Endorsement Meeting - Berkeley City Council Special Elections - Districts 4 & 7

The East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club has set its date for the endorsements in the Berkeley City Council Special Elections this Spring - Districts 4 & 7.for March 13th from 6-7PM via Zoom.

Candidates will be notified of the endorsement this week and have till Monday March 11th to submit their candidate applications. Candidates will have be allowed an opening statement, asked a few questions and then have a closing statement.

The following races will be considered at this endorsement meeting:

All candidates that will be eligible for the Club's endorsement, must have completed the EBSDC Candidate Questionnaire by the deadline (see more details below).

Berkeley City Council District 7

• James Chang
• Cecilia Lunaparra

Berkeley City Council District 4

• Soli Alpert
• Elana Auerbach
• Ruben Hernandez Story
• Igor Tregub

All are welcome to attend our East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club Endorsement Meeting, but you must be an East Bay Stonewall member in “good standing”, to cast a vote in the endorsement process. The deadline to join/renew in order to be eligible to vote is Wednesday, March 6th.

How will voting work?

Eligible members will receive an email link to an online ballot. Voting will open at Wednesday March 13th at 5 pm and close Thursday, March 14th at 5pm. Eligible members will have to sign into the member portal to be able to view and submit the online ballot.

How do I know if I am a member?
To see if your membership is current, login to the member portal. Your username is your email address. You can reset your password if you don't know it. If you have questions, send us an email (eastbaystonewalldems@gmail.com).

Can I still vote if I am unable to attend?
Yes, in fact all voting will happen through our website.  You will need your login information to gain access, and you must be a member in good standing, with membership dues paid at least seven days prior. Candidate questionnaires will also be available on the website.

What is the threshold for endorsement?
The threshold for endorsement is as follows: All ballot measures must receive at least 60% of the votes cast in order to receive the Club’s endorsement. Where only two candidates apply for the Club’s endorsement for a seat, a candidate must receive at least 60% of the votes cast in order to receive the Club’s endorsement. Where more than two candidates apply for the Club’s endorsement for a seat, a candidate must receive at least 50% plus one of the votes cast in order to receive the Club’s endorsement. 

Who is eligible for endorsement?
Per the club’s Bylaws, to be eligible for endorsement, a candidate must be a registered Democrat and must submit a completed endorsement questionnaire by the deadline of Monday, March 11th by 5pm PST. Per Board policy, a questionnaire is required only when there is more than one candidate in the election who is potentially eligible for endorsement. Please note that the Board has determined that only candidates who are eligible for endorsement by the Alameda County Democratic Party in this election cycle will be considered for endorsement by Stonewall. 

Who is eligible to vote in the endorsement process?
Current Stonewall members in good standing will be given the opportunity to vote at the endorsement meeting. The voting will be taking place on our website platform Wild Apricot via the Member portal. Members will need login information to gain access. The link will be provided to members at the time of the endorsement meeting.

Can people still join the club to participate in the endorsement process?
The deadline to join is March 6th. A member in good standing must have paid yearly membership dues at least 7 days prior to the endorsement meeting. Those wishing to join the club may sign up for membership on our website to be eligible to vote in future meetings.  If you believe you are already a member, you can verify your membership by logging in to the member portal here. Your email is your username. You can reset your password if you don't know it. If you have any questions as to whether you are an eligible voting member, please email, eastbaystonewalldems@gmail.com.