The Brooklyn Democratic Party is corrupt, defensive, exclusive, invisible…and weak. Weak parties lose. Weak parties can’t recruit good candidates in challenging districts. Weak parties can’t organize their office-holders to work together for the benefit of Brooklyn.

We believe that the Brooklyn Democratic Party should be strong. Because strong parties win.

A party is strong when it is visible.

A party is strong when thousands of people feel that it belongs to them.

A party is strong when no one doubts its integrity.

THE BROOKLYN CAN’T WAIT PLEDGE: 

Brooklyn Can’t Wait coalition candidates pledge to support the following reforms and to elect a Party Chair who will commit to enacting these reforms:

1. Our party will support Democrats in competitive general elections with money, expertise, and volunteers

2. We will distribute decision-making power more broadly, rather than concentrating power with the Party Chair, and increase financial oversight

   • Hold Executive Committee meetings on a regular schedule, allow district leaders to propose agenda items without needing the chair’s permission, and require district leaders to review major spending decisions of the Party Chair

   • Hold County Committee meetings at least once a year with real opportunities for members to vote and participate

   • At County Committee meetings, limit the number of proxy votes any one County Committee member can hold, so a small group of party leaders can’t outvote all the members present at the meeting

3. Our party will empower district leaders to organize for the party in their districts

   • Provide resources for managing a contact list and website

   • Share best practices for staffing poll sites and conducting voter registration drives

4. Our party, and the Party Chair, will remain neutral in primaries between Democrats

   • The chair and party should stay neutral in primaries, unless a candidate is actively working with Republicans — in that case the party should work to replace them (as the Texas Dems did recently)

5. Update the party’s code of ethics and enforce it to eliminate corruption and pay-to-play culture

   • Produce a statement of values to help party leaders avoid even the appearance of corruption

6. Provide financial and legal guidance to Democratic candidates and clubs

• Candidates who are wilfully corrupt must be driven out of our party, but first-time candidates and organizers should have support in learning how to operate legally and ethically

7. Make the judicial nomination process more transparent, with public candidate forums and a more public decision process

• A lack of transparency in major decisions like judicial nominations undermines trust in our political system and creates the frequent appearance of corruption.

8. Prioritize small-dollar fundraising (the base ticket price for the Brooklyn Dems Gala should be much lower than $5000!)

• Hold more events and provide more opportunities for the grassroots to engage with our local party, which will inspire small donations and volunteering