For Immediate Release
Contact: Jake Oliver, jake@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-9983
Election reforms are making our democracy more open, fair and responsive, but our closed primary system shuts out too many New Yorkers
New York, NY (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:
“We applaud the 2025 Charter Revision Commission for producing a thoughtful, comprehensive report—the culmination of many months of public testimony and careful research focused on key challenges for our City’s future.
“We are thrilled to see the Commission embrace a reform long-championed by Citizens Union: moving our local elections to even-numbered years to align with federal races, where turnout is higher. This is a truly transformative reform that is poised to significantly boost turnout, especially among young people and in communities of color.
“We also commend the Commission for bringing forward a specific proposal for an open primary system for New York City, which would enfranchise more than one million voters who are currently locked out of our closed primaries. Under the Commission’s proposal, all voters and all candidates would be able to participate in one Ranked Choice Voting primary election, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election. We urge commissioners to take the next step and put open primaries before voters this November.
“Finally, we appreciate the inclusion of a detailed voting rights analysis from former United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch. This kind of research is vital to ensuring a thoughtful, data-driven debate about election reforms and shows clearly that both open primaries and even year elections in New York City would strengthen—not diminish—the ability of protected classes, including Black, Hispanic and Asian voters, to participate in the political process.
“The enthusiasm and increased participation we saw in last week’s primary election show what’s possible when we empower voters through smart election reforms like Ranked Choice Voting, Early Voting and a strong public campaign finance system. We must keep building on that momentum – there is still more work to do.
“Citizens Union looks forward to reviewing the Commission’s full recommendations and offering guidance as the public process continues. New York City has a real opportunity to make our elections more representative, inclusive, and engaging. Today’s report is a major step toward that goal – but we must go further.”
About Citizens Union
For more than a century, Citizens Union has been leading the fight for reform in New York. We are a non-partisan good government group that serves as a civic watchdog to combat corruption. We are New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds and political beliefs, united in our commitment to put the public interest ahead of all special interests. We work to ensure honest and accountable government, fair and open elections, and a civically engaged public. Principled and pragmatic, Citizens Union is an independent force for constructive reform, driving policy solutions to achieve responsible and responsive government in the City and State of New York. Learn more at www.citizensunion.org.