BEGINNER’S GUIDE

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

The Young Democrats of South Carolina (YDSC) is a chartered state or-

ganization of the Young Democrats of America (YDA), and the official
affiliated youth voter outreach wing of the South Carolina Democratic
Party (SCDP).
We work aggressively to encourage voters under the age of 40 to ac-
tively participate in the democratic process while educating young peo-
ple on the core values and principles of the Democratic Party. YDSC’s
mission is to train, educate, advocate, and empower the next generation
of progressive leaders.

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

Caucuses in YDSC are affinity groups that advocate for spe-

cific issues that affect a specific interest or constituency and
act to bring interest groups and interested persons from com-
munities into the YDSC banner.
Right now, the Young Democrats of South Carolina have four
established caucuses:
• YDSC Women’s Caucus
• YDSC Minority Caucus
• YDSC LGBT Caucus
• YDSC Environmental Caucus
The Executive Board and Executive Council approves the crea-
tion of new Caucuses. New Caucuses must have seven mem-
bers in good standing, present a proposal to the Council, and
be approved by a majority vote for the Caucus to be consid-
ered established..
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
The chairs of the College Democrats of South Carolina and
the South Carolina Teen Democrats, Jasmine Caruthers and
Henry Lear, sit on the board as ex officio members. Isaac Wil-
son, the Deputy Director of the Southeast Region, also sits on
the Council.

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

Creating a chapter is easy! To start, find four friends in South Carolina

under 40 to join you. (Note: membership in YDA ends on one’s 36th birth-
day.) The average chapter can go from small chapters of 5-10 people
to larger chapters of 30-50 people. In all cases, new Chapters must
have five members, have elected a President (or Chair) from them,
and approved a Constitution for the 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.

CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS

Next, you’ll need to write a constitution: rules to govern your

organization. Every YDSC chapter, regardless of size or juris-
diction, is required to pass its own Constitution and By-Laws.
Updated copies must be turned in to the Secretary each year.
Local chapter constitutions will be kept on file with the Region,
and must be turned in each year.
Chapter Constitutions will vary among chapters, but all Constitu-
tions must not conflict with the YDSC Constitution and By-Laws or
the YDA Charter and must include the following:
• Name of the Chapter
• Mission Statement; and Authority (of YDSC)
• Affiliation (states your jurisdiction)
• Define your Active Membership
• Define your Officers
• Say how you’ll elect your officers and when
• Rules for your meetings
• Rules for handling your funds
• Rules for amending your constitution
LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS

Once your membership approves its Constitution, it should immediately

(or as first order of business at the next meeting) carry out the election
procedures in that document and elect the chapter officers.
The YDSC Constitution requires every Chapter to have a President or
Chair, and therefore a Vice President. State law requires the election of
a Treasurer. Other offices (Secretary, membership director) as described
in your Constitution should also be elected at that meeting.
At the Region level, elected Chairs represent their Regions on the YDSC
Executive Council.

CHARTERING YOUR CHAPTER

Once you have at least five members, a constitution, and have

elected officers the next thing you must do is charter with the Young
Democrats of South Carolina. All Chapters must renew their char-
ters ahead of the YDSC State Convention, usually in April or May
of each year.
After the State Convention, the Executive Council may issue provi-
sional Charters for a Chapter to operate until the next State Con-
vention.
In either case, you can fill out the chartering packet and mail it to
SCDP Headquarters in Columbia. A chartering fee as determined
by the Executive Board also must be sent. At State Convention, char-
ters are approved by the Convention in the Convention Committee’s
report; afterwards charters are approved by the Executive Council.
Once your charter is approved, you are an official YDSC Chapter!
PROMOTING YOUR CHAPTER
After your chapter is officially chartered, it’s time to spread the
word!
At this point, chapters usually approve a logo design and create
a Facebook page to keep members and prospective members in
the loop. Chapters have also created accounts on Twitter and
Instagram among other platforms.
Chapters can either request pages on YoungDemsSC.org or build
websites, and should eventually build a mail list through a distri-
bution site such as MailChimp.

GROWING YOUR CHAPTER

Now that you’re a chartered chapter, you’re probably asking
how to grow your chapter. No two chapters are alike. Some
meet at bars; others meet on campuses or civic halls.
We’ll be following this guide up with an Organizing Guide,
with tips from around the Southeast and from our most successful
chapter leaders on building successful chapters .
General questions and concerns to our Executive Board should
be emailed to ydscqcc@gmail.com.