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Revised and adopted March 26 2023
The name of this organization shall be the Eugene-Springfield Democratic Socialists of America (“the Local Chapter”). Its jurisdiction shall be those who reside and/or work in the Eugene-Springfield area or greater Lane County, or such other jurisdiction as may be conferred by National DSA. Its purposes shall be consistent with those of National DSA. National DSA is a not-for-profit corporation.
The Eugene-Springfield Local Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is organized exclusively to promote social welfare. It seeks to facilitate the transition to a truly democratic and socialist society, one in which the means/resources of production are democratically and socially controlled.
DSA rejects capitalism, an economic order based on oppression, private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race, gender, disability or sexual orientation, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.
DSA envisions a humane social order based on popular control of resources, production, and economic planning, equitable distribution, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.
Our conception of socialism is a profoundly democratic one. It is rooted in the belief that human beings should be free to develop to their fullest potential, that public policies should be determined not by wealth but by popular participation, and that individual liberties should be carefully safeguarded. It is committed to a freedom of speech that does not recoil from dissent, to a freedom to organize independent trade unions, women’s groups, political parties, and other formations — recognizing these as essential bulwarks against the dangers of an intrusive state. It is committed to a freedom of religion that acknowledges the rights of those for whom spiritual concerns are central.
We are socialists because we are developing a concrete strategy for achieving that vision. In the present, we are building a visible socialist presence within the broad democratic Left. In the long run, we hope to build a majority movement capable of making democratic socialism a reality in the United States. Our strategy acknowledges the class structure of the U.S. society. This class structure means that there is a basic conflict of interest between those sectors with enormous economic power and the vast majority of the population.
Members of the Eugene-Springfield Local Chapter of DSA will be those individuals who are in good standing with the Local Chapter, who reside and/or work in the Eugene-Springfield area or greater Lane County. Members considered in ‘good standing’ with the Local Chapter pay Local Chapter dues in an amount of their choosing via electronic means (e.g. Patreon) with cash or by check. The Local Chapter keeps all these dues and the Member gets full voting rights for all Local Chapter matters. Members who only pay Local dues do not get voting rights for strictly DSA National matters such as being a delegate to national convention or eligibility for national working groups (such as the Electoral working group).
Members who pay dues to the National DSA via their Membership form will be eligible for all Local and National privileges mentioned above. Members who pay dues to both the National DSA and the Local Chapter do not get any additional privileges. Members who would like a dues waiver can apply for one via National DSA’s Dues Waiver Request Form. Dues waivers are not possible for the Local Chapter at this time.
Individuals who are already Members or become Members of another chapter of National DSA may not also be Members of this Local Chapter. It will be the responsibility of Members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, to elect the Local Chapter’s Officers, to elect delegates to the national convention, to vote on matters related to local and national policy, to make recommendations on issues, policies, activities, and ongoing efforts pursuant to local or national political goals, and to contribute toward the Local Chapter’s goals as described in Article II.
Subsection 1. Active Membership.
Members wishing to be nominated or self-nominating for Local Chapter Office must be an Active Member within the Local Chapter starting three months before the date they self-nominate or are nominated. Active Membership within the Local Chapter is defined as the equivalent of 1 hour a month for three months in volunteer time with the Local Chapter, which can include participation at a meeting, campaigning or organizing. Contributions do not include social events absent of campaigning/organizing components, discussions on social media, contributing Local Chapter dues or Local Chapter donations.
Section 2. Resignation and Expulsion.
Any Member may resign from National DSA by submitting an email or letter of resignation to the National Director of National DSA. Any Member may resign from the Local Chapter and become an at-large Member of National DSA by sending an email or letter of resignation to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Local Chapter and the National Director. Furthermore, if a Member is found by the chapter’s Human Grievance Officers (HGOs) to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, disruptive behavior, if they are found to have violated the Local Chapter’s Code of Conduct, or if they are found to be under the discipline of any, the Local Chapter may vote to suspend (as defined in the Code of Conduct) or expel them from the Local Chapter. In order for such a finding to be made, another Member must formally proffer a written report against the Member in question to the Local Chapter’s HGOs, which shall set the date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the report. The Member in question must receive a copy of the written report and notice of the meeting a minimum of two weeks before that meeting takes place, as well as an opportunity to speak before Members prior to a determining vote. Suspension or expulsion of a Member shall require a majority vote at this Meeting. A suspended, expelled Member or designee may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA.
Section 3. Voluntary Donations.
As mandated by the national Bylaws, the Local Chapter may establish a system of voluntary donations for the general public. The payment or nonpayment of a Local Chapter donation may not deny Membership or the privileges or the powers of Membership to any individual who remains in good standing with the Local Chapter, including voting or for holding Local Chapter office. Members may not face retaliatory action for the nonpayment of donations or preferential treatment for paying local donations (see the Code of Conduct). Donations shall be kept anonymous to the greatest practical extent.
Section 4. Privacy Concerns.
Care will be taken to protect the privacy of each Member’s contact information. Public information includes the names of Members. Protected information includes but is not limited to Member email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing or physical addresses. To obtain protected information, Members must read the Local Chapter’s Data Use Policy, sign the Data Responsibility Agreement, and undergo training on the appropriate use and handling of personal data by the Local Chapter’s Media & Technology Officers.
Recognizing that law enforcement functions under capitalism to protect private property relations and the interests of the ruling class, rather than the safety and well-being of the people, and recognizing also the severe physical danger posed by the legal system to people of color, the Eugene-Springfield Local Chapter shall not allow participation by those employed or affiliated with any institution forming a part of the carceral system, insofar as their employment or affiliation contributes to the oppressive functions of that system. The carceral system is understood to include police departments, jails and prisons, judges and state prosecutors’ offices, immigration enforcement organizations, federal law enforcement bodies, and labor organizations representing workers in any of the above organizations. Individuals seeking to participate in chapter activities must disclose any employment or political relationships with such organizations. Failure to disclose such a relationship is grounds for suspension or expulsion from the chapter. Individuals working within such organizations in a capacity that does not significantly contribute to their oppressive character, or mitigates it to some degree – working, for instance, as a janitor at a police department, a therapist at a prison, or a public defender at a courthouse – will be allowed to participate in chapter activities, on a case-by-case basis.
Section 1. Annual Meeting.
The Local Chapter will hold a minimum of one Annual Meeting annually, at a date, time, and location agreed upon by the Coordinating Committee within 2 months of the anniversary of the prior Annual Meeting. At least thirty (30) days before the Annual Meeting, all Members of the Local Chapter will be sent notice of the meeting along with a proposed agenda. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address or other means of electronic communication must be sent a paper copy. The Annual Meeting will elect chapter Officers, receive reports of the activities of the chapter, may set the political direction and policies of the chapter and its programming for the coming year, and may adopt an annual budget. The Annual Meeting shall be considered the “Annual Meeting” where local or state law may require such and may coincide with a Regular General Meeting.
The Local Chapter will hold Regular General Meetings at least monthly, the time and place of which shall be set in a schedule published and distributed by the Local Chapter Coordinating Committee. The Regular General Meetings will set Local Chapter policy and work priorities and may include political discussion or education sessions. The Local Chapter Coordinating Committee will propose the agenda for Regular General Meetings.
The Local Chapter Coordinating Committee or an equal number of Members with the Local Chapter plus 1 Member may call a Special Meeting of the Local Chapter on at least seven days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation. No matters other than those listed in the meeting notice may be brought to or raised from the floor at a Special Meeting.
A quorum is reached by having as many Members with the Local Chapter in attendance as elected Coordinating Committee Officers, plus the addition of 1 Member. For example, if 5 elected Coordinating Committee Officers are in attendance, 6 Members would also need to attend to reach quorum. Quorum is required for Annual, Regular General, and Special Meetings (each, when they meet quorum, is a Meeting) to transact business. Should a meeting fail to meet quorum on two consecutive occasions, the Coordinating Committee shall be permitted to modify this formulation, subject to a majority vote of the Members present at the next planned Regular General Meeting.
Members may participate in Meetings by, or through the use of, any means of communication allowing all participants to simultaneously or sequentially communicate with one another, such as teleconference, video-conference, or other available technology. This includes voice votes. Any participant in a Meeting by such means shall be deemed present in person at such meeting.
Any Member who requests an accessibility accommodation and is not present at a Meeting may request the use of a Proxy vote. A Member (Proxy) who is present at a Meeting may hold up to two signed proxy cards from other non-present Members. The Proxy must vote in line with each non-present Member’s directions as written on their proxy card. In the case of a secret ballot, and despite being deemed present by attending electronically, non-physically present Members may use proxies for purposes of voting.
The Coordinating Committee may decide to, or shall, at the request of at least as many Members who attended the most recent Regular General Meeting, hold an online vote that must be made available to Membership by email and all other reasonable means. Members shall be eligible to vote so long as they are Members with the Local Chapter at the start of the online voting period following close of debate. At least as many Members who attended the most recent Regular General Meeting must vote or the vote will be considered invalid for lack of a quorum.
The Coordinating Committee shall announce all online votes to the Membership by email and all other reasonable means. There shall be a 7-day period for debate following the announcement. At the close of debate, there shall be a 7-day voting period during which any eligible Member may vote. The Coordinating Committee may propose a shorter time-frame for discussion or voting, but if any Member objects to the shortened time frame, it may not be shortened. No motions to call the question or extend debate will be allowed, and no amendments will be allowed.
All voting thresholds for a passing vote shall be the same as if the vote were held at an in-person meeting. Votes to abstain will count toward the quorum. A vote can become binding before the close of the 48-hour voting period if the number of votes in favor or against has surpassed the threshold that would be required if all eligible votes were cast.
The Membership, meeting in an Annual, Regular General, or Special Meeting, shall constitute the highest decision-making body of the Local Chapter. All decisions, policies, agendas, statements, and other items of business decided at these Meetings are binding over any other body of the Local Chapter. Meetings may overturn the decisions of prior Meetings, but no other body may.
The Officers of the Local Chapter will be 1 Secretary-Treasurer, 2 Media & Technology Officers, 2 External Organizers, 2 Internal Organizers, and 2 Human Grievance Officers (HGOs). The term of office will be one year, and shall run from June 1 to May 31 or until their successors are elected. Officers are eligible for re-election for up to 2 consecutive terms unless no other candidate is nominated. All Officers must read the Local Chapter’s Data Use Policy, sign the Data Responsibility Agreement, and undergo a training on the appropriate use and handling of personal data by the Local Chapter’s current Media & Technology Officers.
Section 2. Eligibility for Local Chapter Offices.
A Member wishing to self-nominate or be nominated for an office of the Local Chapter must meet all of the following requirements:
If a Local Officer is unable to fulfill their term they can nominate any eligible Member of the Local Chapter to complete the remainder of their term. Eligibility to run will be determined as per Section 2. Eligibility for Local Chapter Offices. Duties ordinarily filled by a Local Nominations Working Group will be conducted by the Local Chapter’s HGOs. A Special Election for the remainder of the outgoing Officer’s term must occur no sooner than the following month’s Regular General Meeting. If the outgoing Officer wishes to vacate their seat and/or any transitional duties before this time, the outgoing Officer must work with the Coordinating Committee, HGOs and the nominated Member to ensure the outgoing Officer’s duties are appropriately distributed and a Special Election occurs no sooner than the following month’s Regular General Meeting. If the Reserve Coordinating Committee Officer is not voted in by way of Special Election through a majority of eligible voting Members, the Coordinating Committee must determine how best to distribute the outgoing Member’s duties.
At least 3 of the Officers should not identify as cis men; and at least 1 should identify as a person of color. For the purpose of determining eligibility for any office or other position within the Local Chapter, self-identification shall be the only acceptable means of determining a Member’s gender or race.
If the elected Officers of the Local Chapter do not meet these requirements, an eligible Member who does not identify as a cis man and/or is a person of color can declare their desire to co-chair with any Officer who identifies as a cis man to the Local Chapter’s HGOs. The HGOs must confirm the Member’s eligibility per the requirements outlined in Section 2. Eligibility for Local Chapter Offices. Once the HGOs can confirm the Member’s eligibility, the Member must work with the HGOs to present their credentials and the office they wish to assume to the Local office by the next Coordinating Committee meeting or the one following (whichever the Member prefers). The Coordinating Committee and HGOs must work with the Member to develop a plan to transition the Member into their new office and the Member must be given at least thirty (30) days to learn the duties of their new office. The Coordinating Committee must announce the details of the transition to the Membership by email and all other reasonable methods. The Member will be eligible to receive the Coordinating Committee expense reimbursement in the full amount of any other elected Coordinating Committee office per the coordinating committee expense reimbursement policy.
If Membership has concerns about the transition these concerns must be directed to the HGOs. The HGOs must work to resolve any concerns as their positions ordinarily require of them. The Coordinating Committee and Membership must not pressure (or tokenize) eligible Members to replace an Officer who identifies as a cis male. Members reported to be doing so must be referred to the HGOs to resolve these issues.
Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer will serve a dual-role that focuses on maintaining the fiscal-side of chapter functions and be responsible for administrative tasks related to Annual, Regular General, and Special meetings. Duties can be delegated to other Coordinating Committee Officers by mutual agreement and under the supervision of the Secretary-Treasurer.
Treasurer duties will include but are not limited to:
Secretary duties will include but are not limited to:
The Internal Organizers will work as a team to increase Member engagement and expand internal organizing capacity. The Internal Organizers’ duties will include but are not limited to:
The External Organizers will work as a team to develop the Local Chapter’s relationship with the general public and increase visibility in the public sphere. The External Organizers’ duties will include but are not limited to:
The Media & Technology Officers will work as a team to process and develop media coming from the Local Chapter and ensure the Local Chapter’s information and data systems are secure and up-to-date. The Media & Technology Officers’ duties will include but are not limited to:
The HGOs operate independent from the Local Coordinating Committee and will work as a team to ensure disputes within the chapter are mediated and our chapter continues to be an inclusive and welcoming space for all. The HGOs duties will include but are not limited to:
A Member wishing to self-nominate or be nominated for an open Local Office must have regular access to the Internet and a phone to successfully perform the majority of the duties described in Section 5. Officer Duties. If a Member is unable to meet this requirement but still wishes to self-nominate or be nominated, the Member must present an initial plan to the Local Elections Working Group and HGOs detailing how they plan to successfully perform the duties of their office in an efficient and technologically-secure way. As part of this plan, the Member can include the utilization of whatever Expense Reimbursement funds would be available to them in the event they are appointed to the Local Office. A Member must present this initial plan at the same time as submitting in their credentials to the Local Elections Working Group. This plan must not be included in the Voters’ Pamphlet. The Local Elections Working Group and HGOs must work with the Member to further develop the initial plan (if needed) to ensure the plan’s success. If the Member is unable to present an initial plan along with their credentials the Member will not be eligible to self-nominate or be nominated for an open Officer position within the Local Chapter.
The Local Chapter Coordinating Committee will be composed of 1 Secretary-Treasurer, 2 Media & Technology Officers, 2 External Organizers, and 2 Internal Organizers.
The Coordinating Committee shall administer the affairs of the Local Chapter and coordinate the implementation of the decisions of any Meetings, and shall prepare an agenda proposal for each Meeting and submit the proposed agenda to its general Membership no later than (4) days before the Meeting via written or electronic correspondence A 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances and this notice must be submitted in writing or electronically to its general Membership. It shall have the power to receive reports of any committee or Branch and advise thereon, to call Special Meetings of the Local Chapter, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action. The Coordinating Committee is the highest decision-making body of the Local Chapter between Meetings, and is subordinate to the general Membership.
The Local Chapter Coordinating Committee will be responsible for establishing program activities for the Local Chapter, for proposing guidelines and policies that will subsequently be voted on by the Local Chapter’s Members, and for acting on the organization’s behalf between Local Chapter meetings.
The meetings of the Coordinating Committee will be chaired by the Coordinating Committee officer delegated as the president on the chapter’s “Board of Directors”. These meetings shall be held at such intervals as may be determined by a prior Coordinating Committee Meeting or by consultation between a majority of the Members of the Coordinating Committee. All Members of the Coordinating Committee must (ordinarily) be given one week written, or electronic notice of regular Coordinating Committee Meetings by the Coordinating Committee officer delegated as the president on the chapter’s “Board of Directors”. A 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances and this notice must be submitted by email and any other reasonable methods to the Local Chapter. Coordinating Committee Meetings may be held electronically by any methods acceptable to all the Members of the Coordinating Committee. Any Member of the general public may observe meetings of the Coordinating Committee and the Coordinating Committee shall allow for a question and answer period and a comment period. However, the Coordinating Committee may hold executive sessions if a majority of its Members vote to do so in order to discuss Member discipline or security matters.
The Coordinating Committee may govern itself through any reasonable decision-making process, including development of meeting rules and norms or decisions by consensus. When there is a dispute over how decisions shall be made, the Coordinating Committee must use their best judgment at how to resolve the dispute such requesting the input from HGOs or putting it to a vote within the Coordinating Committee or Local Chapter Membership.
There is no quorum for Local Coordinating Committee decisions. However, no Coordinating Committee decision shall be valid without a majority of the total number of Coordinating Committee Members voting in assent. For those Coordinating Committee Members not present at the time of a decision, these Members must be able to vote in absentia with at least 1 week notice by email and all other reasonable methods. A 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances. Votes by all coordinating committee Members must be recorded and submitted in the minutes by the Secretary-Treasurer and announced to the general Membership by email or any other reasonable methods at least 1 week from the time the votes were cast. The Coordinating Committee will not be allowed to implement any decisions made in a vote until this is done. Minutes and subsequent votes must be readily accessible for the general public. If a Member requests the minutes in another format the Coordinating Committee must work to accommodate the Member’s request.
For the purposes of meeting the requirements of local and state incorporation laws, the Chapter shall have a “Board of Directors” consisting of Members of the Local Coordinating Committee assigned for the purpose as logical and required by law. The Coordinating Committee shall designate one of its Officers to serve as president on its “Board of Directors” for purposes of compliance with state and federal laws. The Officer designated president would be tasked with chairing Coordinating Committee meetings, ensuring that Coordinating Committee meetings were scheduled and run smoothly. Otherwise, the Officer designated president will not hold additional duties, responsibilities, or powers except those strictly required by law. The Coordinating Committee shall designate its Secretary-Treasurer as both the secretary and treasurer on its “Board of Directors” for purposes of compliance with state and federal laws. TheOfficer designated secretary and treasurer will hold no additional duties, responsibilities, or powers except those strictly required by law.
Starting with the new Members of the Local Coordinating Committee to serve starting in June 2023, all elected of the Local Coordinating Committee be allowed a limited expense account that cannot exceed any more than $500 per year of service for the purpose of reimbursing expenses related to serving on the Local Coordinating Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer may decide on the manner of disbursement of the expense account, such as (1) the amount of reimbursement (2) payment in advance, half at the beginning of the service year (June 1st) and the remaining half 6 months into the term on the Coordinating Committee (December 1st), (3) tracking individual expense accounts and disbursing reimbursements as expenses are reported, or any other reasonable method. Any Coordinating Committee Officer who joins partway through the term shall have their disbursement pro-rated in proportion to the amount of time served. Any remaining unspent funds for any individual Coordinating Committee Officer shall be returned at the end of the service year (May 31st). Reserve Coordinating Committee Officers will not be eligible to receive an expense reimbursement.
The general Membership may reevaluate this policy and determine whether to (1) discontinue this policy, (2) continue this policy as written, or (3) expand the policy. If Membership decides to expand this policy, areas to consider include broadening the expense reimbursements to include other local offices, active working group leads and/or increasing the amount of reimbursement. Changes to this policy must be decided and announced by email or any other reasonable methods before Members can self-nominate or be nominated/appointed to a position that would receive reimbursement from said potential policy change.
The Reserve Coordinating Committee will be composed of those Members within the Local Chapter who wish to run for an open Coordinating Committee Office but who do not meet the requirements as outlined in Article V. Section 2. The purpose of the Reserve Coordinating Committee will be to establish a space where Members of the Local Chapter can assist Members of the Coordinating Committee with their duties and gain valuable leadership and organizing experience in the process. Reserve Coordinating Committee Members retain the voting rights of general Members and do not gain any additional powers or voting rights.
The Reserve Officers of the Local Chapter will be 1 Reserve Secretary-Treasurer, 1 Reserve External Organizers, and 1 Reserve Internal Organizers, 1 Reserve Media & Technology Officer, and 1 HGO. The term of office will be no less than 90 days and no more than 1 year from the time of filling said position by way of Special election. Reserve Officers are eligible for re-election for up to 2 consecutive terms unless no other candidate is nominated. Reserve Officers must not have more than approximately 1 hour of work expected of them per week by their Local Officer counterparts outside of Meetings. Reserve Officers are allowed to accept more work but any reports of Local Officers putting more work onto Reserve Officers must be reported to HGOs for mediation.
A Member wishing to self-nominate or be nominated for a Local Chapter Reserve Office must meet all of the following requirements:
A Branch is a subgroup of the Local Chapter formed to facilitate participation in the Local Chapter in a logistically convenient way. Branches may be defined by geography, Membership in an institution, or language. It is expected that Branches be able to carry out as much of as many of the pillar functions of the Chapter for their Members as necessary for their logistical purposes. The chair or co-chairs of each Branch shall hold Membership on the Coordinating Committee. Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) chapters within the geographic area defined by a DSA Chapter may affiliate as a Branch of that Chapter.
Any group of at least five (5) Members of the Local Chapter may request to be recognized as a Branch. They must apply to the Coordinating Committee in writing. Their application must include the names of its Members; a description of purposes, functions, and Membership criteria; and any other information deemed necessary by the Coordinating Committee. A majority vote of Members in a Meeting shall be required to establish a Branch. YDSA chapters need only show proof of being an officially recognized chapter of YDSA as part of a generic request to be recognized as a Branch of the Local Chapter, subject to approval by a majority vote of the general Membership at a Meeting. Sections 3 and 4 below shall not be required of YDSA chapter-Branches.
Each Branch shall have its own bylaws explicitly defining its purpose, functions, and Membership criteria in detail. Such bylaws may establish the Branch’s methods and structures as long as they do not violate these bylaws. Each Branch shall be responsible for electing its leadership and Coordinating Committee representation. Every Local Member may vote in only two Branch elections for Coordinating Committee representatives, although they may be a Member of as many Branches as they wish. Branch leaders shall be responsible for scheduling and organizing meetings and actions of their Branch. In the event of a vacancy of a Branch leader or Coordinating Committee representative, the Branch may vote to elect new leadership or Coordinating Committee representation. Each Branch shall maintain an official Membership list.
A Branch may have its status revoked by a majority vote of the Membership at a Meeting. A Branch may also choose to dissolve itself by means specified in its Branch Bylaws. In the event that a Branch chooses to split into several new Branches, each new Branch must apply for Membership through the same method as creating any Branch, although the Coordinating Committee may choose to waive requirements for certain documentation if it is identical to the prior or parent Branch.
The Local Chapter may establish working groups, to organize around specific functions for the chapter or external campaigns. Members who wish to form a committee must submit a proposed written charter to the Coordinating Committee that includes a group name; a mission statement and objectives; If necessary, a proposed budget that shall include any planned donation drives; a list of at least 2 prospective working group Members signed or affirmed by those individuals; a statement of whether the proposed working group is to be a standing working group of indefinite duration or a temporary working group to expire at a time certain or upon the occurrence of a specified event; whether Membership in the working group is to be open to all Members in good standing, limited, or open to non-Members, and if Membership is to be limited, the number of Members the working group shall have and the means by which Members will be selected. A proposed working group shall be chartered and created with the approval of a majority of the votes cast at an Annual, Regular General, or Special Meeting. Charters for proposed committees must be distributed to the Membership by email or other electronic means at least two weeks prior to the meeting, and may not conflict with these Bylaws or with the charters of other active committees.
The Members of a Working Group, are responsible for executing their respective body’s strategy in fulfillment of its objectives. The Working Group must keep official records of meeting dates, attendance, and meeting notes, which must be made available to the Membership.
When a Working Group’s proposed activities relate to the mission of another Working Group(s), the respective Working Group(s) shall be notified. Should a dispute arise between two or more Working Groups that cannot be resolved between them, it shall be resolved at a Meeting mediated by the HGOs.
A Working Group’s activities shall be reviewed by the Coordinating Committee at its meetings, and meeting minutes and other Working Group documentation, as well as all financial receipts and statements, shall be kept up to date with the Local Chapter’s Secretary-Treasurer. The Working Groups shall report on their activities to the Membership at the Annual Meeting or more frequently at Regular General or Special Meetings as necessary.
A Working Group may either modify their charter or dissolve their group at any Working Group meeting. A Working Group left inactive for any longer than 1 month from the time of their last meeting or event/action will be assumed dissolved and the Internal and External Organizers must take appropriate action to have this info reflected in Local Chapter communications and materials. If a Working Group wishes to resume functioning past 1 month they must follow the guidelines outlined in Article VIII. Section 1 to ensure the revived Working Group has a clearly defined charter and objectives in mind.
Additionally, a Working Group that is chartered as a temporary Working Group for a limited time or particular purpose shall dissolve automatically upon the expiration of the certain time or the occurrence of the particular event specified in their charter.
Upon dissolution, the Member(s) maintaining custody of the Working Group’s records shall provide copies of those records to the Secretary-Treasurer.
Local Chapter delegates and alternates to the National Convention will be elected by Members of the Local Chapter at a Meeting no later than 1 month before the National Convention. Elections for the National Convention delegation shall be held on the schedule announced by the national organization.
In the event that a national committee is being formed and the national DSA asks local chapters for nominees to serve on that committee, the Local Chapter Coordinating Committee shall notify all Members and request volunteers. The names of all those who volunteer shall be forwarded to the national DSA for consideration, or if a limited number of nominees are requested, an election shall be held.
A Local Nominations Working Group shall be established at least two months prior to every Annual election by vote of a Regular General Meeting. It shall solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected.
Nominations for Local Chapter Officers and delegates to the National Convention shall be opened at least 10 days before an election. The call for nominations shall be announced to all Chapter Members as soon as nominations are open.
Section 3. Elections Process.
The Local Nominations Committee must announce current open offices up for election before any voting can commence. The Local Nominations Working Group must announce which candidates are running for which offices and who if any wish to nominate or self-nominate from the floor. Elections will be held by secret ballot, using a single multi-winner election with a ranked or scored ballot. Winning candidates may select offices in the winning order provided by the election system or in conference after the election. The election system used to count ballots and select the winners must be approved by a Meeting before any votes are cast.
A Member wishing to nominate another or self-nominate from the floor must announce their intent to do so at the time the Local Nominations Working Group asks for these nominations. In absence of the info that would go in the Voters’ Pamphlet, the Member must provide at the time of nomination a written and/or oral testimony detailing their credentials for the open office of which they intend to run for. The Member’s status as both a Member in good standing and as an Active Member in the Local Chapter must be confirmed by the Secretary-Treasurer and Local Nominations Working Group. Anyone else who can verify the Member’s eligibility as an Active Member can also do so. The meeting must be extended to allow adequate time for eligibility of nominations from the floor to be confirmed. If confirmed eligible the Member must be given no more than an additional five (5) minutes to provide written and/or oral testimony detailing their credentials for the open office. Members unable to meet the requirements above will not be eligible to run for an Officer position within the Local Chapter.
Section 4. Special Elections.
Special elections can occur in cases of Officer Vacancies (See Article V. Section 3. and 4.)
Members may petition for the removal of an elected official by having a majority of those present at a Meeting vote in favor of removal. Membership must be given at least two weeks’ notice of any upcoming removal vote.
Members may petition for a snap election of any elected body by having a majority of those present at a Meeting vote in favor of a snap election, to be held at the time and place of the Membership’s discretion. The general Membership must be given at least two weeks’ notice of any upcoming snap election.
The Local Chapter will establish, by vote of a Meeting, a Code of Conduct that outlines the boundaries of acceptable behavior by Members of the Local Chapter and describes options for censure of Members, including suspension. The Code of Conduct shall be made available to all Members of the Local Chapter. Amendments to the Code of Conduct must be approved at a Meeting.
Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by two Members of the Local Chapter, and submitted to the Coordinating Committee two weeks in advance of a Regular General Meeting. The Coordinating Committee shall take at most one week to process the amendment and must then provide the Local Chapter Membership written or electronic notice of the proposed amendments. The amendment(s) must be approved by a majority vote at a Regular General Meeting.
Progressive Stack shall govern this Local Chapter in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws. Main and Subsidiary Motions of Parliamentary Procedure (Robert’s Rules) may be used for voting procedures when needed, but meetings must submit to Progressive Stack upon the request of a Member.
Any action taken by an Officer or Member of the Local Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.
In the event of the dissolution of this Local Chapter, all remaining funds and assets are to be released to National DSA or a neighboring DSA chapter. If both this Chapter and National DSA are being dissolved, then all remaining funds and assets are to be released to such other organizations that are organized exclusively for the promotion of social welfare and that will operate to further the common good and general welfare of the community included in this Chapter’s stated boundaries.
The Eugene-Springfield Local Chapter shall not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501 (c) 4 organizations or similar rules or laws established by the state of Oregon, nor shall the Local Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.