The Ansonia Independent Democratic Club, is an active, volunteer Democratic political organization that has served the Upper West Side for more than 40 years. 

Ansonia seeks to nurture young Democratic party members interested in running for public office or working for elected officials, encourage new ideas for the Democratic Party, nominate candidates for local, state and national office, help candidates get on the ballot, actively support political campaigns and provide a community forum where people can meet their elected officials and urge them to address community concerns and perspectives.

 

Our current efforts build on a long history of political activism.  The club traces its beginnings back to 1963, when a number of Upper West Side political reformers decided to break away from the old line political clubs then dominating West Side politics.  Ansonia's founding members sought to form one of New York's first "reform clubs" committed to appointing public officers based on merit, instead of the patronage spoils appointments that so often led to corruption and ineffective government, yet had been the base of political power in the old line Democratic political clubs since the days of Tammany Hall.  In addition to successfully fighting to end the spoils system on the local level, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ansonia was also at the vanguard on the national level by helping to lead New York's anti-Vietnam war efforts.  Ansonia has continued to be an active progressive voice for the West Side and has nurtured generations of political leaders ever since.

 

Club meetings are held at the Lincoln Square Synagogue Annex on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 69th Street in Manhattan, and meetings are generally held at 8:00 pm on the third Thursday of every month, except during the months of July and August.