We're proud to support reform-minded candidates for local office. Check out our recent endorsements here.

A New Kings Democrats (NKD) endorsement is more than a stamp of approval: it is a commitment of time, resources, and support.

NKD makes endorsements as a full membership. We support candidates that align with our values of accountability, transparency, and inclusive democracy, while also aligning with our policy platform.

THE PROCESS

1. Priorities: NKD determines which districts we will prioritize for endorsements in a given electoral season or year. Any member of NKD can suggest races the club should (or should not) get involved in. Email our VP of Political Affairs if you have a suggestion!
   

   The Political Affairs Committee will meet to review and consider these suggestions. We will strive to inform every NKD member of these meetings and invite them to participate.

   NKD doesn’t have the capacity to endorse in every race, but we invite all Brooklyn, citywide, and statewide candidates to reach out. While we do not have a hard and fast rule for which races we get involved in, we consider the following factors:

   Values/Platform Alignment: Would getting involved in the race further NKD's agenda of reforming the Brooklyn Democratic Party? Does this race have the power to shift the terms of the debate around reform or progressive politics in Brooklyn?
   
   NKD's Ability to Make an Impact: Does the timing of the race allow for NKD to have a complete endorsement process and commit sufficient resources? What value would NKD's involvement add to the race? Is the race demographically or geographically appropriate for NKD to get involved in? 
   
   The Candidate: Could NKD's involvement in the race boost the chances of a progressive, reform-minded candidate, particularly one from a community traditionally underrepresented in politics? Could NKD's involvement in the race boost the chances of a candidate with a strong history of neighborhood involvement and deep understanding of local issues?
   
   NKD’s Executive Committee makes final decisions about where the club will consider endorsements, taking into account organizational capacity and financial resources. It is incumbent upon the Executive Committee to explain its rationale to NKD members.
   
   
2. Questionnaire: The Political Affairs Committee creates a questionnaire for each race, working with NKD’s Policy Committee to do so. Questionnaires stay consistent across all races of a similar type (e.g., all City Council races) for the duration of the election cycle to ensure continuity and fairness to candidates.
   
   
3. Candidate Engagement: NKD invites all Democrats in a given race to participate in the club’s endorsement process.
   
   Candidate forums: Each candidate meets with the Political Affairs Committee over zoom and answers questions from NKD members, centering those that live or work in the district in question.
   
   Questionnaire: Candidates are asked to complete and sign their questionnaire at least 48 hours ahead of their scheduled forum.
   
   Report-out: Led by a point person across a race, the Political Affairs Committee summarizes takeaways from all forums in a race and formulates a recommendation, if appropriate, that is shared with NKD members.
   
   
4. Endorsement Pitch: All Democrats in a race are invited to the same NKD general meeting to pitch the club's members to support their candidacies.
   
   Candidate pitches: Each candidate is invited to speak for approximately three to five minutes. A moderator collects questions that arise throughout. Questions are asked of candidates all at once, after each candidate has presented.
   
   Membership discussion: After members have asked questions of the candidates, NKD holds a confidential discussion, without candidates and their staff. Members of the Political Affairs Committee summarizes the takeaways from the forums with candidates.
   
   
5. Vote: NKD uses ranked-choice voting. An NKD endorsement is a commitment to providing resources in a race (strategy, funding, field work, or beyond). To NKD, ranking a candidate means that a member is willing to meaningfully support the candidate and that the club’s support of the candidate will advance NKD’s mission of transparency, accountability, and inclusionary participation in the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
   

Interested in our endorsement? Follow the steps below:

1. Reach out. Email NKD’s VP of Political Affairs at [email protected] with some background about yourself and the office you’re interested in. Our VP of Political Affairs will reach out to schedule a call or meeting with you about your candidacy depending on NKD's priorities in that electoral cycle.
2. Fill out a questionnaire. This will let us know a little more about your campaign, where you stand on the issues important to us, and what you’d like to accomplish as an elected official. Completed questionnaires will be public documents available on our website, so put your best foot forward. If we ultimately hold an endorsement vote in your race, your questionnaire will be circulated to our membership before the vote as well.
3. Attend a meeting. We encourage candidates to get to know us by coming to a meeting. Speaking time is reserved for scheduled endorsement meetings.