Updates to FDP Bylaws
Good Afternoon Party Leaders, Following our final statewide meeting of the year, Party Affairs wanted to share the updates made to the Party Charter & Bylaws this year. Our Rules Committee has worked hard to move the Party forward by updating our Charter & Bylaws, and to hear each of your suggestions and feedback. Below are the successful amendments made to our Charter & Bylaws this year. As a reminder, the most recent version of the Charter & Bylaws can be viewed on our website at floridadems.org by accessing the "Our Party" drop-down menu to select "Party Affairs & Bylaws."
Vacancies: Congressional District Chairs & Vice Chairs
Bylaws Article IV, Section 2.5: Created to fill vacancies in Congressional District Chair and/or Vice Chair at the next meeting of the State Executive Committee. Such votes shall be conducted in the same manner as is provided for the initial election of Congressional District Chair and Vice Chair.
Changes to State Caucuses
Bylaws Article III, Section 1: Amended to grant presidents of chartered FDP state caucuses membership to the Central Committee. Bylaws Article VI, Section 3: Amended to eliminate the listing of chartered statewide caucuses in order to avoid amending the Bylaws each time a caucus is chartered.
Updates to Quorums & Associate Membership
Charter Article VI, Section 1: Amended to allow for associate membership in clubs, organizations, and caucuses, providing non-voting opportunities to those who might otherwise be unable to participate. Bylaws Article I, Section 1: Amended to lower the DEC quorum threshold to 25% exclusive of automatic members. Clubs and caucuses quorums were amended to 20% for membership 499 or less, and 10% for membership of 500--with the option for clubs and caucuses to establish a higher requirement.
Article V: Changes to Precinct & District Systems
Article V, Section 1: Amended to provide that for every additional 1,000 Democrats registered in a precinct or district, that precinct is entitled to additional representation by one (1) man and one (1) woman. Reminder: As we conclude 2019 and move into a Presidential election year, we want to remind counties that should the Democratic registration of any precinct exceed one thousand (1,000) as of January 1, an additional one (1) man and one (1) woman are entitled to be elected for each additional 1,000 registered Democrats to represent any such precinct/district. We also want to remind counties that are considering a move to the district system that it must be done by majority vote of all county Democratic Executive Committee members prior to December 31. Formal notices to the state chair and Department of State are required to certify this change. For more information, please review the bylaws online and email partyaffairs@floridadems.org.