QAC DCC Bylaws

Queen Anne’s County 

Democratic Central Committee 

Bylaws

Amended May 2021

Article I – Name and Authority 

1. The name of the organization shall be the Queen Anne’s County Democratic Central Committee hereinafter referred to as “QACDCC” or “the Committee“.  

2. The Committee is established as a subsidiary of the Maryland Democratic Party. It shall have such authority, powers, rights, and privileges granted to it under the Constitution and Laws of Maryland, and the Constitution and bylaws of the Maryland Democratic Party.

3.  The Committee shall act as the governing body of the Democratic Party for Queen Anne’s County and to represent Queen Anne’s County.

Article II – Responsibility and Purpose 

1.  It is the responsibility of the Committee and each of its Members to work for the interests of the Democratic Party in Maryland and Queen Anne’s County. The Committee shall conduct its business, organize activities, and foster growth of the Democratic Party in Queen Anne’s County.  In pursuing the goals of the Democratic Party, the Committee and its Members will deal with issues and candidates, and otherwise act in accordance with the rules established by the Maryland Democratic Party. 

2.  The Committee shall work toward increased citizen participation in political and governmental affairs.  It shall promote voter registration, regardless of party affiliation, and rational discussion and open debate of issues.  The Committee and its Members should participate in programs and exhibits of the Maryland Democratic Party that advance or inform about the Party, its candidates for public office, or its goals in public policy.

3.  The Committee shall promote the election of the nominees of the Democratic Party of the United States, State of Maryland, Queen Anne’s County, and its incorporated towns. 

Article III – Membership

1. The Members of the Queen Anne’s County Democratic Central Committee shall be elected in the number and manner prescribed by the Election Laws of the State of Maryland and the Bylaws of the Maryland Democratic Party.  Each elected Member shall serve a term of 4 years. Each Member must be a registered Democrat and a resident of Queen Anne’s County. 

2. In accordance with the gender equal policies of the National and State of Maryland Democratic Party Bylaws, members shall be elected by the Democratic voters of Queen Anne’s County in the party’s Gubernatorial primary election. The committee shall consist of ten (10) members elected at-large. Central Committee members shall be elected by a process that recognizes three gender categories: female, male, and non-binary. Elections shall ensure that no one gender category shall exceed 50 percent of the committee’s total membership. A committee shall be considered gender balanced as long as variance between men and women in the group does not exceed one (1). In the case of gender non-binary, they shall not be counted as either a male or female, and the remainder of the committee shall be equally divided. 

3.  It shall be the duty of the members to attend all meetings of the Committee and of the Democratic State Central Committee of Maryland. No one shall be elected or remain a member a member who is not a bona fide resident of and a registered Democrat in Queen Anne’s County. Excessive failure to attend meetings may result in removal from the Committee, at the discretion of the committee members.

4. No member of the Committee may hold a Queen Anne’s County government elective office, or appointment to fill an empty Queen Anne’s County government elective office.

5. In the event of a resignation, or an elected member’s inability to serve, so that the ten (10) members remain equally divided between men and women, the Committee will select additional members resulting in the membership being equally divided, in accordance with the charter of the Democratic Party of the United States and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Maryland Democratic Party. By a majority vote of the committee such additional members may also be accorded full privileges to vote and hold office as members of the Committee. 

Article IV.  Removal of Members 

1.   Refer to Bylaws of Maryland Democratic Party.

Article V – Officers

1.  The Officers of the Committee shall be a presiding officer or Chair, Vice Chair, a Treasurer, and a Secretary, and such other officers as the Committee may from time to time deem necessary. 

2. The Chair will perform the duties of a presiding officer as specified in these Bylaws or otherwise required by the Maryland Democratic Party Bylaws and the latest edition of  Robert’s Rules of Order.  The Chair will oversee the preparation  and correctness of all documents and reports required by the Maryland Democratic Party and sign each, as required.  

 3. The Vice-Chair will perform duties as assigned by the Chair or by the Committee.  A Vice-Chair, in order of precedence, will assume the duties of the President whenever necessary.  

 4. The Treasurer shall determine the propriety and legality of all fundraising activities of the Committee; keep accounts, as required, of all monies received or raised by the Committee; and deposit those monies in such bank accounts and other depositories as the Committee shall designate. The Treasurer shall submit a financial report at each meeting of the Committee and prepare any and all reports or documents that may be required by law or by the Maryland Democratic Party. 

5.  The Secretary shall maintain the records and official documents of the Committee and shall prepare and certify by signature such documents, other than those required of the Treasurer, that are required by the laws of the State of Maryland or by the Maryland Democratic Party. In addition, the Secretary shall be responsible for recording and preserving the minutes of the meetings of the Committee, including the names of those present and absent; maintaining and distributing the membership list; the preparation of all official letters and reports.  The Secretary of the Committee shall maintain copies of the Committee’s constitution and membership list, and supply the same to the Maryland Democratic Party. 

Article VI – Election of Officers

1.  Immediately following the primary election at which the Members of the Committee are elected, the Committee member who received the highest number of votes shall call a meeting of the newly elected Committee to be held within twenty (20) days of the election.  The Committee member receiving the highest number of votes shall serve as Committee’s Chair for the Committee’s first year. The purpose of this meeting will be to organize the Committee and to elect Members for the officer positions established by the Committee.  

2. Officers shall be elected to serve one (1) year term. Annual election for Committee Officers shall be held in September. 

Article VII – Meetings

1. The Committee shall hold at least six regular open meetings in any full calendar year. The time and place of regular meetings for a 12-month period shall be scheduled by the Committee at its organization meeting following election of its Members.  A similar schedule will be approved annually by the Committee.  Additional regular meetings may be added as determined by the Committee. 

2. Special or emergency meetings may be called by the Chair or by the request of at least four (4) members of the Committee.

3. One-half of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, as required by Article IX section 6 of the Maryland Democratic Party Bylaws. Voting shall be in person.  

Article VIII – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, shall govern the Committee in all cases to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with the Constitution or Laws of Maryland, the Constitution or Bylaws of the Maryland Democratic Party, or the Bylaws of the Committee.

Article IX – Amendments

1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be introduced by written resolution submitted at any regular or special meeting of the Committee.  Discussion and formal approval of the resolution of Amendment shall be at the next regular meeting of the Committee or at a special meeting called for the purpose.  The Resolution of Amendment must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the Members present and voting. 

2. Within thirty (30) days of amending the Bylaws, the Secretary shall file a revised copy of the Bylaws with the Maryland Democratic Party and the State Board of Elections.

These Bylaws supersede any previous version.

Adopted by two-thirds of the Committee Members present and voting at a meeting held online from Centreville, Maryland, May_____, 2021. 

______________________________                        ______________________________                                      

 Elaine McNeil, Chair                                            Marion Grier, Secretary

Previous  amendments 

  July 2018

  November 2017

  February 2019