Outline of

Party Structure Presentation

By: Garry S. Shay, Lead Chair CDP Rules Committee

 

I.          A Short History of the National Democratic Party

 

A. Founded 1792 – Oldest continuously functioning National Party on the planet!

B. First Convention Called by New Hampshire Legislature 1832

C. DNC Created 1848. One delegate per state until 1920. Two delegates per stat until after 1968 Convention.

D. Originally require 2/3rds to nominate (1832-1936), changed to majority 1936.

E. Delegates selected by Party Bosses, Legislatures, and State Committees for    first 136 years! Even as late as 1968, delegates chosen in primaries ranged from 33% - 40% of the total.

F. Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party challenged the all-white delegation at the 1964 Convention leading to drastic changes in delegate selection rules, five different commissions examined the Rules from 1972 – 1988 and were all guided by the maxims of full participation and fair reflection of presidential preferences. This led to the Six Basic Principles.

G. Ex-Officios outlawed in 1972 and gradually brought back into the system.

H. 1974 Charter of Democratic Party of the United States adopted in mid-term conference.

I. 1976 – Quotas outlawed, but equal division and “ Affirmative Action goals” required.

J. 2008 – Inclusion Plans required for LGBT and PWD

 

II. A Short History of the California Democratic Party

A. State Convention originally 100% elected officials, nominees, and their appointees.

B. County Parties challenge system in1978 demanding representation.

C. County Committees and AD Caucus Representatives added.

D. Mid 1980’s Court Cases give Party the right to govern itself and make pre-primary endorsements.

E. Multiple offices originally duplicated North/South and required to be rotated between sections. These requirements have been eliminated.

F. Officers originally had 2 year terms. Term of office extend to 4 years.

 

III. Current Structure of the Democratic Party

A. Registered Democratic Voters comprise the base of the structure.

1. Nominate Partisan Nominees

2. Elect Partisan Office Holders

3. Elect County Party Committee members

4. Elect AD Representatives and Executive Board Representative at AD Election Meetings (Caucuses)

5. Form Clubs and Chartered Organizations

B. DSCC/CDP Convention – Appx 2700 members

1. Nominees and Elected – Party Standard Bearers in the district.

2. Appointees of Partisan Nominees

a. Statewide/BOE/State Senate:

Elected appoints 6; Nominee appoints 3

b. U.S. House/Assembly:

Elected appoints 5; Nominee appoints 2

3. AD – 6 men and 6 women

4. County Central Committees – The officially elected Party at the County Level (per AD in LA County) – DSCC Delegates = 4 plus 1 per 10,000 registered Democrats. Most Counties are organized on supervisorial districts. Large counties on AD districts.

5. DNC Members

6. Past State Officers

7. President and three (3) VP of California Democratic Council

8. President and three (3) Officers of California Young Democrats

C. CONVENTION

1. Meets once per year

a. Odd Numbered Years:

Election of All Officers after the Presidential Year/Election of Regional Directors every two years/ Adoption of Resolutions / Beginning of Certification of Caucuses

b. Even Numbered Years:

Endorsements / Platform

2. Governed by Bylaws and Robert’s Rules of Order

D. OFFICERS

1. Chair, sits on DNC as automatic member.

2. 2 Vice-Chairs, one Male, one Female; Vice Chair of opposite sex of Chair sits on DNC as automatic member.

3. Secretary

4. Controller

5. 16 – 25 Regional Directors

E. CAUCUSES

1. A group of individual members sharing demographic or similar identity pertaining to their individual status. 19 Caucuses

a. Race Based: African-American; Arab American; Asian Pacific Islander; Chicano/Latino

b. National Origin Based: Filipino-American; Irish-American; Native-

American;

c. Gender/Orientation Based: Women; LGBT

d. Age Based: Children; Senior

e. Means of Production Based: Business & Professions; Labor

f. Other Status Based: Computer/Internet; Disabilities; Rural; Veterans

g. Issue Based: Environmental/Progressive

2. Participates in the Policy and Outreach Programs of the Party

3. Can be limited to DSCC members or open to all Democrats, or anything in between.

4. First 1% must share the demographic or similar identity defining the caucus.

5. Can’t discriminate in its membership

F. STANDING COMMITTEES – Members and Chair(s) appointed by State Chair

1. Credentials

2. Rules

3. Resolutions

4. Platform

5. Finance

6. Affirmative Action

7. Legislation

8. Voter Services

9. Organizational Development

G. ASSEMBLY DISTRICT ELECTION MEETINGS

1. Open to all Democrats eligible to participate in immediately preceding General Election, or who turned 18 or was naturalized since close of registration

2. Elects 12 members to DSCC

3. Elects 1 Executive Board Representative

4. Registration Fee of $5.00 can be required, subject to Economic Hardship waiver

5. Vacancies in DSCC delegate slots filled by remaining all DSCC members resident in the district.

H. CDP EXECUTIVE BOARD

1. Has all powers of the convention (except endorsement, except under specified situations)

2. Membership is certain partisan public office holders; representatives of the House, State Senate, and Assembly; County Party Representatives on basis of 1 per 100,000 Democrats; AD Representatives; DNC members; Officers; Immediate Past Officers; CDC President; CYD President; Chairs of Standing Committees; and Caucus Chairs.

3. Meets three (3) times per year

4. Proxies allowed, but not in committees

5. Quorum is 100

I. ENDORSEMENTS

1. Not U. S. President – Conflict in that State Party administers the delegate selection process.

2. Partisan Offices by way of recommendations from pre-endorsing conferences

3. Endorse at Convention in District affected

4. All Endorsements must be ratified

5. Non-partisan reserved to County Central Committees

6. Only OFFICIAL Endorsements given

7. No Dual Endorsements

8. No Conflict in endorsements – The Party speaks with One Voice

9. Endorse only Democrats

10. Propositions endorsed by Resolution.

J. DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

1. 200 elected – 2 per state plus balance apportioned by formula – CA Apportioned 2 plus 18 = 20

2. 112 State and Territorial Party Chairs and Vice Chairs

3. DNC Chair appoints 75 for “balance”

4. Various Ex-Officios

5. Term of office start day ofter convention and runs through day after next convention

6. Serve as unpledged delegates to National Convention

K. CHARTERING

1. Under Elections Code Section 20201 four entities are authorized to issue “Charters” for organizations raising money, either expressly or impliedly, in the name of the Party: A majority of the CA DNC delegation, the State Party Chair, the Executive Board of the CDP, and County Parties.

2. Volunteer organizations comprised of registered Democrats, chartered by CDP or County Democratic Parties, working to advance their mutual interests on behalf of their perceived best interests of the Democratic Party, within the broad framework of Party Guidelines.

3. CDP Chartered Organizations are for the primary purpose of political organizing on the precinct level and engagement in electoral political activity, all in the best interests of the California Democratic Party.

4. Clubs have input to the CDP through pre-endorsing conferences which make endorsement recommendations to the CDP.

L. GENERAL POLICIES

1. Public Meetings

2. No Membership or Loyalty Oaths which lead to discrimination

3. Full and Timely Notice of time, place and agenda

4. Accessibility

5. Non-Discrimination in registration

6. Publication of Rules and Qualifications for Offices and Representatives

7. Secret Ballot if Voting on behalf of Self

8. Open Non-Secret Voting if Representing others

9. Email Notice – Consent, advised of obligation to note change, Notice Denominated as Official, ability to make public or keep confidential.

M. COMPLIANCE REVIEW

Adjudicates Challenges of those adversely affected.

 

IV. PHILOSOPHY OF THE RULES

1. No Unit Rules

2. Proportional Representation

3. Equal Division

4. Non-Discrimination

5. Notice

6. No Fees to Participate

7. Local Control and Participation

8. One Party / One State / One Voice

9. Only Democrats and those not registered in a Party may participate in selection of Partisan Nominees in Primary

10. Endorse only Democrats

11. GENERAL POLICIES as noted above