Citizens Union believes our democracy is strongest when more of us are participating. That’s why we’ve fought for – and won – reforms that expand and protect the right to vote in New York State.
Throughout the 20th century, Citizens Union has been at the forefront of crucial voting reforms. Early electoral reform efforts we advanced and won included signature identification of voters (1914), ending slate voting by allowing voters to support candidates from different political parties on one ballot (1915), and instituting permanent personal registration (1957), which overturned the requirement voters re-register before every election. Decades of advocacy to make the New York City Government more democratic also led to the first enactment of proportional representation in the City Council (1936) and the abolishment of the undemocratic Board of Estimates (1988).
Since 2019, New York has been slowly reforming its regressive voting laws that depressed voter participation. After decades of advocacy, New Yorkers can now use early voting days, pre-register to vote at 16, access absentee ballots more easily, and check in at poll sites on electronic poll books. Individuals on parole now have their right to vote restored once they are released from prison, and students in many colleges have access to poll sites on campus. Several crucial reforms are in different stages of implementation, including Online Voter Registration, Automatic Voter Registration, and even-numbered year county and town local elections.
In New York City, voters now use Ranked Choice Voting to choose their local elected officials, from the mayor to their Council Member. Citizens Union has long advocated for Ranked Choice Voting because it gives voters more choices and saves taxpayer money by avoiding costly runoff elections. It was successfully implemented for the first time in the 2021 municipal election cycle.
Recent Activity – Elections and Voting
Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission Approving an Even-Year Elections Ballot Question for this November
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
Citizens Union Statement on Charter Revision Commission’s Decision to Exclude Open Primaries from 2025 Ballot Proposals
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
Fact Sheet: Opening New York City’s Closed Primary System
July 7, 2025 - A fact sheet on open primaries
Testimony before the 2025 Charter Revision Commission – Manhattan July 7 Hearing
July 7, 2025
Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission for Advancing Even Year Election Ballot Question; Urges it to Endorse Open Primary Reform as Well
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
Testimony before the 2025 Charter Revision Commission – Staten Island June 23 Hearing
June 23, 2025
Citizens Union Announces Broad Candidate Support For Moving New York City Elections To Even-Numbered Years
87% of City Council Candidates Surveyed Support the Proposal Designed to Boost Voter Turnout, Along With 7 Out of 8…
Testimony before the 2025 Charter Revision Commission – Bronx June 10 Hearing
June 10, 2025
Testimony before the 2025 Charter Revision Commission – Brooklyn May 19 Hearing
May 19, 2025
Memo of support for S1356A (Skoufis)/A3649B (Taylor), requiring New York join multistate voter list maintenance organizations
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
Citizens Union Celebrates Unanimous State Appellate Court Ruling Affirming Law Consolidating Local Elections with Even-Numbered Years
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
Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission for Advancing Open Primaries and Even Year Elections
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:
Memo of Support, S2543 (Myrie), provides for statewide voter guides
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.
Citizens Union Calls on Charter Revision Commissions to Implement Bold Reforms to Strengthen Democracy and Government Accountability
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).
Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany Call for a Real Reform in How Special Elections Are Run in New York
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.
Testimony for the 2025 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing
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.
Memo of Support for S590 (Krueger)/A3665 (Simone), Charter Revision Process Reform
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.
Statement from Citizens Union in Response to Department of Investigation Report Revealing Harassment and Hostile Work Environment at the NYC Board of Elections
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
Voting Rights Groups Call for City Council to Reconsider Seddio BOE Nomination
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.
CU Joins Coalition to Push for State Amendment to Boost NYC Voter Turnout
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.