Bylaws

PREAMBLE

We, the Democrats of the North Gulf Region, who reside within the boundaries of current Alaska State House Districts 29, 30, 31, and 32 have joined together to form the Gulf Coast Democrats and have adopted these Bylaws.

ARTICLE I. NAME AND AFFILIATION

Section 1. Name: The organization name shall be Gulf Coast Democrats.

Section 2. Affiliation: Gulf Coast Democrats is affiliated as a Tier II Regional Organization of the Alaska Democratic Party, as defined in the Party Plan of Organization, Article V, Section J.

ARTICLE II. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Gulf Coast Democrats is organized and authorized to develop and implement activities designed to enhance the interests of Democrats in the North Gulf Region, the State of Alaska, and the nation. To these ends Gulf Coast Democrats will work to:

● Stimulate an active interest in governmental affairs.

● Promote involvement in the political process.

● Enlist voters in the Democratic Party.

● Recruit and develop candidates who will champion our citizens and our values.

● Ensure accountability to the Party’s Platform and other issues by Democratic Party candidates and elected officials.

● Advise Democratic Party leadership of our collective concerns and desires.

● Encourage cooperation and respect among Democrats.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility: Membership in Gulf Coast Democrats is open to all registered Democrats in the area defined in the Preamble and the North Gulf Region and those Democrats residing in any identified adjoining precinct.

Section 2. Dues: No dues shall be assessed.

Section 3. Anti-Discrimination Declaration: Discrimination based on gender, race, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, national origin, physical disability, and skin color is strictly prohibited in the affairs of the Gulf Coast Democrats.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS: DUTIES, ELECTIONS, RECALLS

Section 1. Executive Board: The Executive Board shall be made up of the officers as outlined in Section 2 of this article, the duly elected Regional-Vice Chairs from the North Gulf Region, and the chair of each district or the district chair’s designee. If there is no chair in a district, the Gulf Coast Chair may appoint a member of that district to serve as the district’s representative.

A. Quorum: A Quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of a simple majority of filled Board seats. Proxies are allowed and may be used to establish a quorum.

B. Meetings: The Chair may call a meeting with as much reasonable notice as can be given.

Section 2. Officers: The officers of the Gulf Coast Democrats shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary.

A. Chair: The Chair, subject to the direction of the Executive Board (See Section 1 of this Article) or the Gulf Coast Democrats as an organization, shall direct the operations of the organization, shall preside over meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board, and shall carry out those duties delegated by the Executive Board or by this organization at a meeting of its members. The Chair shall also represent the Gulf Coast Democrats on the State Central Committee of the Alaska Democratic Party.

B. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair, shall represent the organization on the State Central Committee and shall carry out other duties as delegated by the Executive Board, the Chair, or assigned by this organization at a duly called meeting of its members.

C. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive and disburse funds of this organization and shall keep a record of receipts and disbursements that shall be reported monthly or upon demand of the Chair, the Executive Board, or the members in a meeting of this organization. Monthly income and expense reports will be presented at each executive meeting. All expenditures over $100 require a majority vote of the general membership at a duly called meeting.

The Treasurer shall file all Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) reports in a timely manner, make regular reports to the

Alaska Democratic Party as outlined in its Party Plan of Organization, and perform such other duties as assigned by the Chair or the Executive Board. The Treasurer, while holding office, shall not be treasurer or vice treasurer of any other state-wide campaign, candidate or ballot proposition.

D. Secretary: The Secretary shall attend all Executive Board and general membership meetings and shall keep, or cause to

be kept, a true and complete record of the proceedings of such meetings. The Secretary shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices, and shall perform such additional duties as these Bylaws require or the Executive Board shall assign.

Section 3. Election of Officers: Officers of the Gulf Coast Democrats shall be elected at the biennial Regional Caucus, held every general election year at least one month before the Alaska State Democratic Convention.

A. Majority Vote: The candidate who receives a majority (greater than 50%) of votes cast shall be declared elected to that office.

B. No Majority: If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the candidates who received the greatest and second greatest number of votes cast shall participate in a runoff election. The candidate in the runoff election receiving the greater number of votes cast shall be declared elected.

C. Assumption of Office: The officers-elect shall assume their duties at the close of the biennial Regional Caucus of the organization. Officers will serve for 2 years or until their successors are chosen.

D. No Candidates: If, at the time of the election, no candidate has declared for any of the offices, the Chair — in a reasonable time after the election — shall appoint an eligible member to fill that position and report the appointment to the Executive Board.

E. Vacancy in Office: In the event of a vacancy in office, the Chair shall appoint an eligible replacement to serve the remaining portion of the term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall succeed to the office of the Chair, and the Executive Board shall elect a Vice-Chair.

F. Vice Chair: The Vice Chair may not be from the same district as the chair.

Section 4. Recall of Officers: Any officer of the Gulf Coast Democrat may be recalled for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance of assigned duties. The Executive Board shall adopt procedures by which recall proceedings may be initiated, noticed, considered, and decided. The recall procedures adopted by the Executive Board shall include direction regarding the confidentiality of proceedings and whether the proceedings are open to eligible members of the Gulf Coast Democrats. A recall vote must pass with a 2⁄3 vote at a general membership meeting.

ARTICLE V. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. Establishment of standing committees: A standing committee may be established by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Leadership of standing committees: The chair of the standing committee will be appointed by a majority of Executive Board members. Standing committees should meet at least once per month and there will be at least one member of the Executive Board on each standing committee.

ARTICLE VI. AD HOC COMMITTEES

Section 1. Establishment and Conduct of Ad Hoc Committees: Ad Hoc committees shall be formed through a motion at a Monthly Meeting. Any member of the Gulf Coast Democrats can be a member or a Chair of an Ad Hoc Committee. Ad Hoc committees will be composed of at least three members. Ad Hoc committees may be created to perform a specific task and shall be dissolved when the task is completed and the final committee report has been given. The Chair of the Gulf Coast Democrats shall appoint the Chair of an Ad Hoc committee.

ARTICLE VII. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

Section 1. Attendance: All meetings are open to all eligible members of the Gulf Coast Democrats as well as to members of the public, except as otherwise noted in these Bylaws. If an officer is absent without notifying the chair or secretary for two consecutive meetings, the officer may be removed and the executive committee will appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term.

Section 2. Meetings: Meeting shall be held on the Second Saturday of each month at 10am, unless otherwise notified. Meetings may be canceled by a majority of the executive board. All meetings shall have at least a one-week notice. Effort will be made to publish meeting notices in the local media.

Section 3. Voting: Each member is entitled to one vote. Voting by proxy is allowed if all due notice of the meeting has been made. No person may carry more than four (4) total votes including her or his own. Electronic or telephonic attendance and voting during the actual time of a meeting is allowed.

Section 4. Parliamentary Authority: On matters not covered by these Bylaws or rules adopted by a committee or the general membership, the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority of proceedings at all meetings of the Gulf Coast Democrats.

Section 5. Gulf Coast Democrats Caucus: In election years, Gulf Coast Democrats shall hold their regional Caucuses at least one month before the State Convention. This Caucus shall have the authority to elect a Caucus Chair and Secretary, to elect officers, to discuss and adopt a platform for Gulf Coast Democrats, to conduct a presidential fan-out in presidential election years, and to endorse Gulf Coast Democratic candidacies. Arrangements and notice for this Caucus shall be the responsibility of the Gulf Coast Democrats’ Executive Board.

Section 6. Duration of Meetings: Limit the duration of each meeting. The meeting may be extended by the support of two thirds of the meeting participants.

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1: These Bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds (2⁄3) of the members present at a biennial caucus or at a duly called Gulf Coast Democrats General Membership meeting where a quorum is present and proper notice has been given.

Amended and adopted on this 14th day of February 2021