DTC By Laws

For its better order, procedure and functioning, and to supplement the provisions of the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut and the Rules of the Democratic State Central Committee, the Democratic Party of the Town of New Canaan hereby adopts these rules, superseding all rules heretofore adopted.
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ARTICLE I. TOWN COMMITTEE
Section A. Purposes
The Democratic Party of New Canaan invests in the Democratic Town Committee the responsibility to guide, direct and execute the policies and principle of the Democratic Party. The Town Committee shall work to encourage the growth of an informed and conscientious electorate and shall at all times assume full responsibility for good government.
Section B. Membership

  1. Size. The DTC membership shall not exceed the number equal to one percent of voters registered as Democrats in New Canaan on the date of the last regular Congressional election. The maximum number shall be announced at a meeting of the DTC before the caucus held to nominate the new DTC members. Each DTC member shall be elected at large.

  2. Qualifications. Only persons on the last enrollment list of the Democratic Party shall be eligible for election to the Town Committee, and members of the Town Committee must reside in New Canaan at the time of their election and during their terms of office.

  3. Term. The term of office for each member of the Town Committee shall be for a period of two years from the first Tuesday in March of each even-numbered year.

  4. Change in Size of Membership.

  5. a. The Town Committee may recommend an increase or decrease in the size of its membership be a majority vote of the membership of the entire Town Committee at a meeting called for that purpose.
    b. If approved by the caucus, the recommended increase or decrease in membership as voted by the Town Committee shall be effected at the elections in the caucus next following the vote of the Town Committee.

Section C. Officers

  1. Election. Within one week after election, the members-elect of the Town Committee shall meet for organization and shall elect a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman, who shall be of opposite sex, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such other officers as may be deemed advisable.

  2. Qualifications. All the officers of the Town Committee shall be elected from within the membership of the Town Committee.

  3. Term. Officers so elected shall hold the office for the term of the Town Committee electing them.

  4. Duties. Each of such officers shall have the duties usually incident to his/her office and such other duties as the Town Committee may from time to time prescribe.

  5. Filing. Within one week after the 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 and address of the Democratic Registrar of Voters.

Section D. Vacancies

  1. Declaration. Any vacancy in the membership or of any office of the Town Committee arising from any cause, including failure to elect, shall be declared by the Chairman or acting Chairman at a regular meeting of the Town Committee or by written notice to the members of the Town Committee not less than ten (10) days in advance of the next regular meeting of the Town Committee.

  2. Nominations. At the next regular meeting of the Town Committee following said declaration, nomination shall be made to fill such vacancy. Nominees are invited to appear before the Town Committee at this meeting.

  3. Election,
    a. Officers. Elections to fill vacancies in any office of the Town Committee shall be held immediately following nomination.
    b. Members. Election to fill a vacancy in the membership of the Town Committee shall be held at the next regular meeting of the Town Committee following nominations to fill such vacancy.

Section E. Meetings

  1. Regular Meetings. The Town Committee shall have regular meetings monthly. All meetings shall be open to the public except for executive sessions, which may be held upon a two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting.

  2. Special Meetings.

  3. a. Called by the Chairman. Special Meetings of the Town Committee may be called by the Chairman or, in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairman, who shall instruct the Secretary to give reasonable notice of the time, place and purpose of such meetings to all members of the Town Committee.
    b. Requested by Members. Special meetings may also be requested by a majority of the members of the Town Committee, and, upon receipt of said request in writing signed by said majority, the Chairman shall call a special meeting for the purpose requested.

  4. Voting. All voting of the Town Committee shall be open and a matter of record except on questions of personnel.

  5. Quorum. Two-fifths of the membership of the Town Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Town Committee.

  6. Rules of Procedure. Robert’s Rules of Order (newly revised) shall be construed as applicable, controlling and conclusive on all procedural issues, except as herein otherwise provided.

Section F. Election

  1. Endorsement. The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in New Canaan present and voting shall select candidates for Town Committee members at a caucus called for that purpose.

  2. Party-Endorsed Candidates. The candidates for Town Committee membership chosen at the caucus shall be deemed elected as members of the Town Committee by four o’clock p.m. on the twenty-fifth day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for Town Committee election if no valid opposing candidates have been filed for nomination to the Town Committee by such time. In the event a primary is required, said candidates shall run in the primary for Town Committee as party-endorsed candidates.

ATICLE II. DELEGATES TO CONVENTION
Section A. Endorsement

  1. Declaration. Candidates for delegates to any convention may be asked to declare their preference, if any, for candidates.

  2. Caucus. The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in New Canaan present and voting shall select candidates for delegates to conventions at a caucus called for that purpose. The candidates selected shall then constitute the party-endorsed slate.

  3. Full Slate. In the event a primary is required, the endorsement of candidates for delegates to any convention shall be a number of delegates to which the town is entitled under the state rules of the Democratic Party and such slate shall be endorsed as a unit.

Section B. Party-Endorsed Candidates
The slate of candidates for delegates to a convention chosen as provided herein shall be deemed elected as the delegates to such convention if no valid opposing candidacy by a complete slate including persons other than party-endorsed candidates has been filed by four o’clock p.m. on the twenty-fifth day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for delegates to conventions. In the event a primary is required, such slate of candidates shall run in the primary for delegates to such convention as the party-endorsed slate.
Section C. Alternates
Each delegate to a convention elected in conformity with the law and with these rules may in writing designate an alternate delegate to act for him/her in his/her absence. In the absence of such alternate delegate, the Delegation Chairman shall fill any vacancy in delegations to conventions.
ARTICLE III. CANDIDATES FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE
Section A. Endorsement
The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in New Canaan present and voting shall select candidates for elective municipal offices at a caucus called for that purpose.
Section B. Party-Endorsed Candidates
Each candidate for municipal office chosen as provided herein shall be the nominee of the Democratic Party for the office for which he/she is a candidate if no valid opposing candidacy has been filed for nomination to such office by four o’clock p.m. on the twenty-fifth day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for such office. In the event a primary is required, each said candidate shall run in the primary for such office as the party-endorsed candidate.
Section C. Vacancy Prior to Election
If the nominee for municipal office dies, withdraws his/her name, or for any reason becomes disqualified to the office for which he/she has been nominated prior to twenty-four hours before the opening of the polls on the day of election, a nomination to fill such vacancy may be made by the Town Committee by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose. The Chairman of the Town Committee may cast a vote on such nomination to break a tie, but this provision shall not affect his/her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he/she is otherwise entitled. The Chairman of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the nomination to fill such vacancy to the Secretary of State.
ARTICLE IV. CAUCUSES
Section A. Time, Place, Notice
The time and place of holding all such caucuses shall be determined by the Town Committee; and the notice of the time, place and purpose of any such caucus shall be given by publication of the same in a newspaper having general circulation in New Canaan and by posting the same on the public sign post in New Canaan. The time of any such caucus shall be fixed so as to permit compliance with the provisions of the State Primary Law, as the same may be amended from time to time. The caucus shall be conducted in conformity with the provisions of the State Primary Law as it may be amended.
Section B. Special Caucuses
Special caucuses may be called for any lawful purpose by a majority of the Town Committee or by not less than ten percent of the registered Democratic voters in the town. The call for any such special caucus shall be in writing and signed by each of the persons issuing the same, and notice of the time, place and purpose of said caucus shall be given to all registered Democratic voters in New Canaan at least five days in advance of such caucus, by publication in a newspaper having a circulation in said town and by posting a notice on the public sign post in New Canaan.
Section C. Procedures

  1. Chairman. The Chairman of the Town Committee shall be the temporary Chairman of all such caucuses and shall preside until the meeting has selected its permanent Chairman. In like manner, the Secretary of the Town Committee shall act as Secretary at all such caucuses until the meeting has selected its permanent Secretary.

  2. Nomination. The Town Committee may submit a list of nominees to the caucus. Nomination may also be made from the floor of the caucus.

  3. Ballots. Ballots shall be printed in advance of the caucus, and adequate space shall be provided on the ballot to write in candidates nominated from the floor.

  4. Tie Vote. In the event that a vote on the selection of a candidate results in a tie, such tie vote shall be dissolved by the vote of the permanent Chairman of the caucus, but this provision shall not affect his/her right to cast any vote as a member of the caucus to which he/she is otherwise entitled. ​

Section D. Time of Endorsement, Certification
Each party endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office or Town Committee members or delegates to conventions shall be made not earlier than the forty-second day nor later than the fortieth day preceding the day of such primary, and shall be certified to the Town Clerk by the Chairman or presiding officer and Secretary of the Town Committee or caucus, as the case may be, not later than the thirty-ninth day preceding the day of such primary.
ARTICLE V. PRIMARIES
Section A. State Primary Law
The nominations of the Democratic Party to all offices and the election of members of the Town Committee and delegates to conventions shall be made in all respects as provided in the State Primary Law, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Section B. Plurality Voting
Whenever a primary for nomination to a municipal office or for town election of Town Committee members or delegates to conventions is to be held under provisions of said law, the nominee of the Democratic Party for such office, and the members of the Town Committee and the delegates to conventions shall be determined by plurality of votes cast.
Section C. Vacancy
If a party-endorsed candidate for nomination to a municipal office or for election as a Town Committee member or a delegate to a convention dies prior to twenty-four hours before the opening of the polls at the primary, or withdraws his/her name from nomination, or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office or position for which he/she is a candidate prior to ten days before the day of the primary, endorsement may be made to fill such vacancy by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of the Town Committee members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose. The Chairman of the Town Committee may cast a vote on such endorsement to break a tie, but this provision shall not affect his/her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he/she is otherwise entitled. The Chairman of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the endorsement to fill such vacancy to the Democratic Registrar of Voters.
ARTICLE VI. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section A. Conflicts
If any provision of these rules is found to be in conflict with the provisions of any law or any state or national Democratic Party Rule, the provisions of such law or rule shall govern.
Section B. Definitions
As used in these rules, “municipal office” includes the office of each elective public official of the town, together with state representative, state senator, and judge of probate. The other terms used in these rules shall have the same meanings as in the State Primary Law as the same may be amended from time to time.
Section C. Amendments
These rules may be amended in any local caucus of the Democratic Party by majority vote of those present and voting, provided that the Democratic Town Committee gives notice of the proposed change in the call for said caucus.