Bylaws of the Mesa County Local Chapter
of Democratic Socialists of America
Adopted 2025-10-26
ARTICLE I. Name and Territory.
Section 1. Name.
The name of the Chapter will be the Mesa County Local Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter,” “Mesa County DSA,” or “MC-DSA.” Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a not-for-profit corporation. MC-DSA is a local chapter of DSA.
Section 2. Territory.
The Chapter shall conduct activities in the region surrounding Mesa County, within the territory defined by the charter granted by the national Democratic Socialists of America to MC-DSA.
ARTICLE II. Purpose.
The Mesa County Local Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America seeks to facilitate the transition to a truly democratic and socialist society, one in which the means and resources of production are democratically and socially controlled. The Chapter is organized primarily to promote social welfare.
MC-DSA rejects an economic order based solely on private property, alienated and exploited labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race, ability, gender or sexual orientation, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.
MC-DSA envisions a transformed social order based on popular control of resources, production, and economic planning; economic and environmental sustainability; equitable distribution; gender, racial, and ethnic equality; and non-oppressive relationships. We will begin to make this vision a reality by organizing, on a basis that is independent from the current political establishment and its two party system, institutions and organizations of working class power which will serve as tribunes of the people and guide the working masses into a classless society.
Our conception of socialism is a profoundly democratic one. It is rooted in the belief that human beings should be free to develop to their fullest potential, that public policies should be determined not by wealth but by popular participation, and that individual liberties should be carefully safeguarded. It is committed to a freedom of speech that does not recoil from dissent, to a freedom to organize independent trade unions, women’s groups, political organizations, and other formations—recognizing these as essential bulwarks against the dangers of an intrusive state. It is committed to a freedom of religion that acknowledges the rights of those for whom spiritual concerns are central.
We are socialists because we are developing a concrete strategy for achieving that vision. In the present, we are building a visible socialist presence within the broad democratic Left. In the long run, we hope to build a majority movement capable of making democratic socialism a reality in the United States. Our strategy acknowledges the class antagonism of the U.S. society as being of primary importance. This class antagonism means that there is a basic conflict of interest between those groups with enormous economic power obtained via the accumulation of private property, who live by exploiting the labor-power of others, and the vast majority of the population, who must sell their labor-power to survive.
ARTICLE III. Binding Documents and Procedures.
Section 1. Policies.
The Chapter shall be governed by these bylaws and the various documents which are authorized through them. A document must be authorized through these bylaws to affect the Chapter’s structure. Authorized documents shall include processes for their amendment pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents, as well as their date of adoption. Provisions which affect the Chapter itself (e.g., a resolution which grants additional or new powers or duties to a working body), which are not authorized by these bylaws, are considered null and void.
Nullified documents are not binding on the membership of the Chapter, nor the Chapter itself.
Section 2. The Program and Points of Unity.
The current version of the Chapter’s Declaration of Principles and Aims shall be the official program of MC-DSA and shall be binding on all members. The Chapter’s Points of Unity shall be derived from the program and present a condensed version of the program’s content. The Points of Unity shall be considered valid only if they are in line with and do not contradict the program.
The Declaration of Principles and Aims shall be open to revision under the highest standard of authority in the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents, but shall not be authorized to affect the Chapter’s structure except by processes established in Section 3 of this Article.
Section 3. Enforcement.
Any document adopted by the Chapter, its committees, working groups, or branches, which is in contradiction with MC-DSA’s Bylaws, Declaration of Principles and Aims, or authorized documents can be determined to be null and void through processes outlined in the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents.
Any document determined to be null and void through such processes must be subject to a confirmation vote at a Chapter Meeting, pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents.
All documents adopted by a Chapter Meeting are considered binding with respect to this article and the provisions of Article IV Section 4 of these bylaws.
Section 4. Documentation
The Chapter shall maintain binding National DSA policy, including its Constitution, Bylaws, Member and Meeting Codes of Conduct, and the Harassment and Grievance Policy; these bylaws; the Chapter’s Code of Conduct; standing rules; Declaration of Principles and Aims; authorized documents; and all other documents democratically adopted by the Chapter in writing in a place which is accessible to all members of the Chapter. Policies adopted without documentation are to be considered null and void. The Steering Committee shall maintain a list of all such policies, which shall be made similarly accessible to the membership.
Chapter resolutions which grant new authorization to a given document must amend the bylaws to specify the circumstances in which that document shall apply and must also add the document to Section 5 of this Article. Such documents must specify a process for their amendment under the guidance of the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents, which shall provide for a hierarchy of document authority. Authorized documents whose provisions affect these bylaws’ compliance with National DSA Policy shall be given the highest standard of authority, and amendments to documents with this standard, or which recognizably modify a document’s authoritative scope, shall be considered as changes to the bylaws. Amendments to documents assigned this highest standard or which would elevate a lower-tier document to a higher standard are thus subject to the provisions of Article XVI of these bylaws.
Section 5. Authorized Documents
The authorized documents of MC-DSA include:
Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents
Branch, committee, and working group charters may be authorized under Articles IX, XI, and XII of these bylaws.
Neither the adoption, amendment, nor rescission of authorized documents shall cause these bylaws to become non-compliant with binding National DSA policy.
ARTICLE IV. Membership.
Section 1. Definition.
Membership of the Chapter shall be defined as being a member in good standing of National DSA and residing in the territory described by the charter granted by National DSA. Individuals may not be members of the Chapter without being members of National DSA.
Section 2. Authority.
Members shall be responsible for proposing and deliberating questions of Chapter business at Chapter Meetings, electing Chapter officers, electing delegates to the National Convention, and volunteering for Chapter activities and duties. Members must be in good standing for 30 days when voting opens in order to vote in elections for Chapter-wide leadership, to hold Chapter-wide office, or to vote in elections for delegates to national, state, and regional organizations. For all other votes, members must simply be a member of the chapter when voting opens.
Section 3. Resignation.
A member may resign from the Chapter to become an at-large member of DSA by written notice to the Steering Committee and National DSA. A member may resign from DSA by notifying the national office of DSA.
Section 4. Removal of Members.
Provisions for the removal of members from the Chapter shall be subject to Article III Section 4 of the Constitution of National DSA and Article I Section 3 of the National DSA bylaws. Further elaboration on these procedures shall be maintained in the Disciplinary Provisions document.
Section 5. Voluntary Donations.
As mandated by the National DSA Constitution and Bylaws, the Chapter may establish a Chapter pledge system of voluntary donations for its members. The payment of a Chapter donation shall not be a requirement for voting or for holding Chapter office.
ARTICLE V. Chapter Meetings.
Section 1. Definition.
Chapter Conventions, General Meetings, and Special Meetings, together designated as Chapter Meetings, shall represent the general will of the membership as their constituency and shall have the highest authority of decision-making power over all matters within the Chapter.
Committee, Branch, and Formal Working Group Meetings shall represent the constituency of their respective formations’ membership.
All meetings defined under this Article must take minutes, which must be made publicly available to the relevant constituencies. A meeting corresponding to a given constituency shall be designated as a Constituency Meeting.
Section 2. Chapter Convention.
The Chapter shall hold a Chapter Convention each calendar year to accept reports, consider questions of Chapter business, and elect Chapter officers. The Chapter Convention may adopt an annual budget.
The Steering Committee shall electronically or physically send written notice of the convention to all members no less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the convention. The Steering Committee shall publish the agenda to the membership no less than ten (10) days prior to the convention.
If the Chapter Convention elects to consider special standing rules, the question of their adoption will be the first order of business and upon adoption will apply to that convention only.
Chapter Meetings of different types (e.g., Chapter Conventions, General Meetings, and Special Meetings) may coincide.
Section 3. General Meetings.
The Chapter shall hold a minimum of four (4) General Meetings each calendar year to address any Chapter business within the guidelines set by the Chapter Convention.
The Steering Committee shall publish the time and place to the membership no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting. The Steering Committee shall set and publish the agenda to the membership no less than five (5) days prior to the meeting.
Section 4. Special Meetings.
The Steering Committee may call a Special Meeting of the Chapter on five (5) days’ notice when an urgent and important matter requires deliberation.
Section 5. Rules.
A constituency may elect to adopt standing rules, which shall not be inconsistent with these bylaws, to administer the process and procedures of Constituency Meetings.
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all Constituency Meetings to which they apply. If Robert’s Rules are inconsistent with these bylaws or standing rules, then these bylaws or standing rules will apply.
Any action taken by a Constituency Meeting in contravention of these bylaws is null and void.
Section 6. Quorum.
A quorum of ten (10) percent of the members (but not fewer than six (6) persons) is required for a Chapter Meeting to transact business.
Section 7. Consistency.
The Steering Committee may correct the spelling, grammar, and formatting of any document adopted by the Chapter, and may appoint a member of the Chapter to carry out this duty in their stead. Such adjustments must be reported to the Chapter membership and may be appealed, in which case the Chapter membership shall vote to carry or overturn such adjustments by simple majority.
ARTICLE VI. Chapter Officers.
Section 1. Roles, Positions, and Constituencies
Officer roles shall include a name and description of responsibilities. It is possible for multiple members to have the same role.
Each officer role has a number of officer positions. The number of officer positions of a particular role defines the maximum number of members who can have that role.
Each officer position has a given constituency which includes all members within the body that position represents. A constituency may be the general membership of the Chapter, represented by the Chapter Meeting, or the membership of a relevant committee, branch, or working group. In the event that a role is given conflicting constituencies, the larger constituency shall be assumed to apply. These provisions shall not be construed to limit the Chapter’s ability to modify a given committee, branch, or working group independently of other formations of the same type through its Charter.
The Chapter Officers document shall contain a list of all officer roles, including a description of responsibilities, the number of positions designated for that role, and a description of applicable constituencies. Provisions which allow for the number of positions of a given role to be modified shall ensure that there is always at least one (1) Harassment and Grievance Officer, or two (2) in the case that the Chapter membership exceeds one hundred (100); one (1) member of the Steering Committee; one (1) Treasurer, and one (1) Membership Coordinator. Reducing the number of positions of a given role shall not automatically recall officers. Changes in a role’s constituency shall require new elections for all positions of that role.
Section 2. Officers.
The officers of the Chapter shall consist of the members of the Steering Committee, the Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs), and the elected leadership of the Chapter’s branches, committees, and working groups. Provisions which grant specific voting authority to officers as a whole shall only apply to the Steering Committee. This authority may be temporarily extended to any number of excluded officers by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Steering Committee.
Section 3. Steering Committee.
Members of the Steering Committee must be members of the Chapter and be current in their dues at the time of election and throughout the duration of their term. No more than half of the Steering Committee positions shall be filled by cisgender men, and the Chapter shall strive to ensure representation of marginalized groups. If no such members are available to fulfill this requirement, it may be temporarily suspended by the Chapter until suitable candidates can be found to fill the relevant position(s). No member shall hold more than one Steering Committee position at any given time.
Section 4. Harassment and Grievance Officers.
No HGO shall also hold a position on the Steering Committee, as defined in Article VII Section 1. No more than half of the HGOs shall be cisgender men, and the Chapter shall strive to ensure representation of marginalized groups. If no such members are available to fulfill this requirement, it may be temporarily suspended by the Steering Committee until suitable candidates can be found to fill the relevant position(s).
Section 5. Elected Leadership of Committees, Branches, and Working Groups.
Regulations concerning the composition of leadership for committees, branches, and working groups, shall be determined in the charters of such formations. Such provisions must include at least one (1) formation chair and may not conflict with these bylaws.
Section 6. Elections.
Provisions for the election of officers shall be maintained in the Election Regulations document.
Elections shall be governed by any rules and procedures under Article V Section 5; no officer may count votes for their own election.
Section 7. Additional Duties and Actions Out of Order.
The Chapter Steering Committee may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these bylaws.
Any action taken by an officer in contravention of these bylaws is null and void.
Section 8. Resignation.
Processes and procedures for the resignation of Chapter officers shall be maintained in the Election Regulations document.
If the number of HGOs drops below the minimum required, the Steering Committee shall be tasked with finding replacements as quickly as possible. All processes, such as those defined in the relevant sections of the Election Regulations document, still must be followed.
Section 9. Recall and Disciplinary Action
Officers may be disciplined according to standards maintained in the Disciplinary Provisions document.
Processes for recall shall be enumerated in the Election Regulations document.
Section 10. Terms.
The term of office shall be listed in the Election Regulations document.
As close as possible, the positions of the Steering Committee shall be evenly divided into two (2) cohorts, and as close as possible, these cohorts shall evenly divide positions of the same role. Conflicts between these requirements, should they arise, shall favor an even division of positions of the same role. Positions within a cohort shall be elected at the same time. An election for a cohort shall be held by the end of the sixth full calendar month from the election of the other cohort, and shall not be held before the end of the fifth. The term of office shall be until the election of the officers’ respective successors, or until the second regularly scheduled cohort election from the beginning of the term, whichever is sooner. Outgoing members of the Steering Committee shall remain emeritus members of the Steering Committee until thirty (30) days after their successors’ election, during which they shall advise their successors and facilitate the transfer of leadership.
ARTICLE VII. Steering Committee.
Section 1. Composition.
The following positions shall comprise the Steering Committee: two (2) Co-Chairs, two (2) Co-Secretaries General, one (1) Treasurer, and one (1) Membership Coordinator. The Constituency of the Steering Committee shall be the general membership of the Chapter, represented by the Chapter Meeting. Provisions of these bylaws and any associated documents which address committees shall not be construed to automatically apply to the Steering Committee.
Section 1.1 Chairs
The Chairs shall be the Chief Executive Officers of the Chapter. They shall preside over Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings or shall appoint a substitute to assume the powers and duties of the presiding officer as specified in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
The Chairs shall be the official public spokespersons for the Chapter and shall initiate such actions and policies as the Chapter’s general welfare may demand. The Chairs shall be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations and political work of the Chapter’s Branches, Committees, and other formations. The Chairs shall report to Chapter Meetings on the business of the Steering Committee.
Section 1.2 Secretaries General
The Secretaries General shall be responsible for answering all correspondence and queries of the Chapter and for maintaining an up-to-date membership list of the Chapter. They shall ensure effective communication with National DSA. They shall temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Chairs, if no Chair is able to do so.
The Secretaries General shall be responsible for the taking of minutes of all Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings and shall have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports, and other official records of the Chapter. Minutes will include attendance of members of the Steering Committee.
The Secretaries General shall transfer official records, such as meeting minutes and membership lists, in good condition to their successors, and newly elected Secretaries General. The Secretaries General are responsible for storing and ensuring members’ access to the latest versions of the MC-DSA Policies and Procedures, meeting minutes, agendas, resolutions, standing rules, and all other materials in the interest of the membership.
Section 1.3 Treasurers
The Treasurers shall be responsible for the funds and financial records of the Chapter. All funds collected by the Chapter shall be turned over to the Treasurers, who will hold these funds in a secure place until it is possible to deposit the funds in a credit union or bank account under the name of the Chapter. The Treasurers shall prepare budgets and financial reports for consideration at Chapter Meetings and as requested by the Steering Committee, and ensure the Chapter’s regulatory compliance. In cooperation with the Membership Coordinators, the Treasurers shall be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are current. Treasurers shall publish the Chapter’s budget to the general membership at least on an annual basis.
The Treasurers shall create and document policies and procedures for carrying out their duties and for maintaining healthy Chapter finances. The Treasurers shall transfer to their successor the documented policies and procedures, financial records and reports, and access to financial accounts securely.
Section 1.4 Membership Coordinators
The Membership Coordinators shall be responsible for the overall health and growth of the Chapter membership by coordinating the outreach, recruitment, and engagement activities of the Chapter. The Membership Coordinators shall oversee initiatives concerning membership growth, retention, engagement, participation, and leadership development.
The Membership Coordinators shall organize their activities to be inclusive, culturally competent, and non-oppressive to marginalized groups. Special attention shall be devoted to the recruitment of members from marginalized groups.
Section 2. Duties.
The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of Chapter Meetings; it may also propose policy to Chapter Meetings. It shall have the power to receive reports of any Branch, Committee, or formally created Working Group, and advise thereon, to call Special Meetings of the Chapter, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action in the Chapter Meeting’s stead. The Steering Committee is the regular executive body of the Chapter, and thus subordinate to its legislative body, the Chapter Meeting.
The Steering Committee shall be responsible for establishing program activities for the Chapter, for proposing guidelines and policies that shall subsequently be voted on by members, and for acting on the organization’s behalf between Chapter Meetings.
The Steering Committee is responsible for ensuring that the following responsibilities are assigned to Steering Committee members or other individuals: internal and external communications; providing for a common digital platform to facilitate intra-chapter communication (including management and moderation thereof); development of any standing rules; and preparation of an annual report to be presented to the membership at the beginning of the new fiscal year or at the Chapter Convention.
The Steering Committee shall maintain regular contact with DSA on a monthly basis.
Section 3. Meetings.
The meetings of the Steering Committee shall be called by a simple majority of its members. All members of the Steering Committee must be given three (3) days oral, written, or electronic notice of Steering Committee Meetings unless all members of the Steering Committee accept shorter notice. The Steering Committee shall give notice of its meeting schedule to Chapter members. Meeting minutes shall be recorded and accessible to the membership.
Steering Committee Meetings may be held electronically by any means acceptable to all the members of the Steering Committee.
Any member of the Chapter may observe Steering Committee Meetings. The Steering Committee shall allow for a question and answer period and a comment period if capacity permits.
The Steering Committee may go into executive session by simple majority vote in order to discuss any sensitive matters, in which case the Steering Committee is neither required to take minutes, nor allow members to observe. In this case, minutes shall simply state that the meeting was held in executive session.
Section 4. Quorum.
A quorum of a simple majority is required for the transaction of Steering Committee business.
Section 5. Rules.
The Steering Committee may elect to adopt standing rules to administer the process and procedures of Steering Committee Meetings that are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
Any action taken by the Steering Committee in contravention of these bylaws is null and void.
Section 6. Voting.
The Steering Committee may make decisions on business by vote of a simple majority of the committee at a Steering Committee Meeting or through other means unanimously approved by all Steering Committee members at a Steering Committee Meeting. Any vote that occurs between Steering Committee Meetings shall be reported at the next meeting.
Section 7. Board of Directors.
For the purposes of meeting the requirements of local and state incorporation laws, the Chapter shall have a “Board of Directors” consisting of members of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee alone shall be considered officers with respect to local, state, and federal law.
ARTICLE VIII. Harassment and Grievance Officers.
Section 1. Duties
Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs) shall adhere to MC-DSA’s Harassment and Grievance Procedure, which shall be maintained in the Disciplinary Provisions document, as well as major policy and guidance released by the national HGO.
Additional responsibilities may be established by the relevant section of the Chapter Officers document.
ARTICLE IX. Branches.
Section 1. Definition.
A Branch is a subgroup chartered by the Chapter consisting of at least five (5) members for the purpose of expanding the reach and accessibility of the Chapter. Branches shall be defined by geography, identity, language, belonging to a particular institution, or sharing a common interest.
Branch meetings are open to all members in good standing of the demographic which defines a branch’s membership, who may propose business in order for it to be debated and voted upon. All branches shall meet at least quarterly.
Section 2. Creation.
A charter application must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter who would be members of the Branch upon the charter’s adoption, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents.
A charter application must define the purpose of the Branch, the nature of its leadership (including roles and positions), the scope and nature of its membership, and how the Branch makes decisions. Branch leadership must include at least one (1) chair, and roles which are not already listed in the Chapter Officers document must be added to this document under the relevant procedure in the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. Membership by geography shall not overlap with another Branch defined by geography. The Chapter Meeting may approve and authorize a charter application under this article by a simple majority vote.
A charter application may include provisions for the purpose of non-voting Branch representation on the Steering Committee. The Chapter Meeting may approve these provisions by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote.
Section 3. Dissolution.
A motion to dissolve a Branch must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Chapter Meeting may dissolve a Branch under this article by a simple majority vote.
A motion to dissolve a Branch may include provisions for the purpose of removing Branch representation on the Steering Committee. The Chapter Meeting may approve these provisions by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote.
ARTICLE X. Young Democratic Socialists of America Chapters.
Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) chapters within the geographic area defined by a DSA Chapter may affiliate as a Branch of that Chapter, in which case the local YDSA chapter may send a non-voting representative to the Chapter Steering Committee, pursuant to Article IX, Section 2.
ARTICLE XI. Committees.
Section 1. Definition.
A committee is a subgroup chartered by the Chapter consisting of members tasked with specific functions and authority related to the work and administration of the Chapter.
Section 2. Creation.
A charter application must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter who would be members of the committee upon the charter’s adoption, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Steering Committee may also establish, approve, and authorize a committee solely for purposes of carrying out responsibilities already assigned to the Steering Committee in these bylaws by simple majority vote.
A charter application must define the purpose of the committee, the nature of its leadership (including roles and positions), the nature of its membership, how the committee makes decisions, a deadline for either its dissolution or renewal, and any Chapter resources it may need. Committee leadership must include at least one (1) chair, and roles which are not already listed in the Chapter Officers document must be added to this document under the relevant procedure in the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Chapter Meeting may approve and authorize a charter application under this article by a simple majority vote. Committees chartered by the Steering Committee do not need to be approved by the Chapter Meeting. Such committees may be given responsibilities outside the scope of those assigned to the Steering Committee upon adoption of the committee’s charter by the Chapter Meeting.
Section 3. Dissolution.
A motion to dissolve a committee must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Chapter Meeting may dissolve a committee under this article by a simple majority vote. If a committee was established by the Steering Committee, that committee may be dissolved by the Steering Committee at any time by a simple majority vote.
ARTICLE XII. Working Groups and Other Formations.
Section 1. Definition.
Other formations may exist within the Chapter when they do not need to represent the will of the membership, but otherwise offer a beneficial purpose. Such formations shall have no authority on behalf of the Chapter beyond the authority provided to Chapter members individually unless otherwise provided by these bylaws.
Section 2. Formal Creation.
Formal establishment, recognition, and authorization of such formations may be made by decision of the Steering Committee or by simple majority vote of the Chapter Meeting for the purpose of utilizing Chapter resources not otherwise offered to Chapter members, including funds and communication resources. Formal recognition and establishment shall require a charter application made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter who would be members of the formation upon the charter’s adoption, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Steering Committee may also establish, approve, and authorize a formation by simple majority vote. A charter must define the purpose of the formation, the nature of its leadership (including roles and positions), and how the formation makes decisions. Formal working group leadership must include at least one (1) chair, and roles which are not already listed in the Chapter Officers document must be added to this document under the relevant procedure in the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents.
Section 3. Formal Dissolution.
A motion to dissolve a formal formation must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter, and submitted pursuant to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents. The Chapter Meeting may dissolve a formation under this article by a simple majority vote. If a formation was established by the Steering Committee, that formation may be dissolved by the Steering Committee at any time by a simple majority vote.
Article XIII. Harassment and Grievance Procedure.
The Mesa County Chapter shall follow the Harassment Policy of National DSA. The Mesa County Chapter shall, at a minimum, adhere to all processes and guidance in Consensus Resolution 8 of the 2025 DSA National Convention. The duly elected harassment and grievance officers (HGO) may adjust the MC-DSA Harassment Policy processes and guidance as appropriate on a case-by-case basis. Such adjustments may be appealed, in which case the Chapter membership shall vote to carry or overturn the HGOs’ decision by simple majority.
The full MC-DSA Harassment and Grievance policy shall be maintained in the Disciplinary Provisions document.
ARTICLE XIV. Elections.
Section 1. Delegates to National, Regional, and State Organizations.
Elections for Delegates to National, Regional, and State Organizations shall follow procedure outlined in the Election Regulations document. This procedure may not conflict with Article V of the National DSA Constitution or Article VI of the National DSA Bylaws. Elections for delegates must be held by secret ballot.
Section 2. Officers.
Elections for officers of the Chapter, defined in Article VI Section 2, shall follow procedures outlined in the Election Regulations document.
Section 3. Vacancies.
Elections to fill officer vacancies shall follow procedure outlined in the Election Regulations document.
ARTICLE XV. Prohibited Activity and Incorporation.
The Mesa County Chapter will not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501(c)(4) organizations or similar rules established by the state of Colorado. The Chapter will not engage in any activity prohibited by National DSA’s Constitution or Bylaws.
ARTICLE XVI. Amendments.
The final pre-meeting versions of any proposed amendments to these bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter, and submitted to the Steering Committee at least seventeen (17) days in advance of a Chapter Meeting as defined in Article V. The Steering Committee is required to provide the Chapter membership with at least ten (10) days physical or electronic notice of the proposed amendments. The Chapter Meeting may then adopt amendments to these proposals by simple majority vote, and may adopt such proposals under this article by a vote of two-thirds (⅔).
No amendment to these bylaws or any authorized documents may be in conflict with binding National DSA policy. The Chapter will provide the amended bylaws, alongside any active authorized documents excepting the charters of committees, branches, and working groups to the DSA national office.
ARTICLE XVII. Chapter Dissolution.
A proposal to dissolve the Chapter must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five (5) members of the Chapter, and submitted to the Steering Committee at least twenty-one (21) days in advance of a Chapter Meeting as defined in Article V. The Steering Committee is required to provide the Chapter membership with at least ten (10) days physical or electronic notice of this resolution. The Chapter Meeting may adopt a resolution to dissolve the Chapter under this article by a two-thirds (⅔) vote.
Upon dissolution of the Chapter, any residual assets shall become property of the national organization of Democratic Socialists of America.
Mesa County Democratic Socialists of America 