STONEWALL DEMOCRATS of Western New York

PO Box 857, Buffalo, NY 14205

Website: www.sdwny.org

OFFICERS

Bryan Ball

President

Kitty Lambert

Vice President Community Outreach

Bruce Kogan

Vice President Party Outreach

Ronald Groth

Treasurer

Thomas Peglowski

Secretary

Dear New York State Senate Candidate,Stonewall Democrats of Western New York is the lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender (LGBT) Democratic voice in western New York working to electDemocrats who are supportive on LGBT and other progressive issues importantto our community.We have begun our endorsement process for the 2010 election season. Among theissues most important to our community are three bills—Marriage Equality, theGender Non-Discrimination Act and Dignity for All Students—which we arelooking to have passed in the state legislature. As you know, the MarriageEquality bill failed in the NYS Senate late last year. As a candidate for the NYSLegislature, we are interested in your candidacy, which would provide you withan opportunity to vote on these important measures. We would like to provide youwith the opportunity to engage in our process for endorsement by StonewallDemocrats of WNY. As you may know, an endorsement from StonewallDemocrats of WNY is important to many local LGBT community members, aswell as our family, friends and supporters, as they decide whether to volunteer forparticular campaigns and as they prepare to head for the polls to cast their vote.To be considered for endorsement, please complete and

return the enclosedquestionnaire to us at your earliest convenience,

so that we may considerendorsement for the NYS Legislature at our next

meeting.

The completed questionnaire should be either emailed to info@sdwny.org,faxed to (716) 853-2448 (Attention: Bryan Ball, Stonewall Democrats of WNY)

or mailed to:Attention: Endorsement/GOTV CommitteeStonewall Democrats of WNYPO Box 857Buffalo, NY 14205You should also be aware that our revised endorsement process is attached.Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contactus. We thank you and look forward to receiving your completed questionnaire forconsideration for endorsement by Stonewall Democrats of WNY.Sincerely,

Bruce Kogan Tom Gleed

Vice-President for Party Affairs Endorsement/GOTV Committee(716) 886-7283 (716) 510-5507

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page

Stonewall Democrats of Western New York Endorsement Process

Candidates for elected office who wish to be considered for endorsement must complete ourquestionnaire and schedule an interview appointment with the membership at a general meeting.Endorsement of a candidate requires a vote of sixty percent of the membership present at that meeting. If no candidate receives the required sixty percent vote for endorsement, subsequent ballots shall be takendeleting the candidate receiving the least number of votes or no votes on the previous ballot.If, after the completion of balloting, no candidate has received the sixty percent of the vote required,candidates may be rated as “acceptable,” “unacceptable,” or “no position,” depending upon thecandidate’s record and/or position statements. If sixty percent of those voting cannot agree on a rating,the candidate will be assigned the rating of “no consensus.”If a candidate is endorsed, the remaining candidates will not be rated.

Stonewall Democrats WNY – NYS Legislature Questionnaire 2010, page

STONEWALL DEMOCRATS of Western New York

PO Box 857, Buffalo, NY 14205

Website: www.sdwny.org

2010 ENDORSEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE – NYS SENATE/ASSEMBLY

Name:______________________________________________________________________Campaign Address:___________________________________________________________Daytime Phone:_________________________ Evening Phone:________________________Fax Number:____________________________ E-mail:_______________________________Office Sought:________________________________________________________________Party Affiliation:_______________________________________________________________

Before you continue, please understand that:

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Stonewall Democrats of WNY may publicize your responses in press releases and voters’ guides, on ourweb site, and via other channels of communication. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will also identifycandidates who fail to respond to this questionnaire.

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Stonewall Democrats of WNY will hold you publicly accountable for actions inconsistent with yourresponses during your campaign and if elected during your term in office.

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Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they support any state ornational version of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) legislation.

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Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they advertise on orsupport any homophobic website, including but not limited to, politicswny.com/politicsny.net.

Part 1:

Please submit your typewritten responses to the following questions on a separate sheet.1) Why are you seeking this office?2) Why are you seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of WNY?3) What three issues do you consider to be most important to the people served by the office you seek? For eachissue:a) Provide an example of specific action you have previously taken--either as a public official or as a privatecitizen--to bring about positive change relative to this issue; andb) Specify what additional action in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you seek.4) What three civil rights issues do you perceive to be the most important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender (LGBT) community? For each issue:a) Provide an example of specific action(s) you have previously taken--either as a public official or as a privatecitizen--to bring about positive change relative to this issue; andb) Specify what additional action(s) in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you seek.

Robin WiltP.O. Box 10875, Rochester, NY 14610(585) 286-1289(585) 286-3136 Campaign@WiltForSenate.comNew York State Senate – Senate District #56Democrat, Working Families Party