Your Input Sought for New Bylaws and Constitutional Amendments
Written by Larry Brown
Monday, 10 August 2009
The Rules Committee would like to know if you have any suggestions to propose for the new county party Bylaws and our existing Constitution. If you do, please email them to Rules Committee Chair Larry Brown no later than August 21, 2009. His email is
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The Rules Committee will review all input and post recommendations on the party website on or about September 1st for the members of the Central Committee. The Central Committee will meet September 17 at the Provo City Library to vote on recommended Bylaws and amendments to the Constitution. We will send more details about the Sept 17 meeting to the Central Committee members on or about September 1st.
The current county Constitution can be found on our party website at http://www.utahcountydems.com/constitution. When suggesting amendments to the Constitution, please refer to the current paragraph number of the text you are proposing to change or suggest a new paragraph number where appropriate.
The county party does not yet have a Bylaws document and, to the best of our knowledge, has never had one. The Rules Committee is in the process of drafting it.
What's the difference between a constitution and bylaws? A constitution is a relatively short, high level foundation document that sets up the basic structure of governance with key powers, division of duties and checks and balances. On the other hand, bylaws are more detailed rules and procedures that are considered important enough to put into a controlled document and require the Central Committee to vote on them. Bylaws are considered to be too detailed and too subject to change to be in the constitution.
August 29 Picnic for Utah County Democrat
Written by Jim Greer, Events Committee Chair
Friday, 07 August 2009
All Utah County Democrats and their families are invited to attend the party's annual pot luck picnic on Saturday, August 29, from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. It will be held at the Northwest Pavilion of the Orem Community Park, 581 West 165 South, Orem . The Northwest Pavilion is the one closest to the tennis courts. The park is located south of Mountain View High School and the Orem Fitness Center. Please note that this is a different location and date from previous announcements.
This is an opportunity to socialize with fellow Democrats and discuss our plans for the coming year and the 2010 election season. Please RSVP by August 19 to Jim Greer at
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and let him know if you would be willing to bring a dish for 10-12 people. Also provide phone numbers at which you can be contacted. In addition to a food dish, we ask that you bring your own drinks. The party will provide plates, cups, napkins and plastic utensils. The Events Committee will contact you with details.
We look foward to seeing you there!
Jim Greer, Events Committee Chair Utah County Democratic Party
Utah County Democrats Cut Ribbon on New Provo Headquarters
Written by Larry Brown
Wednesday, 05 August 2009
Richard Davis opens new Provo headquarters. From left to right: county vice chair Larry Brown, state chair Wayne Holland, Janelle Jarvis, Davis, Mary Ruth Greer, county secretary Deon Turley, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon
Dozens of Utah County Democrats attended an open house Saturday, August 1, to celebrate the opening of the party’s new headquarters at 48 N. University Avenue, Provo.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, state party chair Wayne Holland and state party treasurer Kathy Snyder were among those who joined county chair Richard Davis in marking the opening of the party’s first headquarters in nine years.
"We’re excited to to have a headquarters to work from as we enter the 2010 campaign," said Davis. "This will give us the office space we need to run our operations."
Volunteers worked for weeks to paint, clean and donate furniture in advance of the open house. Jim Greer, Events Committee Chair, and his committee organized and decorated the headquarters for the event.
The long term lease, which runs through December 2010, is being paid for by donations from the county party officers.
Visit with Senator Reid
Written by Richard Davis
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Sen. Harry Reid with Richard Davis
I visited with Senator Harry Reid at his office in Washington last week and had the opportunity to give him a copy of a new book I've written about political blogs. I appreciated the opportunity to speak with him given his intensely busy schedule at that time. The Senate was, and still is, working furiously on health care reform and he was in the middle of that effort.
I thanked Senator Reid for arranging the visit of President Monson to the White House last week. Most recent presidents have invited the prophet to the Oval Office, but President Obama did it much earlier than others have in the past, thanks to Senator Reid. As you may know, President Monson gave President Obama a copy of his family history. Given the president's multi-cultural, multi-ethnic family background, it was probably one of the most interesting they had ever done. Also, my guess is that family history says that President Obama was born in Honolulu. I hope "birthers" among LDS members will take note of that.
The senator said that during the Oval Office meeting President Obama and Elder Oaks talked about their respective days at the University of Chicago Law School. Both had been on the faculty, although 30 years apart, and have a strong interest in constitutional law.
I also told Senator Reid we would like him to come to Utah County some time and visit with Utah County Democrats. He said a visit would depend on his schedule. Let's hope he'll come back some time soon.
Moving forward to win in 2010
Written by Richard Davis
Monday, 20 July 2009
Dear Fellow Utah County Democrats:
On May 2 we had an excellent convention. There were well over a hundred people in attendance. Admittedly, we didn't draw as many as the Republicans. (They had over 800 attendees.) But Larry Brown pointed out that we had a larger attendance in proportion to our voter registration in the county. The Republicans outnumber us by more than 10 to 1. My thanks again to all those participated to make our convention a success.
We're 16 months away from the next legislative elections. This may seem like the lull time. After all, it isn't really an election year, except for city races.
Rather than take it as a lull period, we are going to use it for party organization. The legislative district chairs will be filling the precinct chair vacancies and mobilizing activists in each precinct. Campaigns are won or lost to a great extent through the organization on the ground. Friends and neighbors talking to one another, speaking out for the Democratic candidate in their area, canvassing the neighborhood with the candidates' literature and signs, and even walking with the candidate. That's why we need everyone to help us build the organization this year.
The party leadership also will begin actively recruiting viable candidates for next year's election. If you have any suggestions for possible candidates who would do well in your local area, please forward them to me.
The county party is opening new headquarters in downtown Provo and will hold an open house on Saturday, August 1, from 2-4pm at 48 North University Avenue in Provo. The public is invited to attend.
"We're excited to have a headquarters to work from as we enter the 2010 campaign," said Richard Davis, county party chair. "This will give us the office space we need to run our operations."
The party hasn't had office space for nine years, Davis said. "We're hoping this can be a long-lasting space that will provide us with the physical facilities we need to manage our campaigns."
Davis said the party is gearing up for the next elections. In 2008, Utah County Democrats ran candidates in nearly all races in the county and increased their share of the vote where they ran candidates from 22 percent in 2006 to 33 percent in 2008.
The Rules Committee would like to know if you have any suggestions to propose for the new county party Bylaws and our existing Constitution. If you do, please email them to Rules Committee Chair Larry Brown no later than August 21, 2009. His email is
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Dear Fellow Utah County Democrats:
The county party is opening new headquarters in downtown Provo and will hold an open house on Saturday, August 1, from 2-4pm at 48 North University Avenue in Provo. The public is invited to attend.
