Bylaws of the Boxford Democratic Town Committee

Approved by the Committee on June 12, 2024. (Available as a PDF here.)

Article I. Organization

(1) Name

This organization shall be known as the Boxford Democratic Town Committee (“Committee”).

(2) Statutory Authority

The Committee is organized and constituted under the authority and provisions of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Article II. Object

The Committee’s objectives shall be

  • to foster and advance the ideals and aims of the Democratic Party;

  • to work and organize for the success of the Democratic candidates of the Town of Boxford, Essex County, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Union; and

  • to do all things necessary and incidental to the building and strengthening of the Democratic Party in Boxford and Massachusetts.

Article III. Membership

(1) Committee Size

The Committee shall consist of no more than thirty-five (35) members or such other number as is designated and reported to the Massachusetts Secretary of State before the upcoming presidential primary election. At the organizational meeting described in Section 4.01, the Committee may add to its elected members provided that its membership does not exceed the total allowed by law as found on file with the Secretary of State’s Office.

(2) Tenure

To be eligible for Committee membership, candidates must be registered as Democrats in Boxford. Candidates shall be elected in a presidential election year for a period of four (4) years together with those elected to membership by the members of the Committee, in conformance with the provisions of law.

(3) Membership Obligations

(a) Residence Requirement

Any duly elected Committee member who ceases to reside in Boxford during their Committee tenure shall cease to be a member of the Committee.

(b) Filling of Vacancies

Vacancies shall be filled by a Committee vote. Associate members shall be the candidates first considered for filling any such vacancies.

(c) Performance

Members and officers pledge themselves, as elected officials, to perform their duties diligently and honorably or resign.

(d) Removal of Members

Members of the Committee may be removed by procedures guaranteeing adequate notice and due process and by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Committee of which they are a member for

  • Failure to attend at least half of the regularly scheduled committee meetings during any calendar year;

  • Public support for or financial contribution to an opponent of a nominee of the Democratic Party, which nominee publicly supports the platform of the Democratic Party as adopted at the most recent state and national Democratic conventions;

  • Unauthorized use of the Party name or resources; or

  • Conviction after appeals are exhausted of a criminal offense other than a misdemeanor.

A member shall be given an opportunity to resign before the hearing notice is issued on the removal question is given to the membership of the Committee.

A member removed under the present article shall have 30 days to appeal to the Democratic State Committee Judicial Council. The vacancy thus created may not be filled until the Judicial Council is issued a final decision in the matter.

Members may also be removed as set out in Section 3 of the Massachusetts Democratic Party By-Laws.

(4) Associate Members

The Committee may vote to authorize the appointment of associate members at any meeting. Associate members are ineligible to vote but shall have such other powers and duties as the Committee may designate.

Article IV. Officers

(1) Election of Officers

(a) Organizational Meeting

Following the election of Committee members, the Committee shall hold an organizational meeting, in order to elect members to fill the offices of chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, affirmative action and outreach adviser, and such other offices as it may decide to establish or elect (“Office” and “Officer” or “Officers”). The chair and vice chair may not be of the same sex.

(b) Tenure

These Officers shall be elected at the Committee’s organizational meeting that follows the caucus in a presidential election year, and shall serve until the next organizational meeting.

(c) 20-Year Rule

No Officer shall be eligible for reelection to said Office upon serving as such Officer for twenty (20) years.

(2) Establishment and Composition of Executive Committee

(a) Executive Committee Establishment

An Executive Committee shall be established consisting of the Committee Officers and other Officers elected under Section 4.01.

(b) Executive Committee Composition

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Affirmative Action and Outreach Adviser.

(c) Executive Committee Vacancies

In the event of the death, resignation, or permanent removal from the Committee of any of the above named officers, their positions shall be declared vacant and be filled at the next regular Committee meeting. A statement of such changes in Committee Officers shall be sent immediately by the Secretary of the Committee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, to the Secretary of the Democratic State Committee and the Boxford Town Clerk.

(3) Roles and Responsibilities of Officers

(a) Chair

In addition to any duties required by law, the Chair shall preside at all Committee meetings and shall have general charge and supervision of all Committee activities. The Chair shall have the power to appoint all standing committees and such other special committees as are created from time to time.

(b) Vice Chair

The Vice Chair shall preside at all Committee meetings in the absence of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall perform all duties and have the powers of the Chair in the Chair’s temporary absence.

(c) Secretary

The Secretary shall keep a record of all Committee proceedings and shall issue notice by electronic mail to each member of each meeting of the Committee at least seven (7) days before the meeting date. The Secretary shall file with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Secretary of the Democratic State Committee and the Boxford Town Clerk, a list of the officers and members of the Committee no later than ten (10) days after the organization of the Committee. Similarly and with the same officials, the Secretary shall file a statement of changes in the organization or Committee membership immediately.

(d) Treasurer

The Treasurer shall maintain custody of all funds belonging to the Committee and shall pay all orders subject to the approval of the Chair and shall procure and file vouchers for all such payments. No Committee funds shall be expended by the Treasurer outside the regular activities or expense thereof except upon the approval of a majority of the Committee at a special or regular meeting. The Treasurer shall submit a report of the Committee’s financial condition and transactions at all regular meetings. A detailed report shall be provided at least annually. Additionally, the Treasurer shall file reports with the appropriate state and local offices with regard to fundraising.

(e) Affirmative Action and Outreach Adviser

The Affirmative Action and Outreach Adviser shall be responsible for developing strategies and activities to expand Committee participation by the Democratic Party’s Affirmative Action target groups.

(4) Calling Meetings Without the Consent of the Chair

The Executive Committee shall have the power to act upon any and all matters pertaining to the Committee that might arise between Committee meetings.

Seven (7) members of the Committee may request a meeting by submitting a written petition to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall call such meeting within two (2) weeks.

Article V. Meetings

(1) Quorum

The presence of one-third of the Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings. Any business transacted at meetings without a quorum shall be subject to a request of written consent of a quorum of Committee members afterward by email to the Secretary.

The Chair shall have the power to call all special and regular Committee meetings at such time or times as may seem to the Chair to be advisable, subject only to the vote of the Committee in fixing the number of regular meetings to be held during the course of the year.

(2) Order of Business

The order of business at meetings shall be

  1. Calling the roll of officers and members and announcement of quorum (sign-in sheets may be used in lieu of roll call)

  2. Reading the minutes of the previous meeting

  3. Treasurers Report

  4. Reports of officers and committees

  5. Reading of communications addressed to the Committee

  6. Old or unfinished business

  7. New business

  8. State Committee Reports

  9. Speaker

  10. Adjournment

The order of business may be waived by a two-thirds vote of the elected members present and voting.

(3) Meeting Frequency

Regular meetings of the Committee shall be held at least four (4) times in non-election years and six (6) times in election years, at least once each quarter.

Article VI. Bylaws

(1) Bylaws Committee

The Chair shall appoint a Bylaws Committee from the duly elected members. The Chair shall designate the chair of the Bylaws Committee.

(2) Amendments to Bylaws

The present Bylaws may be amended or repealed at any regularly called meeting of duly elected Committee members, provided any such proposed amendment or petition to repeal is made in writing, is signed by the proposing Committee member, and has been received by the Chair before the call of the meeting at which the proposal in question is to be acted upon. Proposed bylaw amendments shall be sent to all members with the meeting notice and must be notified at least 30 days in advance. Bylaws may be changed by majority vote of the Committee.

Proposed changes to the Bylaws shall be referred forthwith by the Chair to the Bylaws Committee, which shall make a report with its recommendations at the same meeting, if possible, but no later than the following meeting. A majority of the elected members present and voting shall be necessary to overturn the report of the Bylaws Committee or to approve the change in the Bylaws. Bylaws change proposals that contradict the provisions of the Massachusetts Democratic Party By-Laws may not be considered.

Unless and until amended or repealed by the elected members, the present Bylaws shall remain in effect from year to year and no formal motion shall be necessary at any Committee meeting for them to continue in force.