Democrats Abroad Switzerland (DACH) will elect a new Executive Committee (ExCom) at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Zürich on Sunday April 7th. Now is the time to heed the call for candidates and get involved! We especially encourage those who have some previous experience at any level in DACH registering voters or helping out in some capacity to step forward. Volunteers should be committed to being task oriented team players. We are a grassroots organization with a small budget and no paid staff. We meet monthly via video conferencing, and work and organize between meetings using SLACK, an online team communications tool. Willingness to use this tool is necessary. If you enjoy working online, then a national position might be well suited to your skills!
Our primary mission is to use our various skills and enthusiasm to reach out and find Americans living in Switzerland and help them register to vote in upcoming US elections. There are many opportunities for activism and to work on political issues important to our members here in Switzerland and within our international organization (DA). Democrats Abroad has regular in-person meetings in Europe, Washington DC and other member countries that provide opportunities to train for the upcoming elections, to work together with other country committees on the DA platform, policies, and caucuses, and to hear stimulating political speakers. The ExCom guides the DA effort in Switzerland.
PLEASE CONSIDER RUNNING FOR AN OFFICE!
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS
The ExCom is the leadership of DACH and is made up of thirteen officers, of which nine will be elected at the AGM and four sit as ex-officio (Chapter Chairs and previous DACH Chair). Officers are elected for two-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms. Officers are members like you who volunteer their time and skills to represent and organize Democrats across Switzerland. The elected positions are listed below.
DPCA VOTING REPRESENTATIVES
In addition to electing the ExCom at the AGM, we will elect three voting representatives to the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA). This is DA at the global level, which is part of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Each country committee, eg. Switzerland, sends reps to vote at DPCA global meetings. In 2019/20 DACH sends five, of which our Chair and Vice-Chair are two. The three others are elected from among the DACH membership. You may run both for an ExCom office and to be DPCA Voting Rep.
NOMINATIONS TIMELINE
To run for a position, inform any Nominating Committee member (contact info below) before the deadline of March 3rd. Include name, address, telephone number, email address, and a brief statement of intention to run. By March 13th we will distribute candidate names, short bios and voting procedures to all members by email.
Elections will be held during the 2019 AGM on Sunday April 7th, from 12 to 5, Strassburgstrasse 11, 8004 Zurich. At the meeting, additional nominations for all offices will be allowed from the floor. Be sure to attend the meeting and vote for your new ExCom!
FIND OUT MORE AT ON-LINE INFO SESSIONS
The Nominations and Elections Committee will hold two on-line information sessions for members who’d like to know more. We’ll describe what’s involved in serving on the ExCom, and answer any and all questions. Join a meeting and listen! We’re here to help. Sessions scheduled via WebEx for Wed February 13th at 8:30pm, and Sun February 17th at 7pm. Find meeting-attendance details and links at our Information Page.
OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS & DUTIES
☆ Chair ☆
Chief executive officer of DACH
- Organize and conduct meetings of the ExCom and the membership, and set the agenda of such meetings
- Establish all committees necessary for the proper functioning of the organization
- Ensure that Secretary and Treasurer core work is being done
- Represent DACH in interviews with the press, or delegate to spokespersons
- Represent DACH at meetings of the DPCA (DA International) and EMEA in person or online, in accordance with the DPCA Charter, and report to the DACH ExCom on DPCA activities, issues, votes, etc.
- Ensure that Democratic Party, DPCA, DACH and FEC rules are followed
- Choose a fair and impartial head of the 'Nominations and Elections Committee' to run DACH elections in odd numbered years
- Raise funds for DACH activities and DPCA
☆ Vice-Chair ☆
- Must not be the same gender as the Chair (as per DACH and DPCA by-laws)
- Partner with the Chair to take on some of their responsibilities
- Substitute for Chair when needed
- Attend DACH ExCom meetings in person or online
- Attend and vote at annual DPCA Global Meeting, in person or online, or ensure another country leader carries your proxy
☆ Secretary ☆
- Take and distribute minutes of ExCom meetings and Annual General Meeting.
- Maintain all files and administrative records of the organization (Google Docs)
- Responsible for country membership, either by performing the duties of the database manager or by coordinating with the database manager for these tasks.
- Currently the secretary is also the database manager
- Reporting to international secretary on administrative issues as required
☆ Treasurer ☆
- Manage the finances of DA Switzerland and its Chapters
- Maintain clear and accurate financial records and make financial reports as required on a timely basis
- Establish annual DACH budget in coordination with the ExCom
- Ensure all financial matters conform to local rules and regulations as well as those of the Federal Election Commission and campaign finance laws of the United States
☆ Counsel ☆
- Preferably a qualified lawyer with experience in Switzerland
- Consult with the ExCom and/or its officers on legal and procedural questions relating to DACH and its activities. Consult with International Counsel as necessary
☆ Chairs of Zurich, Basel and Geneva Chapters ☆ (ex officio, elected separately at the chapter meetings)
- Lead and mobilize members to join their team and welcome new members.
- Oversee and coordinate the business functions of the chapter and report to national and international as required.
- Coordinate with Chapter positions such as vice-chair, secretary and treasurer. Appoint media contact, event organizer, GOTV coordinator, Fundraiser, Young Dems chair, or any other position deemed necessary
- Direct the activities of DACH in their region of Switzerland and keep local membership informed about activities and events.
- Hold regular meetings, contribute to DACH fundraising, organize election related activities such as voter registration events, debate watches, political discussion groups and speaker events, etc.
- Attend ExCom meetings and keep ExCom and other chapters informed of events and activities.
- Insure all activities are conducted in compliance with FEC and campaign finance laws as established by the ExCom.
☆ Immediate-past Chair ☆ (ex officio)
- Advise and assist DACH ExCom in its activities
☆ Member-At-Large, Communications and Media ☆
- Work with DACH leadership to ensure DACH webpage and other social media channels are up to date
- Work with global communications and IT teams and complete necessary trainings
- Work with Country and Chapter leadership to send notifications of news and events to membership and publicize events.
- Maintain up-to-date press list and maintain press and media relations by drafting and coordinating press releases
- May recruit other DACH members to help with communications tasks, forming a team if desired.
☆ Members-At-Large (3) ☆
- We have three flexible member at large positions whose duties have not been defined in advance. Some of our needs include regional coordinators, fundraisers, project managers, event managers, voter registration and phone-banking coordinators.
- More information regarding Member-at-Large needs can be found HERE.
NON-EXCOM POSITIONS
☆ DPCA Voting Representative (3) ☆
- One of five representatives of DACH at annual and other meetings of the DPCA (Chair and Vice-Chair are the other two).
- Casts one vote in any DPCA election
- A Voting Rep may also hold an ExCom position
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
For further info about elections or the roles described above, contact any committee member:
- Kristen Jafflin ([email protected]), exiting Vice-Chair of Basel
- Cresten Mansfeldt ([email protected]), exiting Vice-Chair of DACH
-
Peter Butterfield, Chair of Committee ([email protected]), former VC DACH