December 27, 2023 - The bill Governor Hochul has vetoed ran counter to the goals of the landmark program. This decision means the state’s public campaign finance program will continue to amplify the voices of everyday New Yorkers.
December 22, 2023 - Citizens Union's statement following the Governor signing into law bill S3505B (Skoufis)/A4282A (Paulin). This marks a momentous achievement in the ongoing effort to bolster civic participation in New York. Aligning local elections with high-profile races will lead to increased voter turnout, particularly among young people and people of color.
December 18, 2023 - Citizens Union joins six other groups in an amicus brief for consideration to the Third Department, Appellate Division of the NYS Supreme Court in Cuomo v. NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. In sum, the brief underscores the compelling need for an independent statewide ethics commission in New York; identifies the failures of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE); and supports the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) appointment process.
December 12, 2023 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after the State of New York Court of Appeals ordered that Congressional district maps be redrawn by the Independent Redistricting Commission
December 12, 2023 - Citizens Union issued a report on the state of sidewalk sheds in New York City, evaluating proposals to reform the scaffolding system in New York City. There are now 9,000 active sidewalk sheds in New York City, totalling 380 miles of wood and metal boxes.
November 15, 2023 - In last week’s elections, voter turnout decreased significantly across New York State, including in areas with important local races, according to an analysis from Citizens Union. The analysis compared voter turnout in key races for county and city offices in 2023 with voter turnout in overlapping areas in November 2022, finding that turnout in last year’s elections was higher by 42 percent to 169 percent. According to unofficial election night results, only 18 percent of eligible New York voters cast their ballots in the November 2023 general election. This highlights the need to shift local elections to even-numbered years and consolidate them with federal or statewide races, which see higher voter turnout.
September 20, 2023 - Citizens Union has issued to following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Hochul signing a package of bills aimed at strengthening our democracy and protecting and expanding voting rights:
September 11, 2023 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the State Supreme Court ruling that the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government violates the state constitution
August 3, 2023 - On Monday, July 31, Citizens Union sent a letter to Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the U.S. Southern District of New York, who oversees the matter of Nunez v. The City of New York, in support of the appointment of a federal receiver over the New York City jail system.
June 13, 2023 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the passage of S3505B (Skoufis)/A4282A (Paulin), which moves certain local elections outside of New York City to even-numbered years.
June 7, 2023 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the state legislature introducing a bill that would fundamentally alter New York State’s public campaign finance program:
June 6, 2023 - Citizens Union announced its preferences in four contested primary elections for New York City Council.
May 1, 2023 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the New York City Campaign Finance Board recommending moving local elections to even-numbered years in their 2022-23 Voter Analysis Report. Citizens Union issued Moving Elections to Even-Numbered Years in January, a report detailing the benefits of aligning New York City elections with gubernatorial or presidential elections
April 21, 2023 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the state Independent Redistricting Commission vote to advance the final draft maps of the Assembly districts:
April 12, 2023 - “Eliminating the Commission on Judicial Nomination, which recommends candidates for the Court of Appeals to the Governor, would further politicize the judiciary and erode the public’s faith in our court system. The Commission is appointed by all three branches of government, and serves as an effective mechanism to ensure that the Governor’s nominees are made on merit. The Commission also is essential to keeping our judicial branch independent and inoculated from political horse trading between the legislative and executive branches. The public must have confidence that our judicial system is run by, and composed of, judges who can exercise independence and focus on the fair and impartial administration of justice.”
March 30, 2023 - Citizens Union, the League of Women Voters of New York State, and the Committee for Modern Courts, released the following statement calling on the Assembly to reject Governor Hochul’s proposed “program bill” (A5983/S06061) which passed the Senate this morning and will change the selection process for appointing judges to the New York State Court of Appeals:
February 1, 2023 - Citizens Union has issued to following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY2024 executive budget, which was released earlier today
January 30, 2023 - Citizens Union has issued to following statement from Board Chair Randy Mastro in response to the recent nomination process of a Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
January 27, 2023 - Citizens Union issued a report outlining the benefits of moving New York City’s municipal elections to even-numbered years. This move would bring elections for city offices in line with gubernatorial or presidential elections. Municipal elections in New York City, which are currently held in odd-numbered years, have consistently seen lower voter turnout than elections held in even-numbered years. Consolidating municipal elections with presidential or gubernatorial elections will increase voter turnout, giving more New Yorkers a say over who governs them at the local level.
January 10, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the passage of a package of legislation to reform the operations of New York’s local boards of elections by expanding voting rights and reforming our election system
December 20, 2022 - Legislative leaders introduced a bill late last night giving hefty raises to the next state legislature. The leaders are proposing base salaries of $142,000 starting January 1, 2023, with a limit on outside income of $35,000 beginning in 2025 (about 25% of the increased salary).
December 19, 2022 - Citizens Union joined more than a dozen transparency and disability groups in calling the legislative leaders pass new rules that ensure that all public meetings in the Legislature are webcast. Due to changes in the Open Meetings Law (OML) approved by the Legislature in April, if the Senate and Assembly intend to use videoconferencing to allow members to participate remotely in public meetings, they must adopt a one-time joint resolution after a public hearing to authorize videoconferencing.
December 19, 2022 -- Citizens Union, Common Cause NY, the League of Women Voters of the City of New York, NYPIRG and Reinvent Albany have sent a letter to NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Majority Leader and Rules Committee Chair Keith Powers, calling on the Council to hold a public confirmation hearing for the New York County Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Elections and take transparent measures that would vet the nominee’s experience and fitness to administer elections.
December 16, 2022 - Yesterday the New York State Public Campaign Finance Board voted on its budget request for FY 2023–2024. The board’s commissioners approved a request totaling $114.5 million, including $100 million for future matching funds for participating campaigns and $14.5 million for program administration. The new program launched on November 9 and will provide public matching funds to participating candidates for state offices beginning with the 2024 legislative elections.
December 15, 2022 - Yesterday, in response to news about a possible pay raise for lawmakers, Citizens Union joined Common Cause/NY, League of Women Voters of NYS, NY Public Interest Research Group, and Reinvent Albany penned a letter to legislative leaders in Albany demanding any raise come with a ban on income earned through certain professions and a cap of up to 15% on certain permissible outside incomes. This request follows the same guidelines Congressional members use.