Manhattan Democratic Party

On Thursday, September 29th, the Manhattan Democratic Party held the 2022 County Committee Organizing Meeting in order to elect County Committee leadership, fill County Committee vacancies, and advance rule changes to strengthen our party and better align us with our progressive values.

“As the County Committee of the Manhattan Democratic Party, you all are the eyes and ears across the borough. You know the issues that are most important to the diverse communities you represent; and, as such, you are closer to the solutions,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright. “Our party is stronger for your engagement — and in case no one else does, allow me to Thank You immensely for your service to the Party, our County, and the great State of New York.”

The meeting, which took place at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, opened with remarks by County Leader Keith L.T. Wright, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, and announcements by District Leaders Kim Moscaritolo and Jennifer Hoppe about ways Democrats across the borough can get engaged in this year’s critical elections.

After a series of nominations and votes, the duly-elected and appointed Members of the County Committee voted to fill hundreds of vacancies across the borough, and elected the following individuals to serve on County Committee leadership:

• Chair of the County Committee | Domenico Minerva
• 1st Vice Chair of the County Committee | Kyle Ishmael
• 2nd Vice Chair of the County Committee | Louise Dankberg
• 3rd Vice Chair of the County Committee | Kelmy Rodriguez
• Secretary of the County Committee | Barry Weinberg
• Treasurer of the County Committee | Charlette Mimiasie
• Vice Treasurer of the County Committee | Sharase DeBouse
• Sergeant-at-Arms of the County Committee | Senator Robert Jackson
• Parliamentarian of the County Committee | Darren Marks

Additionally, in light of the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act recently signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, the County Committee voted to establish rules that allow for individuals who do not exclusively identify as a binary gender to serve as District Leaders. At a time when Republicans in New York and across the nation are seeking to roll back LGBTQ rights, the Manhattan Democrats are proud to lead the effort to increase rights and protections for all Democrats in Manhattan, and encourage democratic engagement that does not intentionally or effectively disenfranchise any residents. On behalf of County Leader Keith L.T. Wright, Chairman Domenico Minerva, and the entire Manhattan Democratic Party, we are thankful for the hard work of the Rules Committee and the leaders who brought this law and rule-change to fruition:

• Kyle Ishmael | Executive Director, Manhattan Democratic Party
• Chung Seto | Rules Committee Chair, Manhattan Democratic Party
• David Siffert | Legislative Affairs Committee Chair, Village Independent Democrats
• Emilia Decaudin | State Committee Member, 37th Assembly District
• Senator Zellnor Myrie | Senate Bill Sponsor, 20th Senate District
• Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas | Assembly Bill Sponsor, 34th Assembly District
• Paula Diamond Román | Democratic District Leader, 69th Assembly District
• Arthur Schwartz | Democratic District Leader, 66th Assembly District
• John Blasco | Former Democratic District Leader, 74th Assembly District
• Marti Cummings | Political Activist & Advocate
• Zachariah Boyer | Brooklyn, NY
• Carlyn Cowen | Manhattan, NY
• Alana Sivin | Manhattan, NY

In order to select a Democratic Nominee for the General Election to be held on November 8, 2022, the 3rd Municipal Court District Committee held a meeting on Thursday, August 18, 2022 in Chelsea.

The Manhattan Democratic Party is proud to support the selection by the 3rd Municipal Court District Committee of L. Austin D’Souza as their Democratic Nominee for Civil Court. In a strong show of support, the quorum of County Committee Members called for a voice vote and unanimously nominated D’Souza. We congratulate Civil Court Democratic Nominee L. Austin D’Souza and thank each County Committee Member, District Leader, and member of the public who engaged in the meeting.

As per the declination of Democratic Civil Court Nominee Lisa Sokoloff due to her acceptance of a Supreme Court nomination, a vacancy exists in the office of Civil Court Judge of the State of New York from the 3rd Municipal Court District in New York County.

In order to select a Democratic Nominee for the General Election to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, the Manhattan Democratic Party will hold a nominating meeting of the 3rd Municipal Court District Committee on Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 6:15pm. All interested candidates are invited to participate.

For additional details: https://manhattandemocrats.org/mcd3-2022/
Contact: manhattandems@gmail.com

On Tuesday, August 9th, the recently-elected Democratic Judicial Delegates of the 1st Judicial District convened for the Manhattan Democratic Party’s 2022 Supreme Court Judicial Convention.

Over 300 Democrats and guests gathered at the beautiful Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to consider the large, diverse group of highly-qualified candidates who have been reported out of independent judicial screening panels. After all voices were heard in a show of transparent democracy, the following candidates were selected as the 2022 Democratic Nominees for the 1st Judicial District election to be held on November 8th:

Hon. Sabrina Kraus
Hon. Dakota Ramseur
Hon. Lisa Sokoloff

On July 18, 2022, the Supreme Court Independent Screening Panel concluded its deliberations by reporting out as most highly qualified the following candidates:

Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally
Hon. Jim Clynes
Hon. Denise Dominguez
Hon. Gerald Lebovits
Hon. Ilana Marcus
Hon. Phaedra Perry
Hon. Lisa Sokoloff
Hon. Leslie Stroth
Hon. John Wang

The screening panel, administered by Michael Weiner, extensively reviewed the background and experience of a number of applicants and determined these well-deserved candidates would be most qualified to vie for three (3) open positions on the Supreme Court, to be filled at the general election set for November 8, 2022.

On behalf of the Manhattan Democratic Party, County Leader Keith L.T. Wright and Judiciary Co-Chairs Curtis Arluck and Louise Dankberg, we sincerely thank the panel and its administrator for their diligent work and congratulate tonight’s applicants who join the following candidates reported out of previous panels:

Hon. Suzanne Adams
Hon. Althea Drysdale
Hon. Lyle Frank
Hon. Judy Kim
Hon. Sabrina Kraus
Hon. Lou Nock
Hon. Dakota Ramseur
Hon. Cori Weston

Update: June 17, 2022
The New York County Democratic Committee previously announced the formation of an Independent Screening Panel. As an update, the screening panel for Supreme Court 2022, administered by Michael J. Weiner, Esq., consists of:
Yi Stewart | Asian American Bar Association of New York
Ruth Jin | Asian Americans for Equality
Justin Blash | Brehon Law Society
Marianne Bertuna | Columbian Lawyers Association
Bruce Lederman | Jewish Lawyers Guild
Gennaro M. Savastano | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association of Greater New York (LeGaL)
Kenneth Reid | Mid-Manhattan Branch of the NAACP
Alvin Ponder | National Action Network
Susan Crumiller | National Employment Lawyers Association – NY
Avinoam Laby | New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Jacqueline Silbermann | New York Women’s Bar Association
Jason Canales | Puerto Rican Bar Association
Leslie Kelmachter | Women’s Trial Lawyers Caucus

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June 1, 2022
The New York County Democratic Committee has announced the formation of an Independent Screening Panel to report on the qualifications of candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for three (3) vacancies on the New York State Supreme Court to be elected in the November 2022 general election. The heads of numerous bar associations, community organizations and law schools have been invited to nominate members of the panel, which will be directed to report a total of no more than the nine (9) most highly qualified candidates for the three vacancies.

Candidates for the nomination may obtain applications from Kyle H. Ishmael, Esq., Executive Director for the New York County Democratic Committee, via email at manhattandems@gmail.com.
The deadline for submitting completed applications is Monday, June 13, 2022 at 3:00 PM.

2022 Supreme Court Selection Political Calendar
Wednesday, June 1 | Judicial Applications available
Monday, June 13 @ 3pm | Judicial Applications due
*Monday, June 13 | Independent Screening Panel convenes
*Tuesday, July 19 | Independent Screening Panel reports out results
*Tuesday, August 9 | New York County Democratic Judicial Convention

*subject to change

On the evening of February 15, 2022, the Independent Judicial Screening Panel for Civil & Surrogate Court reported the following candidates as most highly qualified:

Civil Court Incumbent
Judge Lisa Sokoloff

Civil Court
Allison Greenfield
L. Austin D’Souza
Andrea Krugman
Matthew Bondy
Anna Mikhaleva
Carmen Pacheco
E. Deronn Bowen
Dana Catanzaro
Terence McCormick

Surrogate’s Court
Hilary Gingold
Elba Galvan

On behalf of the Manhattan Democratic Party, County Leader Keith L.T. Wright and Judiciary Co-Chairs Curtis Arluck and Louise Dankberg, we sincerely thank the panel and its administrator for their diligent work–and we congratulate the candidates.

In order to select a Democratic Nominee for the Special Election to be held on February 15, 2022, the 72nd Assembly District Committee held a meeting on Saturday, January 15, 2022 in Washington Heights.

The Manhattan Democratic Party is proud to support the selection by the 72nd Assembly District Committee of Manny De Los Santos as their Democratic Nominee for the New York State Assembly. After one round of voting by the hundred-plus County Committee Members present, District Leader Manny De Los Santos achieved 81% of the vote. We congratulate State Assembly Democratic Nominee Manny De Los Santos and thank each County Committee Member, District Leader, member of the public who engaged in today’s meeting, and especially the nominated candidates — honorable public servants from their community who included: Jacinta dela Cruz and Nayma Silver Matos.

As per the January 6, 2022 proclamation issued by Governor Kathy Hochul, a vacancy exists in the office of the Member of the Assembly of the State of New York from the seventy-second Assembly District in New York County, caused by the resignation of Carmen De La Rosa.

In order to select a Democratic Nominee for the Special Election to be held on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, the Manhattan Democratic Party will hold a nominating meeting of the 72nd Assembly District Committee on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 10:00am. All interested candidates are invited to participate.

For additional details: https://manhattandemocrats.org/ad72-2022/
Contact: manhattandems@gmail.com