Adopted by the Board on August 13, 2020

• Endorsements are overseen by the LACYD Board, led and organized by the Political Committee, and ultimately confirmed by a vote of the membership.
• As our membership is based in LA County, LACYD does not consider endorsements in elections occurring elsewhere except when the Board determines that special circumstances warrant such consideration.
• Requests for Endorsement of a candidate or ballot measure in any given election can be submitted any time. The LACYD Board may reach out to campaigns regarding elections considered important for the organization.
• The LACYD Board will determine on a rolling basis the races in which the organization will consider an endorsement. Although the LACYD Board reserves the right to consider an endorsement in a race at any time, Requests For Endorsement received fewer than 60 days prior to the election in question may not be considered.
• For any election in which the LACYD Board has decided to make an endorsement, each Democratic candidate or each representative of a ballot measure shall have the opportunity to respond to a detailed Candidate Questionnaire. If the LACYD Board determines by majority vote that interviews are warranted, all Democratic campaigns in that election will be invited to appear. 
• All candidates for local and state offices, as well as Congressional offices, will be required to sign the Young Democrats for Racial Justice Candidate Pledge to be considered for Endorsement.
  • For the November 2020 cycle, we are calling upon all candidates seeking our endorsement to donate all -- or the maximum possible portion -- of any unspent contributions received from any police union or affiliated group. Those funds can be donated to racial justice advocacy groups, community programs and nonprofits serving Black communities, or to support affirmative action legislation on the November ballot.
  • Starting in 2021, candidates funded by police unions will no longer be eligible for consideration in our endorsement process.
  • Collectively, Young Democrats groups across the region will form a joint committee that will review and evaluate Democratic candidates, their campaign contributions, voting records, stated positions, and other indicators of their commitment to racial justice. These findings will form a critical part of our endorsement processes going forward and will help Young Democratic groups throughout the state make informed decisions about whom they will support.
  • Individual organizations will continue to make their own endorsement decisions according to their own bylaws and processes
• All endorsements must be approved by a membership vote, with those endorsements recommended by the Board placed on the consent calendar.
  • Endorsements placed on the consent calendar can be removed (or “pulled”) if 15% of voting members present vote to do so.
  • An endorsement will be voted on by only those dues-paying members who have been members at least four days in advance of that vote.  
  • For further details regarding voting on endorsements by the membership, please consult the Bylaws.