September 24, 2025 - Citizens Union released a new report showing that aligning New York City’s municipal elections with federal contests would so dramatically increase participation in local races further down the ballot, that any ballot drop-off would be negligible. Ballot drop-off refers to the phenomenon where voters tend to skip races further down the ballot.
New York’s oldest good government group recommends New Yorkers vote YES on ballot proposals to reform housing and land use policy, move elections to even years, and authorize changes to the Adirondack Preserve.
Detailed positions on the six 2025 ballot proposals - Vote YES to reform housing and land use policy, move elections to even years, and authorize changes to the Adirondack Preserve.
Today, Tuesday, September 08, 2025, Citizens Union, Reinvent Albany, and the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) submitted a…
August 18, 2025 - Citizens Union respectfully urges the Office of the Attorney General to grant preclearance for Preclearance Submission No. 701, a proposal to shift elections held for City office in New York City from odd years to even years, contingent upon a change to the New York State Constitution, which was adopted by the Charter Revision Commission to be voted on at a referendum held on November 4, 2025
July 21, 2025 — Citizens Union issued the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh ahead of the final meeting of the 2025 Charter Revision Commission, which is expected to approve a ballot question to move New York City’s local elections to even-numbered years. This reform has long been championed by Citizens Union, which has provided the Commission with testimony, research, and comments addressing various aspects of election consolidation
July 16, 2025 - Citizens Union issued the following statement from Board Chairman John Avlon in response to a statement from Richard R. Buery, Jr., Chair of the 2025 New York City Charter Revision Commission, on the Commission’s decision not to consider the question of open primaries
July 7, 2025 - A fact sheet on open primaries
July 1, 2025 - Citizens Union issued the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh in response to the release of the 2025 Charter Revision Commission’s interim final report
87% of City Council Candidates Surveyed Support the Proposal Designed to Boost Voter Turnout, Along With 7 Out of 8…
May 9, 2025 - S1356A/A3649B would amend article five of the Election Law by adding a new title that details the authority, requirements, and process of joining multistate voter list maintenance organizations. Section 2 of the bill allows the State Board of Elections (SBOE) to join such organizations, including the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), and pay for their membership
May 8, 2025 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Board Chairman John Avlon celebrating a unanimous New York State Appellate Court ruling affirming the constitutionality of a 2023 state law moving many county and town elections to even-numbered years, overturning a state Supreme Court decision in October that invalidated the law
April 30, 2025 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon applauding the Charter Revision Commission for including two transformative reforms in their report issued today: moving New York City elections to even-numbered years and implementing a top-two open primary system. These long-standing priorities of Citizens Union represent important steps toward a more inclusive, participatory, and representative local democracy:
February 25, 2025 – Memo supporting legislation requiring the State Board of Elections to prepare and distribute “voting guides” to all registered voters as well as election notifications.
February 24, 2025 - Citizens Union today released a new report urging both New York City Charter Revision Commissions to take decisive action to strengthen democracy and enhance government accountability. The report, published ahead of Citizens Union’s testimony before the Mayoral Commission this evening, calls for comprehensive reforms, including establishing a process to remove mayors for misconduct, implementing top-two open primary elections, moving city elections to even-numbered years, and expanding the powers and independence of the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB).
February 7, 2025 - 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.
Feburary 4, 2025 - Citizens Union appreciates the opportunity to submit testimony regarding Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget for State Fiscal Year 2026. We will focus on the proposed funding for the Public Campaign Finance Board, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying, and the State Board of Elections.
February 3, 2025 - An act to amend the municipal home rule law, in relation to the city charter referendum process; and to repeal paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision 5 of section 36 of the municipal home rule law, relating to limitations on the submitting of a question to the qualified electors of a city when there is a question submitted by a charter commission.
January 8, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the report released today by the Department of Investigations revealing that NYC Board of Elections Executive Director Mike Ryan harassed employees and created a hostile work environment
December 9, 2024 - Several good government groups and political club sent a letter to the New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and top Council officials expressing concern over the possible appointment of Frank Seddio, former chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, for Commissioner of Elections. Seddio has been nominated by the Brooklyn Democratic Party for a term that begins on January 1, 2025. A date for the confirmation has not been set.
December 4th - In considering the resolution, the City Council can send a clear message to Albany lawmakers that New York City prioritizes an inclusive local democracy that encourages, rather than discourages, New Yorkers to vote.