CYDI Constitution

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Preamble

We, the College and Young Democrats of Iowa (CYDI), do hereby dedicate ourselves to organizing young people in the state of Iowa in order to encourage, develop and support their participation in the political process and the Democratic Party. As it is our conviction that America was, is, and always will be a revolutionary country in spirit, we will strive for progressive change at every level of government. We will endeavor to better our state and country and to promote the principles of equality, equity, opportunity, social justice, and freedom within a just society. To achieve this end, we will work with conviction as a constituency caucus to elect, shape, and support the platform of the Iowa Democratic Party and build a more free, fair, and tolerant community.

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose

Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be the College and Young Democrats of Iowa (CYDI).

Section 2. Purpose

CYDI pledges itself to support the philosophy and candidates of the Democratic Party. Furthermore, CYDI declares its intention to support all efforts to increase the participation of high school students, college students and young people in Democratic affairs. To these ends, CYDI shall educate and train its members so that they may be better able to:

Educate people about the philosophy and values of the Democratic Party;
Encourage, train and support young Democrats to become life-long activists;
Encourage, train and support young Democrats looking to run for elected office;
Assist in the election of local, state, and national Democratic candidates;
Effect political change on the local, state, and national level;
Advance legislation and policies that are important to young people;
Represent the Democratic Party in their communities.

ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. Members

Any individual who is 36 years of age or younger, who is registered as a Democrat, and who claims residency in the state of Iowa or is attending a college based in the state of Iowa is eligible to join CYDI.
Eligible individuals must submit a membership form to the executive board to provide accurate contact information for organizing and outreach efforts. No dues are required for membership.
Members shall be organized into local chapters by institution - such as college or high school - or by county.

Section 2. Discrimination

In no case shall CYDI deny membership to an individual based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, or sexual orientation.
In no case shall the CYDI executive board tolerate discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, or sexual orientation.

DEFINITION:

I. Discrimination is defined as disparate treatment of an adverse nature toward an individual based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE III

Organization

Section 1. Executive Board

CYDI shall be governed by an executive board shall consist of the following positions: President, Vice President, Political Director, High School Constituency Director, College Constituency Director, Young Professional Constituency Director, Communications Director, and Finance Director.

Section 2. Term Length

The members of the Executive Board shall be elected for a term of one year. No individual may serve as President for more than two full terms consecutively.

Section 3. Advisory Council

An Advisory Council may be created for the purpose of providing guidance and professional expertise to the Executive Board. Advisory Council members have no voting privileges, nor obligations for attendance at regular meetings of the Executive Board. Advisory Council members may attend meetings at the invitation of a member of the Executive Board. Members of the Advisory Council shall possess the desire to serve the community and support the work of the Executive Board by providing expertise and professional knowledge. The Advisory Council shall be made up of three members; Party Affairs Director of the Iowa Democratic Party, the immediate past president, and an open position annually elected by the Executive Board.
A. Provide assistance to the President and assist with board training.

Assist with special events and projects as available.
Provide historical continuity about the Board’s activities.
Meet with the Executive Board at least once per quarter

Section 4. Duties and Expectations
The duties of the Executive Board officers shall include, but shall not be limited to the following:

A. President

The President shall oversee, advise, and assist all other members of the Executive Board.
The President shall be the public representative of CYDI.
The President shall coordinate efforts with the Iowa Democratic Party.
The President shall be the official representative of the organization to the College Democrats of America, the Young Democrats of America, the Iowa Democratic Party, and any other Democratic organizations.
The President shall be responsible for ensuring the duties of all Executive Board members are fulfilled.
The President shall have the power to create new positions and fill them by appointment.
The President shall have the power to fill board vacancies by appointment.

B. Vice President

The Vice President shall assist the President to oversee, advise and assist all other members of the Executive Board.
The Vice President shall be ready to serve as interim-President in the event that the President is no longer able to fulfill their duties.
The Vice President shall be responsible for planning the fall conference and spring convention, when applicable.
The Vice President shall help ensure and enforce that the duties of all Executive Board members are fulfilled.
The Vice President shall develop community outreach opportunities to build CYDI’s professional development and donor network.
The Vice President shall serve as secretary during all Executive Board meetings.

C. Political Director

The Political Director shall develop and implement the legislative agenda for CYDI in consultation with the Executive Board.
The Political Director shall represent CYDI at the Iowa Capitol in the absence of the President.
The Political Director shall lead the planning and execution of a Day on the Hill once a year for CYDI members.
The Political Director shall work and build relationships with Democratic and allied organizations to determine opportunities for cooperation.
The Political Director shall plan, coordinate, and execute voter-engagement events for young Democrats in Iowa.
The Political Director shall assist in providing voting/election-based materials for CYDI chapters.

D. High School Constituency Director

The High School Constituency Director shall also function as the president of High School Democrats of Iowa, and shall be the official representative of the organization to High School Democrats of America.
The High School Constituency Director shall develop and implement a high school chapter growth plan in consultation with the Executive Board.
The High School Constituency Director shall plan, coordinate and execute high school-engagement events for young Democrats in Iowa.
The High School Constituency Director shall coordinate all chapter material needs for high school chapters.
The High School Constituency Director shall maintain accurate records of the membership and leadership of individual chapters.

E. College Constituency Director

The College Constituency Director shall develop and implement a college chapter growth plan in consultation with the Executive Board.
The College Constituency Director shall plan, coordinate and execute college-engagement events for young Democrats in Iowa.
The College Constituency Director shall coordinate all chapter material needs for college chapters.
The College Constituency Director shall maintain accurate records of the membership and leadership of individual chapters.

F. Young Professional (YP) Constituency Director

The YP Constituency Director shall develop and implement a young professional growth plan in consultation with the Executive Board.
The YP Constituency Director shall plan, coordinate and execute YP-engagement events for young Democrats in Iowa.
The YP Constituency Director shall maintain accurate records of the membership and leadership of individual chapters.
The YP Constituency Director shall develop community outreach opportunities for personal and professional networking.

G. Communications Director

The Communications Director shall develop and implement the communication plan for CYDI in consultation with the Executive Board.
The Communications Director shall be the initial author of all CYDI communications, including via email, social postings and press releases.
The Communications Director shall work with local chapters to help in their communication efforts.
The Communications Director shall manage the CYDI social media accounts.
The Communications Director shall manage the CYDI website to maintain accurate, up-to-date content.
The Communications Director shall work with the Finance Director to develop digital fundraising opportunities and messaging.

H. Finance Director

The Finance Director shall develop the organizational budget for CYDI in consultation with the Executive Board.
The Finance Director shall develop and implement a fundraising plan for CYDI in consultation with the Executive Board.
The Finance Director shall manage all finances and accounts for CYDI.
The Finance Director shall complete State PAC filing for Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
The Finance Director shall develop community outreach opportunities to build CYDI’s donor network.

ARTICLE IV

Meetings

Section 1. Board Meetings

Regular meetings shall be held at least once a month at a time and on a day to be decided by the members.
The agenda for all general meetings shall be made available to board members at least 24 hours before the meeting.
The Vice President shall serve as secretary for the general meeting. The Vice President shall be tasked with taking notes and distributing minutes to board members within 48 hours of the meeting.

ARTICLE V

Affiliation and Endorsements with Campaigns

‍Section 1. Executive Board Affiliations with a Campaign

CYDI Executive Board members have the right to volunteer or disburse funds to any Democratic candidate, unless that candidate is running in a contested primary. CYDI Executive Board members may campaign in any election they choose, provided they do not use the title of “College and Young Democrats of Iowa” during their time with the campaign.

Section 2. Endorsement Process

If necessary, CYDI can endorse a candidate. The endorsement process will be overseen by the Political Director.

The requirements for deciding which campaigns CYDI will be as follows:

The candidate in question must be affiliated with the Democratic Party.
The candidate must be seen as an efficient and effective Democrat, consistently representing Democratic values.
The candidate will complete a survey and other requirements as set by the Political Director.
The candidate cannot be running in a contested primary.
The CYDI Executive Board will determine which candidate to endorse by simple majority vote.

Section 4. Endorsement Revocation

CYDI reserves the right to revoke an endorsement for a candidate with a ⅔ vote of the executive board.

ARTICLE VI

Elections

Section 1. Eligibility

All members of CYDI are eligible to run for positions on the Executive Board except for the following:

Anyone having served two consecutive terms as President shall be ineligible for the position of President.

Members wishing to run for the Executive Board must submit a declaration of candidacy to the Vice President at least two weeks before the date of the Convention and/or declared election date.
Anyone eligible for any office not elected to it may declare their candidacy for another office at any time prior to the vote for that office.
No candidate for CYDI Executive Office shall use money for campaigning or electioneering purposes.
Candidates shall not be allowed to use their positions to endorse in contested Democratic primaries.
Candidates shall not be allowed to work or intern for any candidate in a contested primary.

Section 2. Voting

The Elections Chair shall be responsible for overseeing all votes.
Votes shall be apportioned by one vote per attendee.

Absentee or proxy voting processes will be determined by the Executive Board planning the Convention.

Positions shall be elected in the following order: President, Vice President, Political Director, High School Constituency Director, College Constituency Director, Young Professional Constituency Director, Communication Director, and Finance Director.
Each candidate will be given two minutes to speak before the vote for positions.
Voting for executive board positions will be by secret paper ballot.
In the event that no candidate receives a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes shall be declared ineligible and another vote shall be held.
If the Executive Board election is to happen virtually, it is at the discretion of the Executive Board to choose the method and election deadlines that best meet the needs of members.

ARTICLE VII

Appointment

Section 1. Appointment

Appointments shall be made by the President in a timely manner.

Section 2. Confirmation

Appointments shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the elected members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII

Removal

Section 1. Reason

Executive Board members or candidates may be removed for nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance of duties.
Except in the case of malfeasance, a reasonable effort must be made to inform the member of any problem with their performance and to give them a chance to correct their behavior.
Reasonable effort must be made to document instances of nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance.
In the event of an Executive Board candidate, it shall be at the discretion of the election chair(s) to terminate a declaration of candidacy if an individual is found in direct violation of the CYDI constitution.

Section 2. Process

Removal may be called for by any member of the Executive Board.
A good faith effort to contact the affected member must be made.
The Executive Board shall vote on any call for removal not sooner than 24 hours after it has been made.
An Executive Board member shall be removed by unanimous vote of the other elected members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IX

Vacancy

All vacancies shall be filled by the appointment of the President and confirmed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE X

Convention

Section 1. Purpose

The purpose of the convention shall be as follows:

To plan and coordinate future efforts of CYDI and local chapters;
To share best practices of and generate new ideas for CYDI and local chapters;
To hold elections for the next year of CYDI leadership;
To enjoy the company of fellow Democrats from across the state.

Section 2. Preparation

The location of each Convention shall be determined by the Executive Board. The Executive Board must make all reasonable efforts to solicit chapter leader preference about location.
The date of the Convention shall be determined by the Executive Board.

The Convention shall be held each year in the spring, weather and safety permitted.
Chapters shall be informed of the date and location as soon as they are both determined.
In the event that a convention cannot be held in-person, a reasonable effort should be made to hold a virtual option for chapters.

The Vice President shall submit to all chapters a call for candidates, constitutional amendments, and membership lists four weeks before the date of the Convention.
The Vice President shall submit to all chapters the names of all candidates for the Executive Board and the offices they are running for one week before the date of the Convention.

Section 3. Agenda

The first order of business at the Convention shall be the election of a Elections Chair(s).
The rest of the Agenda shall be set by the Vice President in consultation with the Executive Board.

Section 4. Elections Chair

The Vice President shall be the Temporary Elections Chair. If the Vice President is absent, the President shall be the Temporary Elections Chair. In the absence of both, the Temporary Elections Chair shall be decided in a manner determined by majority vote of Delegations attending.
The Permanent Chair shall be elected from all delegates not running for a position on the Executive Board. This does not exclude the Chair from running for a position for which there are no declared candidates.

Section 5. Electors

Any attendee eligible for membership to CYDI is an eligible elector.

Section 6. Accessibility

In accordance with the guiding principles of the Iowa Democratic Constitution, at no time shall it be acceptable to prevent the participation or abridge the rights of an otherwise qualified participant in Democratic Party activities. All events held by CYDI - including the Convention - are to be totally accessible to People with Disabilities for the purposes of the type of activity to be conducted at each site.
It shall be the responsibility of the temporary/permanent chair of any event to ensure that there is a timely and appropriate opportunity for those who have a need for an accommodation to request such, and barring an extraordinary burden on CYDI, such accommodation be made.

ARTICLE XI

Constitutional Amendment

Section 1. Submission

Proposed constitutional amendments must be submitted to the Vice President at least two weeks before the date of the Convention.
Proposed constitutional amendments may be modified by the Executive Board with permission of the author up to one week before the Convention.
Proposed constitutional amendments must be submitted to chapters for review one week before the Convention.

Section 2. Amendment

All Proposed constitutional amendments must be voted upon at the Convention.
Constitutional amendments shall be accepted upon a two-thirds vote at the Convention.
Up to two supporters and two opponents of any constitutional amendment may speak for two minutes each before a vote on a constitutional amendment.
Voting for a constitutional amendment will be by voice vote, unless a hand vote is requested by either the Elections Chair(s) or any eligible elector.

ARTICLE XII

Ratification

Section 1. Process

This Constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds vote at the Convention.

If the Convention is not held due to unforeseen circumstances, the Constitution shall be ratified by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Effect

This Constitution shall be effective immediately upon ratification.

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