So you want to start a club?  Let us help by sharing both our expertise and resources.  We have a variety of tools to help make it easier.  Contact us and we'll help to get you started!

In the meantime, follow these steps to begin the process:

1. Identify and contact local Democrats from your community. CDC can help you if desired.


2. Schedule a formal organizing meeting for the new Club.  A restaurant or someone's home works well for the first meeting.  The first official meeting should be very well prepared, and should start on time and end on time.  Print the first agenda in advance, and include a) adoption of geographic focus, b) adoption of bylaws, c) the officer election process, d) choosing next meetings.


3. At the first meeting, after introductions, let the group know one of the first challenges for any Democratic club is to agree on the geographic focus.  Pass a vote on your focus as the first item. Sometimes it makes sense for a municipal club to focus on organizing Democrats within a city's borders. Other times, especially for small towns under 2,000 residents, it may make sense to partner with Democrats in nearby towns to establish a local club.
   
   
   • CDC believes a viable local club should schedule at least nine general meetings a year, and should aim for a minimum club membership of three percent (3%) of the registered Democrats in its boundaries.
   
   
4. Distribute draft bylaws to the new club members if you did not distribute them in your meeting announcement.  After adoption of by-laws, the next order of business is the election process. Be sure to schedule your next meetings before you adjourn.