Our Bylaws

Please note, these Bylaws are currently being updated to reflect the most current version as amended by the AZ LD15 Dems on 10/3/2024. This is a time consuming process. If you would like a full copy of the current Bylaws, please email us at info@southeastvalleydems.org

Article III — Organization & Governance

A. Legal Environment

LD15 Dems operates within the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona and under the Charters and Bylaws of the Democratic National Committee.

B. Governance

PCs elected and appointed (A.R.S. § 16-822) serve as members of LD15 Dems with voting privileges. The LD15 Democratic Party Committee (all PCs in LD15) is the governing body of LD15 Dems.

The LD15 Board provides governance and oversight for LD15 Dems activities.

C. Precinct Committee

Precinct Committee members

Precinct Committee members (PCs) are ballot-elected according to A.R.S. § 16-821 during primary elections.

In each precinct there shall be a Precinct Committee whose members shall be the elected PCs, the appointed PCs, and the Democratic volunteers residing in that precinct.

Precinct Captains

When a Precinct Committee has at least four PCs, the PCs of that precinct may elect a Precinct Captain to facilitate and coordinate organizing activities in the precinct. Pursuant to these Bylaws, voting rights shall be restricted to PCs.

D. Resignation of a PC

A PC may resign at any time by providing written notice of their resignation to the LD15 Chair, the LD15 Vice Chair of Operations, or the County Chair of residence.

In addition, a PC will be deemed to have automatically resigned or vacated their office if they:

move out of the precinct from which they were elected or appointed;
change political parties; or
otherwise vacate their office as described in A.R.S. § 38-291.

If a PC resigns or vacates their office, the LD15 Chair or LD15 Board must send notice within ten (10) days to the County Chair of the PC’s residence. The County Chair shall promptly send a written notice of vacancy to the County Board of Supervisors pursuant to A.R.S. § 16-821(B).

E. Revocation of LD15 Party Committee Support

LD15 Dems may withdraw support of a Democratic Party candidate upon the determination that a Democratic candidate does not represent the values, morals, or ethics of the Democratic Party by a vote of fifty-one percent (51%) of members present and voting.

F. Political Endorsements

The facilities and support of LD15 Dems shall be available to all Democratic candidates on an equal basis.

LD15 Dems shall not endorse or selectively support a specific candidate in any Democratic Party primary election;
Party officials, including PCs and Board members, shall not publicly endorse or support any non-Democratic Party candidate;
Party officials, including PCs and Board members, shall not use the titles of their Democratic Party offices in public endorsement of a candidate involved in a contested Democratic Party primary election.

These Bylaws do not prohibit or restrict any person from exercising their rights to privately express their opinion as a citizen.

LD15 Dems as a body shall not endorse any candidate who is not registered as a Democrat. Expressing a preference for a candidate is considered an endorsement. LD15 Dems may not express a preference or endorse a non-Democratic candidate, even when no Democratic candidate is running.

G. Precinct Committee Vacancies

Precinct Committee (PC) vacancies in District 15 are filled by appointing eligible, registered Democratic voters residing within the district. Each candidate must complete and sign the required county nomination form(s).

Vacancies occurring immediately after the beginning of the term (after October 1st of even-numbered years) shall not be filled until after the elections of the LD15 Dems Biennial Meeting.

The Vice Chair of Operations shall review nomination forms for eligibility.

The Chair shall forward eligible nominations to the Chair of the County Committee of the nominee’s residence. If the Chair fails to submit eligible nominations within 14 days of receipt, the LD15 Board may vote to forward the nomination to the Chair of the County Committee.

Article IV — Meetings, Notice

A. Biennial Organizational Meeting

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B. Regular Meetings

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C. Special Meetings

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E. Meeting Formats

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F. Notice

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G. Agenda

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H. Quorum

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I. One Person, One Vote

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J. Ballot Measures

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K. Debate

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L. Conflicts of Interest

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M. Meeting Records

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Article I. General

A. Name

The legal name of the Arizona Legislative District 15 Democratic Party Committee is AZ LD15 Dems, herein referred to as “LD15 Dems.”

B. Jurisdiction

LD15 Dems is the official Democratic Party committee of Arizona’s Fifteenth (15th) Legislative District, herein referred to as “District 15.”

C. Membership

All voters registered with the Democratic Party within the Fifteenth (15th) Legislative District of Arizona are constituents of LD15 Dems.

Each Democratic Party Precinct Committee Person elected or appointed under A.R.S. § 16-822 is a voting member of LD15 Dems and is herein referred to as a “PC.”

The LD15 PCs shall be the governing body of LD15 Dems and shall have ultimate authority over all actions of the Board and all functions of LD15 Dems.

The term Committee Person(s) will equate to the term Committeeman in the statutory title.

D. Duties of Membership

Voting members shall attend LD15 Dems meetings whenever possible and perform those duties set forth herein, including:

Regularly contribute to the Democratic Party through time, effort, or other means.
Regularly participate in Democratic Party meetings, events, activities, and actions.
Refrain from supporting opponents of Democratic Party candidates.

E. Code of Conduct

The Rules and Bylaws Committee will draft an LD15 Code of Conduct and submit it to the LD15 Board for approval. Once approved, the Vice Chair of Operations will distribute it to all voting members at least seven (7) days before the next general meeting, where voting members will vote on its approval. The LD15 Code of Conduct will take effect immediately upon approval by a majority LD15 Dems vote.

All voting members and interim officers shall be guided by these Codes of Conduct:

LD15 Dems
Maricopa County Democratic Party
Pinal County Democratic Party
Arizona Democratic Party

When provisions of these Codes of Conduct are in conflict, the LD15 Dems Code of Conduct shall take precedence, then the ADP Code of Conduct, then the county of residence of the PC, then finally the county of the plurality of LD15 registered voters.

The combination of these Codes of Conduct shall be referenced herein as “the Code of Conduct.”

F. Parliamentary Procedure

The organization, procedure, powers, and conduct of the affairs of LD15 Dems shall be regulated and governed in order of authority and precedence by these Bylaws, insofar as said Bylaws are not in conflict with federal, state, or local laws.

In the event of a dispute or unclear Bylaws, the following resources should be consulted in order:

The county party Bylaws of the plurality of LD15 registered voters;
Bylaws of the county of residence (when regarding a specific member);
Arizona Democratic Party Bylaws; and
Robert's Rules of Order.

If no resolution can be reached, then the LD15 Board may make a determination after reviewing any recommendation(s) made by the Vice Chair of Rules and Bylaws and the Chair of the county party where LD15 Dems has a plurality of registered voters. If a resolution still cannot be reached, then the LD15 Board may ask the Chair of the county party where LD15 Dems has a plurality of registered voters to make a final determination or to appoint a surrogate to mediate.

G. County Party Representatives

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 16-823, the LD15 Chair is a voting member of the Executive Committee of the Executive Committee of the Maricopa County Democratic Party (herein known as “Maricopa Dems”).

LD15 Dems shall also have a representative on the Executive Committee of the Pinal County Democratic Party (herein known as “Pinal Dems”). The representative shall be the LD15 officer who resides in the county, with preference in the following order: Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair. If none of those reside in Pinal County, then the representative shall be elected by the LD15 Board from among its members.

H. State Party Representatives

Pursuant to A.R.S. §16-825, LD15 Dems shall also have representatives on the State Committee of the Arizona Democratic Party (herein known as ADP).

Article II. Purpose & Mission

The purpose and objectives of LD15 Dems shall be to foster, encourage, and promote the aims and objectives of the Democratic Party and to aid in the election of Democratic candidates for public office, particularly in District 15.

A. Purpose

B. Mission

To join together to create stronger communities where everyone thrives.

To that end, LD15 Dems has the following goals:

Increase the number of registered Democrats in LD15;
Protect fair elections in LD15;
Increase the number of votes for Democratic Party candidates on LD15 ballots.

Article V — Officers

A. Officers

The officers of LD15 Dems shall be

the Chairperson;
all of the Vice Chairs;
the Treasurer who also serves in the statutory role of Secretary.

Officers must be PCs at the time of nomination for election and throughout the term of office.

B. Board Roles & Responsibilities

The LD15 Board shall have a Chair to oversee strategy and overall operations.

Attend and preside at LD15 Board and LD15 Dems meetings.
Attend meetings of the Maricopa County Executive Committee.
Lead the LD15 State Committee delegation during State Committee meetings.
Make recommendations to the county chairs of names of persons to serve as precinct committee persons and in county elections roles.
Make appointments to committees and teams.
The LD15 Chair shall direct the LD15 Bylaws to be reviewed and revised as needed.

The LD15 Board shall have a Treasurer to oversee financial affairs. The Treasurer shall serve in the statutory role of Secretary but shall have no additional duties; rather, the “traditional” Secretarial duties of record keeping and communications shall be distributed across the Vice Chair roles.

Provide accurate and timely financial reporting as required by law;
Report on LD15 Dems' financial condition at all regular Board meetings;
Provide a general financial update that emphasizes fundraising goals at LD15 Dems regular meetings;
Maintain LD15 Dems' registration as a standing political organization and ensure compliance with campaign finance laws;
Deposit or cause funds to be deposited in the name of the organization in an insured commercial bank;
Disburse the funds of the organization in the manner approved by the Board;
Submit an annual operating budget to the LD15 Board each January for review;
Keep full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements.

The LD15 Board shall have a minimum of two Vice Chairs, and each Vice Chair shall take responsibility for a specific team and function of the LD15 Dems. When possible, the Vice Chair positions shall be filled as follows:

Vice Chair of Operations - record keeping, notifications, and meetings
Vice Chair of Data & Technology - data and technology
Vice Chair of Volunteer Engagement - volunteer coordination
Vice Chair of Voter Outreach - direct voter contact
Vice Chair of Content - content creation
Vice Chair of Digital Organizing - online organizing
Vice Chair of Social Media Engagement - social media
Vice Chair of Events - event coordination
Vice Chair of Fundraising - fundraising
Vice Chair of Partnerships & Candidate Support - partnerships & candidate support

C. Board Shortages

At the first LD15 Board meeting after the LD15 Biennial Reorganization, the LD15 Board shall:

Elect a First and Second Vice Chair from among its Vice Chairs.
Determine whether to combine any Vice Chair roles and responsibilities.
Determine whether additional Vice Chair positions are needed, and if so, define their areas of responsibility.

If there are not enough members for all Vice Chair roles, roles may be combined by the LD15 Board or a majority vote of LD15 Dems voting members.

If no PC is available to fill a vacant Board position, a registered Democrat who is eligible to be an LD15 PC and has submitted the required PC appointment forms may be temporarily appointed. Only PCs have voting rights on the LD15 Board. Regular meetings will include nominations and elections until the position is filled by a PC through a majority vote.

If LD15 Dems does not have a duly elected Chair, Treasurer, and one additional Board member, LD15 Dems shall convene each month to nominate and elect members to all Board seats until the Chair, Treasurer, and at least one additional Board member have been duly elected.

D. Voting Procedures

Officers will be elected at LD15 Dems meetings, which may be held electronically or virtually. To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of votes from voting members.

Where there are more than two (2) candidates for one office and one candidate does not receive a majority of valid ballots cast for that office, there shall be run-off elections in which the candidate receiving the fewest number of votes is eliminated from subsequent ballots until one person receives a majority.

The election is final upon completion.

E. Term of Office

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F. Board Vacancies

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G. Manner of Election

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H. Removal From Office For Cause

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I. Removal of PCs For Cause

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J. Resignation

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Article VI — Board

A. Membership & Meetings

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B. Responsibilities

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C. Grievances

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D. Procedure for Removal of Board Members

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E. Quorum of Board Meetings

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F. Eligibility

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G. Powers

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H. Budget & Finance

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I. Special Board Meetings

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J. Executive Sessions

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K. Absences

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L. Indemnification

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Article VIII — Affiliated Organizations

A. Organizations

Clubs, groups, or organizations are encouraged to become affiliated members of LD15 Dems so that they may participate in the services and resources of LD15 Dems. Affiliation requirements:

A majority of LD15 Dems present and voting at a regularly scheduled LD15 Dems meeting must approve the affiliation;
Bylaws of the organization must not conflict with the Bylaws of LD15 Dems or with state or national laws;
If required under the law, financial reports and a statement of organization are filed with the Secretary of State as required by Arizona Revised Statutes.

B. Termination of Affiliation

LD15 Dems may terminate an organization’s affiliation by a majority vote of the present and voting members of LD15 Dems at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Article XI — State Committee

A. State Committee Membership

The LD15 Delegation to the State Committee of the Democratic Party shall consist of the LD15 Chair and the number of PCs from LD15 as prescribed by A.R.S. §16-825 (one State Committee member for each three duly elected PCs).

B. Eligibility and Election

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C. Vacancies

A vacancy in the State Committee shall be filled by appointment made by the State Chair according to A.R.S. §16-825.01 (8) and Article II, Section 5 of the bylaws of the Arizona Democratic Party. As such, when a vacancy occurs, the LD15 Chair shall submit a recommendation for appointment to the State Chair.

Article VII — Committees & Teams

Committees and Teams shall be created, activated, and terminated as deemed necessary by the LD15 Chair, with the approval of a majority of the LD15 Board. The LD15 Chair, with the advice and consent of the LD15 Board, shall appoint the Chair and members of each committee and the Leader and members of each Team, which shall serve at the will of the LD15 Chair and LD15 Dems.

A. Committees & Teams

B. Membership of Committees & Teams

Membership of each committee and team shall be open to registered Democrats in LD15 who are willing to serve as members.

C. Rules & Bylaws Committee

Ad Hoc Committees and Teams may be established by the LD15 Chair with the approval of the LD15 Board.

D. Ad Hoc Committees

When deemed necessary by a majority of the LD15 Board or a majority of LD15 Dems, there shall be a Rules and Bylaws Committee, which shall consist of at least three (3) and no more than seven (7) members. The duties and responsibilities of the Rules and Bylaws Committee shall be:

Review these Bylaws and recommend amendments as needed;
Develop policies and procedures to clarify and streamline operations;
Develop policies and processes to ensure compliance with all applicable laws.

A quorum for the Rules and Bylaws Committee to take any action shall be three (3) members, which may include the LD15 Chair.

When the Vice Chair of Rules and Bylaws is vacant, and it is deemed necessary to convene the Rules and Bylaws Committee, the LD15 Chair shall appoint a Vice Chair of Rules and Bylaws with the approval of the LD15 Board. The LD15 Chair shall be a member of this Committee but shall have a vote on this Committee only in the event of a tie among other voting members.

Bylaws for our county parties, the Arizona Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party of the United States are also available online:

Article IX — Code of Conduct

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Commitment to rule of law provides basic assurance that people can know what to expect whether what they do is popular or unpopular at the time.

Sandra Day O'Connor

Article XII - Bylaws & Amendments

A. Effective Date

These Bylaws shall become effective at the moment at which they are adopted by the LD15 Dems.

B. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of LD15 Dems by the affirmative vote of fifty-one percent (51%) of those members casting valid ballots in person or virtually.

Any PC of LD15 may submit amendments to these Bylaws to the Vice Chair of Rules and Bylaws or the Vice Chair of Operations.

The LD15 Board, the Vice Chair of Rules and Bylaws, and the Rules and Bylaws Committee shall have fourteen (14) days to evaluate the proposed amendments. At the end of the evaluation period, the Board and the Rules and Bylaws Committee may each take one of the four following actions in response to Bylaws amendments:

Recommendation for approval;
Recommendation for approval with specific modifications;
Do not recommend for approval;
No recommendation.

A proposed Bylaws amendment with a recommendation for approval will be submitted to the next meeting of the full LD15 Dems as a seconded motion.

At least seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which approval is sought, the Vice Chair of Operations shall send a notification to all PCs with the full text of proposed amendments and any recommendations (or lack thereof) made by the Board and the Rules and Bylaws Committee

C. Termination

A motion to terminate these Bylaws may be made at the Organizational Meeting during ‘new business.’ Such motion shall require an approval of fifty-one (51) percent of the members present.

D. Severability

Any provisions in the Bylaws deemed unconstitutional or unlawful shall be considered null and void, but all remaining provisions shall remain in effect.