Citizens Union Disappointed by Public Campaign Finance Board’s Party-Line Vote to Deny Blakeman Matching Funds
New York, NY (March 31, 2026) – Citizens Union today released the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh following the Public Campaign Finance Board’s vote on the eligibility of gubernatorial candidates for the state’s Public Campaign Finance Program:
“New York State’s public campaign finance system is a cornerstone of our democracy, designed to level the playing field and restore public trust in elections. That trust depends on the program being administered fairly, consistently, and without the appearance of partisan influence. Denying Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman public funds based on a filing deficiency risks undermining that trust.
“We are disappointed that Democratic and Republican members of the Public Campaign Finance Board could not agree to allow the Blakeman campaign a meaningful opportunity to address his filing omissions while also safeguarding public funds and the program’s integrity. The Board’s meeting revealed that both the Board failed to clearly communicate new rules and provide adequate guidance, and the campaign failed to proactively address potential filing deficiencies. The best course of action would have been to acknowledge these shortcomings and provide the campaign an opportunity to fix the underlying issue.
“Instead, the Board chose a party-line vote that only devolves this matter into a partisan political battle and potential legal fight, undermining the public campaign finance program. This is a result of the partisan structure of the Public Campaign Finance Board, which Citizens Union opposed. Only a nonpartisan body, modeled on the New York City Campaign Finance Board, can avoid such politicized pitfalls.
“Public financing of campaigns remains the most effective tool to counter the influence of big money in elections. New York State’s matching funds program has already demonstrated its success in empowering small donors, increasing competitiveness, and reshaping campaign incentives. We look forward to seeing that success continue in statewide and legislative races this election cycle.”