Indiana High
School Democrats:
Chapter Charter 2018-2019
Mission: To stimulate in High School students an active interest in governmental affairs; to perpetuate the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party and to forthrightly represent the legitimate aspirations of the young citizens of the state of Indiana and this great nation. With these thoughts we establish this Charter.
Vision: To be the largest State Chapter of HSDA, with over 100 active members and 20 Local Chapters. To have an active statewide organization for years to come.
ARTICLE I: Name and Affiliation
Section 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Indiana High School Democrats.
Section 2: Affiliation
The Indiana High School Democrats will be Chartered with, and affiliated with the High School Democrats of America.
ARTICLE II: Membership
Section 1: Membership
Membership requirements for the Indiana High School Democrats will be as follows:
1(a): Must be a student currently enrolled in high school or will have left or entered high school within 3 months
1(b): Must live within Indiana’s organizational limits
Section 2: Discrimination
Membership will not be affected by but not limited to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and mental or physical disability.
Section 3: Fees
The state and local chapters shall never charge membership fees for new students. Alternative measures must be used to raise funds.This may not be amended.
ARTICLE III: State Executive Board
Section 1: State Executive Board
The Indiana High School Democrats State Executive Board (Executive Board) will be the chief policy making body for the statewide organization under the supervision of the High School Democrats of America Executive Board. All local Indiana HSDA chapters shall act under the supervision of the Indiana High School Democrats.
Section 2: Composition
The State Executive Board shall be composed of the following voting members. No person may serve on the State Executive Board in any capacity if they have been out of high school for more than three (3) months.
2(a): State Chairman
2(b): State Communications Director
2(c): State Development Director
2(d): State Programs Director
2(e): Deputy Directors (3 Max)
Section 3: Executive Duties
The members of the State Executive Board shall have the following responsibilities:
3(a): State Chairman
(i) Serve as the Chief Executive Officer for the statewide organization
(ii) Act as Chair of both State Executive Board and State Committee
(iii) Represent the State Executive Board when not in session
(iv) Act as first representative to any external or parent organizations
(v) Choose which Director acts as the second representative to any external or parent organization
(vi) Communicate with the state party, campaigns, media, and VIP contacts
(vii) Involve State Communications when deemed necessary
(viii) Ensure the decisions made by the State Executive Board are executed.
(ix) Establish administrative procedures not otherwise provided for by the Charter of this chapter or the State Executive Board
(x) Establish the agenda for each State Executive Board meeting
(xi) Oversee all other Executive Board Members to ensure they are completing their responsibilities
(xii) Delegate duties to other Executive Board Members as needed
3(b) State Communications Director
(i) Serve as the Head of Public Relations for the statewide organization.
(ii) Maintain and develop the web presence of the Indiana High School Democrats
(iii) Keep accurate notes of all State Executive Board Meetings and decisions.
(iv) Create publicity for all state programs
(v) Keep an accurate contact list of all State Executive Board Members, State Committeemen, and external contacts
(vi) Day-to-day communication with non-essential contacts
(vii) Appoint and dismiss Communications Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(viii) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(c) State Development Director
(i) Serve as Head of Outreach and Expansion for the statewide organization
(ii) Act as the day-to-day connection between Local Chapters and the State Executive Board,
(iii) Maintain constant communication with Local Chairmen.
(iv) Keep an accurate contact list of Local Chapters, Local Leaders, and Active Members
(v) Initiate programs directed at recruitment of new members and creation of local chapters
(vi) Oversee state staff relating to development
(vii) Coordinate with the national Development Director
(viii) Serve as primary contact for interested prospective members
(ix) Appoint and dismiss Development Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(x) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(d) State Programs Director
(i) Serve as Head of Programming for statewide organization
(ii) Oversee the planning of all state programs including,
(iii) Future Leaders of Tomorrow
(iv) Conceptualize new state programs and actions
(v) Responsible for the implementation of national and state action programs at the local level such as but not limited to,
(vi) Voter registration
(vii) Campaigning
(viii) Media blitz
(ix) Assist local chapters in creating and organizing local programs
(x) Appoint and dismiss Programs Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(xi) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(e) State Deputy Directors (3: 1 per State Director)
(i) Serve as Deputies to Communications, Development, and Programs Directors respectively
(ii) Shall participate in Executive Board Meetings but shall not have a vote in general State Executive Board voting procedures
(iii) Automatically succeed their respective Director in the case of a vacancy in said Director position
(iv) Support their respective Director in all their executive duties
(v) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of their respective Director
(vi) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman.
Section 4: Voting Rules [Executive Board Proceedings]
4(a) A vote will be held on ANY topic if at least 1 Executive Board Member requests it.
4(b) At least ¾ of the voting Executive Board must be present to meet quorum in order to hold a vote.
4(c) A vote must receive ⅔ support from the Executive Board to pass.
4(d) All present Executive Board Members must vote yea or nay (no abstentions).
4(e) Proxy votes should be a last resort and must be accepted by the State Chair prior to the Executive the Board Meeting.
Section 5: Meeting Requirements
5(a): The State Executive Board will meet (in any sort of group communication media) no less than twelve (12) times during the course of one (1) calendar year
5(b): The State Executive Board will meet at least once during each month of the schools calendar year (however bi-weekly meetings should be attempted).
5(c): The State Chairman may call additional meetings whenever necessary.
ARTICLE IV: State Committee
Section 1: Purpose
The Indiana High School Democrats State Committee (Committee) shall be the chief communication and voting body of INHSD elections. It will serve to foster communication and good relations between the INHSD Executive Board and local chapters and activists. The Committee shall also serve as the voting body for all INHSD Executive Board Elections.
Section 2: Composition
The Committee shall be made up of the following individuals
2(a) INHSD Executive Board Members
2(b) Local Chapter Leaders
2(c) Implemented State Staff (ex. Regional Directors)
2(d) Appointed Peoples as the Executive Board Sees Fit
Section 3: Becoming a Committeeperson
New Committeepersons will be appointed to the Committee with a simple majority vote by the Executive Board. Local Chapter Leaders and State Staff will be automatically brought to a vote as soon as possible. Executive Board Members may call for the appointment of additional people as well.
Section 4: Removing a Committeeperson
The Executive Board may remove any non-Executive Committeeperson from the Committee with a two-thirds (⅔).
ARTICLE V: Elections
Section 1: Annual Elections
Elections for all voting Executive Board positions must be held each May or June.
Section 2: Voting System
Voting must take place online utilizing some form of secret ballot and voter identifier (ie. Google Forms w/ required name and email).
Section 3: Voting Body
The voting body for all Executive Board elections shall be the State Committee in which all State Committee members will receive one (1) vote per position regardless of their attendance to the Election.
Section 4: Proxies
Unlike other INHSD voting procedures, proxy votes shall never be accepted for elections.
Section 5: Oversight
Elections shall be overseen by the State Chairman and any others he requests assistance from.
Section 6: Candidacy
Individuals must be current State Committeemen in order to be candidates. Eligible individuals must declare their candidacy by contacting the State Chairman with their Name, Grade, School, the single position they are running for, their platform, and a biography. This declaration of candidacy must be sent at least three days prior to elections and can be changed up until that point as well.
Section 7: Order of Elections
The order in which the following processes will take place shall be Chairman, Communications Director, Development Director, and finally Programs Director.
Section 8: Speech Process
All candidates will have an allocated time to speak prior to the voting for their positions. This time will be decided at least 3 days prior to the elections by the State Chairman. These speeches should cover the biography of the candidate and, more importantly, their platform and ideas for the position they’re running for and the organization as a whole.
Section 9: Voting Process
After each candidate for the position currently being processed has finished their speeches, there shall be a one minute time period allotted for Committee members to decide which candidate to vote for. Following this process, the next Executive Board position shall begin its speech process.
Section 10: Declaring Winners
After all Executive Board positions have had gone through both the speech and voting process, there will be a one minute time allotted for Committee Members to look over their choices and submit their ballot. After this allotted time, the State Chairman and at least one other State Committee Member (not running for office) shall tally the votes for each position. After votes have been tallied, winners shall be declared in the order listed in section 7.
ARTICLE VI: Endorsements
Section 1: Supporting Candidates
The Indiana High School Democrats will never oppose a Democrat candidate for political office by supporting non-Democratic candidates, nor will the chapter support a non-Democrat candidate, even if said candidate does not have a Democrat opponent. The Indiana High School Democrats will never endorse a Democratic candidate in any race where one Democrat is running against another.
ARTICLE VII: Right to Take Action/Halt Operations
Section 1: Reserved Rights
The Indiana High School Democrats State Executive Board retain the right to object and through action halt the operations of any local High School Chapter Chartered within Indiana’s organizational limits.
Section 2: Refusal
If a local chapter refuses to work in conjunction with the Indiana High School Democrats and violates this Charter its officers are subject to removal from HSDA and or the chapter can lose their Charter.
Section 3: Right to Veto
The High School Democrats of America has the right to veto any revision to this Charter that are not deemed necessary or that violates the High School Democrats of America Constitution.
Section 4: Removal of Local Executive Board Member
If reasonable grounds are met, the State Executive Board may remove any student from a local leadership position by a (2/3) majority vote of a quorum, excluding the member being removed if they are a State Executive Board Member.
Section 5: Removal of State Executive Board Member
5(a) Calling for Indictment and Removal
Any member of the State Committee may call for the indictment and removal of any State Executive Board member if reasonable grounds are met. This must be announced to both the State Committee and State Executive Board at least one week (7 days) prior to the next State Committee Meeting. Reasonable grounds include:
(i) Severe inactivity
(ii) Abuse of powers
(iii) Overwhelming incompetence (inability to fulfill duties)
(iv) Failing to uphold INHSD Charter
5(b) Procedures During Meeting
After a request for indictment and removal has been properly called (see above) the actual Indictment and Removal process will take place during the next State Committee call. The process shall begin with the Accuser (the one who called for indictment and removal) having up to 5 minutes to make their case to the State Committee without interruption. Next the Defender (the Executive Board Member in question) will have 5 minutes to defend him/herself to the State Committee without interruption. Any other State Committee member may take up to 1 minute to weigh in on the process without interruption.
5(c) Verdict
Following this speaking period, all State Committee Members, excluding the Defender, must vote yea or nay to remove the member, no proxies. The verdict shall be to remove if the yea’s receive a two-thirds majority from the Committee as a whole, but this ruling can be overruled if two-thirds of Executive Board Members, including Deputy Directors, vote nay.
5(d) Action
If the verdict is to remove, and it is not overruled by the Executive Board, the Defender shall be immediately removed from both their Executive Board and Committee position. Secession shall follow one of two lines below.
(i) If removed Executive Board member was a one of the Directors, the current Deputy Director shall immediately succeed him/her.
(ii) If removed Executive Board member was the Chairman, a special election is immediately called in which any Committee Member can declare their candidacy for the now open position. After all candidacies have been declared, their will be an immediate roll call vote of the Committee to decide upon the new Chairman. If a Director is made Chairman, their Deputy Director shall take their place.
ARTICLE VIII: Advisors
Section 1: Advisors
The State Executive Board may request individuals outside the established membership requirements to serve as Advisors. These Advisors will advise the State Executive Board in running Indiana High School Democrats, but will have no voting power on the State Executive Board or State Committee. Advisors must be asked if interested in such a position, and upon their approval, will be appointed with a ⅔ vote by the State Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX: Amending the Charter
Section 1: Charter Amendments
Amendments to this Charter may be called upon like any other votes by the State Executive Board (see Article III, Section 4). Unlike other votes, the amendment will only be considered approved if all Executive Board members are present and if three-fourths (3/4) of the State Executive Board vote in favor of the amendment. This article may not be amended.
Ratifying Members:
Colton Ferguson Eleanor Dyas Noah Huber
Brian Hancock Jerrett Alexander Logan Hanchett
School Democrats:
Chapter Charter 2018-2019
Mission: To stimulate in High School students an active interest in governmental affairs; to perpetuate the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party and to forthrightly represent the legitimate aspirations of the young citizens of the state of Indiana and this great nation. With these thoughts we establish this Charter.
Vision: To be the largest State Chapter of HSDA, with over 100 active members and 20 Local Chapters. To have an active statewide organization for years to come.
ARTICLE I: Name and Affiliation
Section 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Indiana High School Democrats.
Section 2: Affiliation
The Indiana High School Democrats will be Chartered with, and affiliated with the High School Democrats of America.
ARTICLE II: Membership
Section 1: Membership
Membership requirements for the Indiana High School Democrats will be as follows:
1(a): Must be a student currently enrolled in high school or will have left or entered high school within 3 months
1(b): Must live within Indiana’s organizational limits
Section 2: Discrimination
Membership will not be affected by but not limited to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and mental or physical disability.
Section 3: Fees
The state and local chapters shall never charge membership fees for new students. Alternative measures must be used to raise funds.This may not be amended.
ARTICLE III: State Executive Board
Section 1: State Executive Board
The Indiana High School Democrats State Executive Board (Executive Board) will be the chief policy making body for the statewide organization under the supervision of the High School Democrats of America Executive Board. All local Indiana HSDA chapters shall act under the supervision of the Indiana High School Democrats.
Section 2: Composition
The State Executive Board shall be composed of the following voting members. No person may serve on the State Executive Board in any capacity if they have been out of high school for more than three (3) months.
2(a): State Chairman
2(b): State Communications Director
2(c): State Development Director
2(d): State Programs Director
2(e): Deputy Directors (3 Max)
Section 3: Executive Duties
The members of the State Executive Board shall have the following responsibilities:
3(a): State Chairman
(i) Serve as the Chief Executive Officer for the statewide organization
(ii) Act as Chair of both State Executive Board and State Committee
(iii) Represent the State Executive Board when not in session
(iv) Act as first representative to any external or parent organizations
(v) Choose which Director acts as the second representative to any external or parent organization
(vi) Communicate with the state party, campaigns, media, and VIP contacts
(vii) Involve State Communications when deemed necessary
(viii) Ensure the decisions made by the State Executive Board are executed.
(ix) Establish administrative procedures not otherwise provided for by the Charter of this chapter or the State Executive Board
(x) Establish the agenda for each State Executive Board meeting
(xi) Oversee all other Executive Board Members to ensure they are completing their responsibilities
(xii) Delegate duties to other Executive Board Members as needed
3(b) State Communications Director
(i) Serve as the Head of Public Relations for the statewide organization.
(ii) Maintain and develop the web presence of the Indiana High School Democrats
(iii) Keep accurate notes of all State Executive Board Meetings and decisions.
(iv) Create publicity for all state programs
(v) Keep an accurate contact list of all State Executive Board Members, State Committeemen, and external contacts
(vi) Day-to-day communication with non-essential contacts
(vii) Appoint and dismiss Communications Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(viii) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(c) State Development Director
(i) Serve as Head of Outreach and Expansion for the statewide organization
(ii) Act as the day-to-day connection between Local Chapters and the State Executive Board,
(iii) Maintain constant communication with Local Chairmen.
(iv) Keep an accurate contact list of Local Chapters, Local Leaders, and Active Members
(v) Initiate programs directed at recruitment of new members and creation of local chapters
(vi) Oversee state staff relating to development
(vii) Coordinate with the national Development Director
(viii) Serve as primary contact for interested prospective members
(ix) Appoint and dismiss Development Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(x) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(d) State Programs Director
(i) Serve as Head of Programming for statewide organization
(ii) Oversee the planning of all state programs including,
(iii) Future Leaders of Tomorrow
(iv) Conceptualize new state programs and actions
(v) Responsible for the implementation of national and state action programs at the local level such as but not limited to,
(vi) Voter registration
(vii) Campaigning
(viii) Media blitz
(ix) Assist local chapters in creating and organizing local programs
(x) Appoint and dismiss Programs Deputy Director with simple majority approval of Executive Board
(xi) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman
3(e) State Deputy Directors (3: 1 per State Director)
(i) Serve as Deputies to Communications, Development, and Programs Directors respectively
(ii) Shall participate in Executive Board Meetings but shall not have a vote in general State Executive Board voting procedures
(iii) Automatically succeed their respective Director in the case of a vacancy in said Director position
(iv) Support their respective Director in all their executive duties
(v) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of their respective Director
(vi) Shall Discharge any other duties at the discretion of the State Chairman.
Section 4: Voting Rules [Executive Board Proceedings]
4(a) A vote will be held on ANY topic if at least 1 Executive Board Member requests it.
4(b) At least ¾ of the voting Executive Board must be present to meet quorum in order to hold a vote.
4(c) A vote must receive ⅔ support from the Executive Board to pass.
4(d) All present Executive Board Members must vote yea or nay (no abstentions).
4(e) Proxy votes should be a last resort and must be accepted by the State Chair prior to the Executive the Board Meeting.
Section 5: Meeting Requirements
5(a): The State Executive Board will meet (in any sort of group communication media) no less than twelve (12) times during the course of one (1) calendar year
5(b): The State Executive Board will meet at least once during each month of the schools calendar year (however bi-weekly meetings should be attempted).
5(c): The State Chairman may call additional meetings whenever necessary.
ARTICLE IV: State Committee
Section 1: Purpose
The Indiana High School Democrats State Committee (Committee) shall be the chief communication and voting body of INHSD elections. It will serve to foster communication and good relations between the INHSD Executive Board and local chapters and activists. The Committee shall also serve as the voting body for all INHSD Executive Board Elections.
Section 2: Composition
The Committee shall be made up of the following individuals
2(a) INHSD Executive Board Members
2(b) Local Chapter Leaders
2(c) Implemented State Staff (ex. Regional Directors)
2(d) Appointed Peoples as the Executive Board Sees Fit
Section 3: Becoming a Committeeperson
New Committeepersons will be appointed to the Committee with a simple majority vote by the Executive Board. Local Chapter Leaders and State Staff will be automatically brought to a vote as soon as possible. Executive Board Members may call for the appointment of additional people as well.
Section 4: Removing a Committeeperson
The Executive Board may remove any non-Executive Committeeperson from the Committee with a two-thirds (⅔).
ARTICLE V: Elections
Section 1: Annual Elections
Elections for all voting Executive Board positions must be held each May or June.
Section 2: Voting System
Voting must take place online utilizing some form of secret ballot and voter identifier (ie. Google Forms w/ required name and email).
Section 3: Voting Body
The voting body for all Executive Board elections shall be the State Committee in which all State Committee members will receive one (1) vote per position regardless of their attendance to the Election.
Section 4: Proxies
Unlike other INHSD voting procedures, proxy votes shall never be accepted for elections.
Section 5: Oversight
Elections shall be overseen by the State Chairman and any others he requests assistance from.
Section 6: Candidacy
Individuals must be current State Committeemen in order to be candidates. Eligible individuals must declare their candidacy by contacting the State Chairman with their Name, Grade, School, the single position they are running for, their platform, and a biography. This declaration of candidacy must be sent at least three days prior to elections and can be changed up until that point as well.
Section 7: Order of Elections
The order in which the following processes will take place shall be Chairman, Communications Director, Development Director, and finally Programs Director.
Section 8: Speech Process
All candidates will have an allocated time to speak prior to the voting for their positions. This time will be decided at least 3 days prior to the elections by the State Chairman. These speeches should cover the biography of the candidate and, more importantly, their platform and ideas for the position they’re running for and the organization as a whole.
Section 9: Voting Process
After each candidate for the position currently being processed has finished their speeches, there shall be a one minute time period allotted for Committee members to decide which candidate to vote for. Following this process, the next Executive Board position shall begin its speech process.
Section 10: Declaring Winners
After all Executive Board positions have had gone through both the speech and voting process, there will be a one minute time allotted for Committee Members to look over their choices and submit their ballot. After this allotted time, the State Chairman and at least one other State Committee Member (not running for office) shall tally the votes for each position. After votes have been tallied, winners shall be declared in the order listed in section 7.
ARTICLE VI: Endorsements
Section 1: Supporting Candidates
The Indiana High School Democrats will never oppose a Democrat candidate for political office by supporting non-Democratic candidates, nor will the chapter support a non-Democrat candidate, even if said candidate does not have a Democrat opponent. The Indiana High School Democrats will never endorse a Democratic candidate in any race where one Democrat is running against another.
ARTICLE VII: Right to Take Action/Halt Operations
Section 1: Reserved Rights
The Indiana High School Democrats State Executive Board retain the right to object and through action halt the operations of any local High School Chapter Chartered within Indiana’s organizational limits.
Section 2: Refusal
If a local chapter refuses to work in conjunction with the Indiana High School Democrats and violates this Charter its officers are subject to removal from HSDA and or the chapter can lose their Charter.
Section 3: Right to Veto
The High School Democrats of America has the right to veto any revision to this Charter that are not deemed necessary or that violates the High School Democrats of America Constitution.
Section 4: Removal of Local Executive Board Member
If reasonable grounds are met, the State Executive Board may remove any student from a local leadership position by a (2/3) majority vote of a quorum, excluding the member being removed if they are a State Executive Board Member.
Section 5: Removal of State Executive Board Member
5(a) Calling for Indictment and Removal
Any member of the State Committee may call for the indictment and removal of any State Executive Board member if reasonable grounds are met. This must be announced to both the State Committee and State Executive Board at least one week (7 days) prior to the next State Committee Meeting. Reasonable grounds include:
(i) Severe inactivity
(ii) Abuse of powers
(iii) Overwhelming incompetence (inability to fulfill duties)
(iv) Failing to uphold INHSD Charter
5(b) Procedures During Meeting
After a request for indictment and removal has been properly called (see above) the actual Indictment and Removal process will take place during the next State Committee call. The process shall begin with the Accuser (the one who called for indictment and removal) having up to 5 minutes to make their case to the State Committee without interruption. Next the Defender (the Executive Board Member in question) will have 5 minutes to defend him/herself to the State Committee without interruption. Any other State Committee member may take up to 1 minute to weigh in on the process without interruption.
5(c) Verdict
Following this speaking period, all State Committee Members, excluding the Defender, must vote yea or nay to remove the member, no proxies. The verdict shall be to remove if the yea’s receive a two-thirds majority from the Committee as a whole, but this ruling can be overruled if two-thirds of Executive Board Members, including Deputy Directors, vote nay.
5(d) Action
If the verdict is to remove, and it is not overruled by the Executive Board, the Defender shall be immediately removed from both their Executive Board and Committee position. Secession shall follow one of two lines below.
(i) If removed Executive Board member was a one of the Directors, the current Deputy Director shall immediately succeed him/her.
(ii) If removed Executive Board member was the Chairman, a special election is immediately called in which any Committee Member can declare their candidacy for the now open position. After all candidacies have been declared, their will be an immediate roll call vote of the Committee to decide upon the new Chairman. If a Director is made Chairman, their Deputy Director shall take their place.
ARTICLE VIII: Advisors
Section 1: Advisors
The State Executive Board may request individuals outside the established membership requirements to serve as Advisors. These Advisors will advise the State Executive Board in running Indiana High School Democrats, but will have no voting power on the State Executive Board or State Committee. Advisors must be asked if interested in such a position, and upon their approval, will be appointed with a ⅔ vote by the State Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX: Amending the Charter
Section 1: Charter Amendments
Amendments to this Charter may be called upon like any other votes by the State Executive Board (see Article III, Section 4). Unlike other votes, the amendment will only be considered approved if all Executive Board members are present and if three-fourths (3/4) of the State Executive Board vote in favor of the amendment. This article may not be amended.
Ratifying Members:
Colton Ferguson Eleanor Dyas Noah Huber
Brian Hancock Jerrett Alexander Logan Hanchett
