The 2019-2021 Executive Committee will be elected at this year's Annual General Meeting on March 30, 2019. Here's what you need to know to run for a position.
– Kate McGrath (Chair), Renee McCormack and Bill Holaday, 2019 Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC)
At the Democrats Abroad Austria 2019 Annual General Meeting in Vienna on March 30th elections will be conducted to fill the following positions for two-year terms:
- Chair
- Vice-Chair
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Counsel
- DPCA Voting Representative (new)
- up to 6 Members-at-Large
In the past Member-at-Large responsibilities have included: Salzburg Coordinator, Database Manager, Media Contact, Social Media and Member Communication, Membership Engagement, Graz Coordinator
If you would like to run for any of these positions or you would like to nominate someone for office, please send your name or the nominee’s name and a short bio directly to the Nominations Election Committee (NEC) at [email protected].
Each nomination must be seconded, also via email to the NEC.
Please note, nominations and seconds must be received by March 13.
All nominations will be verified by the elections committee with the nominee. Any nomination received after March 13 cannot be accepted.
It is strongly recommended that anyone interested in running for office attend one of the next two Executive Committee meetings to get hands-on experience with the workings of the group. The next meetings are on February 20 and March 13. Please contact [email protected] for more details.
A list of candidates, biographies, and a ballot will be sent to all members on March 16, 2019.
Below is an excerpt from the DAA Bylaws regarding the composition of the Executive Committee, the responsibilities for each position, and expectations of Excomm members.
For any questions, please feel free to reach out to the NEC at [email protected].
DAA Executive Committee Job Descriptions from the 2018 DAA Bylaws:
Article IV: Executive Committee
4.1 Members of the Executive Committee
The DA-AT Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Counsel), and up to six Members-at-Large. The chairs of the Standing Committees, Ad-Hoc Committees, and Appointed Positions as defined in Article VI shall be observer members of the Executive Committee without voting privileges.
4.2 Gender Balance
Following Democratic Party and DPCA policy, the Chair and the Vice-Chair shall not be of the same gender.
4.3 Chair
The Chair shall be the chief executive officer of the organization, shall call and preside at all meetings of members and of the Executive Committee, establish the agenda of such meetings, shall be responsible for carrying out the programs, policies, and activities approved by the organization, and shall be a DPCA voting member. The Chair shall be responsible for ensuring the organization is in compliance with host-country laws and regulations. The Chair shall sit ex-officio on all committees and subcommittees of the organization, with full voting privileges. Decisions or actions taken by the Chair may be overruled by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Executive Committee (including the Chair) insofar as compliance with DPCA Bylaws and host country laws and regulations is maintained.
4.4 Vice-Chair
In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall call and preside at meetings of members and of the Executive Committee. The Vice-Chair shall be a DPCA voting member and may have such other duties as the Chair shall define.
4.5 Secretary
The Secretary shall oversee the maintenance of a current DA-AT membership list as defined in Article 3.6, keep the minutes of all meetings, and all files and administrative records of the organization. The minutes of all meetings shall be made available to all DA-AT members within two weeks.
4.6 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall manage the finances of the organization, maintain its financial reports to members, prepare an annual budget (financial year ending March 31) for Executive Committee approval, and make and maintain such financial reports as may be required by law, and, together with the Chair, be a DA-AT bank account cosignatory. All such records shall be available for review and comment by DA-AT members. The Treasurer shall consult with the International Treasurer of Democrats Abroad from time to time on matters concerning the maintenance of financial records and financial reporting (notably to the United States Federal Election Commission).
4.7 Counsel
The Counsel shall be available for consultation by the Executive Committee and its officers on legal and procedural questions relating to DA-AT and its activities. The Counsel shall consult with the DPCA Counsel from time to time on emergent matters, including notably questions on voting issues and financial record keeping. If no Counsel is available, DA-AT shall rely on the DPCA Counsel.
4.8 Members-At-Large
Members-At-Large have full Executive Committee voting privileges and participate in the work of the Executive Committee to support the organization by engaging in such projects and committees as needed for the effective functioning of DA-AT.
4.9 DPCA Voting Representative(s) (from the 2019 Draft Bylaws pending approval at the March 30 AGM)
The DPCA Voting Representative(s) shall be nominated and elected at each Annual General Meeting (hereinafter “AGM”) with Regular Elections. DPCA Voting Representative(s) are assigned to DA-AT and are elected to represent DA-AT at international meetings. DA-AT shall elect at least the minimum number of Voting Representative(s) necessary to enable it to cast all its votes. A DPCA Voting Representative has no voting status on the DA-AT Executive Committee.
4.9 Term of Office
All members of the Executive Committee shall be elected in a Regular Election, which takes place at the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter “AGM”) in odd-numbered years. They shall be elected for a term expiring upon the election of their successor. No Officer may serve more than two consecutive full terms in the same position.
4.10 Expiration of Term
The terms of all Executive Committee Members, Committee Chairs and Appointed Positions shall automatically expire upon the election of new Officers in accordance with the foregoing paragraph.
4.11 Removal for Non-Attendance
Any Officer or Member-at-Large who misses three consecutive, regularly called meetings of the Executive Committee may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of an Executive Committee quorum at a duly convened meeting at which the question of such removal is on the agenda sent out at least 30 days in advance and at which the Officer or Member-at-Large is given due opportunity to contest the removal and explain the reasons for their absence.