2013 New York City Election
During the 2013 elections, the League drafted a Performing Arts Platform, held two Meet the Candidates events for our membership, endorsed 19 candidates, and actively campaigned on behalf of those endorsed candidates. 52% of League endorsed candidates won their elections and took or resumed office in 2014.
Below is a timeline and archive of the League's activities in that election.
If you're excited to make this kind of impact in the future, join the Politics, Research, and Outreach Working Group!
At the end of 2012 through the beginning of 2013, the Politics, Research, and Outreach working group drafted a list of policy proposals that would be used to endorse candidates for office. Critical issue areas included access to affordable healthcare, rehearsal/performance space, healthcare, and other proposals
The 2013 version of this performing arts platform is archived here.
In 2017, the Performing Arts Platform was redrafted with community input, available here.
January 2013
Performing Arts Platform drafted
March 13th, 2013
Meet the Candidates Endorsement Forum
In March, at the Players' Club in Gramercy, 24 candidates for public office participated in an endorsement forum. Each candidate spoke to the issues in the Performing Arts Platform, competing for the endorsement of the performing arts community. The debate was moderated by Paul Nagle, Director of Cultural Policy for former NYC Councilmember Alan Gerson
Opening: David M. Pincus, Robin Rothstein (LIT)
Opening: Jimmy Van Bramer, City Councilmember & Committee Chair, Cultural Affairs
Keynote: Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President
Candidates' Panel 2:
Jenifer Rajkumar (CC Manhattan 1)
Corey Johnson (CC Manhattan 3)
Yetta Kurland (CC Manhattan 3)
Ben Kallos (CC Manhattan 5)
Candidates' Panel 4:
Kimberly Council (CC Brooklyn 37)
William Russell Moore (CC Bronx 18)
Laurie Cumbo (CC Brooklyn 35)
Letitia James (Public Advocate)
Cathy Guerriero (Public Advocate)
Candidates' Panel 1:
Kevin Coenen Jr. (Mayoral)
Robert Jackson (Manhattan Borough President)
Julie Menin (Manhattan Borough President)
Peter Vallone, Jr. (Queens Borough President)
Candidates' Panel 3:
Marc Landis (CC Manhattan 6)
Mel Wymore (CC Manhattan 6)
Mark Levine (CC Manhattan 7)
Cheryl Pahaham (CC Manhattan 7)
Angel Molina (CC Manhattan/Bronx 8)
April - June
Endorsements
Following the Meet the Candidates event documented above, and after meetings with candidates and submissions of written answers, endorsements were issued in 19 campaign races.
Below are the list of endorsed candidates, followed by campaign ads and voters' guides drafted by the League to promote their election.
Mayor Jack Hidary
Comptroller Scott M. Stringer
Public advocate Cathy Guerriero
Manhattan Borough President Julie Menin
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
Queens Borough President Peter Vallone Jr.
Manhattan 1 Jenifer Rajkumar
Manhattan 3 Yetta Kurland
Manhattan 5 Ben Kallos
Manhattan 6 Ken Biberaj
Manhattan 7 Mark Levine
Manhattan 8 Melissa Mark-Viverito
Bronx 11 Cliff Stanton
Queens 22 Costa Constantinides
Queens 24 Rory Lancman
Queens 26 Jimmy Van Bramer
Brooklyn 35 Laurie Cumbo
Brooklyn 37 Kimberly Council
Brooklyn 38 Carlos Menchaca
Brooklyn 40 Saundra Thomas
June 5
Performing Arts Rally
After the completion of the endorsement process, the League organized a rally at the steps of the Kraine theater with endorsed candidates Scott Stringer (Comptroller), Julie Menin (Manhattan Borough President) and Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26), Jenifer Rajkumar (District 1), Ken Biberaj (District 6), and Rory Lancman (District 24).
Sept. 10th, 2013
Democratic Primary
The Democratic Primary was held on September 10th, 2013. The following LIT-endorsed candidates won their races:
Scott Stringer (Comptroller)
Eric Adams (Brooklyn Borough President)
Ben Kallos (District 5)
Mark Levine (District 7)
Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8)
Costa Constantinides (District 22)
Rory Lancman (District 24)
Laurie Cumbo (District 35)
Carlos Menchaca (District 38)
Nov. 5th, 2013
General Election
The General Election was held on November 5th, 2013. The following LIT-endorsed candidates won their races:
Scott Stringer (Comptroller)
Eric Adams (Brooklyn Borough President)
Ben Kallos (District 5)
Mark Levine (District 7)
Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8)
Costa Constantinides (District 22)
Rory Lancman (District 24)
Laurie Cumbo (District 35)
Carlos Menchaca (District 38)
In addition, Julie Menin would go on to be appointed Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection, and then Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.