ByLaws – Suffield Democratic Town Committee
Article 1 – Policies
The mission of the Suffield Democratic Town Committee (hereinafter, “Town Committee”) is to advocate for excellence in an efficient, proactive and inclusive Town Government. To this end, the Town Committee will: seek and present qualified Democratic candidates to all boards and commissions; actively encourage Suffield’s citizens to participate in the democratic process; take positions on issues of importance to Suffield and the Democratic Party; and monitor Suffield’s boards and commissions to ensure their commitment to the above democratic principles.
The Town Committee’s meetings are open to all members of the public unless and until said meeting is voted into executive session.
The Town Committee does not discriminate based on sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnic identity or disability nor does it tolerate those who do and will actively oppose discrimination of all kinds.
Article 2 – Election of Town Committee
Section 1: The Town Committee shall consist of not more than 50 members who shall be elected at large. Candidates for membership to the Town Committee may seek the party endorsement of the Democratic Party at a caucus called for that purpose in even numbered years in accordance with the rules of the Democratic Party of the State of Connecticut, as amended from time to time.
Section 2: In the event no party endorsement is made, election of the Town Committee shall be made by direct primary in accordance with the rules of the Democratic Party of the State of Connecticut, as amended from time to time. No person shall be elected to or shall hold the position of Town Committee Member unless the candidate’s name appears on the current enrollment list of the Democratic Party.
Section 3: The first Tuesday in March shall be designated Primary Day for the election of the Town Committee Members.
Section 4: Candidates for Town Committee Members chosen as provided in Section 1 above, shall run in the Primary for Town Committee as party-endorsed candidates provided such candidates shall be elected as Members of the Town Committee if no valid opposing candidacy has been filed.
Section 5: Members of the Town Committee shall serve for a term of two (2) years, commencing on the day following the day established for holding the primary for election of said Town Committee Members and ending on the day established for the holding of the primary for the election of the Members of the succeeding Town Committee. The provisions of this section shall apply notwithstanding the lack of cause for a primary to elect said Members.
Section 6: Any vacancy on the Town Committee, arising from any cause including failure to elect, may be filled by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of the Town Committee Members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose. In the event that a vote is taken that shall result in a tie, such tie vote shall be resolved by the vote of the Chair of the Town Committee, 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.
Section 7: The Town Committee, at a meeting called for that purpose, may, by a majority vote of those present and voting, increase its membership, provided that all new members shall be duly elected and begin their term on the day following the day established for the holding of the primary for the election of the members of the succeeding Town Committee.
Article 3 – Officers
Section 1: Within thirty days after the day fixed for the holding of a primary election, the Members-elect of the Town Committee shall meet for organization and shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Chair of the Town Committee in office immediately prior to the day of said primary shall call said organizational meeting. If such Chair fails, for any reason, to call such organizational meeting within the period prescribed, it shall be the duty of the Vice Chair serving concurrently with said Chair to do so within 48 hours. If such Vice Chair fails, for any reason, to call such an organizational meeting, it shall be the duty of the State Central Committee members who represent Suffield to call such organizational meeting within 48 hours.
Section 2: The officers of the Town Committee will be elected from within the membership of the Town Committee. In the event that a vote is taken that shall result in a tie, such tie vote shall be resolved by the vote of the Chair of the Town Committee, 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.
Section 3: Officers so elected shall hold office for the term of the Town Committee electing them or until their successors have been elected.
Section 4: Each officer shall have the duties as described below:
Section 5: Within one week after organization of the Town Committee, the Secretary shall file with the Secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee a list of the names and addresses of the officers and members of the Town Committee and the names of the Democratic Registrar of Voters.
Section 6: If there shall be a vacancy in any office of the Town Committee arising from any cause, the Town Committee shall fill the same by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose. In the event that a vote is taken that shall result in a tie, such tie vote shall be resolved by the vote of the Chair of the Town Committee, or the acting chair as the case may be, 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.
Section 7: In the event that any of the officer’s position becomes vacant it will be filled in accordance with Section 6. However, during the time prior to the necessary vote, the order of succession is as follows: If the Chair’s position should become vacant, the Vice Chair shall become the acting Chair with all duties and responsibilities attendant therein; if the position of Vice Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer becomes vacant, the Chair is empowered to appoint a member of the Town Committee to that position until a vote can be taken in accordance with Section 6.
Article 4 – Meetings
Section 1: The Town Committee shall meet at least six times per year. The Secretary shall give reasonable notice of the time, place and purpose of such meetings in writing to all members of the Committee and to the municipal clerk and shall post such notice at the town’s designated meeting posting place.
Section 2: Special meetings of the Town Committee may be called by the Chair or upon written request, signed by twenty percent (20%) of the members of the Committee presented to the Chair. Upon the decision of the Chair to call a special meeting or upon receipt of such a written request the Chair shall instruct the Secretary to give reasonable notice of the time, place and purpose of such meeting in writing to all members of the Town Committee.
Section 3: Two-fifths (40%) of the membership of the Town Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4: Robert’s Rules of Order (newly revised) shall be construed as applicable, controlling, and conclusive on parliamentary issues, except as herein otherwise provided.
Section 5: The use of secret ballots, or any form of secret voting is prohibited for any vote being held at a Town Committee meeting.
Article 5 – Committees
There shall be at least five standing sub-committees of the Town Committee:
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of the four officers of the Town Committee, the chairs of the sub-committees specified below and three members-at-large nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting. The Executive Committee is the managing body of the Town Committee and shall set policy, coordinate events, and closely assist all of the below sub-committees in their assigned tasks.
Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members, nominated by the Chair of the Town Committee and approved by majority vote of the members present and voting. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall be elected by its members and shall serve for the term of the respective Town Committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for ensuring that the Town Committee nominates qualified and competent individuals, who are imbued with Democratic principles, for the various Town elective or appointed positions. The Nominating Committee will work closely with the Town Committee Chair to actively recruit and coach such candidates.
Membership Committee: The Membership Committee shall consist of a Chair and an undesignated number of members. The Chair of the Membership Committee shall be appointed by the Chair of the Town Committee and shall serve for the term of said Town Committee Chair. The Membership Committee is responsible for attracting new members to the Democratic Party and the Town Committee.
Events and Programs Committee: The Events Committee shall consist of a Chair and an undesignated number of members. The Chair of the Events Committee shall be appointed by the Chair of the Town Committee and shall serve for the term of said Town Committee Chair. In addition, the Events Committee may have an unlimited number of Vice Chairs appointed by the Town Committee Chair or the Events Committee Chair to serve in leadership roles for designated events. The Events Committee is responsible for organizing a quarterly Town Committee event which will be designated by the Town Committee Chair.
Public Relations Committee: The Public Relations Committee shall consist of a Chair and an undesignated number of members. The Chair of the Public Relations Committee shall be appointed by the Chair of the Town Committee and shall serve for the term of said Town Committee Chair. The Public Relations Committee is responsible for ensuring that the Chai is an active and dynamic organization with a clear and effective philosophy of Town Government. The Public Relations Committee will ensure that the Town Committee’s policies and happenings are clearly communicated to the Town through all available media and shall develop innovative ways in which to market those policies.
Other Committees: Other committees may be designated when deemed necessary by the Town Committee Chair. The scope and purpose of these other discrete committees must be announced by the Town Committee Chair at the first available Town Committee meeting in order to allow an opportunity for input from the Town Committee before the committee will become effective.
Article 6 – Member Duties and Obligations
Section 1. Regular membership in the Town Committee constitutes a firm commitment to the Democratic Party. This commitment shall be fulfilled by:
While not mandated, each member is strongly encouraged to:
Section 2. Associate members of the Town Committee are nonelected members who are appointed by the Town Committee and are an important part of our committee. Associate members are strongly encouraged to participate in all the activities listed above but are only requested to make a donation annually to the Town Committee. Their presence at meetings shall not count towards a quorum nor shall they be permitted to vote on any issues at a Town Committee meeting.
Article 7 – Endorsement of Candidates, Nomination of Municipal Officers, and Selection of Delegates
Section 1: The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in the town of Suffield at a caucus called for the purpose shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting, select party-endorsed candidates for each municipal office.
Section 2: The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in the municipality at a caucus called for the purpose shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting, select party-endorsed candidates for the Town Committee. Notice of the time, place and purpose of said caucus shall be given to all enrolled Democratic voters of the municipality at least five (5) days, but not more than fifteen (15) days in advance of the caucus by publication of the same in a newspaper having general circulation in the town of Suffield.
Section 3: The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in the town of Suffield at a caucus called for the purpose shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting, select delegates to conventions. The selection of delegates to any convention shall be by nomination of a slate or by nominations of individual candidates equal to the number of delegates to which the town is entitled under the state rules of the Democratic Party. All nominees must be a duly enrolled party member.
Section 4: If for any reason the Town Committee fails to make sufficient endorsements of candidates for municipal office or selection of delegates to conventions, State Party Rules should be used.
Section 5. The secretary and the chairperson or presiding officer of the Town Committee or caucus, as the case may be, shall certify to the municipal the names and street addresses of the party-endorsed candidates and delegates selected as provided in Sections 3 and 4 above, the title of the office or position as delegate for which each person is endorsed or selected, and where appropriate, the date upon which the primary is to be held. In the case of the endorsement of a person for an office for whom only the electors of a political subdivision of the municipality may vote, the secretary of the Town Committee shall certify to the municipal clerk the name or number of such political sub-division.
Section 6. Each party endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office shall be made not earlier than the fifty-sixth (56th) day nor later than the forty-ninth (49th) day preceding the day of the primary and shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality, by the chairperson or presiding officer and secretary of the Town Committee not later than the forty-eighth (48th) day preceding the day of the primary.
Section 7. Each selection of delegates to a state or district convention shall be made not earlier than the one-hundred-fortieth (140th) day and not later than the one-hundred-thirty-third (133rd) day preceding the day of the primary for such state or district office, and shall be certified to the municipal clerk by the presiding officer and Secretary of the Caucus not later than the one-hundred-thirty-second (132nd) day preceding the day of the primary.
Section 8. In the event that a vote taken on the selection of a party-endorsed candidate or delegate results in a tie, such tie vote shall be resolved by the vote of the chairperson of the caucus, but this provision shall not affect the chairperson’s right to cast any vote as a participant of the caucus to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The chairperson cannot, however, after voting as a participant of the caucus, vote again to create a tie.
Section 9. Each delegate to a convention selected in conformity with these rules may in writing designate an alternate delegate or a proxy to act for he or she in his or her absence. Should the delegate fail to designate an alternate prior to the start of the convention, the chair of the Town Committee is empowered to select an alternate for that delegate.
Section 10. If a party-endorsed candidate for nomination to a municipal office prior to twenty-four (24) hours before the opening of the polls at the primary, dies, or, prior to ten (10) days before the day of the primary, withdraws his or her name from nomination, or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office or position for which he or she is a candidate, an endorsement may be made to fill such vacancy by the Town Committee, by a majority of the Town Committee members present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose. 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 corresponding secretary of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the endorsement to fill such vacancy to the Democratic Registrar of Voters. No candidate shall be deemed to have withdrawn until a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate is filed with the municipal clerk.
Section 11. Whenever the Town Committee is officially notified that a Democratic Party vacancy exists in an elective Town office, the Executive Committee shall, by a majority vote, endorse a single candidate to fill that Town office, and certify that endorsement to the proper Town official in a timely fashion.
Section 12. As used in these rules, “municipal office” means any office for which only the electors of the town or service district may vote and includes the office of each elective public official of the town or service district and justice of the peace.
Section 1: Special caucuses may be called for any lawful purpose by a majority of the Town Committee or by not less than ten percent (10%) of the registered Democratic voters in the Town. The call for any such special caucus shall be in writing. If it is called by vote of the Town Committee, it shall be signed by the Chair of the Town Committee. If it is called by not less than ten percent (10%) of the registered Democratic voters, it shall be signed by each of the persons issuing the same.
Section 2: Notice of time, place and purpose of any such special caucus shall be given to all registered Democratic voters of the Town at least five (5) days in advance of any such special caucus by publishing such notice at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the town of Suffield.
Section 3: The Town Chair shall be the Chair of all special caucuses, unless he or she requests that he or she be temporarily excused to take the floor, in which event he or she may appoint a temporary chair. The Secretary of the Town Committee shall act as Secretary at all special caucuses, unless he or she requests that he or she be temporarily excused to take the floor, in which event he or she may appoint a temporary secretary.
Article 9 – Primaries – Nominations To Office And Election Of Committee Members And Delegates
Section 1. The nominations of the Democratic Party to all offices and the election of members of the Town Committee shall be made in all respects as provided in the State Party Rules, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Section 2. Whenever a primary for nomination to a municipal office or election of Town Committee members is to be held, the nominee of the Democratic Party for such office and the members of the Town Committee shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast.
Section 3. If a nomination has been made for a municipal office and the nominee thereafter but prior to twenty-four (24) hours before such opening of the polls on the day of the election for which such nomination has been made, dies, withdraws his or her name, or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office or position for which he or she has been nominated, a nomination to fill such vacancy may be made by the Town Committee, by a majority of the Town Committee members present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose. 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. In the case of a withdrawal, said nomination shall not be valid until the candidate who has withdrawn has filed a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate with the Secretary of the State and also has filed a copy with the municipal clerk. The chairperson of the Town Committee shall certify the nomination to fill such vacancy to the Secretary of the State, and shall file a copy with the municipal clerk. Such certifications of a nomination to fill a vacancy due to death or disqualification shall include a statement setting forth the reason for such vacancy.
Section 1: The Town Committee may amend these rules by a majority vote of its entire membership at a regular or special meeting called that purpose. These rules may also be amended by a caucus of enrolled party members called by the Chair of the Town Committee upon the filing of a petition signed by at least five (5) percent, but not more than five hundred (500) enrolled party members with the Democratic Registrar of Voters. The Chair, or in the event of his or her failure to act, the Vice Chair, shall call such caucus to take action on said petition within twenty (20) days upon filing of said petition with the Democratic Registrar of Voters.
Entire membership for the purpose of this article is defined as the entire membership of the Town Committee and not just those present at the meeting where these amendments are being voted on.
Section 2: A vote may only take place at a regular or special meeting provided that changes have been discussed at a special hearing or regular meeting at least 30 days prior to the vote or sent in writing to the membership of the Town Committee.
A copy of these rules, or any amendments thereof, shall be filed with the municipal clerk, the Secretary of the State and the secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee within 30 days after adoption by the Democratic Party in Suffield. These rules or any amendments to these rules shall not be effective until sixty (60) days after the filing of the same with the Secretary of the State and shall be deemed to cover the operations of the Democratic Party in Suffield until such time as the party adopts a rule or amendment on the same subject matter, consistent with these rules and the State Party Rules.
If any provision of these rules is found to be in conflict with the provisions of the State Party Rules, the provisions of the State Party Rules shall govern. The nominations of the Democratic Party to all public offices and the election of Town Committee Members and delegates to conventions shall be made in all respects as provided in the State Party Rules, as amended.
Article 13 – Censure
The Town Committee, by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at an executive session called for that purpose, may censure any member for good cause. Good cause shall include, but shall not be limited to, the abuse of discretion of office and the failure to perform duties assigned by vote of the Town Committee.
Article 14 – Party Platform
The Town Committee Chair will ensure that a Party Platform is developed annually to be presented to the Town Committee for endorsement during the April meeting.
Article 15 – Conclusion
The above revised and amended Rules governing the Democratic Party of the Town of Suffield were approved at a duly warned meeting of the Democratic Town Committee on July 24, 2023.
Adopted by the Suffield Democratic Town Committee: June 30, 1983.
Revised and adopted by the Suffield Democratic Town Committee: January 22, 1997
Further revised and adopted by the Suffield Democratic Town Committee: October 11,2006
Further revised and adopted by the Suffield Democratic Town Committee: April 26, 2012
Further revised and adopted by the Suffield Democratic Town Committee: July 24, 2023
7/24/23
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