Saturday, June 26
Dublin, Ireland
Annual General Meeting & Election to All Offices
The 2021 Democrats Abroad Ireland Annual General Meeting, which will include elections to the Executive Committee, has been POSTPONED due to Irish Government Covid regulations on in person gathering. We hope to reschedule for September / October if possible.
Thank you for your patience as we work to stay within Irish government regulations on gathering during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
When: Saturday, June 26th, 3pm **POSTPONED**
Where: Location to be determined, depending on COVID regulations
What: Elections and Annual General Meeting
All positions (detailed below) are up for election at this AGM. As per our by-laws, no officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position. All positions and their current office-holders are listed below with those that are term-limited indicated.
Chair Carija Ihus (not running again)
Vice Chair TJ Mulloy
Secretary Patti McCann (term limited)
Treasurer TJ Mulloy (term limited)
Counsel Anne Brady
At-large 1 Richard Hartheimer
At-large 2 Richie Cunningham
At-large 3 Frances Stephen
At-large 4 (vacant)
Carija Ihus, TJ Mulloy, and Patti McCann have been appointed as the Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC) for the 2021 elections.
Nominations for an office shall be made in writing by a member and seconded by another member, either in the same or separate writings sent to the NEC, or from the floor of the election meeting. A member may nominate themselves. The NEC may also make nominations directly. Nominations should be forwarded to the NEC by notifying the Committee via email at [email protected] .
A statement supporting the nomination may also be included. The NEC will issue the nominating report within 2 weeks prior to the election. The nominating report will include nominations, nominee statements (if any), and full proxy voting guidelines. Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the AGM. Elections will be conducted by vote of those present at the AGM.
A tentative agenda for the AGM is listed here:
I. Call to order
II. Approval of minutes from last meeting
III. Report of the Chair
IV. Report of the Treasurer
V. Executive Committee Elections
VI. Old Business
VII. New business
VIII. Adjournment
For your reference the relevant sections of our by-laws that define the Executive Committee is printed here:
Article 5 – Officers
The Officers of the organization shall be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Counsel. The Vice-Chairperson shall be of the opposite sex from the Chairperson.
Article 6 – Chairperson
The Chairperson shall be the chief executive officer of the organization, shall call and preside at all meetings of members and of the Executive Committee, and shall have responsibility for all activities approved by the organization. The Chairperson shall sit ex-officio on all committees of the organization, including Standing Committees, with full voting privileges. By January 31st of each year, the Chairperson shall certify to the International Chair of the DPCA that the membership database containing the names (and such other information as the DPCA Executive Committee shall require) is current and correct for certification of the number of members and such certification must be attested to by the Secretary or Treasurer of Democrats Abroad Ireland. The database referred to in the previous sentence shall be in the format from time to time prescribed by the Executive Committee.
Article 7 – Vice Chairperson
In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall call and preside at meetings of members and of the Executive Committee. The Vice Chairperson shall have such duties as the Chairperson shall define.
Article 8 – Secretary
The Secretary shall maintain and, by January 31st of each year, certify a current list of members of the organization (containing the name, mail, and email addresses, telephone and fax numbers and US voting district/State and such other information as the DPCA may from time to time require); maintain minutes of all meetings; maintain all files and administrative records of the organization. All such records shall be open for inspection by members.
Article 9 – Counsel
The Counsel shall be available for consultation by Democrats Abroad Ireland or its Officers on legal and procedural questions relating to Democrats Abroad Ireland and its activities. By January 31st of each year, Counsel or another Officer shall furnish to the International Counsel of DPCA a copy of Democrats Abroad Ireland’s Bylaws, indicating any amendments made during the year.
Article 10 – Treasurer
The Treasurer shall manage the finances of Democrats Abroad Ireland, maintain its financial reports, and make and maintain such financial reports as may be required by law (including without limitation the laws and regulations of the United States and the several States applicable to political parties and contributions to them). All such records shall be open for inspection by members. The Treasurer shall consult with the International Treasurer of DPCA from time to time on matters concerning the maintenance of financial records and financial reporting (notably to the United States Federal Election Commission).
Article 11– Executive Committee
Section 11.1: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Counsel, and at least two (2) and up to four (4) Members-at-Large, one of whom must be a Young Democrat, elected from among the eligible members of Democrats Abroad Ireland. The chairpersons for the Standing Committees shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee with full voting privileges.
Section 11.2: The Executive Committee shall meet at regular intervals upon call by the Chairperson, for the purpose of consulting with and advising the Chairperson in the administration of the organization. A meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by one-third of the Executive Committee.
Key Points from Democrats Abroad Country Committee Election Procedures: DA-CCEP
The following Election Procedures are considered the minimum standard for Democrats Abroad Country Committee (CC) officer elections.
- CC elections should be held in the first quarter of every odd numbered year.
- An appointed and independent Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC) of at least 3 CC members shall conduct the elections.
- NEC members may not be candidates for office.
- Notice of elections should be distributed not less than 30-days prior to the election.
- Voters must be members of DA prior to the election.
- Members must meet the totality of circumstances criteria as residents in the country.
- Absentee voting precludes nominations from the floor for any position for which there is a declared candidate.
- Proxies, if allowed, are limited to two per person, and are not transferable.
- Results of an election should be promptly announced.
- Challenges to an election must be raised to the NEC within 30 days.
- A copy of current CC Bylaws must be sent to the International Secretary and Counsel by January 31 st of each year, and immediately subsequent to any revision.
Best,
WHEN
Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 03:00 PM Dublin Time
WHERE
To be determined - depending on Covid restrictions
Dublin, Co. Dublin
Ireland
Google map and directions
CONTACT
Carija Ihus, Chair
[email protected]