Article I Purpose
Article II Eligibilty
Article III Convention
Article IV Chartering
Article V Officers
Article VI Executive Committee
Article VII Standing Committees
Article VIII Caucuses
Article IX Removal
Article X Amendments
Article XI
Article XII Adoption
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Article I - Purpose
Section 1 This organization shall be known as the New York State Young Democrats.
Section 2 This organization shall foster, supervise and coordinate the activities
of the Young Democratic Clubs in New York State.
Section 3 The purpose of the organization shall be to advance the highest principles of the Democratic
Party, to foster and maintain truly democratic procedures in the Democratic Party, to support Democratic candidates of
integrity, ability and conviction for public office and party positions, and to arouse and animate participation by all
Democrats in the activities of their party.
Section 4 The New York State Young Democrats shall support the duly nominated
candidates and the platform of the Democratic Party.
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Article II - Eligibility
Section 1 This organization shall be composed of duly chartered clubs of Young Democrats
in the State of New York as hereinafter designated. Such clubs shall be organized as provided in the following
sections of this Article. Any Democrat between the ages of 16 and 36, both inclusive, shall be eligible for
active membership. Regular members who are registered Democrats and have not yet reached the age of 34 years
shall be eligible for elected state office.
Section 2 Each club, subject to the continuing approval of the County Chair of the County within
which the club is organized or to the approval of the Executive Committee of the New York State Young Democrats
as granted in Article II, Section3, shall have the authority to establish Young Democratic clubs and a State charter
will be granted to each group whenever they have 25 active members. Each county shall have its own county organization
and operate under its own By-Laws of the New York State Young Democrats. No charter shall be issued to any club unless
the club meets the requirements of membership as hereinafter provided.
Section 3 If a charter application has been submitted to the County chair for approval at least 30
days before the final date for filing with the state organization and same has not been acted upon by the County
Chairman, then the charter application may be approved by a simple majority vote of the members present at the Executive
Committee meeting preceding the State Convention, as specified in Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution.
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Article III - Convention
Section 1 A state convention shall be held biennially at the call of the President at
a time and place agreed upon by the Executive Committee. The convention shall be held in either April
or May at which time elections shall be held. Should the President fail to issue a call to convention by
April 1, a call shall be issued by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The convention shall be
held in even-numbered years.
Section 2 Notice Notice of State Conventions must be given to all Young Democratic
clubs at least thirty (30) days prior to said convention.
Section 3 Eligibility All delegates and alternates must be members in good standing
of the club they represent and residents of the county in which their club is located. Said club shall
certify said delegates and alternates as members in good standing and such certification shall be final.
Section 4 Certification All voting delegates attending the state convention must be
registered and certified by the Credentials Committee. No person shall be allowed to participate as a
delegate or alternate of more than one club. Proxies will be accepted for the state convention. Proxies
must be on file with the State Secretary at the time of the vote. No person may be designated to hold
more than three proxies at any one time.
Section 5 Organizations attending state conventions must submit to the Credentials
Committee by registered mail postmarked at least 30 days prior to when the state convention convenes a
roster listing all members with address, Date of Birth, and (optional) Telephone Number and E-Mail address,
together with $0.50 for each person. Said forms must be certified by the President and the Secretary of
the organization.
Section 5.1 Organizations attending the state convention must submit a list of the
names and addresses of their delegates and alternates who are going to attend the convention certified
by the President and Secretary of the organization. In no event shall a delegate be permitted to vote
unless the required lists are in the hands of the Credentials Committee prior to the time of the vote.
Section 6 Voting At any state convention each club shall be entitled to two votes for
the first twenty-five members, plus one additional vote for every additional 10 members of the chartered
clubs who are residents of the county in which their club is located. Additional votes shall be awarded
in whole multiples of ten and no fractional votes shall be awarded.
Section 7 Convention Quorum A quorum shall consist of a representation of at least 50%
of the chartered clubs. Quorum, once established at any meeting or convention, shall not be lost by
depletion of membership prior to adjournment.
Section 8 YDA Convention Delegation Chairperson The New York State Young Democrats shall be
duly represented at each convention of the Young Democrats of America by a delegation of members, the chairperson
of which shall be the President or his designee.
Section 9 YDA Convention Delegation The Executive Committee shall appoint those persons who shall
be duly accredited delegates at all meetings and conventions where the New York State Young Democrats are to be
represented, except where this conflicts with Young Democrats of America bylaws.
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Article IV - Chartering
Section 1 State dues for the members of the county clubs chartered by the New York State Young
Democrats shall be $.50 per member biennially which shall be paid to the State Treasurer by the county club as State
dues. Charters will be granted bi-annually and a charter fee of $50.00 will be due thirty days in advance of the annual
state convention. Charters shall be renewable upon payment of the charter fee and compliance with the membership
requirements previously set forth.
Section 2 Each local organization shall set the amount of local dues for its organization, if any.
Section 3 Any organization desiring to become affiliated with the New York State
Young Democrats shall submit to the President and Secretary of the New York State Young Democrats a copy of its
constitution and a list of current members in an electronic format, together with a $50 charter fee and a letter of
approval from the County Chairman. Those organizations unable to present the letter from their County Chairperson must
follow the procedures established in Article II, Section 3.
Section 4 All enrolled Democrats over the maximum age for membership shall be eligible for honorary
membership in the New York State Young Democrats. No honorary member shall be entitled to vote nor shall any honorary
member be entitled to the privileges of the floor at any meeting for the purposes of speaking on any matter pertaining
to the business of any New York State Young Democratic Club or Convention except when unanimous consent is given. No
honorary member shall hold any appointed or elected office in any local or state organization.
Section 5 A charter may be granted between state conventions by approval of a majority of the executive
committee provided that all other requirements for chartering set forth in Section 3 are met.
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Article V - Officers
Section 1 Officers Named: President, Executive Vice President, Downstate Vice President, Upstate Vice
President, Western Vice President, Central Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, National Committeeman, National
Committeewoman and the following Directors who will serve as committee chairs for their respective committees:
Communications and Finance.
Section 2 Duties The duties of the respective officers shall be outlined in the By-Laws.
Section 3 Eligibility The eligibility to run the named offices in Article V Section 1 shall be outlined
in Article II Section 1.
Section 4 Elections The New York State Young Democrats shall elect at the bienniel convention the
following officers, who shall serve for a term of two years or until their successors are elected and installed.
Section 5 Attendance at Meetings The State Executive Committee shall meet at least four times a year
at the discretion of the President or upon petition of 1/4 of its members. Member of the Executive Committee who shall
be absent from or not represented by proxy at two consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee shall have their
office declared vacant at the first subsequent meeting thereof, provided that notice of that action is provided to the
subject member by certified mail no less than ten days prior to the date of that action and that the Executive Committee,
by a vote of 2/3 of those in attendance, may waive the declaration of the vacancy upon personal appeal of the subject
member in attendance at the next meeting. The Executive Committee shall, at its discretion, be empowered to fill vacancies
created by this Section on the occasion of that vacancy or at the first meeting subsequent thereto.
Section 6 Vacancies In the event of the death, resignation or removal of the President, the Executive
Vice President shall succeed. In the event that the President and the Executive Vice-President is vacant there shall be
an election held among the remaining members of the Executive Board in selecting a new President to carry out the term.
Section 6.1 In the event any other State elected office shall become vacant, the vacancy shall be filled
by appointment of the President with the advice and consent of the State Executive Committee.
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Article VI - State Executive Committee
Section 1 Named Officers named in Article V Section 1 and Article VI Sections 2 through 8
Section 2 Duties The State Executive Committee shall be responsible for chartering of new clubs and shall
perform other general administrative roles as outlined by this constitution, the by-laws and directed by the President
with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
Section 3 YDA Officers Any New York State Young Democrat elected or appointed to serve as a voting member
on the Young Democrats of America Executive Committee shall be an ex-officio voting member of the State Executive
Committee, any New York State Young Democrat elected or appointed to serve as a Young Democrats of America non executive
committee position shall be an ex-officio non voting member of the state executive committee.
Section 4 Past President The immediate past President shall be designated as President Emeritus and shall
serve as an ex-officio voting member of the State Executive Committee.
Section 5 Chartered Presidents The President of each chartered club shall serve as an ex-officio,
non-voting members of the State Executive Committee.
Section 6 Appointed Officers The President may appoint an Executive Director and any other officers,
as well as Chairpersons of Special Committees which they deem necessary to carry out the program of the New York State
Young Democrats, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. All appointed officers shall be non-voting
members of the State Executive Committee.
Section 7 Caucus Chairs The six caucus chairs referred to in Article VIII shall serve as ex-officio
voting members.
Section 8 College Democrats of New York President The President of the College Democrats of New York
shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the State Executive Committee.
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Article VII - Standing Committees
Section 1 Named Committees Communications and Finance.
Section 2 Communications The Communications Committee shall disseminate our message to the press and
public. The Committee will aid chapters in attracting press to events and activities of the group and will be responsible
for the newsletter and articles for other media throughout the state.
Section 3 Finance The Finance Committee shall be responsible for activities and ideas for statewide
fundraising, as well as acting as a resource for local chapter fundraising activities.
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Article VIII - Caucuses
Section 1 Named Caucus Caucus of Color; Disability Issues; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT);
Labor; Rural Conference (YDRC); and Women.
Section 2 Duties Duties shall be reflected in the by-laws of the respective caucus.
Section 3 Confirmation Following elections within their respective bodies, the President shall confirm
chairs for each of the caucuses named in Article VII Section 1.
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Article IX - Removal
Section 1 Elected and appointed officers of the New York State Young Democrats may be impeached by a
simple majority at any regular or special meeting of the State Executive Committee. Upon passage, a resolution of
impeachment must be forwarded to the accused within ten days.
Section 2 The trial of the accused must take place not less than ten days nor more than twenty days
following passage of said impeachment resolution. The trial, convened by the Executive Committee, shall be chaired by
the President or, in the case of the President being impeached, the trial shall be chaired by the Treasurer. The accused
shall have the right to present witnesses in his defense, cross-examine the witnesses for the prosecution, and to be
represented by counsel.
Section 3 The Executive Committee shall, by a two-thirds vote, be empowered to expel elected and
appointed officers found guilty as charged.
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Article X - Amendments
Section 1 This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the New York State Young Democrats in
state convention assembled and majority vote of the Executive Committee five days prior to the opening of the state
convention.
Section 2 By-Laws may be implemented by a majority vote of the state convention assembled or by a
two-thirds vote of the State Executive Committee.
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Article XI
All pronouns or any variation thereof shall be deemed to be masculine, feminine, neuter, singular, or plural as the
identity of the person or persons may require except in the case of the National Committeeman or National Committeewoman.
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Article XII - Adoption
This constitution shall take affect upon its adoption.
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