WVDP Affirmative Action and Outreach Plan

West Virginia Democratic Party

Affirmative Action and Outreach Plan

adopted May 13, 2023

This Affirmative Action and Outreach Plan was drafted by the WV Democratic Party (“WVDP”)

affirmative action committee and adopted by the WVDP Executive Committee on [DATE].

History:

In January 1968, the Democratic National Committee adopted the Six Basic Elements of an open

party as a policy statement. We affirm our commitment to these principles as updated, which are

as follows:

Six Basic Elements of an Open Party

1. All public meetings at all levels of the Democratic Party in each state should be open

to all members of the Democratic Party regardless of race, sex, age, color, creed,

national origin, religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, gender identity and

expression, economic status or disability (hereinafter collectively referred to as

“status”).

2. No test for membership in, nor any oaths of loyalty to, the Democratic Party in any

state should be required or used which has the effect of requiring prospective or

current members of the Democratic Party to acquiesce in, condone or support

discrimination based on “status.”

3. The time and place for all public meetings of the Democratic Party on all levels

should be publicized fully and in such a manner as to assure timely notice to all

interested persons. Such meetings must be held in places accessible to all Party

members and large enough to accommodate all interested persons.

4. The Democratic Party, on all levels, should support the broadest possible registration

without discrimination based on “status.”

5. The Democratic Party in each state should publicize fully and in such a manner as to

assure notice to all interested parties a full description of the legal and practical

procedures for selection of Democratic Party officers and representatives on all

levels. Publication of these procedures should be done in such fashion that all

prospective and current members of each State Democratic Party will be fully and

adequately informed of the pertinent procedures in time to participate in each

selection procedure at all levels of the Democratic Party organization. Each State

Party should develop a strategy to provide education programs directly to voters who

continue to experience confusing timelines for registration, changing party affiliation

deadlines, or lack of awareness of the process for running for delegate, to ensure all

Democratic voters understand the rules and timelines and their impact on voter

participation.

6. The Democratic Party in each state should publicize fully and in such a manner as to

assure notice to all interested parties a complete description of all positions as officers

and representatives of the state Democratic Party. Such publication should be done in

a timely fashion so that all prospective candidates or applicants for any elected or

appointed position within each State Democratic Party will have full and adequate

opportunity to compete for office.

History, continued:

In 1974 the national Democratic Party adopted the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United

States. In that Charter, the Party mandated that all state parties adopt and implement affirmative

programs to provide for representation of historically underrepresented diversity groups as

indicated by their presence in the Democratic electorate and that the program shall include

specific goals and timetables.

On March 15, 2021, the WV Democratic Party (“WVDP”) adopted Bylaws with a provision for

the WVDP Affirmative Action Committee (“AAC”) made up of elected co-chairs from each of

the diversity caucuses. In the newly adopted Bylaws, Article VIII, provided that the AAC shall

draft, and the Executive Committee shall promptly adopt an Affirmative Action Outreach Plan

that will increase opportunity and diversity in the WVDP and provide for representation on the

Executive Committee as nearly as practicable of the historically underrepresented groups, as

indicated by their presence in the Democratic electorate based on data derived by the DNC, and

that the program shall include specific goals and timetables. Article VIII also provided that

diversity caucuses will choose their leadership.

During the month of May 2021, the following diversity caucuses were formed: Black, LGBTQ+,

Persons with Disabilities, Senior, Women, and Youth. The co-chairs of these caucuses met on

June 2, 2021, as the Affirmative Action Committee (AAC) and elected Hollis Lewis and Mary

Thorp as AAC co-chairs. On June 3, 2021, the 2 AAC co-chairs were seated as members of the

WVDP State Executive Committee along with 5 of 6 at-large diversity members provided for in

the newly adopted Bylaws.

On May 13, 2023 the affirmative action plan, drafted by the WVDP Affirmative Action

Committee was adopted. PDF Link