Web site: the504democraticclub.org
September 2005

The 504 Democratic Club has endorsed the following candidates running for election in the September 13th Democratic Primary. All endorsed candidates received 50% + 1 or more of the votes cast in that race. We encourage you to contact the campaign of your choice and work with them on or before Primary Day. We urge you to vote for them on September 13th. Any races not listed either did not appear before us, or did not receive the majority of votes cast. Although all four Mayoral Candidates appeared before the screening panel and answered our questionnaires, the club did not endorse in this race. See www.the504dems.org to view responses by all the candidates who participated.

Public Advocate
Norman Siegel
www.norman2005.com

Manhattan Surrogate
Eve Rachel Markewich
markewichforsurrogate.org

Manhattan District Attorney
Robert Morgenthau
www.morgenthau2005.com

Manhattan Borough President
Margarita López
www.margaritalopez.com

Brooklyn Civil Court, 3rd District
Martin Needelman

City Council, 2nd District
Rosie Mendez
www.rosiemendez.com
[and for District Leaders in this district (74th AD, Part A): Katrina Monzón and Anthony Feliciano; and in a neighboring one in City Council, 1st District (64th AD, PartB): John Quinn & Alice Cancel]

City Council, 4th District
Daniel Garodnick
www.garodnick.com

City Council, 5th District
Jessica Lappin
www.jessicalappin.com

City Council, 7th District
Robert Jackson
www.nyccouncil.info

City Council, 9th District
Inez "Betty" Dickens
www.inezdickens.com

City Council, 11th District
G. Oliver Koppell
www.koppell.org

City Council, 13th District
Jimmy Vacca
www.vaccaforcouncil.com

City Council, 21st District
Hiram Monserrate
www.hirammonserrate.com

City Council, 24th District
Renee Lobo
www.reneelobo.com

City Council, 25th District
Bryan Pu-Folkes
www.bryanpufolkes.com

City Council, 35th District
Letitia "Tish" James
www.nyccouncil.info

City Council, 38th District
Sara Gonzalez
www.nyccouncil.info

City Council, 40th District
Yvette Clarke
www.nyccouncil.info

City Council, 41st District
Alicka Ampry-Samuel
www.alickasamuelforcitycouncil.com

City Council, 46th District
Lewis Fidler
www.nyccouncil.info

504 Democratic Club--Officers and Executive Committee

The following members were elected in August, 2005 for a term of one year to serve in the following offices and on the executive committee:

President: Marvin Wasserman (E-mail Marvin)
1st Vice President: Patricia Walls (E-mail Patricia)
2nd Vice President: Pamela Bates (E-mail Pamela)
Treasurer: Marty Sesmer (E-mail Marty)
Corresponding Secretary: Alexander Wood (E-mail Alexander)
Recording Secretary: Rafaela Puerto

Executive Committee at-Large:
Joseph Bello
Naomi Bodo
Toby Edwards
Sylvia Friedman
Alan Goldblatt
Lewis H. Goldstein
Michael A. Harris
Micah Kellner
Lunetha Lancaster
Anna Lewis
Carr Massi
Edith Prentiss
Michael J. Schweinsburg
Jo Anne Simon
Philip Walls
Harry Wieder

The Power of the Disability Vote!

According to our numbers, there are approximately 1.5 million people with disabilities living in New York City. Apart from seniors, this group of people, cutting across all lines of geographic location, class, race, religion, age, sexual preference, gender, etc. is potentially the largest voting block. The mission of 504 Democratic Club is to urge New Yorkers with disabilities and the elected officials and candidates seeking office to recognize that issues important to the disability community are important to all. All of us interested in public policy and civic affairs, and politics should realize that voters with disabilities are a potential "sleeping giant." We want to thank all the candidates and all the members of 504 Democratic Club who participated in the endorsement screening process this year. Now it is your duty to go make difference and work with our endorsed candidates in your districts, or your boroughs, or with the candidate of your choice running for citywide office. Show our elected officials that people with disabilities are active and involved, and that an endorsement from 504 Democratic Club means something in terms of support from committed and dedicated volunteers.

If people with disabilities register and vote at the same rate as the rest of the nation, between 5 & 10 million more votes will be cast in the next Presidential election!

What's on the horizon?

We need to become more active in the work around getting the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) implemented in New York State. The New York State Board of Elections is working on the certification process to approve new voting equipment. We must be vigilant that the machines selected and operated by the New York City Board of Elections are fully accessible to voters with disabilities. This is a huge opportunity, For the first time in history, if all goes well, once this new technology is in place, voters who are blind, or who have limited manual dexterity, or other disabilities that have kept them from using the lever machines, will be able to cast an independent ballot without assistance of anyone else.

Stay Tuned!

To stay connected with the 504 Democratic Club, please visit our website at www.the504dems.org or the ListServ at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/504dems

The 54 million Americans with Disabilities, their friends and families are a sleeping giant just beginning to emerge as a major force on the political scene. Since 1983 the 504 Democratic Club has been the political voice of persons with disabilities in NYC. You can support us on our long march to equality by joining, becoming involved, and participating in our decision-making process. 504 Dems is the first Democratic Club in the country focusing on disability rights! If you are not a Life Member, you need to submit your dues for 2005.

504 Democratic Club
c/o Marty Sesmer
332 East 29th Street, #5A
New York, NY 10016