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News & Updates

  • March meeting recap

    Councilmember Christopher Marte joined us to explain his bill — NYC Council Int 1096: Protecting the vested health insurance coverage and contributions of retired employees of the city of New York. Members voted in favor of a resolution supporting Int 1096.

    Desiree Gazzo of NYC DDC gave a presentation on the progression of East River Park and answered members’ questions and concerns. Projected opening of the Corlears Hook Bridge and amenities is late Spring/Summer 2025. Sign up for updates here. View the slide presentation here.

    Ain’t I a Woman visited us back in the Fall with home health attendants to share their stories of working 24 hour days, despite only being paid for 13 hours. They returned to ask for our support in pressuring elected officials to pass the No More 24 bill, enforce labor law, and pay back wages that are owed to them. They are holding a protest on Wed, March 12th, 11am in front of Governor Hochul’s NYC office (919 Third Avenue).

    Write 500 Postcards to Wisconsin Voters by March 14! Thank you to those who picked up postcards for the special election for Wisconsin State Supreme Court! Here is the script.

    • Mailing deadline: March 14
    • Postage: Volunteers are responsible for purchasing postcard stamps, and dropping cards off at any local post office.
    • Postcards to Swing States is an initiative of the Progressive Turnout Project.

  • Resolution to support retired municipal employees’ health care benefits

    Grand Street Democrats adopted the following resolution at our March meeting:

  • East River Park update from DDC

    Representatives from the City’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) updated community members on the progress and challenges at East River Park during GSD’s March meeting this week.

    The slide deck from their presentation is below.

  • March meeting this Wednesday

    General Meeting
    Wednesday, March 5, 6:00 pm
    Seward Park Coop Community Room
    266 East Broadway

    Our March meeting features:

    • An update on East River Park by NYC Department of Design and Construction
    • Resolution on Councilmember Christopher Marte’s bill to protect retiree pensions
    • Update from Ain’t I a Woman on the No More 24 campaign
    • Postcards to Wisconsin voters

    We’ll also have an update on petitioning efforts to get our endorsed candidates on the ballot for June’s primary. (Spoiler alert: it’s going well but we still need your help.)

  • Democrats respond to Andrew Cuomo joining the mayoral race

    Andrew Cuomo’s long political career and near-universal name recognition may redraw the Democratic primary for NYC Mayor.

    But there are many who are ready to remind voters about Cuomo’s past misdeeds and policies targeting New York City commuters, homeless, public school students, and women.

    Scott Stringer

    Jessica Ramos

    “If New Yorkers want a corrupt bully with a record of alleged sexual misconduct, supporting Republicans, selling out to developers, and exacerbating crises, they can just stick with the current mayor. Andrew brings nothing to this race but baggage and an outstanding debt of $5 million. Hard pass.” (via Twitter)

    Brad Lander

    “Andrew Cuomo destroyed New York City by cutting $2.5 million in Medicaid and thousands of psychiatric beds, resulting in a crisis of homeless people with serious mental illness on our streets, and by cutting MTA funding, resulting in the ‘Summer of Hell.’” (via email blast)

    Zellnor Myrie

    “Andrew Cuomo is no friend to New York City. As Governor, Cuomo slashed funding from our schools and subways, closed our hospitals, hurt our tenants and seniors — and Black New Yorkers paid the price. Cuomo encourages corruption, silences accountability, and has stood by as Donald Trump conducts a hostile takeover of our local government.” (via statement)

    Lindsey Boylan

    “Attorneys tell me to keep my head down and my mouth shut, but that is precisely why and how powerful men believe they can continue to act with impunity. This is not who we are as Americans — and certainly not who we are as New Yorkers. If we see something, we are supposed to say something. And elections give us our loudest voices.” (via Vanity Fair)

  • Grand Street petitioning this Saturday and Sunday

    Your friends and neighbors are looking for people with shared values who are engaged politically during this wild time. Let’s get out on the street and let them know Grand Street Dems is here and ready to help them raise their voices.

    Join us this weekend on Grand Street to get signatures to help our endorsed candidates get on the ballot for the June 24 primary, and bring some visibility to our club.

    Scott Stringer petitioning with GSD on Grand Street this week.

  • Petitioning kick-off: February 23 at Saluggi’s

    Petitioning Kick-off
    Sunday, February 23
    12:30 – 2:30 pm
    Saluggi’s — 399 Grand Street

    Our endorsed candidates need your help to get on the ballot for June’s Democratic primary.

    Every candidate needs a certain number of signatures from local Democrats to qualify for the June primary ballot.

    We need your help to carry petitions to your neighbors to get those signatures!

    Come to Saluggi’s Sunday afternoon to get petitions and instructions — we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

    RSVP below so we’ll be ready for you.

  • Stringer, Williams, Levine, and Hoylman-Sigal collect GSD endorsements for 2025 Democratic primary

    Grand Street Democrats members voted to endorse candidates for city-wide and borough-wide offices this week:

    • For Mayor: Scott Stringer
    • For Public Advocate: Jumaane Williams
    • For Comptroller: Mark Levine
    • For Manhattan Borough President: Brad Hoylman-Sigal

    These four endorsements round out GSD’s slate of candidates for the 2025 primary season, after previously endorsing Alvin Bragg for Manhattan District Attorney, Christopher Marte for City Council District One, and Jessica Kramer and Joseph Gordon for Democratic District Leaders.

    With news surrounding Mayor Adams’ compromises with the Trump administration in order to escape federal indictments, it couldn’t be more clear that our local elections matter a great deal this year. GSD members will begin collecting signatures on February 25 to help their endorsed candidates get on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 24.

  • Resources for evaluating primary candidates

    GSD’s endorsement ballot is open until Thursday at 7:00 pm — club members with voting privileges have received an email with a link and a unique code to unlock the ballot.

    Still making up your mind? Here are some resources to help you decide.

    Candidate questionnaires

    Candidate forums

    Mayor

    Comptroller & Public Advocate

    Bonus Mayoral forum from the Upper West Side

  • Members-only endorsement meeting on Wednesday, February 12 at 7:00 pm

    2025 Endorsement Meeting
    Wednesday, February 12
    7:00 — 9:00 pm
    On Zoom — members check your inbox for link

    To round out this year’s endorsement season, GSD will hold a members-only meeting on Wednesday to discuss club endorsements for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, and Manhattan Borough President.

    Members will receive an email Monday morning with the Zoom link for Wednesday’s meeting.

    Members with voting privileges will receive an email Wednesday at 7:00 pm with a unique code for online voting. The endorsement ballot will be open for 24 hours.

    Please remember to attend Tuesday’s Mayoral candidate forum at Manny Cantor or via Zoom. This will be our only chance to hear from mayoral candidates:

    Downtown Democratic Candidate Forum
    MAYOR
    Tuesday, February 11
    6:30 – 10:00 pm
    Manny Cantor Center, 197 East Broadway

    RSVP to attend in person
    RSVP for Zoom