OUR MOVEMENT STARTS LOCALLY

How do you form/charter a chapter?

Step 1: Three or more Progressive Caucus members together decide to form a Chapter. These are the founding members.

Step 2: The founding members define a region for the proposed Chapter to represent. Chapter regions must be constructed from existing political or geographical boundaries, such as city or county boarders.

Step 3: The founding members create a set of bylaws for the proposed Chapter. The Chapter bylaws must comply with these bylaws of the Progressive Caucus, and the bylaws of the Michigan Democratic Party. They must provide for at least two co-chairpersons of different genders, and at least one other Officer. They must specify that Officers are administrative positions, while decisions are always made by multiple-position offices.

Step 4: The founding members then call a general membership meeting for the proposed Chapter, of all Progressive Caucus members in the defined region. This meeting is subject to the provisions of Article III Section 3: Timely Notice, restricted to the region defined for the proposed Chapter.

Step 5: At the general membership meeting called for the Chapter, if there are at least ten (10) Progressive Caucus members in attendance, including new members signed up that day, the founders open the meeting and move to approve the proposed region and bylaws for the Chapter. If the proposal passes, the founders or their designees may present the proposed Chapter region and bylaws to the Progressive Caucus Executive Committee for review. The Committee shall render their decision within 30 days of receiving the materials. If the region or bylaws are disapproved, the specific reasons must be provided and remedies recommended. If in the judgment of the Committee the defects are minor, the materials may be provisionally approved, with required changes to be adopted at the next general membership meeting of the proposed Chapter.

Step 6: The founding members or their designees call an election for the positions described in their Chapter bylaws. This call is subject to the provisions of Article III Section 3: Timely Notice.

Step 7: The new officers of the Chapter submit the minutes of the meeting where the election took place, including the names of the duly elected co-chairpersons and at least one other officer of the Chapter. If the Chapter region and bylaws were provisionally approved, the required changes must pass before officers are elected.

Step 8: The Progressive Caucus Officers review the minutes to verify compliance with the Chapter chartering procedure and these bylaws. If no objection is raised within 10 days, the Progressive Caucus Secretary issues a Charter to the Chapter within 7 days after the 10 expire. The Chapter is not Chartered and may not promote themselves as such, or use any resources of the Progressive Caucus or the Michigan Democratic Party, until the Chapter officers have received the Charter document.