New York, N.Y. (April 9, 2026) — Citizens Union, New York’s pre-eminent nonpartisan good government organization, today announced its endorsement of Carl Wilson as its top-ranked candidate in the special election for New York City Council District 3, covering Chelsea, the West Village, Hell’s Kitchen, and surrounding neighborhoods on the west side of Manhattan. In a race featuring several strong, reform-minded candidates, the group recommends voters rank Layla Law-Gisiko second and Leslie Boghosian-Murphy third.

“Carl Wilson brings a deep understanding of how city government works and how to make it work better for New Yorkers,” said Grace Rauh, Executive Director of Citizens Union. “In a moment when trust in government remains fragile, Wilson is committed to advancing a legislative reform agenda on ethics, accountability, and campaign finance, and has the practical knowledge to be effective in achieving it.”

The special election was triggered by the departure of former Council Member Erik Bottcher, who vacated the seat after his election to the State Senate earlier this year. New York City special elections are nonpartisan and use ranked choice voting. Candidates run on their own party lines, races are typically competitive, and all voters can participate regardless of party affiliation. Turnout is, on average, double that of state special elections, which are partisan and feature nominees selected by party officials behind closed doors.

Citizens Union evaluated candidates based on their alignment with the organization’s reform agenda, ethical integrity, knowledge of district issues, and ability to govern effectively. We found all three interviewed candidates to be exceptionally strong and reform-minded, each supporting the organization’s legislative agenda—making the rankings particularly close.

Carl Wilson, who most recently served as Chief of Staff to Bottcher, impressed Citizens Union with his strong grasp of legislative process and oversight responsibilities, as well as his ability to navigate city agencies and deliver results for constituents. In particular, he stressed the need for strong Council oversight over the NYPD, Housing and Preservation Department, and the Department of Buildings. He supported all of Citizens Union’s agenda items in his questionnaire, including opening up the city’s primary system, cracking down on government-funded electioneering, and instituting cooling-off conflicts of interests restrictions on incoming top officials. His experience and knowledge makes him well prepared to step into the role immediately.

• • Read Carl Wilson’ candidate questionnaire here

Citizens Union was a leading proponent of bringing ranked choice voting to New York City elections and encourages voters to consider ranking multiple candidates on their ballots.

Layla Law-Gisiko, President of the City Club of New York and a longtime community board member, earned the second ranking for her detailed policy proposals and strong alignment with Citizens Union’s good government priorities. Her agenda includes strengthening the Civilian Complaint Review Board’s ability to issue binding decisions, expanding the Conflicts of Interest Board’s scope, and prohibiting registered lobbyists from serving on city boards and commissions. She has worked to increase transparency in development projects and land use processes, areas of great expertise for her. Citizens Union appreciates her policy rigor and track record on reform.

• • Read Layla Law-Gisiko’s candidate questionnaire here

Leslie Boghosian-Murphy, Chair of Manhattan Community Board 4 and an investigative journalist, was ranked third. She supported Citizens Union’s policy agenda, and suggested expanding funding for voter education, language access, and the campaign public matching program. She also identified procurement reform as a key opportunity to improve government services. Citizens Union was impressed by her community leadership, commitment to transparency, and ability to build consensus, along with her focus on improving oversight and accountability.

• • Read Leslie Boghosian-Murphy’s candidate questionnaire here

“This is a strong and serious field of candidates,” Rauh added. “All three of our ranked candidates demonstrated a commitment to public service and good government. Our ranking reflects both their qualifications and our assessment of who can be most effective in office.”

Citizens Union’s rigorous endorsement process evaluates candidates based on their support for government reform, ethical integrity, ability to advance reforms, knowledge of constituent needs, and capacity to run an effective campaign.

One additional candidate, Lindsey Boylan, was not ranked because she did not participate in Citizens Union’s evaluation process. It is the organization’s longstanding practice to evaluate only candidates who complete its questionnaire and engage in interviews.

 

Citizens Union’s Ranked Endorsements in City Council District 3 (Chelsea, the West Village, Hell’s Kitchen, Hudson Square, the Garment District, Flatiron, and parts of Greenwich Village, and Times Square):

1. Carl Wilson (For All of Us)
2. Layla Law-Gisiko (Affordable NYC)
3. Leslie Boghosian-Murphy (CommunityStrong)

 

Read more Citizens Union Voters Guides here