Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
2018
TO THE YOUNG DEMOCRATS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Welcome to the Young Democrats of South Carolina!
YDSC is an organization powered by its members. We, an affili-
ate of the Young Democrats of America and in partnership with
the South Carolina Democratic Party, are a network of Young
Democrats organizations from every corner of the Palmetto
State. Our goal is to train, educate, advocate, and empower the
next generation of progressive leaders.
After seeing a cool “Beginners Guide” from one of our peer state
chapters, we decided to create one of our own to help new mem-
bers navigate the facets of our organization, and where we fit
with other Democratic Party organizations doing this work in
South Carolina. Complete, detailed, and binding rules for YDSC
are in the YDSC Constitution and By-Laws, found at
http://www.youngdemssc.org/ydsc-constittuion.
This guide is broken down into two sections: organizational struc-
ture and chapters.
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to
reach out to Jeni Atchley, Vice President for Policy, by phone at
(843) 637-5453 or by email at jeniatchley@gmail.com.
AFFILIATION AND PURPOSE
GOVERNING BODIES
STATE CONVENTION
The State Convention is the formal business meeting of the general
body. State Conventions are held each spring. The Convention char-
ters chapters; discusses the role, purpose, and business of YDSC;
and elects Executive Board officers in even-numbered years. The
Convention is ALWAYS superior to the Executive Board and Execu-
tive Council.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board is the “upper house,” so to speak, of YDSC. It
has organizational power when the State Convention is not in ses-
sion. Comprised of YDSC’s elected officers—the President, the First
Vice President, the Second Vice President, the Secretary, and the
Treasurer, the Board is ultimately responsible for strategy, central
communications, and can set statewide dues. The Board writes the
budget and strategic plan. The Board is responsible for YDSC as a
whole. The Executive Board is elected at State Convention on even-
numbered years.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
If the Board is the “Senate” of YDSC, the Council is its “House”: the
Board, along with the President’s appointees (the Data, Outreach,
and Communications Directors, any ad hoc appointments) and the
Chairs of each Region Chapter and YDSC Caucus are voting mem-
bers of the Council. The Council stands for the YDSC membership,
with the power to check the Executive Board when the Convention is
not in session. The Council has sole power to approve the budget,
strategic plan, and charters when the Convention is not in session.
YDSC CAUCUSES
MEMBERSHIP
YDSC chapters come in many sizes, and have a number of per-
sonalities. Some Regions such as Central Midlands meet as a
single chapter. Other regions (i.e.: Appalachian) primarily meet
as county chapters. Some universities and high schools have also
chartered as YDSC chapters.
No two communities are alike. Florence is not Aiken; Rock Hill is
not Columbia; Beaufort is not Conway. Nor should they be.
Chapters will range in both size and scope. However your
chapter is organized, whatever it does, the point is to provide a
place for your members to come together and commit to work-
ing toward Democratic principles in your community and in
South Carolina.
In the next section, we’ll walk through the process of chartering
a new chapter.
CREATING A CHAPTER
CHAPTERS
Your next task will be to determine the kind of chapter you want to
charter. You might been appointed a Region Chair or was asked by
one to help start a Region Chapter.
Region Chapters are the only chapters that must charter directly with
the Executive Council, and can cover from three to six counties. All Re-
gions have a Region Chair, who is either elected from its members or
appointed by the President. Where a Region Chapter does not exist, it
is the responsibility of the Region Chair to organize in that region.
Our regions’ geography and members means our regions organize in
different ways. Some regions, such as Central Midlands, operate as
Region Chapters. Some regions, such as Appalachian, organize as
County Chapters—-in which a County would have its own Young Demo-
crats chapter.
There can only be one County Chapter in each county, and these chap-
ters send membership info and charter each year to their Region
Chapter.
COLLEGES & HIGH SCHOOLS
College Chapters have the option to charter with the College Demo-
crats of South Carolina or with YDSC.. Same with high school students:
High School clubs have the option of chartering with the South Caroli-
na Teen Democrats. School-based chapters can only charter with one
of these organizations, though individual members can join both YDSC
and a CDSC/SCTD chapter.
There are benefits to either: chartering with CDSC for instance opens
your club to CDA and DNC resources; chartering with YDSC opens
your club to a wider network of young Democrats in your community,
around the state, and across the country.