2025 Borough and Citywide Endorsement Meeting

Join SDNYC on Wednesday April 23rd as we meet to endorse candidates for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and District Attorney! 

Candidates who are seeking our endorsement have submitted questionnaires responding to a range of questions about issues important to the LGBTQ community. On April 23rd, we have invited all candidates to come and speak to our members. Following the meeting, a ballot will be sent to all eligible SDNYC Members to vote. See our 2025 Endorsement page for details on membership and eligibility! We look forward to seeing you in person on April 23th at 6:30pm at the LGBT Center (208 W 13th St) in Room 310.
 

Candidates Seeking SDNYC’s Endorsement
All questionnaire responses here

Bronx Borough President - Vanessa Gibson

Brooklyn Borough President - Antonio Reynoso
Brooklyn Borough President - Khari Edwards

Brooklyn District Attorney - Eric Gonzalez 

Manhattan District Attorney - Alvin Bragg  

Manhattan Borough President - Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Manhattan Borough President - Keith Powers 

Queens Borough President - Donovan Richards 

Comptroller - Justin Brannan
Comptroller - Kevin Parker
Comptroller - Mark Levine 

Public Advocate - Jenifer Rajkumar
Public Advocate - Jumaane Williams 

Mayor - Adrienne Adams
Mayor - Brad Lander
Mayor - Corinne Fisher 
Mayor - Deirdre Levy
Mayor - Jessica Ramos 
Mayor - Michael Blake
Mayor - Scott Stringer
Mayor - Zohran Mamdani

SDNYC 2025 City Council Endorsements

On Wednesday April 16th, the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC heard from candidates seeking election to the New York City Council. Primary Day is June 24th, and Early Voting is Sat. June 14th - Sat. June 22nd. Find your poll site here. As the LGBTQ community faces attacks on our health, safety, rights, and dignity, it is crucial that we elect representatives who will fight back and support our community. Please see below for our endorsed candidates as well as our ranked vote recommendations in select races:

City Council District 1: Jess Coleman
Ranked 2nd: Chris Marte
City Council District 2: Harvey Epstein
Ranked 2nd: Sarah Batchu
City Council District 3: Erik Bottcher
City Council District 4: Virginia Maloney
City Council District 5: Julie Menin
City Council District 6: Gale A. Brewer
City Council District 7: Shaun Abreu
City Council District 8: Elsie Encarnacion
Ranked 2nd: Clarisa Alayeto
City Council District 10: Carmen De La Rosa
City Council District 11: Eric Dinowitz
City Council District 13: Shirley Aldebol
Ranked 2nd: Eddie Marrero
City Council District 14: Pierina Ana Sanchez
City Council District 17: Justin Sanchez
City Council District 18: Amanda Farias
City Council District 21: Erycka Montoya
City Council District 23: Linda Lee
City Council District 25: Shekar Krishnan
City Council District 26: Julie Won
City Council District 28: Tyrell Hankerson
City Council District 29: Lynn Schulman
City Council District 35: Crystal Hudson
City Council District 38: Alexa Avilés
City Council District 39: Shahana Hanif
City Council District 41: Dante Arnwine
City Council District 49: No Endorsement

2025 City Council Questionnaires and Endorsement Night

Join SDNYC on Wednesday April 16th as we meet to endorse candidates for New York City Council!

Candidates who are seeking our endorsement have submitted questionnaires responding to a range of questions about issues important to the LGBTQ community. On April 16th, we have invited all candidates to come and speak to our members. Following the meeting, a ballot will be sent to all eligible SDNYC Members to vote. See our 2025 Endorsement page for details on membership and eligibility! We look forward to seeing you in person on April 16th at 6:30pm at the LGBT Center (208 W 13th St) in Room 310.

Stay tuned: endorsements for Borough and Citywide races will be in person on April 23rd. Questionnaires from candidates seeking our endorsement coming soon.

City Council Candidates Seeking SDNYC’s Endorsement
All Questionnaire Responses Available Here

Council District 1: Christopher Marte
Council District 1: Elizabeth Lewinsohn
Council District 1: Jess Coleman

Council District 2: Anthony Weiner
Council District 2: Harvey Epstein
Council District 2: Sarah Batchu
Council District 2: Andrea Gordillo

Council District 3: Erik D. Bottcher

Council District 4: Benjamin Wetzler
Council District 4: Vanessa Aronson
Council District 4: Virginia Maloney
Council District 4: Rachel Storch

Council District 5: Julie Menin
Council District 5: Collin Thompson

Council District 6: Gale A Brewer

Council District 7: Shaun Abreu
Council District 7: Edafe Okporo

Council District 8: Clarisa Alayeto
Council District 8: Wilfredo Lopez
Council District 8: Elsie Encarnacion

Council District 10: Carmen De La Rosa

Council District 11: Danielle Herbert-Guggenheim
Council District 11: Eric Dinowitz

Council District 13: Eddie Marrero
Council District 13: Shirley Aldebol
Council District 13: David Diaz

Council District 14: Pierina Ana Sanchez
Council District 14: Bryan Hodge Vasquez

Council District 17: Justin Sanchez

Council District 18: Amanda Farias

Council District 21: Yanna Henriquez
Council District 21: Erycka Montoya
Council District 21: Shanel Thomas-Henry

Council District 23: Linda Lee

Council District 25: Shekar Krishnan

Council District 26: Julie Won

Council District 28: Japneet Singh
Council District 28: Tyrell Hankerson

Council District 29: Lynn Schulman

Council District 35: Crystal Hudson

Council District 38: Alexa Avilés

Council District 39: Shahana Hanif
Council District 39: Maya Kornberg

Council District 41: Dante Arnwine

Council District 49: Sarah Blas
Council District 49: Aidan Rivera

Mayoral hopefuls discuss gender-affirming care, Rikers, and more at LGBTQ forum

Reposted from Gay City News coverage by Matt Tracy. Full article available here.

With just three months remaining until the Democratic primary, six candidates vying to become the next mayor of New York City gathered at The Church of the Village on March 27 to participate in an LGBTQ mayoral forum jointly hosted by four political clubs and organizations.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, former Assemblymember Michael Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos, and former City Comptroller Scott Stringer were on hand for the forum, which was moderated by Juan Manuel Benítez, a local journalism professor at Columbia University who previously worked with NY1. 

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams, and Brooklyn Assemblymember Zellnor Myrie were invited to participate but did not attend. 

The Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, NYC Pride and Power, and Equality New York jointly hosted the forum. There were occasional interruptions during the event, but the night went on relatively smoothly nonetheless. 

The earlier portion of the forum addressed the status of gender-affirming care, which is under threat in the wake of the Trump administration’s late-January executive order vowing to cut off federal funding for institutions providing gender-affirming care to individuals 19 years of age or younger. In New York City, several hospitals responded to that executive order by canceling appointments and restricting care. Federal courts have blocked that executive order, but candidates who participated in the forum emphasized the need to come up with contingency plans.

Read the full article here

LGBTQ+ Mayoral Forum

New York City is the heart and home of the modern LGBTQ+ movement, and after decades of advocacy, our community has achieved significant victories to advance the rights, protections, and opportunities for LGBTQ+ people. Nonetheless, there are significant ongoing and emerging challenges that many in our community continue to face. It is essential that any candidate for public office, especially NYC Mayor, be responsive and connected to our community and our issues.

Join us in person or on Zoom on March 27th from 7-9pm as we hear from candidates running in the Democratic Primary for Mayor of New York City about their positions, plans, and policies on issues important to the LGBTQ+ community. Moderators will select from a list of questions submitted in advance by community members. Please fill out this form to submit a question!

RSVP here to attend in person at the Church of the Village, or register to watch on Zoom. You must RSVP to attend in person, as space is limited. Doors open at 6:30, event begins at 7:00pm. Venue is ADA accessible (entrance on 13th St).

Hosted by NYC Pride & Power, Stonewall Democrats of NYC, Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, and Equality NY.

Moderators:

Juan Manuel Benítez (Emmy Award-Winning Journalist and University Professor) & Sean Coleman (Founder and Executive Director, Destination Tomorrow)

Candidates:

  • Adrienne Adams (Invited, not confirmed)

  • Eric Adams (Invited, not confirmed)

  • Michael Blake

  • Andrew Cuomo (Invited, not confirmed)

  • Brad Lander

  • Zohran Mamdani

  • Zellnor Myrie

  • Jessica Ramos

  • Scott Stringer

Please contact nyc.lgbtq.forum@gmail.com with any questions.