Handbook

What is DSA?

We are socialists because we reject an economic order based on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race and sex, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo. We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane social order based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, feminism, racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships. We are socialists because we are developing a concrete strategy for achieving that vision, for building a majority movement that will make democratic socialism a reality in America. We believe that such a strategy must acknowledge the class structure of American society and that this class structure means that there is a basic conflict of interest between those sectors with enormous economic power and the vast majority. (DSA constitution Article II. Purpose)

The National Political Committee

DSA’s primary political leadership is the National Political Committee (NPC), a sixteen-person body which functions as the board of directors of DSA and is elected every two years by the delegates to DSA’s National Convention. Every DSA chapter is entitled to send a certain number of delegates to the National Convention, based upon the chapter’s size. There are also “at-large” delegates to represent areas where there are no active chapters.

The DSA Constitution:

• requires that eight slots of the NPC be reserved for women, and that at least five of the NPC slots be reserved for people of color.

• gives the NPC the power to charter DSA locals and commissions, as well as DSA’s Youth Section.

The NPC:

• guides and leads the implementation of DSA’s major political and organizational goals, which are broadly defined every two years by the delegates to the National Convention

• gives instructions to the national staff about how to carry forward DSA’s day-to-day work.

• creates task forces and committees to guide particular areas of DSA’s political work.

• conducts long weekend meetings four times each year.

• elects five of its members to serve on the Steering Committee (SC). The SC can be emailed at sc(at)dsausa.org.

Electoral work

Democratic Socialists of America is not a political party, nor are we an “arm of the Democrats.” Rather, we view electoral politics as one of many avenues for political change. Below are the NPC’s 2017 guide to endorsing candidates: “Instead of just endorsing candidates and providing a single large donation from our PAC, DSA members mobilize themselves to support fellow socialists. Our design team produces graphics, our members help create phone-banking scripts and dozens of chapters make calls to local voters, canvass neighborhoods, and in many other ways help our socialist candidates to win. We know the other side has more money, so we can only counter it with people power. Through relying on our own members who must “buy into” a campaign, we keep a democratic accountability that other groups, including progressive ones, do not. As Seth Ackerman wrote in “Blueprint for a New Party” in Jacobin: These [liberal] groups monitor the political scene in search of worthy progressive candidates or legislative causes, alerting their supporters with bulletins urging them to “stand with” whichever progressive politico needs support at the moment. (Support, in this usage, usually means sending money, or signing an email petition.) Such groups generally maintain no formal standards for judging a candidate’s worthiness. Even if they did, in drawing up such standards they would be accountable to no one, and would have no power to change those candidates’ policy objectives. DSA avoids this trap by requiring that candidates meet the following three criteria before we make a national endorsement:

• Be an open socialist

• Be running to win – not just send a message

• Be nominated by a local DSA chapter

(Please note: these criteria are not mandated for chapters making local endorsements. They can set their own endorsement policies)

We do not want to thrust candidates on unwilling members. National DSA should organize only for candidates who have the endorsement of their local chapter. Admittedly, this policy does have its limit. For example, since there is no DSA chapter in Mississippi, we could not endorse Chowke Lumumba despite heavy support of him by DSA cadre. But this standard helps maintain democratic accountability and conserve valuable resources.”

Dues

DSA is funded by our membership — not corporate foundations or private companies. This ensures that DSA members are in full democratic and political control of our organization. By paying dues, DSA members self-fund our own tools for liberation.

*No one is turned away for lack of funds* (a dues waiver is available)

Membership Type Annual Dues Amount

Introductory $45

Regular $60

Sponsor $85

Family $110

Sustainer $175

Student/Young Democratic Socialists $20

Low Income $27

Lifetime for 50 Years $750

National DSA Staff

The DSA and DSA Fund national offices are located in New York City and Washington D.C.

DSA staff does not set the organization’s political goals. Rather, staff helps to fulfill the goals set by DSA’s elected volunteer leadership.

• National Director, Maria, coordinates with staff to carry out the basic work of the organization and the strategic plan developed by the convention delegates and National Political Committee.

• Assistant to the National Director, Heidi

• Finance Coordinator, Chris

• Revenue Bookkeeper, Tom

• Operations Director, Kristina, ensures our compliance with regulatory rules and improves our general efficiency.

• Organizing Director, Glenn

• Organizing Manager, Amy

• Field Organizers support and organize DSA chapters and organizing committees including coordinating national leadership trainings for DSA members. Contact them at organizing@dsausa.org.

  • Alec : IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, OH

  • Beni: MN, OK, OR, TX, WA, WI

  • Eric: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT

  • Garrick: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, NM, NV, UT, WY

  • Kaitlin: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV

  • Amy and Glenn: ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, SD

  • Anna and Kaleb: YDSA chapters

• Internal Communications and Digital Organizing Coordinator, Claudia, oversees member outreach, coordination of DSA publications, and digital organizing.

• Communications Director, Chris

• Program Associate – Creative Assets, Rachel

• Conventions and Conferences Coordinator, Michael

• Data Analyst, Eileen, oversees our membership database and its use in chapter organizing and fundraising/renewals.

• Database Coordinator, Émilia

• Data and Technology Manager, Rebecca

• Full-Stack Developer, Kalil

• Organizing Tools Coordinator, Walker

• Development Director, Emma

• External Communications Program Associate, Priscilla

  • Questions about volunteering: volunteer@dsausa.org

• Compliance Manager, Brandon

• Program Associate – Membership, Elizabeth

  • Questions about membership status or donations: membership@dsausa.org

  • Questions about DSA which are not answered by our FAQ: info@dsausa.org

• Program Associate – Events & Retention, Zachariah

• People Services Coordinator, Joseph

• Office Coordinator, Maura

• Chapter Pipeline Coordinator, Dana

  • Questions about pre-OC, OC, and chapter applications: chapterpipeline@dsacommittees.org

• National Grievance and Harassment Officer, Paula Brantner (outside contractor): nationalgrievanceofficer@dsausa.org

  • Our harassment policy, Resolution 33, was passed in 2017 and amended in 2021 at the DSA National Convention.

  • You can find the harassment policy text here.

  • Regarding Harassment, Bullying and Conflict Resolution in DSA

We want to put the general DSA Guidelines for Respectful Engagement front and center to start us off in our Code of Conduct.

While the guidelines talk specifically on what is expected behavior in DSA meetings, we think they can be helpful to remember in all our DSA organizing spaces (both in-person or virtual).

1) Assume good faith in your fellow comrades

Assume good faith in each other. Please try to speak from experience, speak for yourself, and actively listen to each other. When someone makes a point, repeat what you heard, summarize, and ask clarifying questions like “did you mean X” or “what makes you say that” to get more information. Encourage yourself and others to maintain a positive attitude, honor the work of others, avoid defensiveness, be open to legitimate critique and challenge oppressive behaviors in ways that help people grow.

We want to “call each other in” rather than calling each other out — in other words, if you are challenging someone's ideas or behavior, do it respectfully, and if you are being challenged, receive it respectfully. Remember, mistakes will be made, nobody is perfect.

2) Know whether you need to "step up" or "step back"

Help create a safe and inclusive space for everybody. Please respect others by recognizing how often, how much, and how loud you're speaking and whether or not you're dominating conversation. Step back to leave space for others to voice their opinions and feelings. If the facilitator of the meeting asks you to wrap up, recognize that you should step back. This especially applies to participants who have privileged backgrounds. On the other hand, if you don’t often speak up, we encourage you to do so!

3) Please W.A.I.T. - always ask yourself "Why Am I Talking?"

We have a limited amount of time for discussion and to accomplish the tasks before us (in meetings). When in discussion, please ask yourself "Why Am I Talking?" Consider whether or not what you want to say has already been said, whether what you want to say is on topic or if there's a better time and place to say it, and other methods for showing how you feel about the conversation (nodding your head, using an emoji react, adding a "+/+1" to the chat, etc.)

4) Please recognize and respect others feelings, background, and cultural differences

Many people have different levels of experience, knowledge, and feelings in social justice and radical activism and all participants should respect and embrace this diversity. Many people from different backgrounds have different definitions of what it means to be an "activist" or "radical." While we all don't have to agree on everything, we should respect our diversity of opinions. Recognize that everyone has a piece of the truth, everybody can learn, and everybody has the ability to teach and share something. Don't use language that's clearly oppressive or hurtful. Please, refrain from using acronyms or complicated language that could exclude others.

5) We have “one mic” so do not interrupt or speak while others are talking

Many of us will have different opinions on matters. However, speaking while others are talking or adding comments when they cannot respond appropriately does not build community. If you have a disagreement, wait for your turn to address it. This is basic politeness.

6) Respect the facilitator when they use Progressive Stack

Progressive Stack is a form of leading discussions which involves a facilitator keeping a list of names of people who wish to speak. The facilitator or chat moderator scans the group during discussion and if someone wishes to speak, they raise their hand or type "stack" in the chat in a digital meeting. The moderator nods and makes eye contact to indicate the person is now put on the list to speak, and then the person can put their hand down so it does not distract other discussion participants. However, the moderator does not simply write a list of names in the order that people raise their hand. Rather, if someone who has not spoken raises their hand, they go to the top of the list. If someone who is of a historically marginalized group raises their hand, they go to the top of the list (unless they have already contributed significantly to the discussion.)

7) Have a sense of humor

Who said movement building can't be fun? This is a great opportunity for people to get to know one another, building lasting friendships and relationships, to laugh, love, and build a movement.

And, as always, please inform organizers of inappropriate behavior immediately.

Code of Conduct Statement

We, as Leaders and Members of the Suffolk County Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, seek to create an accountable space: a space in which we acknowledge that our behaviors are influenced by a heteronormative, patriarchal, racist, and capitalistic society, and as we work towards destroying capitalism we must resist perpetuating these oppressive norms; where we accept responsibility for our words and our actions when they are harmful; where we trust the best intentions of our comrades and extend empathy towards others; and where, above all, we protect the safety of our members to the best of our ability.

In the interest of fostering an accountable, open, and welcoming space, we pledge to make participation in our chapter and our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

The following standards are not meant to be an exhaustive list of permitted or prohibited activity. At all official DSA events, participants (members and non-members) are expected to abide by community guidelines for appropriate discussion and the code of conduct as a condition of participating in the meeting. Any activity that creates a hostile environment for (a) member(s) warrants a response, whether the particular activity is explicitly stated or not.

Expectations

1. Engage in good faith and with respect.

2. Attempt collaboration and consensus-building before conflict.

3. Create a positive environment by:

   1. Using welcoming and inclusive language

   2. Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences

   3. Gracefully accepting constructive criticism

   4. Focusing on what is best for the community

   5. Showing empathy towards other community members

4. Avoid making assumptions about identity or experience. If you are not sure of someone’s pronouns, just ask!

5. Do not publish or circulate any personal information or photographs of members, or event attendees, without explicit permission.

6. Practice consent at all our events, including for platonic contact such as hugging.

7. If you observe behavior that you believe to be problematic, don’t be a bystander! Alert a community leader if you notice a dangerous situation, or someone in distress, even if you are unsure if the situation warrants intervention.

8. Examples of unacceptable behavior by participants include:

1. The use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention, advances, or contact.

2. Public or private harassment, including deliberate intimidation, stalking or following, and any threat of violence.

3. Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments related to gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, age, body size, technical choices, lack of technical knowledge, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion (or lack thereof) and other personal conditions or choices.

4. Microaggressions, i.e. small, subtle, often subconscious actions that marginalize people from oppressed groups.

5. Sustained disruption of conversations, talks, or other events that derail proceedings or are intended to provoke contention.

6. Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of all SCDSA members to uphold and abide by the SCDSA Code of Conduct, and to ensure that guests in our spaces abide by them as well.

Scope

The SCDSA Code of Conduct shall be applied to all in-person and online spaces, including but not limited to:

General membership meetings

Committee and Working Group meetings

SCDSA hosted or co-hosted events

SCDSA internal communication platforms*

Social media

*to be invited to SCDSA communication platforms (ie SCDSA Slack Workspace, and any relevant SCDSA Signal Groups; please make sure you have filled out the Intra-Organizational Communication (IOC) Agreement)

Enforcement

SCDSA members and leadership shall attempt to resolve problematic behavior, whenever such behavior poses no immediate threat or is not causing extreme distress, through conversation and/or restorative/transformative justice models.

Behavior that represents a threat to our member(s), is causing harm to a degree that (a) member(s) finds it difficult or impossible to organize with SCDSA, or repeated violations of this code may warrant the filling of a grievance with DSA’s national Harassment Grievance Officer (HGO). However, e do encourage you to initiate private discussion with the offender, if you are comfortable doing so, before escalating to the Grievance Officer.

Any members involved in enforcing the code of conduct who are involved in a grievance as an accuser or accused are expected to recuse themselves from any and all such enforcement processes.

Long, Long Ago, in the Before Time (February 2017) a band of intrepid leftists formed to create the greatest (and only) Democratic Socialist organization Suffolk County NY had ever seen. The Cheeto-dusted Dark One known as Donald Trump had just been elected and inaugurated as US President. Something had to be done. Liberals, unfamiliar with the way of power politics found their #resistance foundering on the rocky banks of reality, while Trump’s followers ran amok in the County.

This merry band formed months before in August 2016, out of the Stony Brook Jacobin Reading group. As expected, their first meeting was attended by a scant 4 persons, but they persevered. They continued to read and meet every two weeks. Soon, by the time just prior to the ascension of the Tangerine Nazi, meetings had grown to 30 attendees. It was a unique space which brought workers and students together to discuss topics such as prison abolition, socialism 101, education, and more. After the Apocalypse of November 2016, meetings grew to over 50 people.

Yet as the Greybearded Marx once said “Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world. The point, however, is to change it.” And so, a determined band of Reading Groupers formed an Organizing Committee, to begin the arduous, no-fun, very long, preparations for a chapter of the DSA, the Largest, Best, and Only, Democratic Socialist organization to yet exist in Suffolk County. The OC met for 5 long months, making phone calls, putting up posters, setting agendas, and preparing bylaws all to announce the good news. The work was thankless, and many sighs of exasperation and overwork were had, but it paid off in their first meeting in July 2017.

The following is an overview of the tools and platforms we use for communication, both inward facing and outward facing, as well as some guidelines for maintaining organizational and personal security online. Members are welcome to contact the Steering Committee with help accessing any of the following tools.

Tools

Action Network: Action Network (AN) is an online organizing platform we have access to through DSA National. SCDSA uses AN to send mass emails to both a general interest email list, as well as an internal membership list (for things requiring membership votes for endorsement or elections). We also use AN to make event pages so as to better track RSVP lists for follow up. You must be an admin in SCDSA AN to send emails or make event pages, so please get in touch with the Secretary if you are interested in learning how to use AN.

Google Drive: Google Drive is a cloud-based service that allows users to save, share and edit work. Features such as Google Docs, Sheets and Slides allow Suffolk County DSA members to digitally work and collaborate on projects. Projects are launched by committee chairs who can choose to invite specific members. Main projects and meeting notes for all Committees and Working Groups should be in the Suffolk DSA Drive (once finalized, meeting notes should be locked for editing for security as well as posterity).

Slack*: Slack is a team-communication platform that allows users to chat and organize within a larger group. It is supported by all major internet browsers and free to download in both the App Store and Google Play. It is also a stand-alone desktop app. SCDSA uses Slack for organizing projects and for communication within committees and working groups between meetings. The bulk of our organizing collaboratively between meetings should happen in the appropriate Slack channel.

Signal*: Signal is a messaging app that allows users to communicate one-on-one and within groups. All conversations are encrypted as are any files shared within. The app is free to download in both the App Store and Google Play. Co-chairs will lead and invite users to SCDSA Signal groups as needed. SCDSA Signals are for immediate and sensitive communications pertaining to the named SCDSA Signal group and should not be overused between meetings.

Spoke: Spoke is a mass-text messaging app that we have access to through National DSA and allows us to communicate shared messaging with a large number of members/potential members about actions.

*SCDSA Slack workspace and SCDSA Signal Groups require folks to sign the IOC Agreement to be invited into these spaces.*

Social Media

The SCDSA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts are used to announce upcoming meetings, events, and statements. They are primarily are run by Steering Committee, and SCDSA Leadership of Committees/Working Groups. General members are encouraged to share posts and invite friends who are not members to events and to like the pages. Admins of these pages are expected to only use these channels for statements that reflect SCDSA’s positions and values.

Operational Security

What is it?

Operational Security, or “op-sec,” is a set of standard practices members employ to keep themselves and the organization safe.

The Democratic Socialists of America has seen impressive growth in the past few years and a major shift to the left in its political center of gravity. This makes DSA and its local chapter of interest to structural and ideological opponents of socialism. We can rely on them trying to undermine us, up to and including causing varying degrees of harm to people involved in the organization. This is why op-sec is important.

Op-sec has two major components, in our analysis: technical and personal. This section will go over the tools and techniques of good op-sec for both kinds of security.

Core Principles

Members of SCDSA participate to different degrees. The more involved someone is, the more responsibility they have and so the more possibilities for compromise there are.

The first core principle, then is: If the worst happens, can you say to everyone who would be hurt that you did everything you feasibly could to protect them? By taking stock of who relies on us to keep them safe and their privacy intact, we get a better understanding of our responsibilities for operational security.

Once we understand our responsibility, we can take action. There are many different techniques and tools for op-sec, and they all have a trade-off: The more security they provide, the more dedication they require to practice. However, they are all fallible. There is no perfect defense, and no matter how well guarded one avenue of attack is, others may be weaker.

This leads to the second principle: Evaluate op-sec tools and techniques according to what they can do for the task at hand, not what they can’t do for another task. For example, if you’re deciding on a secure method of phone communication, you might worry about whether a powerful opponent (like the NSA) could circumvent it. But, other opponents might be much more likely to try and could be kept at bay with measures that would require less investment. Alternately, you might consider that having a secure phone communication app doesn’t prevent anyone from infiltrating a meeting or working group. That’s true, but it also doesn’t mean it’s not worth making phone communication more secure.

These two principles stress an assessment of both responsibility and feasibility. Knowing your obligations and your limits is critical to weighing the risks and benefits of options for good op-sec.

Opposition

There would be no security without opposition. Who are we concerned about as a possible attacker?

First, there are “structural” opponents. This includes law enforcement and national security agencies. We must regard them as opponents because these institutions have a long history of undermining leftist movements and their primary structural role is to defend capitalism. However, their attention to leftist organizations will vary. Ultimately, they will have a greater interest in leftist organizations engaging in illegal or quasi-legal activities and which act against very powerful targets. Suffolk DSA primarily engages in legal protest and civic engagement activities and has a local focus. For these reasons, we expect that with some exceptions, structural opposition will be of less relevance.

Second, there are “ideological” opponents. We do not mean to imply that law enforcement and national security agencies are non-ideological by this distinction. Merely that an ideological opponent is solely motivated by ideology. For example, the “alt-right” and other new fascist formations are ideologically opposed to any movement for social, racial, and economic equality. They also do not have the “professional” obligations of structural opponents that make them less likely to take interest in Suffolk DSA. For this reason, we consider the threat of hacking, doxxing, and disruption by ideological opposition to be more relevant to our op-sec practice.

A third and most distressing case is an opponent that is both structural and ideological. “Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses,” as the song goes. Hard right and white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement is a real and ongoing threat.

What are the implications of this? An ideological opponent may have less knowledge of the techniques of “social engineering” and physical investigation than police might. They may also find it harder to “blend in” socially in a group with very different personal values. We expect, then, that an ideological opponent is most likely to engage in technical attacks (hacking and doxxing) rather than personal attacks (infiltration). However, the personal threat should not be disregarded.

Technical Security

Use encrypted applications and platforms, use strong passwords, use secure internet connections.

Personal Security

Know your comrades.

Membership

As a member-run organization, we believe that advocating for radical democracy requires modeling it in our own organization. Therefore, our members are the driving force behind all that we do. To be considered a member of Suffolk County Democratic Socialists of America, an individual must broadly identify as a socialist and a resident of Suffolk County, NY.

To be a Member in Good Standing, a member must have submitted their information online or through mail to the national organization, and have their dues paid in full*.

Members in Good Standing can hold co-chair positions in Committees and Working Groups or officer positions on Steering Committee - and the combination of co-chairs and Steering Committee officers are what we call SCDSA Leadership.

Members in Good Standing can also vote in chapter elections for those positions as well as any other SCDSA statements or support actions Leadership asks membership to weigh in on.

*Dues are determined on a sliding scale based on income, and no member will be turned away due to an inability to pay. If you believe you will have any difficulty paying dues, please check out the dues waiver form.

SCDSA Leadership

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee (SC) -- when at full capacity can be up to six- or seven-person committee, plus representatives from any affiliated branches and YDSA chapters -- facilitates the daily operations and functioning of the chapter. On a full SC positions are two Co-Chairs (one of whom cannot self-identify as male), a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Coordinator, and one or two Organizers (as capacity allows).

If the chapter is not able to fill all the positions of SC the key roles to have in SC are the Treasurer, Secretary, and a Membership Coordinator.

The SC is elected for a term of one year every September, is subject to recall by the membership, and (if at full capacity) is required to have at least three non-male members. The SC are also granted the power to nominate ad-hoc members to the SC who shall be confirmed by the general membership (or dissolved if vote does not pass).

The general expectations of the SC members are to support and participate in meetings related to the general activities of the chapter (including both internal Leadership meetings and other chapter meetings), provide mentorship to rank and file members and develop new leaders (organize yourself out of your role!) SC members are highly encouraged to participate in the activities of the working groups and other committees.

Leadership meetings are open to Steering Committee members and Committee and Working Group co-chairs, others (not directly in SCDSA Leadership) can attend by invite if agreed on ahead of the meeting date by a majority of SCDSA Leadership.

In addition to positions on SC, any Member in Good Standing* may be a leader in the chapter by being elected to chair/co-chair a SCDSA Working Group or Committee.

SC and Cm/WG chairs combined make up what is called SCDSA Leadership.

(While SC may have additional administrative access and tasks, chapter leadership decisions should be discussed and decided on by as many chapter leaders as possible, as well as shared with general members for decisions requiring a vote)

*If you are unsure of your membership status, please email (membership.suffolkdsa@protonmail.com)

If you need to familiarize yourself with the active Committees and Working Groups of SCDSA please consult the Org Chart.

Committees

Committees (Cm) are defined as bodies that support the basic functioning of the chapter. Committee leadership shall be elected by the members of SCDSA or their respective Committee (as deemed appropriate), with the exception of the Communication Committee, Finance Committee, and the Membership & Outreach Committee which are chaired by the Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership Coordinator respectively. (in the case of the Membership And Outreach Cm - it is suggested to have one (or two) co-chair(s) responsible for the external *outreach* aspect of the Membership And Outreach Cm).

Working Groups

Working Groups (WG) are bodies that support the political goals of Suffolk County DSA. Working Groups can be proposed by any member and will be approved if the proposed working group has the support of at least two other members.

*If Leadership is at full capacity* Every Working Group should be assigned an Organizer or another member of Steering Committee who will ensure that the Working Group has the support it needs from Steering and is operating effectively.

Branches and YDSA

Location-based branches and YDSA chapters in Suffolk County may affiliate with Suffolk County DSA; every affiliated branch and YDSA chapter shall (as their own capacity allows) have a representative on SCDSA’s Steering Committee.

Stony Brook University YDSA

The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) are the youth section of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The Stony Brook University YDSA chapter was founded during the 2017 Spring Semester. Our purpose is to spread our commitment to social, economic, and environmental justice across campus as well as foster a sense of community. We are a unity of undergraduates and graduates that reject private profit, exploitation of labor, race and gender discrimination, environmental destruction, and violence in defense of the status quo.

Bylaws of the Suffolk County, NY Local Chapter

of the Democratic Socialists of America

[Adopted August 19th, 2017]

ARTICLE I. Name.

The name of the Local Chapter shall be the Suffolk County, NY Local Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, also known colloquially as Suffolk County DSA, DSA Suffolk, Suffolk DSA or SCDSA. For purposes of incorporation, the chapter shall be known as “Suffolk County DSA Inc.”

ARTICLE II. Purpose.

The Suffolk County, NY 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.

Suffolk DSA rejects an economic order based solely on private profit, alienated labor, gross inequalities of wealth and power, discrimination based on race, gender or sexual orientation, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo.

Suffolk DSA envisions a humane social order based on popular control of resources, production, and economic planning, equitable distribution, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.

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 parties, 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 structure of the U.S. society. This class structure means that there is a basic conflict of interest between those sectors with enormous economic power and the vast majority of the population.

ARTICLE III. Membership.

Section 1. Requirements.

Members of the Suffolk County, NY DSA are those individuals whose dues to national DSA are paid in full, who reside in Suffolk County, New York., and who have attended at least one Chapter meeting of any kind.

Section 2. Responsibilities of Membership

Members have the responsibility to approve policies and guidelines for the operation of the Local Chapter, to elect delegates to the national convention, to vote on matters related to national policy, and to make recommendations on issues and other matters to the National Political Committee of DSA.

Section 3. Non-Member Participation.

Individuals whose dues to national DSA are unpaid may still participate as non-voting volunteers. These non-voting volunteers may not hold office, may not chair committees or working groups, and do not count toward quorum.

Section 4. Disqualifications and Expulsion.

Members may be expelled from the local chapter by other members of Suffolk DSA if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of national DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic or disruptive behavior, or if they are found to be under the discipline of any self-defined democratic centralist organization. In order for such a finding to be made, another Suffolk DSA member must formally proffer written charges against the member in question to the Chapter Steering Committee, which shall set the date of a Local Chapter Meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two weeks before that meeting takes place. Expulsion of a member requires a two-thirds vote of the Local Chapter meeting. An expelled member in good standing may appeal to the National Political Committee of the DSA.

Section 5. Voluntary Donations.

As mandated by the national Constitution and Bylaws, the Local Chapter may establish a Local Chapter pledge system of voluntary donations for its members. The payment of a Local Chapter donation may not be a requirement for voting or for holding Local Chapter office.

Section 6. Privacy Policy.

Care will be taken to protect the privacy of each member’s contact information.

ARTICLE IV. Meetings.

Section 1. The General Meeting.

Suffolk DSA will hold a minimum of one General Meeting annually. The purpose of this meeting is to elect Local Chapter officers to the Steering Committee, adopt an annual budget if possible, and discuss (primarily but not exclusively) the political orientation of Suffolk DSA and of its programs and campaigns. This meeting is the highest agenda-setting body of the Local Chapter and its decisions and directives override prior decisions and directives.

Section 2. Regular Meetings.

Suffolk DSA will hold a minimum of five Regular Meetings annually. The purpose of these meetings is to review ongoing operations and raise new issues. Part of this entails hearing reports from the Steering Committee and other committees and working groups. The other part involves suggesting and making budget allocations, engaging in political discussion and education, and considering new issues raised by the membership. The Regular Meetings may coincide with a General Meeting. This meeting is the body of the Local Chapter responsible for sustaining ongoing operations. This includes making decisions and issuing directives, which should not contradict those set in the General Meeting.

Section 3. Special Meetings.

The Steering Committee may call a Special Meeting of the General Membership on five days notice when an urgent or important matter requires prompt deliberation. Decisions and directives at these meetings may override those of the General Meeting if a two-thirds supermajority of the membership assembled consider it necessary for urgent business, but these decisions and directives will be reviewed and reconsidered at the next Regular or General Meeting.

Section 4. Advance Notice.

The Steering Committee will set the time, place, and agenda for all meetings. The time and place of meetings will be sent to all members of the Local Chapter at least three weeks in advance; agendas will be circulated with at least one week advance notice except for Special Meetings. Notice may be sent electronically, but individuals who cannot be reached electronically must be sent a paper copy.

Section 5. Quorum.

A quorum of 10% of the membership, but not fewer than 12 persons, is required for all elections and General Membership votes.

ARTICLE V. Local Chapter Officers: Powers and Duties.

Section 1. Role, Size, and Term of Office.

The officers of the Local Chapter will be two Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, and one-two Organizers. The size of the Steering Committee may be adjusted at the initiation of the membership or the Steering Committee itself. In the former case, this requires a motion raised by one member, seconded by another, and approved by a majority vote of the General Membership. In the latter case, the Steering Committee will propose the change for approval by a majority vote of the General Membership. The term of office will be one year, and shall run from October Chapter Meeting to September Chapter Meeting or until their successors are elected. All officers must be at least 18 years of age on the date their term as officer would begin.

Section 2. Replacements.

In the event of a vacancy in any Local Chapter office, the Steering Committee will appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term.

Section 3. Addition of Steering Positions.

In the event the Steering Committee sees fit to add a position to the steering committee, they may hold a special election for the position before the bylaws are officially amended by the procedure outlined in Article X. The position may be provisionally filled as soon as the amendment process has officially begun.

If the chapter ultimately votes down the amendment adding a steering position, the elected person’s term will end. If approved the provisional position’s term will end at the time of the next Steering Committee election, so as not to necessitate a separate election just for the one position.

Section 4. Co-Chairs.

a. The Co-Chairs will be the chief Steering officers of the Local Chapter. They will preside over Local Chapter and Steering Committee meetings or will appoint a substitute to assume the powers and duties of the presiding officer as specified in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The Co-Chairs will be the official public spokespersons for the Local Chapter and will initiate such actions and policies as the Local Chapter’s general welfare may demand.

b. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations and political work of the Local Chapter’s branches and committees. In addition, they assume ultimate responsibility for the actions and operations of the Local Chapter.

c. The Co-Chairs are expected to attend all meetings. At all meetings, one Co-Chair must assume parliamentary responsibilities while the other runs the meeting. In addition, the Co-Chairs will provide a copy of the minutes of all the previous Steering Committee Meetings that occurred since the last Regular Meeting.

d. The Co-Chairs are allowed two consecutive absences from meetings, with the expectation that they will appoint a substitute to assume their duties at the meeting.

e. No more than one Co-Chair may self-identify as a man.

Section 5. Secretary.

a. The Secretary is charged with general record keeping and with maintaining consistent communication with new and existing members of the Local Chapter. The Secretary must demonstrate this consistent communication to the Steering Committee as required or requested. The Secretary maintains an archive of meeting minutes, and enforces Bylaws.

b. The Secretary is allowed two consecutive absences from meetings, with the expectation that they will appoint a substitute to assume their duties at the meeting.

c. The Secretary is charged with forming a Communications Committee (Comms). The Comms handles all internal and external communications and is expected to direct all relevant media inquiries to the appropriate campaign and/or committee/working group leadership.

d. The Secretary will be responsible for answering correspondence and queries of the Local Chapter, and for posting or delegating the scheduling of posts from chapter social media/emails sent to the general list of the Chapter. They will ensure effective communication with national DSA. They will temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Co-Chair if neither Co-Chair is able to do so.

e. The Secretary will be responsible for the taking of minutes of all Local Chapter and Steering Committee Meetings, and shall have custody of these minutes, and the resolutions, reports and other official records of the Local Chapter. They shall transfer official records in good condition to their successor. Official records shall include all meeting minutes.

Section 6. Treasurer.

a. The Treasurer will be responsible for the funds and financial records of the Local Chapter. All funds collected by the Local Chapter will be turned over to the Treasurer, who shall deposit them in a bank account under the name of the Local Chapter. In cooperation with the Secretary, the Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are paid up-to-date. The Treasurer will prepare the annual Local Chapter budget and deliver the Local Chapter financial report to the General Meeting of the Local Chapter, as well as periodic progress reports as requested by the Steering Committee.

b. The Treasurer is allowed two consecutive absences from meetings, with the expectation that they will appoint a substitute to assume their duties at the meeting.

c. The Treasurer chairs the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will determine an expenditure amount that must be voted on by the General Membership. The Finance Committee is charged with developing an annual budget and financing plan, to be approved by the General Membership.

Section 7. Membership

a. Membership is charged with general maintenance of and updating of the membership list from national DSA, and input into the membership database. Membership must help convert or otherwise make accesibile these lists in mobilizer efforts. Membership also maintains the organizational chart and helps track and engage committee and working group members along with the chapter Organizer(s).

b. Membership is allowed two consecutive absences from meeting, with the expectation that they will appoint a substitute to assume their duties at the meeting.

c. Membership is charged with forming a Membership and Outreach Committee; which shall have 1-2 co-chair(s) of Outreach and will handle both internal mobilizing (of membership) and external base-building (of new or potential members), and is expected to help direct efforts to appropriate campaign and/or committee leadership.

d. Membership is responsible for official records of membership rolls, and maintaining the membership database. They shall provide direct access to the membership database to the Membership And Outreach Committee members for mobilizing efforts, and additionally make membership info accessible (by direct database access or by converting membership info to accessible format) to any committee or working group leadership/members as needed for their activities.

Section 8. Organizer(s).

a. Organizers are charged with sponsoring and helping with responsibilities for the actions and operations of select committees and working groups.

b. Organizer(s) are a liaison between the Steering Committee and the select committees and working groups assigned to them.

c. Organizer(s) are allowed two consecutive absences from meetings, with the expectation that they will appoint a substitute to assume their duties at the meeting. An Organizer may only serve as the elected chair of one working group or one select committee.

Section 8. Additional Duties.

The Steering Committee may assign additional temporary duties to an officer of the Local Chapter, so long as such assignments do not conflict with the designation of responsibilities outlined in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI. Steering Committee.

Section 1. Composition.

The Suffolk DSA Steering Committee will be composed of the seven officers of the Local Chapter, the chairs of any Local Chapter branches, and any appointed ad-hoc officers as described in Article V, Section 3.

Section 2. Duties.

a. The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Local Chapter and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the General and Regular Meetings; it may also propose policy to the General and Regular Meetings. It shall have the power to receive reports of any committee or branch, and advise thereon, to call Special Meetings, and to act on any matter that requires immediate and urgent action. The Steering Committee is the regular agenda-executing body of the Local Chapter, and is thus subordinate to the Local Chapter’s agenda-setting bodies, the General and Regular Meetings.

b. The Local Chapter Steering Committee will be responsible for establishing program activities for the Local Chapter, for proposing guidelines and policies that will subsequently be voted on by the membership, and for acting on the organization’s behalf between Local Chapter meetings.

Section 3. Meetings.

The meetings of the Steering Committee will be held at the call of one of the Co-Chairs at such intervals as may be determined by a prior Steering Committee Meeting or by consultation with any three members of the Steering Committee. All members of the Steering Committee must (ordinarily) be given four days oral, written, or electronic notice of regular Steering Committee Meetings; a 24-hour notice may be given under special emergency circumstances.

Section 4. Quorum.

A quorum of half of the members of the Steering Committee is required for the transaction of Steering Committee business.

Section 5. Diversity.

Composition of the Steering Committee has no requirements based on identity. It is recommended that the steering committee reflect the diversity of the local chapter.

Section 6. Recall of Officers

All members of the Steering Committee shall be subject to recall if 25% of the General Membership or 10 members, whichever is higher, submit a petition to recall a Steering Committee member. A recall referendum will take place at a subsequent Special Meeting, no later than 1 month thereafter via secret ballot. If recall is successful, nominations will be held immediately after the vote is announced and new elections held no more than 1 month thereafter at a subsequent Special Meeting.

ARTICLE VII. Branches.

Section 1. Definition.

A branch is a subgroup of the Local Chapter consisting of at least five members in good standing with national DSA. Branches may be defined by geography or language. The chairs of branches will hold membership on the Local Chapter Steering Committee.

Section 2. YDSA Chapters.

Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) chapters within the geographic area defined by a DSA Local Chapter may affiliate as a branch of that Local Chapter, in which case the local YDSA chapter may send a representative to the Local Chapter Steering Committee. YDSA representatives sent to the Steering Committee do not act as board members for the purposes of incorporation and are not required to meet the age requirements of the committee.

ARTICLE VIII. Committees and Working Groups

Section 1. Definition.

Suffolk County DSA may establish committees and working groups to more effectively organize and achieve goals.

a. Committees may be established for the purpose of organizing around and/or performing specific functions for the local chapter. In general they are considered “standing” bodies that exist indefinitely to perform their functions. For example, the Communications Standing Committee is established under the chairship of the Secretary for the purpose of facilitating Local Chapter communications, a perpetually needed function.

b. Working groups may be established for the purpose of organizing action around political themes or projects that fall under the purview of the DSA’s political platform. For example, an “Immigrant Rights Working Group” could exist to advance the cause of equal rights and fair treatment for immigrants as a specific political goal of the Local Chapter.

Section 2. Formation.

a. Ideas for committees and working groups must be proposed in front of the General Membership. At that time, two dues-paying members must come forward, stating their willingness to participate in the committee or working group. An Organizer must also come forward stating their willingness to sponsor and assume responsibility for the committee or working group.

b. The group is then tasked with the following, to be completed by the next general membership meeting:

1. Hold a meeting and elect a committee or working group Chair.

2. Prepare a presentation to be given in front of the general membership, outlining the purpose and intent of the committee.

3. Acquire a simple majority vote of the general membership in favor, which will constitute ratification, in order to proceed.

Section 3. Duties.

a. Committee and working group chairs are responsible for organizing their respective body’s members, running meetings, and serving as the body’s point of contact to the Suffolk County DSA membership.

b. Chairs of Committees and working groups will keep the Steering Committee and the Regular Meetings of the Local Chapter informed on the activities of the committee. Committees and working group chairs must invite their assigned Organizer to all meetings and events.

Section 4. Dissolution

Committees and working groups may be dismantled by a vote of the General Membership, brought about by recommendation of the Steering Committee or any General Member. Committees may also self-dissolve at any time.

ARTICLE IX. Elections

Elections are how the membership of the Local Chapter chooses the officers of the Local Chapter’s Steering Committee and its delegates and alternates to the National Convention.

Section 1. Candidacy.

a. Candidates for Steering Committee offices and delegates to the National Convention must be active members in good standing with Suffolk County DSA and not under the discipline of any self-defined democratic centralist organization.

b. Officer candidates campaign to be on the Steering Committee, not for a specific position. The elected Steering Committee designates roles within itself.

c. Local Chapter delegates and alternates to the National Convention will be elected by members in good standing of Suffolk County DSA. Elections for the National Convention delegation shall be held on the schedule announced by the national organization.

d. Officer candidates must be at least 18 years of age on the date their term as officer would begin.

Section 2. Nomination Process.

Nominations for Local Chapter officers and delegates to the National Convention shall be held at a General, Regular, or Special meeting, with at least 10 days notice to membership. Any member in good standing may nominate themselves, or another member. All nominations must be seconded by another member in good standing.

Section 3. Election Process.

Voting for officers and delegates shall be opened 3 days prior to a General, Regular, or Special Meeting at which in-person voting will occur. All candidates shall be elected at the meeting through secret ballot, or online by special request, by members in good standing. Voting shall be closed at the conclusion of said meeting, and ballots shall be counted immediately following the casting of the final ballot. Candidates for Steering Committee who receive the most votes will be seated on the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE X. Amendments.

Section 1. Amendment Proposal Process.

Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be made by written resolution, endorsed by five members of the Local Chapter of DSA, and submitted to the Steering Committee a month in advance of a General or Regular Meeting. The Steering Committee is required to provide the Local Chapter membership with two weeks’ written notice of the proposed amendments. The amendment must be approved by a majority vote at one General or Regular Local Chapter meeting.

Section 2. Bylaw Revision.

Six months after these Bylaws first go into effect and every one year after thereafter, the Steering Committee will initiate a review of the Bylaws. They will solicit suggested changes from the membership and present their own findings and suggestions for improvements.

ARTICLE XI. Prohibited Activity

Suffolk County Local Chapter shall not engage in activity prohibited by the IRS guidelines established for 501 (c) 4 organizations or similar rules established by the state of New York. Nor shall the Local Chapter engage in any activity prohibited by resolutions adopted by DSA’s National Convention or DSA’s National Political Committee.

ARTICLE XII. Rules of the Local Chapter.

Section 1. Rules.

The Rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern this Local Chapter in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws. Consensus decision-making is desirable where feasible, but meetings must submit to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised upon the request of a member.

Section 2. Action Out of Order.

Any action taken by an officer or member of the Local Chapter in contravention of these Bylaws is null and void.