Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name.

The name of the Chapter will be the Kansas City Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). DSA is a not-for-profit corporation.

ARTICLE II. Purpose.

The Kansas City Local Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America seeks to 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 an 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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

Members of the Kansas City Local Chapter of DSA will be those individuals whose dues to national DSA are paid in full, and are designated chapter membership by the national organization. Individuals may not be members of the Local Chapter without being members of national DSA. It will be the responsibility of members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, to elect delegates to the national convention, to vote on matters related to national policy, and to make recommendations on issues and other matters to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 2. Duties.

It will be the responsibility of members to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, vote on matters requiring input from the full membership, contribute to Branches and Local Subgroups, and participate in elections for the Chapter Officers, Branch Officers, Local Subgroups Officers, and delegates to DSA National Conventions. Non-members may participate in Chapter work and attend Chapter meetings, but do not have a right to this. Furthermore, non-members may not run for any office, nor be appointed to any office, nor shall they have any voting power within the chapter.

Section 3. Removal of Members.

If a member in good standing is found to have harassed or acted violently against another member, or if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of national DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, disruptive behavior, the Local Chapter may vote to expel them from the Local Chapter of DSA. 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 Steering 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 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 4. Voluntary Donations.

As mandated by the national Constitution and Bylaws, the Local Chapter may establish a Local Chapter pledge system of voluntary donations for its members. The payment of a Local Chapter donation may not be a requirement for voting or for holding Local Chapter office.

Section 5. Privacy Concerns.

Care will be taken to protect the privacy of each member’s contact information. Kansas City DSA’s actions towards ensuring this care will be documented in a Member Data and Contact Policy.

Section 6. Quarterly Poll

At least once per quarter, a poll will be emitted electronically to all members of the Local Chapter. Members’ responses will be due seven days from when the poll is sent. This poll will include a question asking the member whether they intend to be active within the Local Chapter for that quarter. If the member answers in the affirmative, they will be recorded as an active member for that quarter. Should the member answer in the negative, or provide no response to the poll by the deadline, they will be considered inactive for that quarter. Active members of the Local Chapter will hold no privileges over inactive members. No personally unique identifying information shall be required, collected, or tracked as part of this polling process. The number of respondents will be used only to calculate quorum, as outlined in Article IV, Section 4. At any time during the quarter, should a member who responded in the affirmative no longer intend to be an active member for any reason, that member is highly encouraged to emit notice of such to the Chapter Steering Committee.

Section 7. Code of Conduct.

In keeping with the general mission of our organization and our chapter, all members must observe a code of conduct that is consistent with our core values of liberty, equality, and solidarity, as well as DSA’s commitment to restructuring gender and cultural relationships to be more equitable and not oppressive within the context of building a diverse working class movement. As members of DSA, we all commit to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

All members of the Local Chapter are expected to conduct themselves according to the following standards:

Members shall not engage in harassment on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, race, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession. Members who have concerns about a member’s conduct will report that conduct to an HGO. The Local Chapter’s harassment policy is described in Article XV, and DSA’s harassment policy can be found here: https://www.dsausa.org/about-us/harassment-policy-resolution-33/
Members will respect all peoples’ rights and contribute to an organizing and working environment characterized by mutual respect, integrity, dignity, and non-discrimination, by, at a minimum:
1. refraining from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech;
2. participating in an authentic and active way;
3. exercising consideration in speech and actions;
4. sharing analysis and opinions rather than accusations;
5. complying with applicable Community Agreements during meetings and other events;
6. addressing conflicts and disagreements in a professional and respectful manner, and seeking assistance from an HGO or Local Chapter leader when necessary.
Members will assume good faith in one another, make an effort to understand one another, and exercise patience with differing viewpoints; debates will be conducted with civility and respect, as comrades committed to the same struggle.
Members will ensure that their relationships and behavior in the context of their role as a member of the Local Chapter are not exploitative, abusive, or corrupt in any way.
Members will disclose any financial, personal, family, or close intimate relationship interest in matters of official chapter business which may impact the work of the Local Chapter.
Members will respect the confidentiality of sensitive information to which they gain access by virtue of membership in the Local Chapter and will not use membership, financial, or other data to harm DSA or any DSA members.
Members will not create or maintain any social media accounts in DSA’s name without the permission of the Local Chapter.
Members will not attempt to silence or marginalize any fellow member and will not try to influence others to silence or marginalize any member.
Members will not use any grievance process – or encourage or assist anyone in using any grievance process – to rid the Local Chapter of people with whom they disagree politically, and/or with whom they have been engaged in conflict.

The Local Chapter HGO and members appointed to conflict resolution committees will avail themselves of training and resources on conflict management, which are available from the National HGO. Prior to and when responding to Code of Conduct violations, leadership of the Local Chapter will make accessible and available remedies outside of the formal grievance process, including but not limited to restorative justice and facilitated mediation.

Unacceptable behavior from any member will not be tolerated. Any member who is asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. If members engage in unacceptable behavior, the Steering Committee may take any immediate action they deem appropriate, including expulsion from a meeting, conference, or event. Depending on the gravity of the offense, members may be prohibited from further participation in the organization until the Steering Committee can investigate whether the unacceptable behavior violated the Code of Conduct or Harassment Policy.

ARTICLE IV. Local Chapter Meetings.

Section 1. Convention

The Local Chapter will hold a minimum of one Convention annually for purposes of electing officers. All members of the Local Chapter will be sent notice of and an agenda for the Convention. Notice may be sent by electronic means, but individuals who have not provided an email address must be sent a paper copy. The Convention will elect Local Chapter officers and may adopt an annual budget. In general, it is the highest legislative body of the Local Chapter. The Convention may coincide with a Regular Meeting.

Section 2. Regular Meetings.

The Local Chapter will hold Regular Meetings at least four times annually, the time and place of which will be set in a schedule published and distributed by the Local Chapter Steering Committee. The Regular Meetings will set Local Chapter policy and work priorities, and they will include political education sessions.

The Local Chapter Steering Committee will set the agenda for Regular Meetings. In general, the Regular Meeting is the operating legislative body of the Local Chapter.

Section 3. Emergency Meetings.

The Local Chapter Steering Committee may call an Emergency Meeting of the Local Chapter on five days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation.

Section 4. Quorum

At least once per quarter, a poll shall be emitted to all members of the Local Chapter to determine the number of members that intend to be active participants in decisions during that quarter as outlined in Article III Section 5. The number of members that respond in the affirmative shall be the Active Members Number. Members who answer in the negative, or provide no response to the poll by the deadline, shall not be barred from voting in subsequent decisions. No personally unique identifying information shall be required, collected, or tracked as part of this polling process. At any time during the quarter, an active member may emit notice of intent to become inactive as outlined in Article III, Section 2; upon said notice, the Active Members Number shall be decremented by one.
The quorum shall be ⅔ (two-thirds) of the Active Members Number, but be not fewer than six members. No decision shall be made by the Local Chapter without a quorum, and no decision shall be made in any chapter level meeting, regardless of platform, without a quorum in attendance. For asynchronous decisions, no decision shall be considered valid without a quorum responding. Abstentions shall be considered responses.
Proposals brought forth for decision by the Local Chapter may include a requirement for a higher quorum number, but no proposal shall include any language that lowers the quorum requirement below ⅔ (two-thirds) of the Active Members Number.

Section 5. Decision Making

Decisions made in the course of these meetings will be subject to Article XIII of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE V. Local Chapter Officers: Powers and Duties.

Section 1. Officers and Terms.

Steering Committee Officers The Officers of the Local Chapter will be two (2) Co-Chairs, Recording Secretary, Membership Coordinator, Communications Director, Treasurer, and three (3) Political Seats. These Officers shall comprise the Steering Committee, for a total of nine (9) seats. The term of office shall be one (1) year, or until their successors are elected.
Non-Steering Committee Officers In addition, there will be Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs), who do not serve on Steering. The term of office will be one (1) year, or until their successors are elected.
Diversity Requirements The Officers may not all be of the same gender, race, or sexual orientation, as outlined in Article VI, Section 2.
Restrictions No Officer, whether Steering or HGO, may serve as a Steward of either a Committee or a Commission, nor Branch, nor to any leadership position appointed by the Steering Committee. Neither shall they hold more than one office at any given time.
1. No officer may hold more than two subcommittee lead roles or their equivalent, including elected or appointed positions
2. The exceptions to this restriction are the Political Seats, who may serve as a Steward of a Commission, and Membership Coordinator, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Communications Director, who will serve as Co-Stewards of their respective committees.
3. Each Officer must be a member of the Chapter and be current in their dues by 30 days before the election and throughout the duration of their term.
4. No officer may hold more than two (2) subcommittee lead roles or their equivalent, including elected or appointed positions.
Additional Duties The Local Chapter Steering Committee may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Local Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these Bylaws.

Section 2. Vacancies.

Voluntary An Officer position can be voluntarily vacated by:
1. Formal resignation by the Officer, presented in writing to the Local Chapter Steering Committee
Involuntary An Officer position can be involuntarily vacated by:
1. An Officer’s absence from two (2) consecutive General Legislative or Steering Committee Meetings without notifying Steering Committee in advance shall be considered an abandoned position and a special election shall be triggered. This does not pertain to HGOs.
2. Failure to consistently fulfill the duties of the position, as defined in these Bylaws
Special Election In the event of a vacancy in any Local Chapter office, the Local Chapter may hold a special election for the remainder of the term, as defined in Article XI, Section 3.

Section 3. Co-Chairs.

Responsibilities The two (2) Co-Chairs will be responsible for setting the Steering Committee agenda and creating the Chapter Legislative Meeting agenda with qualifying submitted resolutions by membership and sharing them with the Steering Committee and Chapter membership, respectively, at least one week before the meetings, as well as chairing the meetings. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for scheduling Steering Committee and Chapter Legislative Meetings, including reserving meeting rooms for these meetings; ensuring that quorum has been met for all proposals being voted on at meetings; and coordinating any special elections as required per these Bylaws. They will also interpret the Bylaws, subject to appeal by the Steering Committee. The Co-Chairs will serve as a liaison for the Chapter with external organizations, unless otherwise decided. The duties of the Co-Chairs shall be shared equitably or as mutually agreed by the Co-Chairs.
Diversity Requirements No more than one (1) Co-Chair may be a man. The Co-Chairs will be elected by highest votes received. If the two highest vote earners are men, the highest vote earner will be elected and the next highest earner who is not a man will be elected.

Section 4. Recording Secretary.

Responsibilities The Recording Secretary will be responsible for the taking of minutes of all Local General Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings. They will ensure that the minutes, resolutions and their amendments, reports, and other official records of the Local Chapter are maintained and organized in the appropriate drives and that the minutes and resolutions are available and accessible by Chapter membership. They will, as able, assist with keeping drives clean, orderly, and organized so that Steering and membership can easily locate resources and information as needed. They will provide guidance and assistance to the Tech & Administration Committee in coordinating the technology needs of the Chapter and ensuring that essential administrative tasks are completed. They will monitor emails to the Chapter and Steering Committee to ensure that they are responded to in a timely manner by appropriate parties. The Secretary shall be responsible for providing Chapter meeting minutes to National DSA.

Section 5. Treasurer.

Responsibilities The Treasurer shall 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 hold these funds in a secure place until it is possible to deposit the funds in a credit union or bank account under the name of the Chapter. The Treasurer shall prepare budgets and financial reports for consideration at Chapter Meetings and as requested by the Steering Committee, and ensure the Chapter’s regulatory compliance. In cooperation with the Membership Coordinator, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are current. The Treasurer shall create and document policies and procedures for carrying out their duties and for maintaining healthy Chapter finances. The Treasurer shall transfer to their successor the documented policies and procedures, financial records and reports, and access to financial accounts securely. Further responsibilities of the Treasurer will be defined in the Chapter Fiscal Policy.

Section 6. Membership Chair.

Responsibilities The Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for the overall health and growth of the Chapter membership by coordinating the outreach, recruitment, and engagement activities of the Chapter. The Membership Coordinator shall oversee initiatives concerning membership growth, retention, engagement, participation, and leadership development. The Membership Coordinator shall organize their activities to be inclusive, culturally competent, and non-oppressive to marginalized groups. Special attention shall be devoted to the recruitment of members from marginalized groups. They will work to maintain accurate reports on membership through actively conducting Chapter listwork.

Section 7. Communications Director.

Responsibilities The Communications Director will be responsible for coordinating public-facing statements from the Chapter, including but not limited to the KCDSA website, social media, and other Chapter communications outlets. They will coordinate regular internal email newsletters and announcements. They will also provide guidance and assistance to the Communications Committee in monitoring and improving the social media content and interaction of the Chapters’ accounts, developing and maintaining positive relationships with earned media, and provide support for larger projects such as public-facing magazines, podcasts, or radio programming.

Section 8. Political Seats.

Responsibilities The Political Seats will be responsible for taking the lead on drafting statements made by the Steering Committee, to be approved with a quorum of Steering Committee members. The Political Seats will also be responsible for coordinating and facilitating the Public Organizing Meetings each month. They will also assist with Steering Committee work as needed and able, and coordinate discussions with Steering regarding current local and national conditions and relevant DSA topics.

Section 9. Committee and Branch Stewards.

Committee and Branch Stewards will be elected annually, along with other officers of the Chapter. Committee and Branch Stewards can be elected to no more than one (1) role for a given term.
Committees may not be formed without meeting the criteria outlined in Article VIII, Section 2 of these bylaws. The full list of Committee Stewards will be determined by the Chapter on an annual basis, and will be made available upon request.
Branches may not be formed without meeting the criteria outlined in Article VII.
Unfilled Committee and Branch Stewards may be subject to a Special Election, defined in Section 3 of Article XI, in the event of vacancy or mid-cycle organization.

Section 10. Harassment & Grievance Officer.

Responsibilities The Harassment and Grievance Officer (HGO) is responsible for carrying out the duties outlined in the Chapters Harassment & Grievance Policy in Article XV.
Number Per the requirements of DSA’s Unified Grievance Policy, Section 5, there shall be a minimum of one (1) HGO when membership is fewer than 100 Members-In-Good-Standing, and there shall be a minimum of two (2) HGOs when membership amounts to 100 or greater Members-In-Good-Standing.
1. At KC DSA Chapter discretion, there shall be no fewer than three (3) HGOs for any membership number greater than 100 Members-In-Good-Standing and up to 250 Members-In-Good-Standing.
2. From then onwards, the total number of HGOs shall be proportional according to membership growth and size, with one HGO for every additional 250 Members-In-Good-Standing.
  1. For instance, a Chapter of 250 MIGS shall have three (3) HGOs. A Chapter of 299 shall also have three (3). A Chapter of 500 shall have four (4), and 750 shall have five (5), and so on.
The grievance officer shall render a yearly report at least one (1) week in advance of the annual Chapter Convention which shall be submitted to the Local Steering Committee and to the membership at large. This report shall contain no confidential information, but shall include the number of grievances filed and investigated.
1. The grievance officer is obligated to disclose any possible conflicts of interest they may have on a matter to the Steering Committee, whether it’s a familial relation, personal relationship, business partnership, past history or vested interest. Failure to disclose will be grounds for recall or removal.
In the event that a grievance officer recused themselves, an associate grievance officer will fill the duties of the Grievance Officer until the recusal has come to an end. If an associate is not available immediately, the grievance will go to the national grievance officer(s).

ARTICLE VI. Steering Committee.

Section 1. Composition.

Composition The Local Chapter Steering Committee will be composed of the Co-Chairs, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Communications Director, Membership Chair, and Political Seats, along with the Stewards of the Committees and Branches, and at-large members appointed to meet diversity requirements.

Section 2. Diversity

Diversity The officers should not all be of the same gender, sexual orientation, or race. If the elected officers of the Local Chapter do not meet these requirements, the Steering Committee must appoint at-large members as soon as possible to fulfill these requirements.

Section 3. Duties.

Powers The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Local Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the General and Regular Meetings; it may also propose policy to the General and Regular Meetings. It will have the power to receive reports of any committee or branch, and advise thereon, to call Emergency Meetings of the Local Chapter, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action. The Steering Committee is the regular executive body of the Local Chapter, and thus subordinate to its Legislative bodies, the General and Regular Meetings.
Responsibilities The Local Chapter Steering Committee will be responsible for establishing program activities for the Local Chapter, for proposing guidelines and policies that will subsequently be voted on by members in good standing of DSA, and for acting on the organization’s behalf between Local Chapter meetings.

Section 4. Meetings

Frequency The meetings of the Steering Committee will be held at least one week prior to a scheduled Chapter Regular meeting.
Notice All members of the Steering Committee must (ordinarily) be given four days oral, written, or electronic notice of regular Steering Committee Meetings; a 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances.

Section 5. Quorum.

Quorum A quorum at least 2/3rds of the Steering Committee, rounded up to the nearest whole number, is required for the transaction of Steering Committee business.

ARTICLE VII. Branches.

Section 1. Definition.

A Branch is a geographically defined subdivision of the Chapter, not to overlap with another Branch. All members of the Chapter may belong to one and only one Branch.

Section 2. Purpose.

The primary purpose of Branches shall be to advance the goals of the Local, implement and administer Local campaigns and projects, increase member participation and recruitment, and improve accessibility to chapter work. Branch Meetings shall be the primary regular membership meetings, open to all members of the Local.

All Branches shall be required to have at least one Steward, elected by members of the Branch. The Branch Steward shall be responsible for ensuring that Branch meetings occur, facilitating relationship-building among Branch members, initiating geography-focused recruitment, facilitating Branch meetings, and determining the content of the Branch business portion of the agenda. Branch Stewards will also work with the Steering Committee to appoint additional positions as needed.

To maintain active Branch designation, Branches must hold Branch meetings in accordance with the Local Meeting schedule.

Section 3. Membership

Members of Branches will be members of the Kansas City Chapter of DSA who reside within the prescribed boundaries of their Branch.

Section 4. Formation

The Steering Committee shall encourage the development of member-led initiatives to organize new branches. 10 Chapter members in good standing may petition the Steering Committee to form a Branch. The 10 petitioners may not include elected leadership of other Branches, and must all reside in the proposed boundaries of the Branch. One member may not be signatory to more than one proposed Branch petition simultaneously.

The Steering Committee will then consider the petition to form a new Branch. If the Steering Committee approves the proposal, it will go to a vote of the membership with the Steering Committee’s support. If the Steering Committee rejects the proposal, 10 petitioners within the proposed boundaries must be joined by 10 petitioners outside of the proposed boundaries to petition for a vote of the whole Chapter membership on the question. All petitioners must be members in good standing.

Each Chapter-wide vote on proposed Branch formation must be preceded by dedicated time at a Local Meeting, with time reserved for debate for and against the proposal. The vote is subject to the same voting and quorum requirements of other Chapter-wide votes.

Section 5. Dissolution

The Steering Committee is the only body empowered to dissolve a Branch, and shall only do so in cases of nonfeasance, with a two-thirds majority vote of the Steering Committee. Nonfeasance of a Branch shall be defined as repeated failure of a Branch to convene a reasonable number of members at Branch Meetings.

ARTICLE VIII. Chapter Working Bodies

Section 1. Chapter Working Bodies

Working Bodies The Chapter shall be comprised of multiple forms of subsidiary deliberative bodies, referred to collectively in this document as Working Bodies. These bodies shall include:
1. Committees, Standing Commissions, and Working Groups.

Section 2. Committees

Purpose Committees are bodies essential to the character of the Chapter, and may be organized around common skills, institutions, or issues. The Steering Committee or the Chapter may establish best practices and procedures for the democratic operation of Committees.
Requirements All Committees are required to have a platform or mission statement, developed by the Committee in accordance with Chapter policy. A Committee may be formed after the election of a Steward, as defined in Article V Section 9, whose primary responsibilities will be facilitating Committee strategization and progress towards the Chapter goals that the Committee is charged with.
Rules of Order All Committees are required to maintain publicly-available rules of order — where a “rules of order” is defined to include any set of explicit, formally codified, suspendable, and democratically amendable decision-making procedures—which they shall be required to use for facilitating their meetings. The default set of rules for each Committee shall be the same as that of the Chapter, as defined in Article XIII.
Responsibilities Committees will be responsible for
1. Onboarding new members of the Committee, engaging in member retention efforts, and ensuring that Committee work includes efforts to grow the membership of the Chapter.
2. Working to ensure that Chapter communications accurately reflect and amplify Committee work.
3. Producing a report, at least quarterly, sent to the Steering Committee and available digitally to all members, regarding progress in ongoing campaigns or projects charged to the Committee.
4. Maintaining and making available to Chapter leadership records of key debates and decisions, including coalition partnerships.
5. Other responsibilities of the Committee will include coordinating and communicating with other bodies of the Chapter and producing reports on work for Chapter membership and the Steering Committee.
Leadership Each Committee shall have two (2) Co-Stewards, one (1) of whom must be elected by the Chapter Membership and who serves on the Steering Committee, while the other will be elected by the Committee internally.
1. The responsibilities of the Co-Stewards shall be to carry out the administrative tasks of the Committee, including chairing Committee meetings, creating Committee meeting agendas, and ensuring that the work of the Committee is carried out. Co-Stewards shall also carry out leadership development, including Chapter listwork for their Committee, facilitating skills development, and providing trainings on required skills to carry out the work of the Committee. This division of labor shall aim to be equitable and arranged between the Co-Stewards.

Section 3. Appointed Committees

Appointed Committees will (a) consist of a definite number of members in good standing of the Chapter; who are (b) appointed or elected to a specific task or tasks specified by either the Steering Committee or the Committee Steward.
Their function will be to oversee administrative and political functions that are essential to the ongoing effectiveness of the Chapter in pursuing the realization of its purposes.
The Steward of each Appointed Committee will be elected along with the leadership of the other Chapter Officers. They will serve terms of the same length.

Section 4. Standing Commissions

Purpose These working bodies shall be ongoing, permanent bodies organized around key functional or strategic areas of political work for the Chapter.
Requirements All Commissions are required to have a platform or mission statement, developed by the Commission in accordance with Chapter policy. The Commission shall have an unbounded number of members, with the minimum requirement that members be in good standing.
Rules of Order All Commissions are required to maintain publicly-available rules of order — where a “rules of order” is defined to include any set of explicit, formally codified, suspendable, and democratically amendable decision-making procedures—which they shall be required to use for facilitating their meetings. The default set of rules for each Working Body shall be the same as that of the Chapter, as defined in Article XIII.
Responsibilities Commissions will be responsible for:
1. Onboarding new members of the Commission, engaging in member retention efforts, and ensuring that Commission work includes efforts to grow the membership of the Chapter.
2. Working to ensure that Chapter communications accurately reflect and amplify Commission work.
3. Producing a report, at least quarterly, sent to the Steering Committee and available digitally to all members, regarding progress in ongoing campaigns or projects charged to the Commission.
4. Maintaining and making available to Chapter leadership records of key debates and decisions, including coalition partnerships.
5. Other responsibilities of the Commission will include coordinating and communicating with other bodies of the Chapter and producing reports on work for Chapter membership and the Steering Committee.
Leadership Each Commission shall have two (2) Co-Stewards, both internally elected by the Commission.
1. The responsibilities of the Co-Stewards shall be to carry out the administrative tasks of the Commission, including chairing Commission meetings, creating Commission meeting agendas, and ensuring that the work of the Commission is carried out. Co-Stewards shall also carry out leadership development, including Chapter listwork for their Commission, facilitating skills development, and providing trainings on required skills to carry out the work of the Commission. This division of labor shall aim to be equitable and arranged between the Co-Stewards.

Section 5. Working Groups

Purpose These working bodies are time-bound or project-specific bodies organized around discrete tasks, campaigns, or initiatives which are dissolved once their work is completed.
Requirements All Working Groups are required to have a platform or mission statement, developed by the Working Group in accordance with Chapter policy. The Working Group shall have an unbounded number of members, with the minimum requirement that members be in good standing.
Rules of Order All Working Groups are required to maintain publicly-available rules of order — where a “rules of order” is defined to include any set of explicit, formally codified, suspendable, and democratically amendable decision-making procedures—which they shall be required to use for facilitating their meetings. The default set of rules for each Working Group shall be the same as that of the Chapter, as defined in Article XIII.
Responsibilities Working Groups will be responsible for:
1. Onboarding new members of the Commission, engaging in member retention efforts, and ensuring that Working Group work includes efforts to grow the membership of the Chapter.
2. Working to ensure that Chapter communications accurately reflect and amplify Working Group work.
3. Producing a report, at least quarterly, sent to the Steering Committee and available digitally to all members, regarding progress in ongoing campaigns or projects charged to the Working Group.
4. Maintaining and making available to Chapter leadership records of key debates and decisions, including coalition partnerships.
5. Other responsibilities of the Working Group will include coordinating and communicating with other bodies of the Chapter and producing reports on work for Chapter membership and the Steering Committee.
Leadership Each Working Group shall have one (1) Co-Steward, internally elected by the Working Group. An additional Co-Steward may be elected if the working body determines this is desirable and necessary.
The responsibilities of the Co-Steward(s) shall be to carry out the administrative tasks of the Working Group, including chairing Working Group meetings, creating Working Group meeting agendas, and ensuring that the work of the Working Group is carried out. Co-Steward(s) may also carry out leadership development, including Chapter listwork for their Working Group, facilitating skills development, and providing trainings on required skills to carry out the work of the Working Group. This division of labor shall aim to be equitable and arranged between the Co-Steward(s).

Section 6. Committee Platforms

Purpose Platforms should outline the group’s overall purpose and key stances should articulate a ‘big picture’ vision of what success would look like for the group, and should represent the group’s values and broad purpose. They should also include mention of the populations with whom the group will be working in solidarity.
Development Platforms ultimately guide the direction and political will of the group. They must be developed democratically and ratified within the group before being put up for an up-or-down Chapter-wide vote, requiring a simple majority to pass initially and a two-thirds supermajority to pass on subsequent votes.

Section 7. Associations

The Chapter may formally recognize Associations that are aligned with the purposes of the organization but which are not subsidiary bodies of Kansas City DSA. These may include (but will not be limited to) affiliations and coalitions of organizations similar to the Chapter; political campaigns that align with the purposes of the Chapter; political and policy interest groups; labor unions and groups; Young Democratic Socialists of America chapters; DSA working groups; and caucuses in the Chapter.
Terms, criteria and procedures for granting privileges or recognition to Associations, including speaking time at meetings, exhibition space at meetings, written or online promotion or endorsement, financial support and other types of formal recognition, will be determined in the Standing Rules, Policies and Procedures of the Chapter and subject to these Bylaws.

Section 8. Dissolution of Working Bodies

Dissolution In the case that a Chapter Working Body is deliberately and grossly acting in contradiction to the collectively determined Local Mission and Organizational Priorities or their own ratified platform, or consistently fails to perform basic Chapter Working Body duties, the Steering Committee or the Chapter may vote to dissolve a Chapter Working Body with a two-thirds majority vote required to execute the dissolution. The rationale and result of any such vote called must be published to the membership.
1. Dissolution by Steering Committee Should the Steering Committee decide to dissolve a Working Body, the Chapter membership can vote to reinstate the Working Body at the next Chapter Meeting where quorum is met. To reinstate the dissolved Working Body, a 2/3rds majority of the Active Members Number, as defined by our Quarterly Poll in Article III, Section 6, must vote in favor to overturn the decision to dissolve the Working Body.
2. Dissolved Bodies Duties During the time between the Steering Committee vote and the Chapter membership vote for dissolution, the Working Body shall have all activities ceased. The access of the Working Body to the administrative tools including, but not limited to: membership data, documentation tools, and emailing systems, will be revoked until the Chapter membership votes to overturn the Steering Committee decision.
3. Voluntary Dissolution Additionally, a body may vote on its own dissolution or specify a date for automatic dissolution, such as completion of a given project or task. Alternatively, the body may self-dissolve by a vote of 2/3rds of the Working Body membership.

ARTICLE IX. Delegates to National, Regional, and State Bodies.

Section 1. Convention.

Elections Members in good standing of the Chapter as of 30 days prior to the election shall elect Chapter delegates and alternates to the National Convention, as well as to any regional or state organizations. Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by the national organization.

ARTICLE X. Prohibited Activity

Kansas City 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 Missouri. 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 XI. Elections and Nominations

Section 1. Nominations.

Election Body A Nominations Working Group will be established at least one month prior to every election by vote of a Regular Meeting.
1. Responsibilities It will solicit and receive nominations for the positions to be elected, as well as develop and send to nominees questionnaires to be completed and shared with membership upon announcement of nominees, as outlined in Section 2, Subsection II, below.
2. Dissolution The Nominations Working Group shall dissolve once the election of Officers at Chapter Convention is completed.
Restrictions No candidate may run their own election. Members must be in good standing for 30 days to vote in elections for Chapter-wide leadership.

Section 2. Nominations Process.

Opening Nominations Nominations for Local Chapter officers and delegates to the National Convention will be opened at the regular meeting prior to the election taking place, and will close at least 7 days before the meeting at which the election is scheduled.
1. Contingent Positions Nominations may open up for contingent positions as well. If the formation of a position is to be voted on at the following chapter meeting or convention, those nominations may be solicited so long as it’s in agreement with all other requirements. Any election for those positions are only recognized if the position is approved by vote.
Notice The call for nominations will be announced to all members in good standing of DSA as soon as nominations are open. After nominations are closed, the Nominations Working Group will send an announcement of all nominations to membership before the election.
Vote All qualifying nominees will be added to the election ballot under their respective nominated position(s). All Officer positions, including uncontested nominations, will be subject to chapter vote.
Vacancy Any position without a nomination will remain vacant, and subject to a Special Election, as outlined in Section 3.

Section 3. Special Elections.

Nominations Working Group In the event of an officer vacancy, the Chapter shall hold a special election to fill the vacancy. The Steering Committee will serve as the Nominations Working Group for such a process. Unless otherwise stated at the time of the call for nominations, the special election will be subject to the nominations process outlined in Section 2.

ARTICLE XII. Amendments.

Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five members of the Local Chapter of DSA, and submitted to the Steering Committee at least one month in advance of a General or Regular Meeting. The Steering Committee is required to provide the Local Chapter membership with two weeks’ written or electronic notice of the proposed amendments. The amendment must be approved by a majority vote of two consecutive (Regular or General) Local Chapter meetings, or a 2/3 vote at the Local Chapter Convention. Proposed amendments which receive a majority vote at the Local Chapter Convention, but which do not receive a 2/3 vote must be approved by majority vote at the following (Regular or General) Local Chapter meeting.

ARTICLE XIII. Rules of the Local Chapter.

Section 1. Rules.

Rules of Order The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all Chapter Meetings to which they apply. If Robert’s Rules are inconsistent with these bylaws or standing rules, then these bylaws or standing rules will apply. All General Legislative Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order. The Chapter Officers shall make reasonable efforts to make clear these Rules to membership, recognizing the central importance of democratic participation and decision-making to the functioning and health of the Chapter.

Section 2. Action Out of Order.

Out of Order Any action taken by an officer or member of the Local Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.

Section 3. Mechanisms of Decision Making

Synchronous Voting Decisions will be made by the Chapter, in the spirit of democratic deliberation, through synchronous voting. All vote tallying will follow Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

Proxy Process Proxy voting is permitted with a maximum of one proxy vote per member per meeting, with no one member voting as proxy for more than one member other than themselves. Members wishing to select a proxy will be required to submit an electronic form with either a motivation for or a motivation against any resolution(s) on the agenda for that legislative meeting. The form must also collect the full name of the absent member, their membership email, and the full name of their proxy. This proxy must be submitted at minimum four hours before the start of the legislative meeting. The proxy member shall then be, upon check-in at the meeting, be provided one additional voting card. The Chapter shall make reasonable efforts to match those requesting proxies with those able to serve as proxies.
Absentee Ballot Additionally, any absent member who has not requested a proxy may request to receive an electronic ballot for a legislative meeting be sent to them as a reasonable accommodation. The ballot will be open for a period of 48 hours and will be sent at the close of the meeting. The number of absentee ballots that are being sent out will be announced to the Chapter membership at the start of the Chapter meeting. However, if quorum has been met at the meeting and the votes cast on a given resolution are such that the number of electronic absentee ballots requested could not meaningfully alter the outcome of the vote, the Co-Chairs may announce the outcome of the resolution at the time of the synchronous vote during the meeting.
Right to Non-Exclusion No member in good standing shall be barred from participation in general decision-making or from chapter-wide meetings. No method of decision making within this article shall be construed as to allow violation of the rights, duties, or limitations described in Article III of the current bylaws.

ARTICLE XIV. Distribution of Assets.

Upon dissolution of the organization, any residual assets shall become property of the national organization of Democratic Socialists of America.

ARTICLE XV. Harassment Policy.

The Local Chapter will follow the Unified Grievance Policy of National DSA.

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