Please read through for important candidate forums and endorsement meeting dates. We encourage all members to read candidate bios, attend forums, ask questions of the candidates by filling out the questionnaire forms provided, and attend DID endorsement meetings so you can vote on the candidates our club will endorse.
Candidate forum for U.S. Congress NY-10, joint with VID and other clubs
January 22, 2026, 6:30pm:
St. John's Lutheran Church 81 Christopher St/7th Ave
View NY-10 candidate forum here.
Candidates:
Daniel Goldman - DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website
Nickie Kane
Brad Lander
Candidate forum for State Committee and Judicial Delegates forum
January 28, 2026, 6:30pm:
The Flea Theater, 20 Thomas St.
Followed by endorsement discussion and vote for State Senate & Assembly, US House, State Committee, and Judicial Delegates
(Please note candidate forum for State Senate & Assembly took place on January 14.)
The candidates for Assembly District 66 have completed comprehensive questionnaires on a wide range of topics, which you can review by clicking the response links below.
| Candidate |
DID Survey Response |
|
| Furhan Ahmad | Ahmad Response | |
| Corinne Arnold | Arnold Response | |
| Ryder Kessler | Kessler Response | |
| Jeannine Kiely | Kiely Response | DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website |
| David Siffert | Siffert Response | |
| Ben Yee | Yee Response |
Candidates for Assembly District 66 also responded to questionnaires for the Village Independent Democrats. Candidate responses to the VID questionnaire are available here.
Coalition of Downtown Democratic Clubs host a candidate forum for NYS Governor and Comptroller
January 29, 2026, 7:00pm:
Location Zoom
View the forum video here
See the candidate questionnaires here
Endorsement discussion and vote for NYS Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller, and Attorney General
February 4, 2026, 6:30pm:
This is a DID members only meeting.
DID Statewide Endorsements
Kathy Hochul, Governor
Letitia James, Attorney General
Adem Bunkeddeko, Comptroller
DID Endorsement Forum for NY State Senate and Assembly
February 11, 2026, 6:30pm (Zoom only)
View the forum video here
NYS Senate District 27 Candidates:
| Candidate | DID Survey Response | |
| Grace Lee | Lee Response | DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website |
| Yuh-Line Niou | Niou Response | |
| Sommer Omar | Omar Response |
NYS Assembly District 65 Candidates:
| Candidate | DID Survey Response | |
| Mariama James | James Response | DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website |
| Jasmin Sanchez | Sanchez Response | |
| Wei-Li Tjong | Tjong Response | |
| Jay Jacky Wong | Wong Response |
Candidate Forum and Endorsement Discussion & Vote
February 18, 6:30pm
Zoom only
View the forum video here
- NY City Council District 3
- Judicial Candidates
- Congressional seat for NY-10: Discussion and endorsement vote only. The forum took place on January 22. View NY-10 forum here
NYC Council District 3 Candidates:
| Candidate | DID Survey Response | |
| Lindsey Boylen | Boylen Response | |
| Layla Law-Gisiko | Law-Gisiko Response | DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website |
| Leslie Boghosian Murphy | Boghosian Murphy Response | |
| Carl Wilson | Wilson Response |
Judicial Candidates (in order of appearance at the forum):
| Candidate for Civil Court | Candidate Information | |
| Vlad Frants | Frants Submission | DID Endorsed - See Campaign Website |
| Steve Benathen | Benathen Submission | |
| Jason Canales | Canales Submission | |
| Eric Flores | Flores Submission | |
| Karen M. C. Cortes | Submission removed | |
| Josh Hanshaft (incumbent) | DID Endorsed | |
| Emily Morales-Minerva (incumbent) | DID Endorsed | |
| Rita Mella (Surrogate Court incumbent) | Mella Submission | DID Endorsed |