RE: Petitions and Resolutions

At various times, requests are made of the Democratic Club of Sarasota County Board for permission to circulate petitions amongst members for specific causes and reasons as well as adoption of resolutions in support of various causes. This policy document describes how such requests are to be made and handled.

Petitions

Petitions are legal documents that have meaning and significance, which vary depending on their purpose and jurisdiction. There may also be serious penalties for persons signing petitions more than once for a candidate, minor political party or an issue (See FS Title IX, Chap. 104.185). In land development issues, petitions are never acceptable since they express a preference and do not contain substantial, competent and factual evidence on which the governing body can make a decision. Federal agencies generally define in the Code of Federal Regulations how petitions are to be submitted to them.

Persons wishing to circulate petitions for signatures to Democratic Club membership must submit the request to do so no later than 10 calendar days before the initial proposed circulation date. The request must be submitted to the Chair of the Issues Committee with documentation that the petition conforms to appropriate law.

It will also be the responsibility of the requestor to circulate the petition once approval is received from the Chair of the Issues Committee and to retrieve all copies for delivery to the appropriate recipient.

Resolutions

The Board of the Democratic Club of Sarasota County believes that resolutions of the membership are preferable to resolutions of the Board. Therefore, anyone wishing to obtain a resolution from the Club must make a request of the Chair of the Issues Committee. This request must be made no later than 10 calendar days before the passage of the resolution is requested. The Chair of the Issues Committee will then pass the request along to the Board if it is deemed consistent with the views, aims and mission of the Club and after review and comment on the resolution wording. The Board will receive the proposed resolution from the Chair of the Issues Committee and will then decide whether to bring it to a membership vote at the next Board luncheon where a vote will be requested of members (not guests).

Assuming passage of the resolution, the requestor will work with the Chair of the Issues Committee to publish and transmit the resolution to the intended recipient.