Approved by a majority of the chapter membership on June 9, 2024.

Article I. Introduction.

The following standing rules will be observed indefinitely unless amended by majority vote of a Local Convention, General, Special, or Steering Committee Meeting.

Article II. Meetings.

Section I. Debate.

A. For every member resolution that is presented on the floor, time will be allotted for a maximum of six (6) speakers, including (at minimum) a motivator and one (1) speaker against, unless appropriate time has been given by the chair of the meeting and no one has risen to speak. The membership may vote to extend debate once the speakership limit has been reached.

B. During debate, each speaker shall be given a maximum of two (2) minutes to speak with a thirty (30) second grace period. The chair presiding over the meeting will have the discretion to declare the speaker out of order for any remarks beyond two (2) minutes.

C. During debate, a speaker may only speak on the same resolution twice, once to present initial remarks and a second time in rebuttal to another member’s remarks.

Section II. Discussion.

During open discussion, there shall be no speaker limits, and time limits shall be extended to three (3) minutes with a thirty (30) second grace period. The chair presiding over the meeting will have the discretion to declare any speaker out of order for any remarks beyond three (3) minutes.

Section III. Agenda Submissions. 

A. All agenda items for General Meetings, such as resolutions, discussion topics, and reports must be submitted to the Steering Committee via the General Meeting Submissions Form; Bylaw amendments shall be submitted to the steering@SalemDSA.org email handle. 

B. Agenda items for Subgroup Meetings must be submitted to the chair by 5 PM of the evening prior to the Meeting. Any items submitted afterwards shall be considered at a future meeting.

Section IV. Participation.

Members may exercise their rights as a member (including voting and speaking) at a given Meeting if registered as a Member in Good Standing of Salem DSA before that Meeting is called to order. If an individual joins DSA during a Meeting, they may exercise their membership rights once they appear on the Chapter’s membership list.

Article III. Internal Forums.

A. The moderators of all internal forums shall be the Chapter Co-Chairs and the Communications Facilitator. The Steering Committee may add additional moderators as needed.

B. Moderators shall be tasked with enforcing the rules and policies of internal forums. The Communications Committee, under the stewardship of the Communications Facilitator, may create additional policy for internal forums.

C. Moderators shall have the discretion to delete content in contravention to National DSA’s Code of Conduct and Harassment Policy 33, as well as content that promotes entry or membership in another organization or links to malicious sites.

D. Moderators shall have the discretion to add guests to forums. Guests are defined as members of DSA who are not specifically members of the Local Chapter (Salem DSA). Non-members of DSA may not be invited to internal forums.

E. Messages to internal forums are for internal discussion only. Members found sharing their contents publicly are subject to reprimand and removal from the forums.

Section I. WhatsApp.

A. Committee Chairs shall be the Group administrators (moderators) of their respective Committee groups within the Community. Chairs may appoint additional Group administrators as needed. The Steering Committee will appoint the administrator of non-Committee groups.

B. All members and guests who join the community must identify themselves by adopting a username that includes, at minimum, the first name and last initial utilized for membership with DSA. Upon one (1) month of joining the Community without adhering to the identification policy, users are subject to removal by a Community administrator. Users may temporarily appeal for an exemption by communicating with the Chapter Secretary.

Section II. Google Group.

A. All Members in Good Standing with a compatible email address will be added to the Google Group, but only active members may send messages. A member is active if they have attended a General or Committee meeting in the past three (3) months.

B. Active members may send messages regarding Chapter business, contemporary issues (local, global, or national), and National DSA. 

C. Group managers (moderators) will publish submissions no more than twice a week to encourage restraint and reflection from respondents. Managers will not approve submissions that are minimal.

Article IV. Endorsements.

Section 1. Endorsement Process.

A. A candidate for elected office may request Salem DSA’s endorsement. Salem DSA does not pursue local or state candidates who do not seek the chapter’s endorsement, or federal candidates who do not seek the endorsement of DSA nationally.

B. The candidate shall be sent the endorsement questionnaire, along with an overview of the chapter endorsement criteria and process. The candidate will return the questionnaire, to be reviewed by the Electoral Committee. The committee may then use the questionnaire in preparation for an interview where it can seek elaboration on responses, campaign plans, intentions in office, and other important questions. 

C. The Electoral Committee shall vote to either recommend the candidate for an endorsement vote by the membership at the next General Meeting or decline to endorse. Committee votes for endorsement shall be reserved to those who have been members of Salem DSA for at least two (2) months or have attended an Electoral Committee meeting previous to this vote. 

D. In the event that the Electoral Committee recommends endorsement, the committee shall present a report to the membership at the General Meeting to discuss a final endorsement vote. A two-thirds (⅔) majority vote by a General Meeting shall be required to secure endorsement. Membership at a Meeting may bypass or overrule the Electoral Committee and bring a proposal to consider a candidate who was rejected by the committee to the floor by two-thirds (⅔) vote.

Section 2. Endorsement Criteria.

A. Candidates must be socialists, best assured by membership in DSA.

B. Candidates must be willing to publicly express that they are socialists.

C. Candidates must be in agreement with the platform of National DSA.

D. Candidates must be commensurate partners to DSA, including Salem DSA, running fully developed campaigns with planning, strategy and fundraising potential appropriate for the races they've entered.