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RULES OF THE WASHINGTON DEMOCRATIC PARTY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I TOWN COMMITTEE
Section 1. Composition
Section 2. Increased Membership
Section 3. Primary Date
Section 4. Terms of Members
Section 5. Vacancy
Section 6. Election and Call of Organizational Meeting
Section 7. Qualifications
Section 8. Term
Section 9. Duties
Section 10. Filing List of Officers and Members
Section 11. Vacancy in Town Committee Office

MEETINGS

Section 12. Minimum Meetings
Section 13. Special Meetings
Section 14. Quorum

ARTICLE II ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATES

Section 1. Selection of Party-endorsed Candidates
Section 2. Caucuses
Section 3. Slate Endorsement
Section 4. Party-endorsed Candidates for Municipal Office
Section 5. Party-endorsed Candidates for Town Committee
Section 6. Party-endorsed Candidates for
Convention Delegates.
Section 7. Insufficient Endorsements
Section 8. Certification of
Party-endorsed Candidates
Section 9. Date of Party Endorsement of Candidates
Section 10. Tie Vote
Section 11. Vacancies in Party-endorsed Candidacy

ARTICLE III NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND DELEGATES

Section 1. Plurality Vote Determinative of Nomination
Section 2. Vacancy in Nomination
Section 3. Alternates

ARTICLE IV: DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE V: SPECIAL CAUCUSES
ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL PARTY RULES
ARTICLE VII: COVERAGE
ARTICLE VIII: CONFLICT WITH LAW
ARTICLE IX: ROBERT'S RULES GOVERNING
ADOPTION DATE

RULES OF THE WASHINGTON DEMOCRATIC PARTY

ARTICLE I: TOWN COMMITTEE

Section 1. Composition
The Town Committee shall consist of not more than eighteen (18) members, who shall be elected at large. Representation should be given to each section of the Town.

Section 2. Increased Membership
The Town Committee, at a meeting called for the purpose, may, by a majority vote of those present and voting, increase its membership provided that all new members shall be duly elected and begin their term the first Monday following the next primary date in the state election calendar.

Section 3. Primary Date
Every two (2) years, in the even-numbered years, the Town Committee shall fix the first Tuesday in March for the holding of a primary for the election of Town Committee members. Said primaries shall be conducted in accordance with the Connecticut General Statutes.

Section 4. Terms of Members
Members of the Town Committee shall serve for a term of two (2) years, commencing on the day following the day established for holding a primary for election of said Town Committee members and ending on the day established for the holding of a primary for the election of the members of the succeeding Town Committee. The provisions of this section shall apply notwithstanding the lack of cause for a primary to elect said members.

Section 5. Vacancy
Any vacancy on the Town Committee, arising from any cause including failure to elect, may be filled by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of those present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose.

Section 6. Election and Call of Organizational Meeting
Not more than fourteen (14) days following the day fixed for the holding of a primary for the election of Town Committee members, the chairperson of the Town Committee in office immediately prior to the day of said primary, shall call a meeting of the newly elected Town Committee for the purpose of electing a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.

If such Town Chairperson fails, for any reason, to call such meeting within the period prescribed, it shall be the duty of the Vice-Chairperson serving concurrently with said Town Chairperson to do so.

If, for any reason, said meeting is not called in the manner prescribed, it shall be the duty of the State Central Committee members in the district to do so.
The notice of such meeting called by either the said Vice-Chairperson or said members of the State Central Committee, shall be issued to each of the newly elected Town Committee members within forty-eight (48) hours of the necessity of either to do so, notwithstanding any party rule concerning time and notification of meetings to Town Committee members.

Section 7. Qualifications
The officers of the Town Committee need not be members of the Committee.

Section 8. Term
Officers so elected shall hold office for the term of the Town Committee electing them and until their successors have been elected.

Section 9. Duties
Each of such officers shall have the duties usually incident to his or her office and such other duties as the Town Committee may from time to time prescribe. In the event that a vote is taken that shall result in a tie, such tie vote shall be dissolved by the vote of the Chairperson of the Town Committee, but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he or she is otherwise entitled.

Section 10. Filinq List of Officers and Members
Within one week after organization of the Town Committee, the Secretary shall file with the Secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee and the Town Democratic Registrar of Voters a list of the names and addresses of the officers and members of the Town Committee.

Section 11. Vacancy in Town Committee Office
If there shall be a vacancy in any office of the Town Committee, arising from any cause, the Town Committee may fill the same by a majority vote of those present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose.

MEETINGS

Section 12. Minimum Meetings
The Town Committee shall meet at least four (4) times a year.

Section 13 Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Town Committee may be held at any time upon call of the Chairperson, or by vote of the Committee, or upon written request to the Chairperson signed by twenty percent (20%) of the Town Committee. Upon receipt of such request, the Chairperson shall instruct the Secretary to give reasonable notice of the time, place, and purpose of such meeting to all members of the Committee.

Section 14. Quorum
Two-fifths (2/5) of the membership of the Town Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.

ARTICLE II: ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATES

Section 1. Selection of Party-endorsed Candidates
The enrolled members of the Democratic Party in the municipality, at a caucus called for the purpose, shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting, select party endorsed candidates for each municipal office, for Town Committee members and for delegates to conventions. In the endorsement of any person for an office or for a position as Committee members or delegate for whom only the electors of a political subdivision of the municipality may vote, only the enrolled members of the Democratic Party in such political subdivision may participate.

Section 2. Caucuses
The time and place of holding all such caucuses shall be determined by the Town Committee; and notice of the time, place, and purpose of any such caucus shall be given to all enrolled Democratic voters of the municipality and by posting the same on the public sign post in said municipality. The time of any such caucus shall be fixed so as to permit compliance with the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes. The Chairperson of the Town Committee shall be the temporary Chairperson of all such caucuses and shall preside until the meeting has selected its permanent chairperson. 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. The caucus shall be conducted in conformity with the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes.

Section 3. Slate Endorsement
At any caucus of Town Committee meeting duly called for the endorsement of candidates for delegates to any convention, nominations for said delegates may be made by:
1. presentation to the caucus of Town Committee of a slate composed of a number of persons not exceeding the number of such delegates to which the Town is entitled under the State rules of the Democratic Party and/or
2. by nomination of individual candidates.
.
In the endorsement of such candidates, the vote of each member of the caucus or Town Committee member present and voting shall be for a number of candidates not to exceed the number of a full slate as defined above. The voting for endorsement of delegates to each convention shall be done by individual convention.

Section 4. Party-endorsed Candidates for Municipal Office
Candidates for municipal office chosen as provided in Section 1 above shall run in the primary for such office as party-endorsed candidates; provided any such candidate shall be the nominee of the Democratic Party for the office for which he is a candidate if no valid opposing candidacy has been filed for nomination to such office by four o'clock p.m. (4 PM) on the twenty-first day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for such office.

Section 5. Party-endorsed Candidates for Town Committee
Candidates for Town Committee members chosen as provided in Section 1 above shall run in the primary for Town Committee members as party-endorsed candidates; such candidates shall be deemed elected as members of the Town Committee if no valid opposing candidacies have been filed for Town Committee members by four o'clock p.m. (4 PM) on the twenty-first day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for Town Committee members.

Section 6. Party-endorsed Candidates for Convention Deleqates
The slate of candidates for delegates to a convention chosen as provided in Sections 1 and 3 above shall run in the primary for delegates to such convention as the party-endorsed slate; such slate of candidates shall be deemed elected as the delegates to such convention if no valid opposing candidacy by a complete slate of persons other than party-endorsed candidates has been filed by four o’clock p.m. (4 PM) on the twenty-first day preceding the day of the Democratic primary for delegates to conventions.

Section 7. Insufficient Endorsements
If, for any reason, sufficient endorsements of candidates for municpal office, Town Committee members or delegates to conventions are not made, the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes shall govern.

Section 8. Certification of Party-endorsed Candidates
The Secretary and the Chairperson of the caucus shall certify to the Municipal Clerk the names and addresses of the party-endorsed candidates selected as provided in Sections 1 and 3 above, the title of the office or position as Committee member or delegate for which each each person is endorsed, and the date upon which the primary is to be held.

Section 9. Date of Party Endorsement of Candidates
Each party endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office or for the election of Town Committee members or delegates to conventions shall be made within the time frame established by the Connecticut General Statutes.

Section 10. Tie Vote
In the event that a vote on the selection of a party-endorsed candidate results in a tie, such tie vote shall be dissolved by the vote of the permanent chairperson of the caucus, but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the caucus to which he or she is otherwise entitled.

Section 11. Vacancies in Party-endorsed Candidacy
If a party-endorsed candidate for nomination to a municipal office or for election as Town Committee member or delegate to a convention, prior to twenty-four (24) hours before the opening of the polls at the primary, dies, or, prior to ten (10) days before the day of the primary, withdraws his or her name from nomination, or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office or position for which he or she is a candidate, an endorsement may be made to fi11 such vacancy by the Town Committee, by a majority vote of those present and voting, at a meeting called for that purpose. The Chairperson of the Town Committee may cast a vote on such endorsement to break a tie, but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The Secretary of the Town Committee shall immediately certify the endorsement to fill such vacancy to the Democratic Registrar of Voters. No candidate shall be deemed to have withdrawn until a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate is filed with the Municipal Clerk.

ARTICLE III: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND DELEGATES

Section 1. Plurality Vote Determinative of Nomination
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. Whenever a primary for nomination to a municipal office or for election of Town Committee members or delegates to conventions is to be held under the 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 a plurality of votes cast.

Section 2. Vacancy in Nomination
If a nomination has been made for a municipal office and the nominee thereafter, but prior to twenty-four (24) hours before the opening of the polls on the day of the election for which such nomination has been made, dies, withdraws his or her name, or for any reason becomes disqualified to hold the office for which he or she has been nominated, 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 Chairperson of the Town Committee may cast a vote on such nomination to break a tie, but this provision shall not affect his or her right to cast any vote as a member of the Town Committee to which he or she is otherwise entitled. In the case of a withdrawal, said nomination shall not be valid until the candidate who has withdrawn has filed a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate with the Secretary of the State and also has filed a copy with the Municipal Clerk. The Chairperson of the Town Committee shall certify the nomination to fill such vacancy to the Secretary of the State, and shall file a copy with the Municipal Clerk. Such certification of a nomination to fill a vacancy due to death or disqualification shall include a statement setting forth the reason for such vacancy.

Section 3. Alternates
Each delegate to a convention elected in conformity with law and with these rules may in writing designate an alternate delegate to act for him or her in his absence. In the absence of such alternate delegate, the Town Committee Chairperson shall fill any vacancy arising for any cause in delegations to conventions.

ARTICLE IV: DEFINITIONS

As used in these rules, "Municipal Office" means any elective office of a town, city, or borough and the offices of justice of the peace, state representative in an assembly district composed of a single town or part of a single town, state senator in a senatorial district composed of a single town or part of a single town, and judge of probate in a probate district composed of a single town. The other terms used in these rules shall have the same meaning as in the State Primary Law, as the same may be amended from time to time.

ARTICLE V: 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 (10%) 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 special caucus shall be given to all registered Democratic voters in the Town, at least five (5) days in advance of such caucus, by publication in a newspaper having circulation in said Town and by posting a notice on the public sign post.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL PARTY RULES

Local party rules may be amended by the Democratic Town Committee at a meeting called in the same manner as a Town Committee meeting for selecting party-endorsed candidates as provided in Section 1 of Article II of these rules.

ARTICLE VII: COVERAGE

A copy of these rules shall be filed with the Clerk of the municipality and shall be deemed to cover the operations of the Democratic Party in the municipality until such time as the Party within the municipality adopts a rule or amendment on the same subject matter, consistent with these rules and the Connecticut General statutes, and files same with the Clerk of the municipality and the Secretary of the State.

ARTICLE VIII: CONFLICT WITH LAW

If any provision of these rules is found to be in conflict with the provisions of any law, the provisions of such law shall govern.

ARTICLE IX: ROBERT'S RULES GOVERNING

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

AT A MEETING CALLED FOR THE PURPOSE ON
AT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT, THE RULES ADOPTED MARCH 27, 1968 WERE RESCINDED AND THESE RULES ADOPTED.