BYLAWS
of the
Knox County, Maine
Democratic Committee

Article First: Name

1. The name of this organization shall be the Knox County Democratic Committee, hereinafter referred to as the County Committee.

Article Second: Purpose & Objectives

1. The object and purpose of the County Committee shall be:
   1. To promote the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party;
   2. To encourage and maintain participation and unity of enrolled voters and potential candidates in Knox County, Maine;
   3. To provide leadership to, and coordination with, municipal committees, the Maine Democratic State Committee, and the Democratic National Committee; and
   4. To support the nominees elected in the State Democratic Primary and to elect Democrats to office.
2. The County Committee shall be a non-discriminatory, non-profit organization.

Article Third: Membership

1. In accordance with the Rules of the Maine Democratic Party, the County Committee shall consist of a minimum of three (3) members from each municipality in Knox County, one of whom shall be the municipal chair. The additional members shall be divided equally between males and females when possible. For each one hundred (100) enrolled Democrats or major fraction thereof [fifty-one (51) or more] beyond the first one hundred (100), each municipality is entitled to an additional member on the County Committee.

Article Fourth: Election of Members

1. The County Committee members from each municipality shall be nominated and elected at biennial caucuses called and held in each municipality of Knox County. An official list of elected committee members shall be forwarded to the County Committee within ten (10) days of the caucus. Members-at-large shall be elected as provided below.
2. If a duly enrolled Democrat who is a resident of Knox County wishes to become a member of the County Committee and the quota for said person's municipality of residence has been filled, said person may, after attending three (3) consecutive County Committee meetings, submit a letter from the respective municipal chair or town clerk verifying said person's Democratic registration and petition the County Committee to become a full voting member-at-large. The County Committee shall, by majority vote of the members present at a duly called meeting, either accept or reject the petition. Terms for members-at-large shall coincide with terms for regular County Committee members.
3. Duly elected Democratic State Committee members and Democratic members of the Maine Legislative Delegation, who are residents of Knox County, shall be voting members of the County Committee.

Article Fifth: Duties of County Committee Members

1. The duties of the County Committee members shall be as follows:
   1. To attend all meetings of the County Committee;
   2. To participate in the government and direction of the affairs and activities of the Democratic Party in Knox County;
   3. To work closely with municipal chairs in order to promote a grassroots Democratic organization;
   4. To serve as a liaison between the municipal committee and the County Committee for the exchange of information concerning activities and requirements of each;
   5. To aid and cooperate with the campaigns of Democratic candidates; and
   6. To assist in fund-raising efforts for County Committee activities and Democratic campaigns.

Article Sixth: Officers of the County Committee

1. The officers of the County Committee shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer. When possible, the Chair and Vice-Chair shall be of the opposite gender. The County Committee may add other officers and standing committees as is deemed necessary.

Article Seventh: Election of Officers

1. A person seeking an office on the County Committee must be an enrolled Democrat in Knox County and so certify by submitting a letter from said person's municipal Chair or town clerk verifying said person's Democratic enrollment. Said person need not be a member of the County Committee to run for office. Once elected, all officers shall be at-large voting members of the County Committee.
2. In January of each odd-numbered election year, the incumbent Chair shall call the biennial meeting for the election of officers of the County Committee. The Chair shall cause the call to be issued by written notice to all members of the County Committee, and such notice shall be sent to all members not less than seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
3. In the course of electing officers, the current Chair shall preside over the election; in the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall preside, or in the absence of both, the Recording Secretary shall preside. After the election of officers, the newly-elected officers shall assume their positions.

Article Eighth: Duties of Officers

1. The duties of the Chair shall be:
   1. To serve as the general executive officer and spokesperson for the County Committee;
   2. To preside at all meetings of the County Committee;
   3. To set the agenda of all meetings of the County Committee;
   4. To follow directives from the Maine Democratic State Committee regarding caucuses, the State convention, and other state-wide activities;
   5. To appoint or cause to be elected by majority vote a Chair of each and every standing committee, and to be an ex-officio voting member of each;
   6. To establish ad hoc committees as needed to address the interests and concerns of the County Committee;
   7. To attend all Maine Democratic State Committee and Caucus of County Chairs meetings;
   8. To serve as a liaison between the County, State, and Caucus of County Chairs committees for the exchange of information concerning the activities and requirements of each;
   9. To make every attempt to assure that each municipality holds a biennial caucus on the appropriate date;
   10. To see that the Chair of each municipality is reasonably notified of the number of delegates that must be elected to attend the State Convention and to serve on the County Committee;
   11. To approve disbursement of funds for operating and emergency expenses, as directed by the County Committee; and
   12. To perform any other duties that the County Committee may assign.
2. The duties of the Vice-Chair shall be:
   1. To perform all of the duties of the Chair in the absence of same;
   2. To become Chair in the event of the resignation, removal or death of the Chair and serve the remainder of that term;
   3. To attend all County Committee meetings;
   4. To be an ex-officio voting member of each and every standing committee; and
   5. To perform any other duties that the County Committee may assign.
3. The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be:
   1. To keep a complete and accurate record of all committee meetings, filing a duplicate copy of such record with the Chair prior to the next meeting;
   2. To make available to any member of the County Committee for examination or copying any records of meetings, and other records such as bylaws which are formally recognized by the County Committee;
   3. To keep a record of the attendance of members at each meeting;
   4. To maintain a current list of all members and officers of the County Committee and municipal committees of Knox County, and to provide the Chair with updates;
   5. To release mailing lists in part or in whole only at the direction of the County Committee since the lists are the sole property of the County Committee and the State Committee;
   6. To be an ex-officio voting member of the Enrollment and Issues Advisory Committee and the Bylaws Committee; and
   7. To perform any other duties that the County Committee may assign.
4. The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be:
   1. To cause notice and the agenda of all County Committee meetings to be sent to all members at least seven (7) days prior to said meetings;
   2. To write and submit meeting notices to local media;
   3. To write, or cause to be written, press releases on special meetings or specific issues as directed by the County Committee;
   4. To provide notice of cancellation of County Committee meetings or events to Rockland radio station WRKD, 1450 AM and Camden radio station WQSS "Coast" 102.5 FM;
   5. To be an ex-officio voting member of the Communications Committee; and
   6. To perform any other duties that the County Committee may assign.
5. The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
   1. To disburse funds of the County Committee as may be ordered or required by the County Committee;
   2. To keep full and accurate record of all receipts and disbursements;
   3. To deposit all County Committee monies in the name of the Knox County Democratic Committee in a recognized bank or trust company;
   4. To attend all County Committee meetings;
   5. To provide a report of the transactions and financial condition of the County Committee at every regularly called County Committee meeting and quarterly written reports;
   6. To comply on a timely basis with all legal requirements relating to the receipt and disbursement of funds;
   7. To be an ex-officio voting member of the Fund-Raising Committee and the Campaign Finance and Budget Committee; and
   8. To perform any other duties that the County Committee may assign.

Article Ninth: Standing Committees

1. The Knox County Democratic Committee encourages active participation on its committees.
2. Members of committees may volunteer for or be appointed by the Chair, or be elected by the County Committee. Committee Chairs may also appoint members of their particular committees.
3. At the monthly meeting following the election of officers, the committees, their Chairs and members shall be confirmed by the Chair and/or elected by a majority vote of the members present at said meeting.
4. The standing committees of the Knox County Democratic Committee shall be:
   1. Campaign Finance and Budget Committee -- The Campaign Finance and Budget Committee shall consist of a Chair and at least one person from each Maine Senate and House District that encompasses municipalities in Knox County, whose duties shall be:
      1. To develop an annual budget for the consideration of the County Committee;
      2. To recommend expenditures to the County Committee;
      3. To meet February through November in election years to assist and advise candidates as requested; otherwise to meet as needed for the purposes stated herein;
      4. To divide allocated funds among local candidates;
      5. To oversee disbursement of County Committee funds to, or in behalf of, candidates, and for approved projects sponsored by municipal committees; and
      6. To perform any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   2. Fund-Raising Committee -- To find ways and means of raising the money necessary to support the operation of the County Committee; to organize and coordinate fund raising activities as well as dinners, forums and conferences; and any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   3. Bylaws Committee -- To review, maintain, and consider the existing bylaws of the County Committee; to maintain an up-to-date copy of the County Committee bylaws for the Recording Secretary and the members of the County Committee; to make recommendations and prepare revisions and amendments as directed by the County Committee; and any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   4. Enrollment and Issues Advisory Committee -- To reach out actively to all municipal committees and provide assistance in organizational techniques, including events and speakers, at the local level; to execute enrollment drives; to encourage county-wide activism; to keep Knox County Democrats informed concerning issues of importance to the Democratic Party; and other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   5. Communications Committee -- To assist the Corresponding Secretary with notification of County Committee meetings and with the dissemination of other information which may be useful to the membership; to prepare and release as appropriate, newsworthy items concerning candidates, issues and the County Committee and its functions; to help candidates and municipal committees requiring assistance with publicity; and any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   6. Computer Committee -- To work with the officers and committees of the County Committee as needed to process data for: maintaining and updating mailing lists and voter lists, the layout and printing of newsletters and publicity, the analysis of financial and statistical figures, and any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee;
   7. Program and Special Events Committee -- To plan programs and special events, to arrange for speakers at the regular County Committee meetings, and any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee; and
   8. Grievance Committee -- The Grievance Committee shall consist of a Chair and four (4) members elected at the biennial meeting whose duty shall be to hear and process all grievances of members or officers of the County Committee, municipal committees, or candidates through the following steps:
      1. The Grievance Committee Chair, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of a written grievance signed by the complainant(s), shall schedule a hearing thereon to be held within fifteen (15) days of setting the hearing date and shall cause notice of said hearing date to be made to all Grievance Committee members at least seven (7) days prior to said hearing.
      2. Any enrolled Knox County Democrat may attend said hearing and testify regarding said grievance.
      3. At the conclusion of said hearing, the Grievance Committee shall prepare a recommendation.
      4. The Grievance Committee Chair shall present a report on the hearing and the recommendation at the next meeting of the County Committee; the County Committee will then take action on the recommendation.
      5. Appeals from the decision of the County Committee may be made by written notice to the Grievance Committee of the Maine Democratic State Committee.
      6. Any appeal or complaint received by the Maine Democratic State Committee, or any State Committee Officer, shall be copied and immediately sent to the County Committee Chair in preparation for appropriate action by the County Committee.

Article Tenth: Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of all County Committee officers, the Chair of the Campaign Finance and Budget Committee, the Chair of the Fund-raising Committee, State Committee members, the municipal Chair of each of the three (3) towns in Knox County having the highest percentage of Knox County Democrats who voted in the last primary election prior to the biennial election of officers and one (1) municipal Chair from the remaining towns, who shall be a member in good standing, who will serve on a rotating basis for the same term as the officers of the County Committee.
2. The Executive Committee shall serve only in an advisory capacity to the County Committee. However, in situations of an urgent nature requiring immediate attention, the Executive Committee may take necessary action by the following measures:
   1. Two-thirds (2/3) of the whole Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum necessary for taking any action;
   2. All actions shall be made upon a favorable vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the quorum;
   3. Voting by telephone is acceptable;
   4. All votes shall be recorded by name; and
   5. A report on said action shall be made to the next meeting of the County Committee.
3. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held as necessary with prior notice made to all members of the Executive Committee.
4. The Executive Committee shall maintain a search for potential candidates.
5. The Executive Committee shall perform any other tasks as may be from time to time assigned by the County Committee.
6. The Executive Committee shall keep minutes of all meetings and votes shall be recorded as stated and these records shall be open and available on request.

Article Eleventh: Meetings of the County Committee

1. Meetings of the County Committee shall occur on a monthly basis unless otherwise agreed to by the County Committee. The Chair may call special meetings as needed, and a meeting shall be called upon the written request of at least five (5) County Committee members.
2. Written notice of all meetings shall be sent to all County Committee members at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting and shall include information concerning date, time, place and agenda.
3. Unless otherwise agreed to by the County Committee, all meetings shall be conducted according to the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, a copy of which shall be available at all County Committee meetings.
4. The order of business at a regular County Committee meeting, unless decided upon differently by the County Committee, shall be:
   1. Lectures, guest speakers, etc. (unless scheduled elsewhere);
   2. Reading of the minutes of the last County Committee meeting;
   3. Financial report;
   4. Reports of the Officers;
   5. Reports of any Committees;
   6. Old business;
   7. New business;
   8. Adjournment.
5. Notice of cancellation of County Committee meetings shall be reported on Rockland radio station WRKD, 1450 AM and Camden radio station WQSS "Coast" 102.5 FM as soon as possible.

Article Twelfth: The Quorum

1. Fifteen percent (15%) of the membership in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of County Committee business.
2. A quorum shall be considered present at all meetings unless a count is requested by two (2) members in good standing.
3. Unless otherwise specified herein, any action taken by the County Committee shall be effective only if adopted by a simple majority of those present at a County Committee meeting. Action to adjourn shall take effect if adopted by a majority of those present, regardless of the number.

Article Thirteenth: Proxies

1. In compliance with the rules of the Maine Democratic Party, proxies and voting by proxy shall not be allowed at any time.

Article Fourteenth: Officer and Member Resignations

1. Any County Committee member or officer may resign at any time. Such resignations shall be in writing and shall take effect at the time designated therein or upon receipt by the Chair or Secretary.
2. Resignation by a County Committee officer does not automatically imply resignation from the County Committee, unless so specified.
3. The Chair shall inform the appropriate municipal Chair of a resignation immediately upon notification of same.
4. Any County Committee member who has missed three (3) consecutive meetings without good and sufficient cause may be deemed by the County Committee to have resigned. Before such determination, however, the Chair must make a good-faith effort to contact said member.

Article Fifteenth: Officer and Member Removal

1. Any County Committee member may be removed by the member's municipal committee because of inaction or impropriety. Removal shall require a two- thirds (2/3) vote by the municipal committee members present at a meeting called for that purpose by written notice sent at least seven (7) days prior to said meeting.
2. An officer of the County Committee may be removed because of inaction or impropriety by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of County Committee members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose by written notice sent to all County Committee members at least seven (7) days prior to said meeting.

Article Sixteenth: Filling of Vacancies

1. Vacancies within the membership of the County Committee shall be filled by vote of the municipal committee when possible and otherwise by means of an appointment by the municipal Chair. As a matter of last resort, if a vacancy cannot be filled by the municipality, an enrolled Democrat from that municipality may be elected by the County Committee.
2. County Committee officers who are unable to complete their terms shall be replaced by the following procedures:
   1. Chair -- the Vice-Chair shall assume the position for the remainder of the term.
   2. All other officers -- by majority vote of the membership present at a County Committee meeting duly called for that purpose or at the next regular meeting held with notice sent to the members at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

Article Seventeenth: Bylaws

1. At the first County Committee meeting following the biennial caucuses, copies of the County Committee bylaws and a list of all County Committee members shall be made available by the Recording Secretary. A copy of these bylaws and/or the membership list shall otherwise be made available to any member by the Recording Secretary or the Bylaws Committee Chair upon request.
2. Subsequent to the election of officers at the biennial meeting, the members of the County Committee shall reaffirm the existing bylaws, adopt revised bylaws, or direct a revision of the bylaws for the consideration of the membership within the following sixty (60) days. Only during the biennial election-year meeting may the bylaws be revised without prior written notice.
3. To revise or amend these bylaws, the following shall occur:
   1. The revision or amendment shall be submitted to or originated by the Bylaws Committee and said committee shall make a report and recommendation to the County Committee at a regularly scheduled County Committee meeting;
   2. Written notice and text of the proposed amendment or revision must be sent to all County Committee members at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting scheduled to consider such;
   3. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting must favor the amendment or revision for it to be adopted.
   4. Notice of the amendment or revision of these bylaws shall be made to all County Committee members within thirty (30) days of such action by the Corresponding Secretary.
4. Upon adoption or revision of these bylaws, the Corresponding Secretary shall file a copy with the Maine Democratic Party Headquarters.

Article Eighteenth: Financial Policy

1. The following policies regarding financial matters shall be followed:
   1. Allocated County Committee monies shall only be alloted to Knox County candidates by the Campaign Finance and Budget Committee unless a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the County Committee members shall decide otherwise.
   2. At least seven (7) days prior notice shall be made to all County Committee members regarding matters involving the expenditure of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more.

These Bylaws of the Knox County Democratic Committee were adopted June 11, 1991 and confirmed at the biennial meetings held January 12, 1993, January 10, 1995, and January 12, 1997 at Stella Maris, Rockland, Maine by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present.

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