Bylaw Open For Comment

Endorsement Guardrail Bylaw

Section 1 - Fair Process Clause

In accordance with guidance from The Colorado Democratic Party, The El Paso County Young Democrats shall only endorse candidates using an established and fairly held process that utilizes a rubric or other standard by which to numerically grade candidate’s for comparison.

The rubric or grading standards must be explicitly defined and documented in advance. Rubrics and other grading standards can not be influenceable by innate, immutable characteristics such as but not limited to race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual identity.

All candidates for a single respective elected office shall have equal access to any means by which to request or apply for The El Paso County Young Democrats endorsement. The process for requesting or applying must be clearly outlined and accessible to all potential candidates.

Section 2 - Endorsement Timing

The El Paso County Young Democrats shall determine any endorsements for elected office no sooner than 90 days prior to the first to occur caucus, primary, or election day respective to the relevant election. This time frame ensures adequate time for fair evaluation of all candidates and alignment with party guidelines.

Section 3 - Conflict of Interest Clause

Any member of The El Paso County Young Democrats with a direct conflict of interest, such as being a candidate for the endorsement or having a close personal or financial relationship with a candidate, shall recuse themselves from the endorsement decision-making process. This is to maintain the integrity and fairness of the process.

Section 4 - Non-Endorsement Option

The El Paso County Young Democrats reserve the right to withhold an endorsement if no candidate meets the established standards or if it is determined that endorsing would not align with the organization’s values and objectives.

Section 5 - Consistency in Process

The endorsement process used by The El Paso County Young Democrats shall remain consistent across elections. Any changes to the process must be approved by a majority vote of the membership at least six months prior to the next election cycle. These changes must be clearly documented and communicated to all members and potential candidates to ensure transparency and fairness.