose; provided if the original endorsement was made by the members of the Town Committee elected from only one subdivision of the municipality only such members shall participate in the endorsement to fill such vacancy. The Chairperson of the Town committee may cast a vote on such endorsement to break a tie. but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The Secretary of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the endorsement to fill each vacancy to the Democratic Registrar of Voters.

Section 13. The nominations of the Democratic Party to all offices and the election of members of the Town Committee and delegates to conventions shall be made in all respects as provided in the Primary Act, as the same may be amended from time to time. Whenever a primary for nomination to a municipal office or for election of Town Committee members of delegates to conventions is to be held under the provision of said Act, the nominees of the Democratic Party for such office and the members of the Town Committee and the delegates to conventions shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast.

Section 14. If a nomination has been made for a municipal office and the nominee thereafter but prior to twenty-four hours before the opening of the polls on the day of the election for which such nomination has been made, dies, withdraws his name, or for any reason become disqualified to hold the office for which he has been nominated, a nomination to fill such vacancy may be made by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting, at a meeting called for the purpose. The Chairperson of the Town Committee may cast a vote on such nomination to break a tie, but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he or her is otherwise entitled. The Secretary of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the nomination to fill such vacancy to the Secretary of state.

Section 15. If only one candidacy has been filed by a person other than a party-endorsed candidate for nomination to an office and such person dies prior to the opening of the polls at such primary or prior to 48 hours before the opening of the polls at such primary, withdraws his name from nomination or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office for which he or she is a candidate, no primary shall be held for the nomination to that office and the party-endorsed candidate for that office shall be deemed to have been nominated.

ARTICLE V.

Party Finances

Section 1. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds and assets of the Town Committee; shall collect and receive all contributions made pursuant to the Chapter 150 of the Connecticut General Statutes; shall be the only person empowered to expend funds on behalf of the Town Committee; and, shall be the only person authorized to incur debts on behalf of the Town Committee.

Section 2. The Town Chairperson may appoint with the approval of the Town Committee an individual to serve in the capacity of Treasurer in the event that the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer are unable to perform the duties prescribed in Chapter 150 of the Connecticut General statutes. Such individual shall, if appointed, be the designated deputy campaign treasurer of the Town Committee.

Section 3. The Town Chairperson shall appoint, with the approval of the Town Committee, a Finance Committee for each election.

Section 4. Each Ward Committee shall be a continuing political committee as defined by Chapter 150 of the Connecticut General Statutes and each such Committee shall appoint an election. Campaign treasurer. The Town Chairperson shall appoint, with the approval of the Co-Chairpersons of the Ward Committee, the election campaign Treasurer of each Ward in the event that the Ward Committee has not designated such Treasurer with the proper filing authority.

Section 5. The Treasurer of the Town Committee shall submit and the Town Committee shall adopt a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30th. The Treasurer shall submit a report at each regular meeting of the Town Committee; such Treasurer shall be bonded and the books of the Town Committee shall be audited annually. The Treasurer's reports filed with the Office of the Secretary of the state shall be also filed with the Office of the Town Clerk in order to make such records more accessible for local residents.

Section 6. All checks, drafts and notes representing funds or commitments of the Town Committee shall be signed by the Treasurer, or in his/her absence the Assistant Treasurer.

Section 7. The Treasurer of the Town Committee shall not approve any contribution to any candidate for nomination or election to any office outside the City of New Haven without the approval of the Town Committee.

Section 8. There shall be a Disbursements Committee consisting of the Town Chairperson, Treasurer of the Town Committee, and three other Town Committee members who shall be elected by the Town Committee in the first meeting of their term. This Committee shall approve all expenditures and disbursements of the Town committee not included in the budget, and no such expenditure or disbursement is authorized without the approval of a majority of this Committee. Any vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the Town Committee at the meeting next after the vacancy occurs.

Section 9. The Treasurer of the Town Committee shall maintain and make available, upon request for cost, copies of all Treasurer's reports required by statute.

ARTICLE VI.

Procedure

Section 1. Robert's Rule of Order and Parliamentary Procedure shall be considered as conclusive on parliamentary issues.

Section 2. All issues decided by the Town Committee shall be decided by a majority of those members present and voting.

Section 3. In the event of a tie in the voting under any section of these rules, the Town Chairperson may cast a vote to break said tie, but this provision shall not affect the right to cast any vote as member of the Town Committee to which the Town Chairperson is otherwise entitled.

ARTICLE VII.

Call of Town Committee Meetings

Section 1. The meetings of the Town Committee shall be called by the Chairperson a minimum of four times per calendar year. at , least once in each quarter and within 10 days after any citywide or statewide primary, and on the Chairperson's initiative as occasion may require or on written request of ten embers, which request shall state the object of the meeting and at such special meetings no other business shall be brought before the meeting except that stated in the call. A meeting of the Town Committee shall be held within 15 days from the commencement of the term of Town Committee members for the purpose of election of officers. All meetings shall be noticed by mail at least five days before said meeting to all members of Town Committee at addresses furnished by them.

ARTICLE VIII.

Amendment

Section 1. These Rules may be amended by majority vote of the membership of the Town Committee provided that the text of any proposed amendment shall be included in the call for the meeting at which it is to be considered.

Section 2. These Rules may also be amended by a majority of those present at a Convention called pursuant to Section 9-375 of the Connect1cut General Statutes. Such Convention shall be called by the Chairperson of the Town Committee within ten days after a petition therefor, signed by at least five hundred enrolled Democrats whose names appear on the last New Haven Democratic Primary List, has been filed with the Democratic Registrar of Voters. The date fixed for such Convention in the call shall be within thirty days of such filing. Such Convention shall consist of one delegate for each five hundred enrolled Democrats or major fraction thereof in each Ward as shown on its last Democratic Primary List. Such delegates shall be elected by Wards at Caucuses held therein on the date and time fixed by the Chairperson of the Town Committee in his or her call for the Convention. Such caucus shall be held at least five days prior to the Convention. Any amendment adopted pursuant to this Section may not be repealed by the Town Committee within two years of its adoption.

ARTICLE IX.

Redistricting of Wards

Section 1. In the event that the Wards are redistricted, the members of the Town Committee then in office shall continue in office until the election of a new Town Committee.

Section 2. The endorsement of Aldermanic candidates shall be provided in Article III, Section 4 of these Rules.

Section 3. The formation of a Ward Committee for each of the redistricted Wards shall be as follows:

(a) All members of any Ward Committee prior to redistricting residing in such redistricted Ward shall be members of the Ward Committee for such redistricted Ward.

(b) If there are fewer than 50 such members, the Town Committee members resident in such redistricted Ward shall each appoint an equal number of persons to the Ward Committee to make its number as near to 50 as possible.

(c) In the event that a redistricted Ward has fewer than two Town Committee members residing within it, the Ward Committee upon notification of such vacancy by the Secretary of the Town Committee shall have 45 days from such notification to recommend to the Town Chairperson three persons to be elected by the Ward Committee from which the Town Chairperson shall fill the vacancy. The manner in which the recommended persons shall be elected shall be determined by the Rules of the Ward Committee. If the names of such three persons are not submitted to the Town Chairperson within said 45 day period, the Town Chairperson shal1 be free to appoint any enrolled Democrat resident in the Ward concerned to fill the vacancy.

(d) In the event that no Town Committee members reside in a redistricted Ward, the Ward Committee shall be convened by a moderator appointed by the Democratic Town Chairperson for the purpose of selecting its Chairpersons. In any such redistricted Ward a meeting open to all enrolled Democrats in the Ward and publicized to them by all available means shall be convened by the moderator. The Democratic Town Chairperson shall establish guidelines to insure proper attendance and procedures for such meeting. Such meeting shall recommend six persons to the Town Chairperson from whom he shall appoint the two Town Committee members from the Ward.

(e) Each such Ward Committee shall be formed within 30 days of the effective date of these rules or the effective date of each such redistricting whichever occurs later.

ARTICLE X.

Effective Date

Section 1. These rules shall become effective sixty days after they have been filed with the Secretary of the state.

ARTICLE XI.

Constitutionality

Section 1. In the event that any of the foregoing rules are in conflict with the Democratic State Party Rules which have been, or may in the future be, adopted or with any state or Federal statute or regulation or a final decision of any State or Federa1 Court, the said State Party Rules and respective State statute or Federal Law, regulation or decision shall take precedence of the above.

Adopted and approved by the New Haven Democratic Town Committee on the 5th day of April, 1977.

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William Jones, Chairman

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Edward F. Piazza, Secretary

Retyped 12/3/02 – Susan Voigt, Chairperson
Retyped 4/16/90 - Arthur T. Barbieri, Chairperson