Chapter Bylaws

Bylaws of the Champlain Valley, VT Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America

Adopted March 17, 2019

Amended November 12th, 2022

Article I, Name.

The name of this association is the Champlain Valley Democratic Socialists of America (herein the “Chapter”). It is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (herein “national DSA”). The Local Chapter is a not-for-profit corporation.

Article II, Purpose.

The Champlain Valley, VT Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America seeks to agitate for and 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 a capitalist economic order based solely on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race, gender or sexual orientation, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo. The Local Chapter acknowledges that labor produces all value; that the primary division in society is between the workers and the owners of the means of production; and that profit is the unpaid wages of workers. Therefore, the Local Chapter will engage in class struggle on the side of workers in the workplace and unions, and all other projects.

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. We aim to build a movement which can replace capitalism, the current economic and social system based on class division and exploitation, with a new society based on consistent democracy, collective ownership and solidarity – socialism.

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. Our organization exists to educate and organize socialists so we can transform the labor and social movements into a force capable of liberating the working class, and humanity, by overthrowing capitalism.

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 and the world. 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.

Article III, Membership.

Section 1, Membership.

All members of DSA living, working, or studying in the counties of Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, or Grand Isle are members of the Local Chapter. Any person who ceases to be a member of DSA likewise ceases to be a member of the local chapter.

Section 2, Removal of Members.

If a member in good standing is found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, or disruptive behavior, or if they are found to be under the discipline of any democratic centralist organization, the Local Chapter may vote to expel them from the Local Chapter. In order for such a finding to be made, another DSA member must formally prefer written charges against the member in question to the Local Chapter Executive Committee, which will set the date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two (2) weeks before that meeting takes place. Expulsion of a member requires a two-thirds vote of the Local Chapter meeting. An expelled member in good standing may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 3, Privacy Concerns.

All members in a position of trust are obligated to maintain the privacy of members. The Executive Committee may require persons to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements before accessing any privileged information.

Article IV, Local Chapter Meetings.

Section 1, Chapter Convention.

The Local Chapter will hold Chapter Conventions every May and November. Chapter Conventions are the highest legislative organ of the Local Chapter. Members propose and pass resolutions, amendments to these bylaws, chapter budgets, and chapter priorities at Chapter Conventions.

Section 2, General Meetings.

The Local Chapter will hold six (6) or more General Meetings every year. General Meetings are open to the public. Resolutions may be passed at General Meetings, provided they are endorsed by ten percent of members.

Section 3, Emergency Meetings.

The Executive Committee may call an Emergency Meeting on five (5) days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation.

Section 4, Quorum.

A quorum of ten members is required to take any vote unless stated otherwise in the bylaws. If a quorum is ever not present, votes may be taken by means of an online platform available for 48 hours. The full language of the proposal must be available to all voters.

Article V, Local Chapter Officers: Powers and Duties.

Section 1, Officers and Terms.

The officers of the Local Chapter are two (2) Co-Chairs, one (1) Secretary, and one (1) Treasurer and one (1) membership coordinator. Officers are elected annually at the Chapter Convention held in November. No member shall hold more than one office at a time. The officers may not all be of the same gender identity.

Section 2, Vacancies.

In the event of a vacancy in any Local Chapter office, a special election will be held to elect a replacement for the remainder of the term at the next General Meeting, provided that the Local Chapter Executive Committee may appoint a replacement ad interim until a special election may be held. Any member in good standing may nominate themself for the empty position.

Section 3, Co-Chairs.

a. The Co-Chairs will be the chief executive officers of the Local Chapter. They will preside over Local Chapter and Executive Committee meetings or will appoint a substitute to assume the powers and duties of the presiding officer as specified in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised 11th Edition. The Co-Chairs will be the official public spokespersons for the Local Chapter and will initiate such actions and policies as the Local Chapter’s general welfare may demand.

b. The Co-Chairs will be responsible also for coordinating the day-to-day operations and political work of the Local Chapter Branches, Committees, and Working Groups.

c. The Co-Chairs will report to Local Chapter Regular Meetings on the business of the Executive Committee Meetings, at which time a copy of the minutes of those meetings will be available for inspection.

Section 4, Secretary.

a. The Secretary is responsible for answering all correspondence and queries of the Local Chapter and for maintaining an up-to-date membership list of the Local Chapter. They ensure effective communication with DSA. They will temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Co-Chairs, if neither Co-Chair is able to do so.

b. The Secretary is responsible also for the taking of minutes of all Local Chapter and Executive Committee Meetings and will have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports and other official records of the Local Chapter. They will transfer official records in good condition to their successor. Official records include meeting minutes and member lists.

Section 5, Treasurer.

The Treasurer will be responsible for the funds and financial records of the Local Chapter. All funds collected by the Local Chapter will be turned over to the Treasurer, who will deposit them in a bank account under the name of the Local Chapter. In cooperation with the Secretary, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are paid up-to-date. The Treasurer will prepare the annual Local Chapter budget and deliver the Local Chapter financial report to the General Meeting of the Local Chapter, as well as periodic progress reports as requested by the Executive Committee of the Local Chapter.

Section 6 - Membership Coordinator

The Membership Coordinator will be responsible for growing the membership and engaging the active members. They will be responsible for coordinating a membership committee and associated membership committee meetings. The Membership Coordinator and membership committee will be responsible for coordinating onboarding events, membership outreach, and other tasks associated with growing and maintaining the chapter membership.

Section 7, Recall.

All officers are subject to recall by the members. A petition may be submitted for such a purpose containing the names and signatures of one quarter of members, in which case a vote will be held at the next General Meeting or Chapter Convention on whether to recall the named officer or officers. If a majority of the votes cast thereon are in favor of the recall, their office becomes vacant as if they had resigned.

Article VI, Executive Committee.

Section 1, Composition.

The Local Chapter Executive Committee will be composed of the five (5) officers of the Local Chapter, representatives of the various branches of the local chapters designated thereby at a time of their choosing, and the chairs of each committee and working group.

Section 2, Duties.

The executive Committee administers the affairs of the Local Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the Local Convention and General Meetings. It may also propose policies to the Local Convention. It receives reports of the committees, working groups, and branches of the Chapter and will issue advice thereto. The Executive Committee is subordinate to the Chapter Convention and General Meeting.

Section 3, Meetings.

Executive Committee meetings will be held regularly at the call of the Co-Chairs. The Executive Committee is a deliberative body and will aim to make decisions by consensus, but if a consensus is not possible a majority vote is sufficient. The entire Executive Committee is responsible for the actions of the whole. Executive Committee meetings are open to the public, except that the Executive Committee may decide to go into executive session. The proceedings of the Executive Committee in executive session are confidential.

Section 4, Quorum.

The quorum for Executive Committee meetings is three (3) officers.

Branches

A branch is a subgroup of the Chapter comprising ten (10) or more members of national DSA residing within the jurisdiction of the local Chapter. Branches are defined geographically or otherwise, and include Young Democratic Socialists of America chapters.

Article VII, Committees and Working Groups

Section 1, Committees.

Committees may be established by vote of two-thirds at Chapter Convention or General Meetings. A resolution to create a committee must be explicit in the aims and duties thereof.

Section 2, Working Groups.

Working groups may be established by a majority vote at Chapter Convention or General Meetings. A resolution to create a working group must be explicit in the goals thereof, including concrete measures of its success or failure, and its date of expiration, which may be not later than two years thereafter.

Section 3, Chairs.

Each committee and working group has one (1) chair, who will serve as its presiding officer, its public face, and a liaison between it and the Chapter as a whole. Chairs will provide regular updates to the Executive Committee and to members at General Meetings. Chairs of committees and working groups will be elected by the members of the Chapter as soon as practicable from their establishment and every Chapter Convention thereafter. Vacancies arising within the office of any chair of a committee or working group will be filled in the same manner as those of officers.

Chairs of committees and working groups may be recalled by the same method as officers.

Article VIII, Regional, National, and Other Delegates

Local Chapter delegates and alternates who are members in good standing to the National Convention, as well as to any regional or state organizations, will be elected by members who are also in good standing of the Local Chapter of DSA. Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by the national organization. Elections to regional or state organizations will be held on the schedule announced by those organizations.

Article IX, Prohibited Activity.

The Champlain Valley, VT Local Chapter will not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501(c)(4) organizations or similar rules established by the state of Vermont. Nor will the Local Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.

Article X, Grievance Procedure.

It is the duty of the Executive Committee to create a safe and welcoming culture that prioritizes those who face sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination under capitalism. Members shall not engage in harassment or abuse of other members for any reason.

Harassing or abusive behavior may include, but is not limited to, unwelcome attention; inappropriate or offensive remarks, slurs, or jokes; physical or verbal intimidation; stalking; inappropriate physical contact or proximity; and other verbal and physical conduct constituting harassment, including when such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile environment interfering with an individual’s capacity to organize within DSA.

Disputes between members of the working group may be mediated by members of the Executive Committee or by neutral parties selected by the Executive Committee who shall be approved of by all parties of the dispute. All such mediations shall be kept confidential. Mediation within the Local Chapter shall follow the procedures put forward in the Peer Mediation procedure adopted by the Local Chapter. This is the current procedure as of 2/17/2019.

A complainant’s decision to pursue mediation does not preclude the complainant from later filing a formal grievance. Complainants may request mediation by emailing grievance@btvdsa.org.

Formal grievances and grievance investigations shall be handled by the chapterwide Grievance Officer(s). Grievance Officer(s) shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

If a member of the Local Chapter has an outstanding grievance against them, the complainant may request to the Grievance Committee that the member be temporarily barred from all Local Chapter events. The Grievance Officer would then recommend the member’s removal from Local Chapter events to the Executive Committee until the grievance is resolved, without disclosing the private information of either party or the nature of the grievance.The Local Chapter will follow the Harassment Policy of national DSA.

Article XI, Elections and Nominations.

Section 1, Styles Committee.

A three (3)-person Styles Committee will be elected by the members at least two (2) months prior to every Chapter Convention.. It will solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected, if applicable. It will be responsible for compiling all nominations and proposals into a single Convention Bulletin to be sent out to every member in good standing before the Convention. It will be dissolved at the end of the Convention.

Section 2, Nominations Committee.

A three (3)-person Nominations Committee will be established at least one (1) month prior to every Chapter Convention at which an election is to be held. It will solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected. Committee members may not be candidates for offices for which they are responsible for soliciting and receiving nominations.

Section 3, Nominations Process.

Nominations for Local Chapter officers and delegates to the National Convention will be opened at least 10 days before and closed at the meeting at which elections take place. The call for nominations will be announced to all members in good standing of Champlain Valley, VT DSA as soon as nominations are open.

Section 4, Uncontested Positions.

If a position is uncontested, the nominee may be declared elected by acclamation.

Article XII, Endorsements.

Section 1, Definitions.

The Chapter may endorse people for political office. The Chapter will be responsible for expending time and resources to aid candidates which it endorsed who are contesting competitive elections. An endorsement is not the same as a recommendation to vote for a candidate on a voter guide.

Section 2, Purpose.

The purpose of endorsing candidates for political office is to assist the Socialist movement, grow DSA and the Chapter, propagate class struggle, and attain political power for working people as a class.

Section 3, Qualifications.

The Chapter may not endorse any person for office who is not a member of DSA, who will not publicly identify as a Socialist, or who the Chapter is prohibited from endorsing by national DSA for any reason. No branch may endorse candidates not endorsed by the Chapter, and endorsements by the Chapter are valid for all branches.

Section 4, Recommendations.

The Chapter may create an internal process for recommending candidates for endorsement to the members. In the absence of such a process, recommendations may be made by the Executive Committee or a branch of the Chapter.

Section 5, Process.

No person may be endorsed by the Chapter except by a majority vote of the members. A candidate recommended for endorsement will be submitted to the members at a Chapter Convention or General Meeting. Such a candidate has the right to speak before the members assembled. Endorsements by the Chapter will be public information.

Section 6, Issue Campaigns.

The Chapter may endorse issue campaigns and ballot measures by the same process as political candidates.

Article XIII, Amendments

Amendments to the text of these bylaws may be proposed at Chapter Conventions and adopted by a vote of two-thirds, provided that at least seven days’ notice has been granted to the members of the Chapter.

And be it further resolved, the Secretary will replace the text of the former Bylaws with the text of the newly adopted Bylaws not more than fourteen days following the conclusion of the current Chapter Convention.