As amended and approved by the Harris County Democratic Party Executive Committee on December 14, 2021

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ARTICLE I - RULES OF ORDER 

All meetings of the Harris County Democratic Executive Committee (CEC) shall be conducted in  accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised except as it may be otherwise provided  herein or as provided in the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party (TDP Rules), and applicable laws  of the State of Texas (State Law), including, without limitation, the Texas Election Code. 

ARTICLE II - QUORUM 

Twenty-five percent of the members (exclusive of any vacancies) of the CEC of the Harris County  Democratic Party (HCDP) being present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of  transacting any business that might come before the CEC unless State Law or the TDP Rules  specifically provide other quorum requirements. The quorum requirements for other committees of  the HCDP shall be the same. 
 

ARTICLE III - MEETINGS 

1. Regular meetings of the CEC shall be held as required by State Law and the TDP Rules.  Special meetings shall be held either upon a call by the County Chair, or upon the written  petition of fifty-one percent of the qualified members (exclusive of vacancies) of the CEC  presented to the County Chair. 

2. The Presiding Officer of a CEC meeting may appoint a qualified individual to serve as  parliamentarian. 

3. Notice of all CEC meetings, regular or special, shall be given to each member of the CEC which shall be given at least ten days before the day of the meeting, and otherwise comply  with the Rules of the TDP.  

4. Resolutions, minutes of the last meeting, written reports of standing committees, proposed budgets, audit reports, and documents relating to other matters expected to be considered at a  CEC meeting and for which a written document is required for the item to be considered shall  be made available to CEC members for review at the meeting venue for at least one hour  before the meeting begins. For Remote and Hybrid Meetings, as defined below, such  documents will be made available (at least an hour before the meeting begins) via an internet  link, except documents which

  • (i) contain information of a financial, legal, or strategic nature  which has not been publicly revealed or included in a publicly available record or report, or  

  • (ii) contain proprietary information the public disclosure of which would violate an  agreement with the owner or source of such information (Confidential Documents), and  except documents relating to personnel or disciplinary matters. 

5. During the thirty days before a proposed budget is to be considered by the CEC, the County  Chair and HCDP staff will conduct at least two non-public Remote Meetings, for precinct  chairs and non-precinct chair members of the Steering Committee only, in which the County  Chair will review and explain the proposed budget in-depth, including any modifications  proposed by the Finance Committee, and entertain and respond to questions and comments  from the participants in the meeting. In addition, with respect to other Confidential  Documents, at the Steering Committee meeting prior to a CEC meeting, the County Chair  and HCDP staff will review and explain the document in-depth, including any modifications  proposed by a relevant standing committee, and entertain and respond to questions and  comments from the participants in the meeting. The portion of the Steering Committee  meeting which deals with a Confidential Document shall be non-public and include only  precinct chairs and non-precinct chair members of the Steering Committee as participants. 

6. Information contained in Confidential Documents shall not be shared in whole or in part with  anyone who is not a precinct chair or non-precinct chair member of the Steering Committee.  Violation of this rule can lead to disciplinary action by the CEC. Confidential Documents  will not be copied or photographed in any manner or distributed, including electronically. 

7. CEC, Steering, Standing and Ad Hoc Committee meetings may be conducted by video or  telephone conference call (Remote Meetings), in person, or a combination of any or all  (Hybrid Meetings) and accessible for the public by live streaming or other means, except  where TDP Rules permit the closing of portions of the meeting. 

8. The following additional provisions shall apply to Remote and Hybrid Meetings:


a. Committee members who participate remotely shall count for voting and quorum  purposes. 
 

b. The notice for Remote and Hybrid Meetings shall: 

  • i. state the date, time, platform(s) and contact information for the meeting.

  • ii. include options for attendees who do not have electronic access. 

c. The following applies to voting at a CEC Remote or Hybrid Meeting:

  • i. Votes shall be conducted and recorded by an on-line polling system (persons  participating by telephone conference call may vote by email) indicating who  voted and how they voted.  

  • ii. HCDP will post the result totals on their website promptly after the meeting  and will give Senate District chairs the names and votes of each voting member in their respective district.

  • iii. There is no proxy voting at CEC meetings. A statement shall be required  from the voter certifying that the person casting the ballot is the actual precinct chair and not someone acting on their behalf. 

d. Newly appointed precinct chairs may be sworn in through audio or video technology.

 

9. There shall be no secret ballots because secret ballots are forbidden by TDP Rules. 
 

ARTICLE IV - RECORDS 

All records of the CEC including but not limited to minutes of meetings, reports of committees,  candidate filing forms, returns of elections, checkbooks, bank statements, accounting records, and  official correspondence and contracts shall be maintained at the headquarters of the HCDP and if no  such headquarters exist, then in a location agreed upon by the Chair and Secretary of the HCDP, and  under their joint custody, and shall be available to the inspection of any member of the CEC. 
 

ARTICLE V – FINANCE/FUNDRAISING 

1. All money that may be received by the CEC through any of its members or officers shall be deposited to an account or accounts of the CEC with a financial institution as may be directed  by the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Two approvals (two signatures on checks) out of the  three aforementioned officers shall be necessary for all expenditures in amounts of over  $10,000, or such lesser amount as may be established by the CEC. 

2. The CEC shall have a fiscal year commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30.  

3. The CEC shall adopt a budget each June covering operations through the adoption of the next  budget pursuant to the procedure set forth below. Adoption of the budget shall constitute  authorization to spend up to the amount specified for each category of expenditures.  Expenditure of funds by the CEC, unless otherwise specified by State Law, shall require the  approval of at least fifty one percent of its members present. 

4. No later than May 20 of each year, the County Chair will submit to the  Finance/Fundraising Committee (Finance Committee) for review and approval of, or  recommendation of modification(s) to a proposed budget. The budget will cover all  anticipated expenditures and revenues, by category of expenditure and revenue, in  reasonable and specific detail with a line item amount for each category of expenditures. If  the County Chair’s budget is approved, or the County Chair agrees with the changes  recommended by the Finance Committee, the budget will be submitted to the Steering  Committee, which shall include it on the CEC meeting agenda. If the County Chair and the  Finance Committee fail to agree on a budget, both the County Chair’s budget (including  any changes recommended by the Finance Committee with which the County Chair  agrees) and the Finance Committee’s recommended modifications, will be submitted to  the CEC and the CEC will decide the matter.  

5. If a new County Chair takes office between April 20 and July 1, the budget will be an  interim one and the new County Chair will, within thirty days after taking office, submit to the Finance Committee a proposed budget for the remainder of the fiscal year.  Thereafter, the procedure described above will apply for consideration and adoption of the  budget.  

6. If a new budget has not been approved by the CEC by June 30 because of lack of a  quorum at the CEC meeting called to approve the budget or because of an extraordinary  circumstance beyond the Party’s reasonable control (such as a major weather event or  other emergency which necessitates postponement of a planned CEC meeting), the  existing budget will be automatically extended and continued until a new budget is  approved by the CEC. During this interval, the Party is authorized to expend funds at the  spending levels established by the budget for the fiscal year just ended, pro-rated on a  monthly basis (1/12th of the approved annual amount) for each category of expenditure. 

7. Budget proposals not included in either the County Chair’s budget or the Finance  Committee’s modifications, and amendments to the budget adopted by CEC, cannot be  acted upon by the CEC until they have been presented to both the County Chair and the  Finance Committee, in writing, at least thirty days prior to their being considered by the  CEC. The budget proposals and amendments will be placed on the agenda of the first CEC  meeting occurring at least thirty days after they have been submitted to the County Chair  and the Finance Committee.  

8. When it becomes apparent that anticipated revenue is unlikely to materialize in the  amounts required by the budget or that expenditures will likely exceed the budgeted  amount in any category of expenditure, the County Chair will promptly report to the  Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will develop proposals to adjust for such  circumstances. In addition, the County Chair will report to the CEC (in non-public  session) at each CEC meeting, concerning any expenditures and revenues to date in the  fiscal year, which appear to be materially greater or less than those authorized in the  budget approved by the CEC. 

9. Only members of the Finance Committee, precinct chairs, the County Chair and HCDP staff,  may participate in the Finance Committee’s discussions about the budget; however, only  voting members of the Finance Committee may vote. All discussions about the budget shall  be non-public. Unless objected to by a majority of the voting members of the Finance  Committee present, the Finance Committee chair may allow other individuals to address and  engage with the committee. 

 

ARTICLE VI - STEERING COMMITTEE 

1. The Steering Committee shall be composed of the following persons: 

  • a. County Chair 

  • b. Secretary 

  • c. Treasurer 

  • d. Chairs of the State Senatorial District Committees resident in Harris County e. Secretaries of the State Senatorial District Committees resident in Harris County f. Chairs of all Standing Committees and the Deputy Chair of the Primary Committee

  • g. Any Democratic National Committee (DNC) members from Harris County. DNC  Members shall be non-voting, ex-officio members of the Steering Committee h. A person designated by the County Chair as General Counsel to the HCDP, who shall  be a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Steering Committee. 

  • i. State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) members from every Senatorial  District who reside in Harris County 

  • j. Add-on members of the SDEC who reside in Harris County 

  • k. Three At-Large members of the Steering Committee appointed by and serving at the  pleasure of the County Chair. 

2. The Steering Committee shall be an Advisory Committee to the County Chair and shall act  on behalf of the CEC in between meetings of the CEC as necessary to approve expenditures,  adopt resolutions on behalf of the HCDP (subject to being rescinded at the next meeting of  the CEC), or other activities on behalf of the CEC, and shall serve as the Agenda Committee  for the CEC. The Steering Committee members who are not CEC members may participate  fully in CEC meetings except for voting. 

3. The date, time and venue of Steering Committee meetings shall be posted on the HCDP  online calendar by direction of the County Chair and noticed by e-mail to the committee  members at least one week in advance, except in cases of emergencies, when as much  advance notice as possible will be given and may be given in person, by email or by  telephone. If a committee member has notified the chair of the committee that they do not  have an e-mail address, they shall be notified by telephone. Where action can be taken by  the Steering Committee, such action can be approved (or rejected) by e-mail, so long as a  majority of members of the Steering Committee approve such action via e-mail, and the  chair concludes that the e-mail votes appear to be legitimate.

 

ARTICLE VII - STANDING COMMITTEES 

1. All standing committees shall consist of no less than eight members nominated by the  Steering Committee and approved by the CEC. There shall be at least one member from each  senate district on each standing committee, but no more than four voting members per senate  district. 

2. By statute, the County Chair is the chair of the Primary Committee. The rest of the standing  committee chairs and the deputy chair of the Primary Committee shall be appointed  exclusively pursuant to the following procedure. The County Chair shall nominate at a CEC  meeting a person for each position. No other nominations shall be made. If the nominee  receives a majority vote of precinct chairs voting, that nominee is the chair (or deputy chair  in the case of the Primary Committee) of the applicable committee. If the nominee does not  receive a majority vote, the County Chair shall nominate another person. This shall continue  until all positions are filled. Each standing committee may in its discretion elect a deputy  chair (except for the Primary Committee) and/or secretary. 

3. The term of standing committee memberships shall be for the full term of the CEC which  approved them. In case of a vacancy occurring on any of the standing committees by reason  of death, resignation, or legal disqualification, said vacancy shall be filled by the same  manner used to select the person vacating such position. Additional members of standing  committees may be selected from time to time in the same manner; however, each SD is  limited to 4 voting members per senate district. 

4. The County Chair and the General Counsel to the HCDP shall be ex officio members,  without vote, on all standing committees. However, a General Counsel who is approved by  the CEC to be on a committee as a representative of its Senate District shall have in that  capacity full voting rights on that committee. The Treasurer shall be an ex officio member,  without vote, on the Finance Committee. 

5. Each standing committee (except the Primary Committee) must meet a minimum of once per  quarter. The meeting date, time and venue shall be posted on the HCDP online calendar by  direction of the County Chair and noticed by email to the standing committee members at  least one week in advance, except in cases of emergencies, when as much advance notice as  possible will be given. If a committee member has notified the chair of the committee that  they do not have an email address, they shall be notified by telephone. Where action can be  taken by a standing committee, such action can be approved (or rejected) by e-mail, so long  as a majority of members of the committee approve such action via e-mail, and the chair  concludes that the e-mail votes appear to be legitimate. 

6. The Standing Committees shall provide a report to the Steering Committee (for inclusion in  the agenda) and to the CEC. 

7. The Standing Committees of the CEC are as follows: 

  • a. RULES COMMITTEE. Subject to approval by the CEC, the Rules Committee shall  prepare the rules for the conduct of all meeetings of the CEC. In addition, it shall  from time to time review these rules and propose changes if it deems them advisable.  The Rules Committee shall also receive, investigate, and consider complaints filed  against precinct chairs. If deemed warranted, the Rules Committee shall, upon written  notice, conduct a hearing affording the accused precinct chairs a fair opportunity to  be heard. After the completion of the hearing, the Rules Committee shall make  recommendations to the CEC concerning appropriate discipline, if any, to be imposed  against a precinct chair who has violated the Rules of the HCDP, the TDP, or State  Law. Disciplinary hearings will be conducted pursuant to the rules and procedures  promulgated by the Rules Committee and approved by the Steering Committee. 

  • b. PRIMARY COMMITTEE. The Primary Committee shall carry out all those  functions provided by State Law relating to the administration of the Party’s Primary.  In addition, the Primary Committee shall make recommendations to the CEC regarding proposed changes to the Election Code for consideration by the CEC for  action thereon. 

  • c. RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE. The Resolutions Committee shall study proposed  policy resolutions (that is, formal expressions of the position of the HCDP on issues  of public concern) to be offered to the CEC. All proposed policy resolutions (which  excepts administrative resolutions such as those necessary in the regular course of the  CEC’s business) shall be submitted in writing to the Resolutions Committee at least  two weeks in advance of a Steering Committee meeting. If recommended by the  Resolutions Committee, the resolutions shall be forwarded to the Steering  Committee. The Steering Committee shall determine which policy resolutions will be  included on the CEC meeting agenda. Resolutions which are not included on the  agenda will be referred back to the Resolutions Committee with written guidance on  why they were not included. No policy resolutions and no amendments to policy  resolutions may be offered from the floor at a CEC meeting. If a matter arises at a  time which makes impractical submission of a resolution to the CEC in accordance  with the procedures outlined above, the proposed resolution can be submitted to the  County Chair for referral to the Steering Committee for disposition pursuant to  Article VI.2. All resolutions adopted by the CEC (or by the Steering Committee  pursuant to Article VI.2) will be published on the HCDP website. 

  • d. FINANCE/FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE. The Finance/Fundraising  Committee is responsible for reviewing, commenting on, and approving or  recommending changes to the budget prepared by the County Chair, and for  raising the funds needed to finance the HCDP’s operations. 

  • e. AUDIT COMMITTEE. The Audit Committee shall review the books and  records and accounts of the HCDP (including compliance with the budget) at least  annually and report in writing to the CEC on the review at the first CEC meeting  following the end of the fiscal year under review. It shall also perform such other  functions as the CEC or County Chair directs. 

  • f. AD-HOC COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITEES. The County Chair may  establish other, ad-hoc committees as he/she deems appropriate and may appoint  committee members who are not members of the CEC. Standing Committees may  create subcommittees as they deem appropriate. 

8. Upon the vote of twenty percent of the voting members of any committee, a minority  report can be prepared and presented, provided all other procedures and requirements  mandated by these Rules have been complied with. The HCDP will facilitate such  compliance.
 

ARTICLE VIII - VACANCIES 

1. Each Senatorial District shall elect a Vacancy Committee, which shall consist of at least six  (6) members unless there are fewer than six (6) precincts in a Senatorial District. The  Senatorial District Chairs shall name the Chair of the Vacancy Committee. The Vacancy  Committee shall nominate legally qualified persons to fill all vacancies that may occur on the  CEC from the precincts in that senate district 

2. Where the Vacancy Committee determines that the vacating CEC member was in good  standing at the time of vacating the office, preference in the filling of vacancies shall be in  the following order: 

  • a. A letter of recommendation from the vacating CEC member; or 

  • b. A letter of recommendation from the spouse of a deceased CEC member; or 

  • c. Failing receipt of a written recommendation of the appropriate type provided in (1) or  (2) above within a reasonable time, the Vacancy Committee shall recommend a  legally qualified person of like political persuasion 

3. When the Vacancy Committee determines that a CEC member has vacated the office by  actions disqualifying that member from further service or that a vacating CEC member was  not in good standing at the time of vacating the office, the Vacancy Committee shall  recommend a legally qualified replacement. 

4. In newly created precincts, the CEC member of the precinct from which the new precinct was  created shall recommend a CEC member for that new precinct to the Vacancy Committee. 

5. In vacancies caused by boundary changes affecting more than one precinct, the wishes of all  affected CEC members shall be considered by the Vacancy Committee in the same manner as  described above. 

6. All nominations made by the Vacancy Committee are subject to approval of a majority of the  CEC. 

 

ARTICLE IX - PRECINCT CAPTAIN 

1. A Precinct Captain is: 

  • a. An individual appointed by the Precinct Chair or Senate District Chair to assist in the  duties of a Precinct Chair. 

  • b. An individual appointed by the Senate District Chair to organize a vacant precinct. 

2. A Precinct Chair may appoint a Precinct Captain(s) to assist with any activity related to voter  education, registration, voter identification or get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort in the precinct.

3. A Senate District Chair may appoint a Precinct Captain(s) if the precinct is vacant or inactive. 

4. A Precinct Chair or Senate District Chair may in their discretion remove an appointed  Precinct Captain at any time for any or no reason. 

5. A Precinct Captain shall have no standing or voting authority which is a statutory duty of a  Precinct Chair. 
 

ARTICLE X - SECRETARY 

1. The CEC shall elect a Secretary of the CEC at the first of the newly elected and installed  CEC, who shall serve for the full two-year term of that CEC, or thereafter until a successor  shall be elected. The duties of the Secretary shall be to keep the minutes of the meetings of  the CEC, and such other duties as may be placed upon the Secretary herein, or by the TDP  Rules, or by State Law, or that may from time to time be assigned to the Secretary by the  Chair, or by the CEC. 

2. In the event the office of county chair becomes vacant as a result of the death,  disqualification, or resignation of the county chair, or the county chair becomes unable to  perform the duties of that office as a result of incapacitation, the HCDP Secretary shall  perform all of the duties and responsibilities of the county chair (except to the extent  otherwise provided by State Law or by the TDP Rules) until a new chair is elected by the  CEC or a previously incapacitated county chair is able to resume the duties of the office of  County Chair. 
 

ARTICLE XI - TREASURER 

1. The CEC shall elect from its membership a Treasurer at the first meeting of the newly elected  and installed CEC who shall serve the full two-year term of that CEC, or thereafter until a  successor shall be elected. 

2. The Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept an accurate record of all funds received and  spent by the CEC and shall present or have presented a financial report at all meetings of the  CEC. 
 

ARTICLE XII - NOTICES 

Whenever these rules or the TDP Rules require that timely notice be given (including notice in  writing), such notice shall be regarded as having been given (including “in writing”) if it is published  prominently on the Party’s website and either contained in an e-mail or in a written notice. However,  if a member of the CEC or the Steering Committee notifies the county chair in writing that he or she  does not have ready access to e-mail or the internet, e-mail and website posting of notice will not be  sufficient as to that person, and other appropriate means of providing written notice to that person  shall be employed (ordinarily, United States mail)

ARTICLE XIII - EMERGENCY RULES FOR CONDUCTING COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND  OTHER MEETINGS OF THE HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Pursuant to Article X, Section 12 of the TDP Rules, the following procedures shall be adopted in  order to allow participation in CEC, other official or statutory meetings of HCDP organizations when  a state or national emergency declaration is in effect for any voting precinct within the territory of  such committee, including voting in the meeting(s) of such committee via telephone, video  conferencing, email or other digital or electronic means and all precinct chairs participating in such  committee meeting by such alternative means shall be counted and included in determining the  presence of a quorum. 

1. Notices of Meetings 

All notices of CEC, or other official or statutory meetings of HCDP organizations meetings  shall: 

  • a. state how participants may attend, including links to any virtual method(s) of  participating in the meeting and in-person participation if no internet access is  available to said participant. 

  • b. include an e-mail address where participants may submit questions before the  meeting; and, 

  • c. include a contact phone number where participants with disabilities or without access  to the technology that will be utilized for the meeting, can obtain assistance in  participating in the meeting. 

2. Physical Attendance: 

  • a. Any requirement that the voting participants be physically present at the meeting,  either to vote or to be counted for quorum, is waived for the duration of the declared  State of Emergency as long as their attendance can be determined as indicated above. 

  • b. All members at the meeting must be recognized by the Chair prior to speaking, and  no more than one person shall speak at the same time.  

3. Voting: 

  • a. All votes shall be recorded and conducted via an on-line balloting or polling system  indicating who voted and how they voted.  

  • b. HCDP will post the result totals on their website after the meeting has concluded and  will give Senate District chairs the names and votes of each voting member in their  respective district. 

  • c. A statement shall be required from the voter certifying that the person casting the  ballot is the actual precinct chair, and not someone acting on that person's behalf. 

  • d. There is no proxy voting at CEC meetings held either in person, electronic or other  means. 

4. Vacancy appointments 

Newly appointed precinct chairs are not required to be physically present to be sworn in and  may be sworn in through audio or video technology. 

5. Public Participation 

The general public may view the virtual meeting through a live stream service of the HCDP’s  choosing except where TDP Rules permit the closing of portions of the meeting to the  general public.  
 

ARTICLE XIV - AMENDMENT 

These Rules may be amended by a majority of the CEC members attending a meeting called for such  purpose, provided the proposed amendment must be mailed or emailed to the CEC members at least  ten (10) days before its adoption is considered by the CEC.

 

                                                                                Approved 12/14/21