Get chartered
Start a Chartered Democratic Club
Chartered clubs are official affiliates of the SF Democratic Party. Starting one gives you and your community a recognized voice in local politics. To discuss the process, email info@sfdems.org.
What you'll need
Chartering Requirements
Pursuant to Article IX of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee bylaws, organizations that wish to charter must complete an application with certain requirements. These requirements include:
Completed chartering application
Membership roster of at least 20 persons who are members in good standing
A statement that defines a member in good standing. At minimum, members of SFDCCC chartered clubs must at be residents in San Francisco who are (a) registered to vote as Democrats or (b) if ineligible to vote, have declared in writing an intention to register as a Democrat upon becoming eligible to vote.
Current list of officers
Copy of club bylaws or other governing documents
$20 chartering fee
In order to establish a chartered Democratic Club, the first step is to fill out a chartering application online here. This application will ask you to upload a variety of documents, including
A membership roster of at least 20 registered Democrats who reside in San Francisco. This list will be cross-checked with voter registration records, so it is important to include people's legal names and legal residences (not P.O. boxes).
Bylaws of governing documents. These bylaws must include several specific sections.
Once this application is submitted, it will be reviewed by the Clubs and Chartering Committee for completeness. Once deemed complete, the chartering will be scheduled at the next meeting of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee for approval.
How it works
Step-by-Step Process
Recruit your founding members
Gather at least 20 SF residents who meet the membership in good standing criteria. Consider hosting an interest meeting to build excitement and establish your mission.
Draft bylaws and elect officers
Adopt bylaws consistent with SFDCCC guidelines and elect your founding officers. Please refer to other clubs’ bylaws as a starting point.
Submit your application
Make sure you have everything in the checklist on the application. Complete and submit the official SFDCCC chartering application along with all required documents and the $20 chartering fee.
DCCC Clubs Committee review
The SFDCCC Clubs Committee reviews your application and recommends approval to the full DCCC. Upon a vote of approval, your club is officially chartered.