Mesa County Democratic Socialists of America

Election Regulations

Adopted 2025-10-26

Article I. Standard of Authority.

The Election Regulations document shall be considered a Tier III document with respect to the Processes for Amendment and Enforcement of Authorized Documents.

Article II. Vote Collection Methods.

Section 1. Purpose.

This Article defines Vote Collection Methods to be referenced by other Articles in this document.

Section 2. Strong Requirements.

Votes shall be collected at a Constituency Meeting. Votes may be collected in person and/or electronically.

Section 3. Weak Requirements.

Votes shall be collected at a Constituency Meeting or using electronic voting. Voting must be open during a Constituency Meeting or for at least 24 hours.

Article III. Vote Counting Methods.

Section 1. Purpose.

This Article defines Vote Counting Methods to be referenced by other Articles in this document.

Section 2. Condorcet Borda.

Votes shall be counted using the Condorcet Borda method.

Section 3. Single Transferable Vote.

Votes shall be counted using Scottish Single Transferable Vote.

Article IV. The Steering Committee.

Section 1. Elections.

Elections for the Steering Committee shall be held as defined in Article II, Section 2 of this document. The Steering Committee shall open nominations no less than thirty (30) days prior to the election and call for nominations to the membership. No member may run for multiple positions at any given time. Uncontested elections may be decided by acclamation. Votes for the Steering Committee shall be counted by officer role, pursuant to Article III, Section 2 of this document if only one candidate shall be chosen, and Article III, Section 3 otherwise.

After any Steering Committee officer is chosen by the methods above, any member may object to that officer being elected. If objected to by a minimum of five (5) members, a simple majority vote, in the case of officers elected in a single-winner race, or a one-third (⅓) vote otherwise, of the membership is required for each such candidate to fill the seat. The confirmation vote shall follow Article II, Section 3 of this document. There is no limit to the number of Steering Committee officers a member may object to. In the event that the vote to confirm a Treasurer or Membership Coordinator fails, the Steering Committee shall work with the membership to ensure there is at least one (1) Treasurer and at least one (1) Membership Coordinator.

Section 2. Terms and Schedule.

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.

Section 3. Vacancies and Asymmetrical Cohorts.

In the event that a Steering Committee officer resigns, is recalled, or fails to be confirmed after an objection motion, a special election must be held as soon as feasible to fill the remainder of that officer’s term. This requirement may be waived if the regular election for that position is already required to be held within 90 days. The Steering Committee may, but is not required to, select an acting officer to hold the position until the election. Such acting officers may be subject to the objection procedures of Section 1 of this Article. In the event that new positions are added to the Steering Committee between regularly scheduled elections, they shall assume the term of whichever cohorts best satisfy the even division requirements of the previous section.

If a cohort has either two (2) or more total positions or two (2) or more positions of a given role more than its counterpart, some number of positions in the overrepresented cohort shall have their terms shortened in order to reassign those positions to the other cohort. Conflicts, should they arise, shall favor an even division of positions of the same role. If the overrepresented cohort is the next to be elected, cohort reassignment shall be delayed until after that election. The determination of which Steering Committee officers’ terms shall be shortened shall be made by consensus of the Steering Committee officers’ whose terms are ending. If such a consensus cannot be reached, the determination shall prioritize members with the earliest date of election. Should this standard prove impossible, the decision shall be made via vote of the Chapter members, pursuant to Article II, Section 3 and Article III, Section 2 of this document if only one officer shall be chosen, and Article III, Section 3 otherwise.

Any member of the Steering Committee may change positions, provided that both positions are in the same cohort, by consensus of affected officers. No member shall hold more than one Steering Committee position at any given time. Any member may object to such a change, and if objected to by a minimum of five (5) members, a simple majority vote of the membership is required to confirm the change. The confirmation vote shall follow Article II, Section 3 of this document.

Article V. Committee, Branch, and Working Group Officers.

Section 1. Elections.

Elections for the leadership of a given committee, branch, or working group shall be held as defined in Article II, Section 2 of this document. Votes for committee, branch, or working group leadership shall be counted pursuant to Article III, Section 2 of this document if only one candidate shall be chosen, and Article III, Section 3 otherwise.

Section 2. Terms and Schedule.

The term of office shall be until the election of the committee, branch, or working group officers’ respective successors, or one (1) year, whichever is sooner. Outgoing committee, branch, or working group officers shall remain emeritus officers of their respective formations until thirty (30) days after their successors’ election, during which they shall advise their successors and facilitate the transfer of leadership.

Section 3. Vacancies.

In the event that a committee, branch, or working group officer resigns, or is recalled, a special election must be held as soon as feasible to fill the remainder of that officer’s term. This requirement may be waived if the regular election for that position is already required to be held within 90 days. The Steering Committee may, but is not required to, select an acting officer to hold the position until the election.

Section 4. Consistency.

Individual committees, branches, and working groups may, but are not required to, model their processes for terms and vacancies off those provided in Article IV of this document by describing such processes in their charters. In this case, the relevant formation is solely responsible for the proper execution of these processes, and their misapplication may be grounds for the dissolution of the formation under the relevant Article of the Chapter bylaws or disciplinary action under the Disciplinary Provisions document.

Article VI. Harassment and Grievance Officers.

Section 1. Elections.

The Steering Committee shall solicit and then vet applicants for HGO. Applicants shall be nominated as an HGO by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Steering Committee. Nominees shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the membership pursuant to Article II, Section 2 of this document.

In the event that an HGO is needed before a thorough vetting process can be completed, or before a membership confirmation vote can be officially held, the Steering Committee may appoint a temporary HGO with a two-thirds (⅔) vote. In this case, the HGO shall be given the minimum amount of access to confidential information as possible to fulfill the duties that necessitated an HGO on short notice. In such a case, members may object, and if at least five (5) members object, a confirmation vote shall be held, pursuant to Article II, Section 3 of this document, requiring a simple majority for the HGO to fill the seat.

The Steering Committee shall thoroughly vet candidates for the HGO role by investigating their background and qualifications, interviewing them, and soliciting feedback from the membership, including anonymously. Existing HGOs shall assist the Steering Committee with the vetting process, and may interview candidates on their behalf.

Section 2. Terms and Schedule.

As close as possible, the HGOs shall be evenly divided into two (2) cohorts. 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. or until the second regularly scheduled cohort election from the beginning of the term, whichever is sooner. Outgoing HGOs shall remain emeritus HGOs until thirty (30) days after their successors’ election, during which they shall advise their successors and facilitate the transfer of their responsibilities.

Section 3. Vacancies and Asymmetrical Cohorts.

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 Section 1, still must be followed. In the event that new HGO positions are added between regularly scheduled elections, they shall assume the term of whichever cohorts best satisfy the even division requirement of the previous section.

If a cohort has two (2) or more positions more than its counterpart, some number of positions in the overrepresented cohort shall have their terms shortened in order to reassign those positions to the other cohort. If the overrepresented cohort is the next to be elected, cohort reassignment shall be delayed until after that election. The determination of which HGOs’ terms shall be shortened shall be made by consensus of the HGOs whose terms are ending. If such a consensus cannot be reached, the determination shall prioritize members with the earliest date of election. Should this standard prove impossible, the decision shall be made via vote of the Chapter members, pursuant to Article II, Section 3 and Article III, Section 2 of this document if only one officer shall be chosen, and Article III, Section 3 otherwise.

Article VII. Delegates to National, Regional, and State Organizations.

Section 1. Elections.

Elections for delegates and alternates to National, Regional, and State Organizations shall be held as defined in Article II, Section 3 of this document. The constituency of such elections shall be the Chapter. Votes for delegates and alternates shall be counted pursuant to Article III, Section 3 of this document. Alternates shall be elected on a separate vote from delegates.

Section 2. Schedule.

Elections for the National Convention delegation will be held on the schedule announced by National DSA. Elections to regional or state organizations will be held on the schedule announced by those organizations.

No election for delegates to the National Convention shall be held more than four months, or less than forty-five days, prior to the opening of the National Convention. No election for delegates shall be conducted before the apportionment of delegates.

Section 3. Terms.

Organizations shall be grouped according to the type of delegation required. Organizations which hold one meeting per year or less shall be considered to require a convention delegation. Organizations which hold more than one meeting per year shall be considered to require a standing delegation. Delegations to a given body are elected for that body only. Regularly scheduled and Special National Conventions shall be considered distinct bodies with respect to this provision.

Standing delegations shall be elected for a term of one year, or until their successors are elected. Convention delegations shall be elected for a single convention only.

Article VIII. Recall and Resignation.

Section 1. Recall.

Any officer of the Chapter may be recalled for either disciplinary or political reasons. Delegates to National, State, and Regional Organizations are considered officers with respect to this Article.

Recall by Vote of the Membership.

In order to recall or remove an officer, a petition of no less than five (5) members of the chapter shall be submitted to the Steering Committee to remove said officer, which will set the date of a meeting for deliberations on the officer’s removal. This process may instead be instigated by the adjudication of a complaint under the Disciplinary Provisions document, in which case, deliberations shall be held at a Chapter Meeting. In the case of political recall, deliberations shall be held at a Constituency Meeting. In this case, the officer in question must receive written notice of the meeting a minimum of two (2) weeks before the meeting takes place. In the case of disciplinary recall, the relevant time-frames in the Disciplinary Provisions document shall be used. Removal of an officer requires a simple majority vote, in the case of officers elected in a single-winner race, or two-thirds (⅔) vote otherwise, of the relevant meeting. if deliberations were held by any body other than the Chapter Meeting, a failed recall vote may be appealed to the Chapter Meeting, which may then remove the officer in question by the same vote threshold.

Recall by Vote of the Steering Committee.

An officer may be recalled by vote of the Steering Committee only under narrow circumstances for failure to do their duty. If an officer misses three consecutive relevant leadership meetings without excuse and fails to respond to attempts by Steering Committee members to communicate, that officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Steering Committee. This action must be reported at the next Chapter Meeting, at which time members in good standing may overturn the vote by a simple majority.

Section 2. Resignation.

Any officer of the Chapter may electronically or physically submit their resignation to either the Steering Committee or Chapter Meeting.