BYLAWS
All Kansas chapters and individual members must adhere to these bylaws in order to remain part of the organization. The bylaws also define the organization's status and details of operation.
Preamble
The Kansas High School Democrats (KSHSD) abides by the following bylaws, which govern organizational functions, elections, and leadership. As KSHSD is a state chapter of the High School Democrats of America (HSDA), chartered under Section 510 of the HSDA Bylaws, all KSHSD chapters and members operate under both organizations. Each chartered chapter runs independently with its own leadership and is subject to all pertaining requirements of the KSHSD Bylaws.
Article I: Name
Section 110 Name
This organization shall be known as the Kansas High School Democrats, which may be abbreviated to KSHSD.
Article II: Policy
Section 210 Organizational Functions
Pursuant to Section 210 of the Bylaws of the High School Democrats of America (HSDA), the Kansas High School Democrats shall:
Article III: Organization
Section 310a State Organization
The Kansas High School Democrats shall be composed of the Executive Board as well as other bodies and positions created at the discretion of the State Chair.
Section 310b State Committee
The State Committee shall consist of all members of the Executive Board and each chapter’s executive. Chapter executives may appoint, on a temporary or permanent basis, a representative for their chapter.
Section 320 Local Organization
The Kansas High School Democrats shall organize its membership into local and regional units, which will administer their respective jurisdictions. Local chapters will be subject to all pertaining requirements of the document.
Section 330 Parent Organizations
The Kansas High School Democrats shall:
Article IV: Membership
Section 410 General Membership
Any self-identified Democrat in a Kansas junior or senior high school, or any Democrat between the ages of eleven (11) and (19) who is a Kansas resident, being a public, private, or home school student, shall be eligible for active membership in this organization. Members shall remain eligible until three (3) months after high school.
Section 420 Membership Guidelines
All members of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be granted the following rights:
Article V: Local Chapters
Section 510 Chartering Requirements
In order for a chapter to be chartered with the Kansas High School Democrats, the State Chair must confirm that the chapter has at least three (3) members, all of whom are registered, or plan to register, as members of the Kansas High School Democrats.
Section 520 Chapter Types
Chapters may charter as either:
Section 530 Chapter Requirements
The following regulations apply to all local chapters:
Section 540 Chapter Revocation
Any chapter not in compliance with this document or shown to be violating the principles of the Kansas High School Democrats may have their chapter charter revoked by a two-thirds majority vote of the State Committee. Chapters whose charters have been revoked shall not be allowed to reform with similar organization as a new chapter, unless granted approval by a simple majority vote of the State Committee.
Section 550 Chapter Privileges
Local chapters that have been chartered shall have the privilege of participating in both the Kansas High School Democrats and the High School Democrats of America. All registered members of chartered local chapters shall be considered members of this organization.
Article VI: Executive Board
Section 610: Role of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall see the functioning and growth of this organization and its programs.
Section 620 Composition of the Executive Board
The Executive Board of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be composed of the elected offices of Chair and Vice-Chair. Other positions on the Executive Board will be appointed and created at the discretion of the Chair.
Section 630 Tenure of Executive Board Members
Elected members of the Executive Board shall serve for a term of no more than one (1) year after their election, after which they shall either graduate, seek re-election, or resign. Appointed members of the Executive Board mayserve until the term of the Chair that appointed them expires, after which they may seek appointment by the newly elected Chair.
The new Chair and Vice-Chair shall take office by June 1st of their year of election.
Section 640 Duties of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
Section 650 Causes for Impeachment
The Chair and Vice-Chair are subject to impeachment and removal from office for failure to fulfill assigned duties or for violation of any law or rule of this organization, the Democratic Party, or for the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors, or for generally inappropriate conduct.
Section 660 Impeachment Process
Appointed members of the Executive Board may be removed by the Chair, with the consent of the Vice-Chair, at any time.
One-fifth (⅕) of the Executive Board may petition to trigger the impeachment process of the Chair or Vice-Chair. Subsequently, a meeting of the State Committee shall be called, in which the initial petitioners shall call upon another HSDA elected leader, from a statewide or nationwide position, to preside and oversee the proceedings. It shall be the duty of the presiding HSDA elected leader to ensure that the process of impeachment is conducted fairly and that the following protocols are followed.
In the impeachment meeting, for which at least five (5) days of notice must be provided, the Executive Board members shall be given the opportunity to present evidence and discuss the option of impeachment. Then, in a secret ballot, a three-fourths (¾) majority of the State Committee may remove the Chair or Vice-Chair.
Section 670 Vacancies
If a member of the Executive Board resigns, is removed from office or is otherwise incapable of serving, the State Chair may appoint any KSHSD member to fill the resulting vacancy.
If the position of Chair is vacant, the Vice-Chair shall assume the position of Chair for the remainder of their term. If the position of Vice-Chair is vacant, a special election, as specified in Section 790, shall be held to replace the Vice-Chair. If the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair are simultaneously vacant, the Chair of the High School Democrats of America shall be asked to appoint an interim Chair from the members of the Executive Board, who will serve until a special election can replace both positions. The interim Chair may not declare their candidacy in the following special election.
Section 680 Executive Board Meetings
Executive Board meetings shall be held weekly by the State Chair, who may also call special meetings for any reason. All Executive Board members must be notified of meetings at least two (2) days prior to the meeting, except under extraordinary circumstances. A quorum of one more than half (½ +1) of the Executive Board members must be present for business to be conducted. Meeting minutes shall be recorded and accessible to all KSHSD members.
Cancellation of a meeting must be approved by a simple majority of the Executive Board. In the case of a tie, the Chair shall be the tie-breaking vote.
Section 680a Executive Board Meeting Attendance
If a Kansas High School Democrats Executive Board member misses more than two (2) consecutive meetings without notification to the State Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance for an excused absence, they will be immediately suspended from the state Executive Board. This Executive Board member can request to be reinstated to the Executive Board wherein the member’s status will be under the discretion of the State Chair.
Section 680b Executive Board Meeting Attendance Exemptions
A Kansas High School Democrats Executive Board member is to be excused without consequence from an Executive Board meeting for the following reasons:
Any other excused absence must be approved by the State Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours before a missed meeting.
If the State Chair is chronically absent, they may be subject to impeachment under Section 660.
Section 680c Executive Board Meeting Prohibitions
An Executive Board meeting cannot be held:
Article VII: Election of Officers
Section 710 State Elections
The Kansas High School Democrats shall hold a statewide election once a year, using the ranked-choice voting system for all officers.
Section 720 Constituency
All members of this organization, as per their rights under Section 420(a), shall be eligible to receive a ballot.
Section 730a Election Committee
An election committee of three (3) members, chaired by one (1) graduating senior who has been a member of the Kansas High School Democrats for no less than two (2) months, shall be established to oversee the statewide election. Members, including the Chair, shall be appointed by the Chair of the Kansas High School Democrats and confirmed with the consent of a majority of the Executive Board providing they meet the following requirements:
Section 730b Election Committee Discretion
The Election Committee, deeming it necessary and proper, shall reserve the right to add additional rules and regulations regarding the governance and administration of elections, but shall not reserve the right to bypass or remove any regulations listed in this document. The Election Committee shall also have the power to investigate all allegations of violation of electoral protocols, and with a unanimous ruling shall have the power to disqualify a candidate for such a violation.
Section 740 Candidates
All Kansas High School Democrats who have been a member for at least one (1) month shall be able to run for a position in the organization, granted that they are in full compliance with all bylaws and regulations that apply to candidacy, they meet all requirements mentioned in this document, and that they fill out all required candidacy forms.
Graduating seniors are not allowed to declare candidacy.
Section 750 Ballots
Ballots shall be designed in such a manner that they are easily understandable, all text is legible, and that they are fair to all candidates. Each member shall be given only one (1) ballot to fill out their order of preference for each office, and shall not be permitted to “write-in” or otherwise select a candidate that is not listed on the ballot.
Candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order by last name. In the case the candidates have the same last name, they shall be listed in alphabetical order by their first name.
Section 760 Certification of the Vote
After all, votes have been tallied, the Election Committee shall hear all appeals from candidates, and choose whether to investigate appeals or to dismiss appeals based on the facts of the candidate’s appeal. All appeals having been heard, and all discrepancies, allegations, and irregularities investigated, the committee may unanimously decide to certify the results. Once certified, all results shall be final.
If the margin of victory is two (2) percent or less, all candidates shall be entitled to a recount, after which all results shall be final.
Section 770 Notice
The membership of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be notified of the statewide election sixty (60) days before the election is scheduled to occur, and at this time shall be informed of all positions available and all steps necessary to become a candidate. Three (3) weeks prior to the election, all members must be notified of all candidates for each position and given a copy of their written statement. Voting instructions must also be included with this notification.
Voting shall be open for forty-eight (48) hours.
Section 780 Special Elections
If there is a special election with conditions as outlined in Section 670, whoever is acting as the State Chair shall chair the Election Committee and appoint two (2) other members of the Executive Board who do not intend to run in the special election as members of the committee. In this election, members of the Kansas High School Democrats shall receive at least seven (7) days notice of the filing deadline, and all members must be notified of all candidates for each position and given a copy of their written statement at least three (3) days before the election is scheduled to take place. Voting shall be open for forty-eight (48) hours, after which all procedures shall be governed by Section 760.
Section 790a Candidate Campaign Restrictions
Candidates for state office must abide by the following restrictions:
Section 790b Other Campaign Restrictions
Article VIII: Amendments
Section 810 Amendment Process
This document may be amended by the consent of the State Chair and the Vice-Chair along with the simple majority vote of the State Committee. Alternatively, this document may be amended with a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the Executive Board. Any member of the State Committee may propose an amendment.
Section 820 Referendums
This document may be amended by a referendum passed by a two-thirds (⅔) majority of Kansas High School Democrats members. All referendums shall be overseen by the State Chair and Vice-Chair, and all referendum options shall be granted the same rights as candidates, and shall be governed by all regulations under Article VII.
The Kansas High School Democrats (KSHSD) abides by the following bylaws, which govern organizational functions, elections, and leadership. As KSHSD is a state chapter of the High School Democrats of America (HSDA), chartered under Section 510 of the HSDA Bylaws, all KSHSD chapters and members operate under both organizations. Each chartered chapter runs independently with its own leadership and is subject to all pertaining requirements of the KSHSD Bylaws.
Article I: Name
Section 110 Name
This organization shall be known as the Kansas High School Democrats, which may be abbreviated to KSHSD.
Article II: Policy
Section 210 Organizational Functions
Pursuant to Section 210 of the Bylaws of the High School Democrats of America (HSDA), the Kansas High School Democrats shall:
- Engage our fellow students to be active `in the Democratic Party and the entirety of the American political system
- Actively support Democratic nominees in local, state, and national elections
- Be forbidden from endorsing any candidate for office who has yet to win their respective primary election
- Make its principal mission the identification, training, and recruitment of Democratic activists in high school
Article III: Organization
Section 310a State Organization
The Kansas High School Democrats shall be composed of the Executive Board as well as other bodies and positions created at the discretion of the State Chair.
Section 310b State Committee
The State Committee shall consist of all members of the Executive Board and each chapter’s executive. Chapter executives may appoint, on a temporary or permanent basis, a representative for their chapter.
Section 320 Local Organization
The Kansas High School Democrats shall organize its membership into local and regional units, which will administer their respective jurisdictions. Local chapters will be subject to all pertaining requirements of the document.
Section 330 Parent Organizations
The Kansas High School Democrats shall:
- Operate as the official Kansas state chapter of the High School Democrats of America; codes set forth by the HSDA Bylaws supersede those found in this document
- Maintain a relationship as a parent organization to all local chapters
Article IV: Membership
Section 410 General Membership
Any self-identified Democrat in a Kansas junior or senior high school, or any Democrat between the ages of eleven (11) and (19) who is a Kansas resident, being a public, private, or home school student, shall be eligible for active membership in this organization. Members shall remain eligible until three (3) months after high school.
Section 420 Membership Guidelines
All members of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be granted the following rights:
- Members can vote in any statewide KSHSD election after (30) days of consecutive membership
- KSHSD will not discriminate against members based on gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, socioeconomic status, nationality, disability, or any similar factor.
- Members shall not receive a litmus test
- Members shall have the opportunity to run for state office after 30 days of membership
Article V: Local Chapters
Section 510 Chartering Requirements
In order for a chapter to be chartered with the Kansas High School Democrats, the State Chair must confirm that the chapter has at least three (3) members, all of whom are registered, or plan to register, as members of the Kansas High School Democrats.
Section 520 Chapter Types
Chapters may charter as either:
- A high school chapter centered at a school
- A community chapter centered within a community or locality
- A county chapter centered within a county
- A virtual chapter, when a,b, and c are not viable options
Section 530 Chapter Requirements
The following regulations apply to all local chapters:
- Registered chapters must maintain close contact with the Kansas High School Democrats
- Chapter members must register with the High School Democrats of America
- Registered chapters shall guarantee all rights owed to their members by state and national bylaws
- Chapters are encouraged to have democratically-elected leadership within a year of their first meeting
- Chapters may not endorse candidates in primary elections. Any member, however, is encouraged to participate in primary elections, provided that they do so in their individual capacity.
Section 540 Chapter Revocation
Any chapter not in compliance with this document or shown to be violating the principles of the Kansas High School Democrats may have their chapter charter revoked by a two-thirds majority vote of the State Committee. Chapters whose charters have been revoked shall not be allowed to reform with similar organization as a new chapter, unless granted approval by a simple majority vote of the State Committee.
Section 550 Chapter Privileges
Local chapters that have been chartered shall have the privilege of participating in both the Kansas High School Democrats and the High School Democrats of America. All registered members of chartered local chapters shall be considered members of this organization.
Article VI: Executive Board
Section 610: Role of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall see the functioning and growth of this organization and its programs.
Section 620 Composition of the Executive Board
The Executive Board of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be composed of the elected offices of Chair and Vice-Chair. Other positions on the Executive Board will be appointed and created at the discretion of the Chair.
Section 630 Tenure of Executive Board Members
Elected members of the Executive Board shall serve for a term of no more than one (1) year after their election, after which they shall either graduate, seek re-election, or resign. Appointed members of the Executive Board mayserve until the term of the Chair that appointed them expires, after which they may seek appointment by the newly elected Chair.
The new Chair and Vice-Chair shall take office by June 1st of their year of election.
Section 640 Duties of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
- The State Chair shall serve as the Chief Executive of the Kansas High School Democrats, set the agenda, and lead all meetings of the Executive Board, as well as serve as the official voice of this organization. The State Chair must also execute and obey all rules and resolutions adopted by this organization.
- The Vice-Chair shall fulfill all duties of the State Chair in the absence of the officeholder. The Vice-Chair must also execute and obey all rules and resolutions adopted by this organization.
Section 650 Causes for Impeachment
The Chair and Vice-Chair are subject to impeachment and removal from office for failure to fulfill assigned duties or for violation of any law or rule of this organization, the Democratic Party, or for the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors, or for generally inappropriate conduct.
Section 660 Impeachment Process
Appointed members of the Executive Board may be removed by the Chair, with the consent of the Vice-Chair, at any time.
One-fifth (⅕) of the Executive Board may petition to trigger the impeachment process of the Chair or Vice-Chair. Subsequently, a meeting of the State Committee shall be called, in which the initial petitioners shall call upon another HSDA elected leader, from a statewide or nationwide position, to preside and oversee the proceedings. It shall be the duty of the presiding HSDA elected leader to ensure that the process of impeachment is conducted fairly and that the following protocols are followed.
In the impeachment meeting, for which at least five (5) days of notice must be provided, the Executive Board members shall be given the opportunity to present evidence and discuss the option of impeachment. Then, in a secret ballot, a three-fourths (¾) majority of the State Committee may remove the Chair or Vice-Chair.
Section 670 Vacancies
If a member of the Executive Board resigns, is removed from office or is otherwise incapable of serving, the State Chair may appoint any KSHSD member to fill the resulting vacancy.
If the position of Chair is vacant, the Vice-Chair shall assume the position of Chair for the remainder of their term. If the position of Vice-Chair is vacant, a special election, as specified in Section 790, shall be held to replace the Vice-Chair. If the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair are simultaneously vacant, the Chair of the High School Democrats of America shall be asked to appoint an interim Chair from the members of the Executive Board, who will serve until a special election can replace both positions. The interim Chair may not declare their candidacy in the following special election.
Section 680 Executive Board Meetings
Executive Board meetings shall be held weekly by the State Chair, who may also call special meetings for any reason. All Executive Board members must be notified of meetings at least two (2) days prior to the meeting, except under extraordinary circumstances. A quorum of one more than half (½ +1) of the Executive Board members must be present for business to be conducted. Meeting minutes shall be recorded and accessible to all KSHSD members.
Cancellation of a meeting must be approved by a simple majority of the Executive Board. In the case of a tie, the Chair shall be the tie-breaking vote.
Section 680a Executive Board Meeting Attendance
If a Kansas High School Democrats Executive Board member misses more than two (2) consecutive meetings without notification to the State Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance for an excused absence, they will be immediately suspended from the state Executive Board. This Executive Board member can request to be reinstated to the Executive Board wherein the member’s status will be under the discretion of the State Chair.
Section 680b Executive Board Meeting Attendance Exemptions
A Kansas High School Democrats Executive Board member is to be excused without consequence from an Executive Board meeting for the following reasons:
- Religious holidays or obligations
- Family or pet emergencies or bereavement
- Medical emergencies
- Immigration status crisis
- Community Emergencies
- Detention by law enforcement, not including the period after one has been formally charged with a criminal offense
Any other excused absence must be approved by the State Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours before a missed meeting.
If the State Chair is chronically absent, they may be subject to impeachment under Section 660.
Section 680c Executive Board Meeting Prohibitions
An Executive Board meeting cannot be held:
- Simultaneously with any Kansas High School Democrats or High School Democrats of America-mandated conference, rally, or other event
- Less than two (2) hours after any mass shooting or similar scale terrorist attack
- During or directly after any immediately devastating natural disaster that directly affects Executive Board members such as an earthquake or wildfire
Article VII: Election of Officers
Section 710 State Elections
The Kansas High School Democrats shall hold a statewide election once a year, using the ranked-choice voting system for all officers.
Section 720 Constituency
All members of this organization, as per their rights under Section 420(a), shall be eligible to receive a ballot.
Section 730a Election Committee
An election committee of three (3) members, chaired by one (1) graduating senior who has been a member of the Kansas High School Democrats for no less than two (2) months, shall be established to oversee the statewide election. Members, including the Chair, shall be appointed by the Chair of the Kansas High School Democrats and confirmed with the consent of a majority of the Executive Board providing they meet the following requirements:
- The appointee has been a member of the organization for at least two (2) months
- The appointee is not seeking office in the upcoming state election and is not affiliated with the campaign of anyone seeking office in the upcoming state election
- The appointee has not been previously impeached from a position in the organization
Section 730b Election Committee Discretion
The Election Committee, deeming it necessary and proper, shall reserve the right to add additional rules and regulations regarding the governance and administration of elections, but shall not reserve the right to bypass or remove any regulations listed in this document. The Election Committee shall also have the power to investigate all allegations of violation of electoral protocols, and with a unanimous ruling shall have the power to disqualify a candidate for such a violation.
Section 740 Candidates
All Kansas High School Democrats who have been a member for at least one (1) month shall be able to run for a position in the organization, granted that they are in full compliance with all bylaws and regulations that apply to candidacy, they meet all requirements mentioned in this document, and that they fill out all required candidacy forms.
Graduating seniors are not allowed to declare candidacy.
Section 750 Ballots
Ballots shall be designed in such a manner that they are easily understandable, all text is legible, and that they are fair to all candidates. Each member shall be given only one (1) ballot to fill out their order of preference for each office, and shall not be permitted to “write-in” or otherwise select a candidate that is not listed on the ballot.
Candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order by last name. In the case the candidates have the same last name, they shall be listed in alphabetical order by their first name.
Section 760 Certification of the Vote
After all, votes have been tallied, the Election Committee shall hear all appeals from candidates, and choose whether to investigate appeals or to dismiss appeals based on the facts of the candidate’s appeal. All appeals having been heard, and all discrepancies, allegations, and irregularities investigated, the committee may unanimously decide to certify the results. Once certified, all results shall be final.
If the margin of victory is two (2) percent or less, all candidates shall be entitled to a recount, after which all results shall be final.
Section 770 Notice
The membership of the Kansas High School Democrats shall be notified of the statewide election sixty (60) days before the election is scheduled to occur, and at this time shall be informed of all positions available and all steps necessary to become a candidate. Three (3) weeks prior to the election, all members must be notified of all candidates for each position and given a copy of their written statement. Voting instructions must also be included with this notification.
Voting shall be open for forty-eight (48) hours.
Section 780 Special Elections
If there is a special election with conditions as outlined in Section 670, whoever is acting as the State Chair shall chair the Election Committee and appoint two (2) other members of the Executive Board who do not intend to run in the special election as members of the committee. In this election, members of the Kansas High School Democrats shall receive at least seven (7) days notice of the filing deadline, and all members must be notified of all candidates for each position and given a copy of their written statement at least three (3) days before the election is scheduled to take place. Voting shall be open for forty-eight (48) hours, after which all procedures shall be governed by Section 760.
Section 790a Candidate Campaign Restrictions
Candidates for state office must abide by the following restrictions:
- Public campaigns may not begin until the election is announced.
- Candidates may not explicitly run on a slate.
- Candidates may not spend or solicit funds for campaign purposes.
- Candidates may not discuss specific Executive Board appointments with any voter prior to the election.
Section 790b Other Campaign Restrictions
- While any member may endorse or otherwise support candidates for state office, local chapters may not do so without either the consent of a two-thirds (⅔) majority of members or a two-thirds (⅔) majority of those who attend an open chapter meeting. Local chapter leaders must give proper notice of such a meeting and ensure that active members can attend.
Article VIII: Amendments
Section 810 Amendment Process
This document may be amended by the consent of the State Chair and the Vice-Chair along with the simple majority vote of the State Committee. Alternatively, this document may be amended with a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the Executive Board. Any member of the State Committee may propose an amendment.
Section 820 Referendums
This document may be amended by a referendum passed by a two-thirds (⅔) majority of Kansas High School Democrats members. All referendums shall be overseen by the State Chair and Vice-Chair, and all referendum options shall be granted the same rights as candidates, and shall be governed by all regulations under Article VII.
