San Diego Young Republicans

Bylaws

Last Updated August 2024

Article 1: NAME AND AFFILIATION

Section 1 – Name
The name of this organization shall be San Diego Young Republicans (SDYR). The Organization may also be known as Young Republican Federation of San Diego.

Section 2 – Affiliation
San Diego Young Republicans is an official chartered organization under California Young Republican Federation (CYRF) and Young Republicans National Federation (YRNF). SDYR shall be a sovereign entity from the San Diego County Republican Party (SDCRP). The Bylaws of this organization shall take precedence over those of CYRF, YRNF, and SDCRP. The Board of Directors may choose to affiliate with any organization that is in alignment with the mission statement of SDYR. This may include but is not limited to: Republican affiliated organizations and nonpartisan political and community organizations. Such decisions are approved exclusively at Board of Directors meetings, closed to the public. 

Article 2: MISSION, OBJECTIVES, GEOGRAPHY

Section 1 – Mission Statement & Primary Objectives
Our mission is to cultivate a dynamic community of politically engaged young individuals, dedicated to upholding conservative principles, fostering informed discourse, and actively participating in the democratic process, all while fostering a spirit of unity and leadership within our rank. The primary objectives shall be to bring young people into the Republican Party and provide an opportunity for them to find  political expression and recognition; to train future leaders for service in local, state, and federal government; to instill a sense of loyalty and patriotism in the citizens of the United States of America and the State of California; and to promote good government at all levels.

Section 2- Geographical Boundaries
The geographical boundaries shall encompass the entirety of San Diego County, including all incorporated cities and unincorporated communities.

Article 3: BOARD OF DIRECTORS & POLICY COMMITTEE

Section 1- Operational Guidelines
Board Members will run the affairs of the Organization. Such Members shall constitute the Board of Directors and will be known as “the Board.” 

Section 2- Board Meetings
Monthly meetings of the Board shall be held virtually on a day and time determined by the President & Chair closed to the public to discuss internal logistics. The President will compile the meeting agenda for each Board Meeting. A Board member may propose an agenda item by emailing [email protected] at least 1 week prior to the upcoming Board Meeting. The Executive Board within the Board shall include the President and Chair, Vice President of External Affairs, and Vice President of Internal Affairs. The Executive Board shall meet additionally outside of the monthly board members based on needs of the organizations. When there is a time-sensitive issue, the Chair may call for an email vote, without a meeting, on a single specified issue with a forty-eight (48) hours notice to the Board of Directors. Votes will be tallied by majority based on participation. If more than one-third of the Board of Directors objects in writing to the issue being determined by email vote, the issue shall be determined at the following Board meeting.

Section 3- Board Members
The board members of San Diego Young Republicans are the President & Chair, Vice President of External Affairs, Vice President of Internal Affairs, Programming Directors (2), Membership Director, Finance Director, Press Secretary, Social Media Director, and Volunteer Director. These board members shall be voting members of the Board. All members are entitled to perform duties outside of normal description if discussed with the President & Chair.

President & Chair

  • Serve as the Chief Executive of the Organization.
  • Sits on Executive Board
  • Preside all Board Meetings & emcee all programs.
  • Supervise the activities of the Board and provide guidance and latitude necessary for them to perform their official functions.
  • Supervise and guide all programs of the Organization from development to implementation and bear ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of such programs.
  • Bare financial responsibility as the business account holder and credit card user.
  • Act as chief spokesperson to media, press, Republican organizations, and other nonpartisan groups.
  • Execute and maintain all stakeholder relationships.
  • Perform other such duties when needed.

Vice President of External Affairs

  • Oversees the  Communications Director, Creative Director, Volunteer Director, Policy Committee.
  • Sits on Executive Board
  • Develop relationships with organizations & coordinate speakership opportunities.
  • Assist the President with messaging and branding.
  • Act as an additional spokesperson and surrogate to media/press and political events.
  • Perform other such duties when needed.

Vice President of Internal Affairs

  • Oversees the Programming Director, Membership Director, Finance Director.
  • Sits on Executive Board
  • Records all meeting minutes for Board meetings.
  • Ensure internal logistics of organization are sound & Assist the President with organization decisions.
  • Act as an additional spokesperson and surrogate to media/press and political events.
  • Perform other such duties needed.

Communications Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of External Affairs.
  • Draft press releases, media statements, and media advisories.
  • Updates media list & coordinates strategic communications plan.

Creative Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of External Affairs.
  • Oversees branding, executes digital campaigns, and creates collateral.
  • Manages organization’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Linkedln.

Volunteer Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of External Affairs.
  • Executes volunteer deployments for political campaigns.
  • Crafts monthly email newsletter.

Programming Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of Internal Affairs.
  • Conceptualize and execute all social and political events.
  • Collaborate with the Creative Director and Communications Director on communications.

Membership Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of Internal Affairs.
  • Conducts membership recruitment, retention, and outreach.
  • Maintains membership records and dues via Anedot, Google Sheets, and HubSpot.

Finance Director

  • Reports to the Vice President of Internal Affairs.
  • Oversees organization’s financial activities.
  • Assists the President with fundraising & budget projections.

Executive Director

  • Reports to the President & Chair.
  • Liaise with board members to coordinate activities and support their roles and responsibilities.
  • Conduct the day-to-day business of SDYR under the supervision and direction of the Chair and shall also perform any other duties specified by the Chair.
  • Act as a representative of the organization in various forums and build relationships with key stakeholders, including political figures, community leaders, and partner organizations.
  • Act as the spokesperson for media, press, Republican organizations, and other nonpartisan groups when the President & Chair and/or Communications Director is unavailable.

Section 4- Policy Committee
First established in 2023, the Vice President of External Affairs will chair a Policy Committee that’s devoted to organizing and crafting solutions in response to political stances offered by the organization. The Policy Committee will also examine statewide ballot initiatives and San Diego municipalities measures to recommend endorsements to the Board during campaign season. The Board can override any recommendations by the Policy Committee for any reason. Appointed Policy Committee members (3) will consist of a 2-year term. The elected Vice President of External Affairs can determine the next Policy Committee members and if electeds can be invited to committee meetings. Meetings can either be in person or virtual and will remain closed to the public.

Section 5- Terms & Calendar Year
The board members term shall consist of two calendar years (January-December). A board member can remain on the board so long as they get voted on by the members and are within the age range of eighteen (18) to forty (40) years old.

Section 6- Removal
Any voting Board member who misses three (3) consecutive Board meetings without good cause as determined by the President and Chair or fails to send a written report when requested to do so shall automatically be removed from office without prejudice and the Board shall declare the office vacant. A Board member may also be removed from the Board by majority vote of the other Board members for gross neglect, dereliction of duty.

Section 7- Resignation
A Board member who chooses to resign for any reason must submit their resignation to [email protected]. Resignations will be effective immediately.

Section 8- Filling Vacancies
The President and Chair will conduct an interview process to vet the best candidate to fulfill any vacant positions for the Board following any resignations. The President must bring forth appointees to The Board for approval in an upcoming Board meeting. The following are different scenarios for other vacancies that do not include a resignation from the Board:

  • President Unwilling or Unable – In the event that a duly elected President is unable or unwilling to serve his/her term of office, he/she shall submit their resignation to the Board of Directors. Should the office become vacant due to death or inability of the President to resign, the Board of Directors shall declare the office vacant.
  • Unwilling or Unable to Perform Duties – Any elected board member who is unwilling or unable to perform the duties of his/her position, who substantially interferes with the Board of Director’s ability to do business via personal misconduct or the breach of ethics and/or who loses the confidence of his/her fellow Board of Directors may be removed from office.

Article 4: BOARD ELECTIONS

Section 1- Elections Timeline
Elections for the Board will take place in December during the even year of the term. The Board election will act as a business meeting that will be closed to the public and will take place 1 hour before the scheduled December SDYR program.

Section 2- Eligibility
In order to be eligible to run for the Board, you must be a dues paying SDYR regular member for at least 6 months prior to the Board election. In order to vote in the election, you must be a dues paying SDYR regular member for at least 3 months prior to the Board election. 

Section 3- Intent to Run
SDYR will announce elections in November to their SDYR dues paying members. To be considered a candidate for the Board, the dues paying SDYR member must fill out the application form from November 1st-November 30th of the even year of the term. Candidates may run for multiple positions at once. In the event that a candidate wins more than one seat, the candidate would need to forfeit a seat, and the second position would go to the runner-up. SDYR will announce all candidates to the public and the date of the Board election following the filing deadline. The President will organize all logistics for the Board election.

Section 4- Candidate Guidelines
Business attire is required for all candidates at the Board election. If there is a contested position, each candidate is required to give 1 minute elevator pitch. If there is no contest, the candidate for the position will assume the responsibilities following the Board election.

Section 5- Voting
The Executive Board will conduct voting through an open process in order to ensure transparency, efficiency, and election integrity. There will be no quorum in order to conduct the Board election. No proxies are allowed. Silver members may attend the Board election but will not have voting rights.

Section 6- Transition of Power
The outgoing Executive Board will organize the transition of power immediately following the new Board elections. The Executive Board shall transition all necessary materials (including bank cards and/or checks, membership records, passwords, etc.) to the incoming Board. All members of the incoming Board shall also receive a copy of these Bylaws. The incoming Board shall assume control over the functions of the Organization at the end of the December program and begin January of the odd year of their term. A formal press release will be issued following the election. 

Article 5: POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Section 1- Endorsements
The Board will have exclusive authority to make political decisions. SDYR will endorse Registered Republican candidates for various positions including San Diego County Republican Party Central Committee, Congressional, State Assembly, State Senate, non-partisan local races, and planning groups for both the Primary and General Elections. The Policy Committee will recommend endorsements for ballot initiatives and local measures to the Board. If the Board cannot reach a consensus on an endorsement, it will be put to a vote among SDYR dues-paying members at the next monthly program. Once SDYR issues endorsements, they will be final, and no dual endorsements will be permitted. The Board will decide on endorsements for special elections on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, the Board reserves the right to remain neutral and abstain from issuing endorsements to focus solely on organizational matters. If the Board chooses to remain neutral, this decision will be publicly disclosed on SanDiegoYoungRepublicans.org. Endorsements made for the Primary Election will carry over to the General Election. If a candidate endorsed by SDYR fails to advance to the General Election, the Republican nominee must seek SDYR endorsement after winning the primary. The Board has the authority to revoke an endorsement if a candidate’s character is found to be questionable, including but not limited to allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or embezzlement. In such cases, the Board will consider other viable Republican candidates in the race.

Section 2- Timeline
Following each filing deadline for the Primary and General Elections, an endorsement questionnaire for political candidates will be available at SanDiegoYoungRepublicans.org. Candidates will be given 1 month to apply for consideration for the SDYR endorsement. Additional advertising will be made to notify candidates, which may include but are not limited to emails and social media. SDYR endorsements will be made independently from SDCRP. The Board can decide to make additional endorsements at a later time during the election cycle and must advertise this accordingly. Candidate resources for the second round of endorsements are not guaranteed. Endorsements will be up to the discretion of SDYR’s board. The following are endorsement periods for different election years:

  • Primary during Presidential Years: Applications will be live following the filing deadline, which historically has been in November of an odd year.
  • General during Presidential Years: Applications will be live following the filing deadline, which historically has been in March of an even year.
  • Primary during non-Presidential Years: Applications will be live following the filing deadline, which historically has been in January of an even year.
  • General during non-Presidential Years: Applications will be live following the filing deadline, which historically has been in June of an even year.

Section 3- Announcement
The candidates will be notified if the Board agreed to endorse or not endorse them. The Board will issue an official press release and voter guide to the public. It is up to the President and Chair to decide what resources will be allocated for volunteer deployments and any other additional creative, innovative ways to inform the public of SDYR’s endorsed candidates.

Article 6: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 – Eligibility
Membership in SDYR shall be open to people who are at least eighteen (18) years of age and no older than forty (40) years of age, who are registered Republicans or who intend to register as a Republican, are currently residing within the County of San Diego, and who support the Mission Statement above, shall be eligible for membership in SDYR. Members must be willing to be known as a Young Republican, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, physical handicap, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation, and have paid their annual dues.

Section 2 – Categories
Membership shall comprise two categories: Regular Membership and Silver Members.

  • Regular Members: Be between ages eighteen (18) to forty (40) years old, be a registered Republican or intend to register as a Republican, live, work, or attend school in San Diego County (incorporated cities and unincorporated communities), and be current on his or her membership dues.
  • Silver Members: Any person wishing to become a member of the Organization but who does not meet the age requirements for regular membership set forth above may, may be eligible for “Silver Membership.” Silver Members shall enjoy all privileges of regular membership but shall not have voting rights.

Section 3 – Good Standing
A member shall be considered a member in good standing if their annual dues are currently paid or sponsored. Dues are considered paid on the date a membership form with payment is completed online at SanDiegoYoungRepublicans.org

Section 4 – Membership Dues
Dues are collected on an annual basis based on the member’s anniversary date for $50/year. An additional dues method is $5/month ($60/year) for students valid with an ID. Dues are collected automatically on the card submitted on Anedot. Dues can be sponsored by elected officials or Greater San Diego community leaders on a case by case basis if it’s requested to [email protected]. Cancellation for membership must be submitted to [email protected].

Section 5- Programs & Perks
SDYR will hold at least one monthly political and/or social event. SDYR are not held liable for injury for any event. The Board will conceptualize and publicize membership benefits, such as Coffee with the Chair, members only events, and discounts to special events.

Article 7: ETHICS

Section 1- Sexual Harassment 
San Diego Young Republicans is committed to providing a safe environment for all its members free from discrimination on any ground and from harassment at programs including sexual harassment. San Diego Young Republicans will operate a zero tolerance policy for any form of sexual harassment, treat all incidents seriously, and promptly investigate all allegations of sexual harassment. Any person found to have sexually harassed another will face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from membership. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and treated with respect and in confidence. No one will be victimized for making such a complaint.

Section 2- Code of Conduct & Fiduciary Duty
Each member of the SDYR Board of Directors is required to conduct themselves with appropriate decorum at all programs and public appearances. Each board member shall act with care and diligence in all interactions with stakeholders and conduct themselves in a respectful, professional manner at all events. The Board must remain objective, responsible, and trustworthy while exercising reasonable care in decision making, without placing the organization under unnecessary risk. SDYR social media and web presence must be professional and appropriate. The Board shall have full authority to investigate violations under this policy, which could result in a censure or other disciplinary action.

Section 3- Process for Dispute Resolution
The board and regular members have the right to due process for dispute resolution. Such requests must be made in writing to [email protected] in order to formally launch any necessary means of resolution, which include but are not limited to meditation, conflict resolution, etc. 

Section 4- Removal of Membership
Any member whose actions are judged prejudicial or detrimental to SDYR by a majority of the Board may be recommended for expulsion from SDYR at a monthly board meeting. If the expulsion is approved, the President will share this announcement at the following monthly program to the public.

Section 5- Conflicts of Interest
Any Board member who has a financial, personal, or official interest that could cause that Board member to not act impartially must immediately disclose that to the Board. If the Board member can’t act impartial, they must voluntarily excuse themselves and refrain from discussion and voting on the said matter.

Article 8: RULES

Section 1- Bylaw Amendments
The Bylaws act as policies, procedures, and rules for the governance and operation of SDYR. Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote by the Board. The Board member must email [email protected] to agendize a bylaws amendment for the next Board Meeting Agenda at least 1 week in advance. 

Section 2- Expenditures
The President and Chair must reimburse the Board for any expenditures by mailing out a physical check within 2 business days of purchase. The President and Chair must get approval for expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) from the Executive Board. If SDYR chooses to sponsor an event, the President and Chair must get a majority vote from the Board. The President and Chair can email the board about these decisions.

Section 3- Opinions
The opinions expressed by individual members and members of the Board are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance or views of the organization as a whole.

Section 4- Literature
SDYR materials will be distributed at all events and programs. Candidates, campaigns, and organizations must seek approval to distribute materials at SDYR events and programs by emailing [email protected] 48 hours in advance.

Section 5- Funding
SDYR’s donors’ information will not be distributed for any reason and will remain confidential. This can be overridden with a majority vote 50% + 1 at the following board meeting.