February 07, 2025 - Citizens Union and Citizens Union Foundation announced today that Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum will retire after seven years at the organization's helm. Gotbaum, a distinguished public servant and nonprofit leader, has spent more than five decades serving the people of New York City in various capacities, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s civic and political landscape.
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.
January 24, 2025 - Citizens Union today published an analysis revealing that the number of senior City officials indicted or resigning under investigation in the three years since Mayor Eric Adams took office is double the combined totals across the Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg, and de Blasio administration
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 21, 2024 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the resignation of NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey
December 18, 2024 - Citizens Union announced the election of John Avlon as their new Board Chair. Avlon, an accomplished journalist, author, civic leader, and former congressional candidate, succeeds Randy Mastro, who has served with distinction as Chair since 2016. Avlon was elected unanimously by the boards of Citizens Union and Citizens Union Foundation.
New York, N.Y. (December 12, 2024) - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Mayor Eric Adams’s announcement of the appointment of a Charter Revision Commission
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.
November 6, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the results of Tuesday evening’s election
October 21, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement in response to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’s announcement that she will propose legislation creating a new Charter Revision Commission
October 16, 2024 - Citizens Union announced its endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for President in the 2024 election. This marks only the second time in the organization’s 125-year history that it has endorsed a candidate for the highest office in the nation.
October 10, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union announced its official positions on the six ballot questions that New York City voters will consider in the upcoming November 2024 general election. These questions include a statewide constitutional amendment and five proposed amendments to the New York City Charter
October 9, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to a New York state Supreme Court judge’s ruling that the new state law that will move many local elections in line with state and federal elections in even-numbered years violates the state Constitution
October 9, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to a New York state Supreme Court judge’s ruling that the new state law that will move many local elections in line with state and federal elections in even-numbered years violates the state Constitution
September 26, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement in response to the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams
September 12, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the resignation of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban
August 20, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum applauding the Court of Appeals ruling upholding the law allowing any registered voter to request an early mail ballot:
August 15, 2024 - the City of New York Independent Budget Office (IBO), released a letter outlining how moving local elections on-cycle with state and federal elections would result in approximately $42 million in savings every other year. Citizens Union welcomes the findings, which highlight yet another benefit of consolidating New York City’s municipal elections with presidential or gubernatorial elections.
August 13th, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to The New York Times' Decision to Discontinue Endorsements in Local NYC Races
July 15, 2024 - The recent attempt on the life of a former President and current Presidential candidate is a shocking and reprehensible act of violence. Our democracy is built on the principles of peaceful discourse and the rule of law, and any act of violence against our leaders, past, present or future, is an attack on these fundamental values.
July 8, 2024 - There is already ample opportunity for the public to comment on Public Safety bills before the New York City Council, according to a comprehensive analysis released today by Citizens Union. The report found that there were no major differences in time awarded for input on public safety bills compared with other bills; that the current Council does not provide less time for public input on public safety bills compared to previous Councils; and that high-profile public safety bills that drove the conversation took longer to approve than many other contentious bills.
June 28, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the ProPublica and The New York Times joint report on NYPD disciplinary practices
June 12, 2024 - Citizens Union announced its preferences in six contested primary elections for Assembly seats in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
June 7, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the State Senate passage of bill S9826 that would move local elections in New York State, excluding New York City to even-numbered years
June 6, 2024 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following today’s first public meeting of the Charter Review Commission