Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany Call for a Real Reform in How Special Elections Are Run in New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To read the letter, click here

New York, NY (February 7, 2025) Today, Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins in response to the efforts to change the special election calendar in New York.

In the letter, Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany called for:

• No to the control of party insiders over party nominees: End closed-door decisions in special elections where party leaders handpick nominees, and instead implement a primary election in advance of the special election or a nonpartisan special election, like done in New York City.
• Yes to election consolidation to increase voter turnout: Consolidate special elections with regular elections to boost voter turnout, but avoid leaving seats vacant for extended periods to ensure constituents have representation.
• No to expediting legislation to serve political objectives: Do not change special election rules mid-cycle, subjecting the election process to political manipulation.

About Citizens Union
For over 125 years, Citizens Union has been a force for reform, accountability, and ethics in New York City and State government. A nonpartisan organization, our current priorities include advocating for moving local elections to even-numbered years to boost voter turnout, strengthening ethics oversight and enforcement, and ensuring a judicious Charter Revision process. Learn more at www.citizensunion.org.

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