Led by Betsy Gotbaum and Eleanor Randolph, website features unbiased profiles of candidates, districts and positions compiled by Citizens Union Foundation and Gotham Gazette
ElectNYC announces partnerships with community-based organizations to help ensure information reaches NYC voters
Visit ElectNYC.org to find out more
New York, N.Y. (April 22, 2021)— Today, Citizens Union Foundation (CUF) announced that the website ElectNYC.org, the organization’s nonpartisan voter education effort for the 2021 New York City elections, is now live. ElectNYC.org provides non-partisan and unbiased write-ups on the candidates running in the NYC primary and is the most comprehensive voter resource currently available.
Under the leadership of Eleanor Randolph, and in partnership with Gotham Gazette, the independent online publication covering local government and politics published by CUF, the website provides critical information for voters. This includes in-depth, original reporting on candidates, descriptions of each office, information about how to vote and more. ElectNYC will not issue candidate preferences, and will be completely separate from Citizens Union’s endorsement process.
CUF also announced that they have partnered with community-based organizations throughout New York City to ensure this important information reaches voters.
“This June’s elections will usher in large turnover in city government, and those elected could hold office through 2030. It is vital that voters have accurate, unbiased information about the candidates who are running to serve them in city government,” said Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union Foundation. “We are thrilled to be able to provide this important information, and excited to be working with so many great, community-based organizations to ensure it reaches voters so they can make educated choices about who should represent them.”
“We New Yorkers are facing one of our most important city elections in decades. There are hundreds of candidates. There’s a new way to vote—ranking candidates in each race. And there are very few places to go for some straightforward, untainted information about these candidates. So, we’re here to help. This website is designed to give unbiased information on who and how to vote. Our city depends on your voice,” said Eleanor Randolph, Director of ElectNYC and former New York Times editorial board member.
For most New Yorkers, even those who follow politics and government affairs closely, the 2021 city elections will simply be overwhelming. Ranked Choice Voting, which will be used for the first time citywide, allows voters to choose up to five candidates in a party primary. Because of term limits, an overwhelming majority of officeholders must give up their seats, including the Mayor, Comptroller, four Borough Presidents and at least 33 of 51 City Council members. The staggering number of candidates running, and the number of choices voters must make when casting a ballot, makes the information available at ElectNYC.org vital.
Ben Max, executive editor of Gotham Gazette, added, “Our team at Gotham Gazette is excited to partner on ElectNYC.org to bring New Yorkers as much helpful information as possible about this all-important city election cycle. We want New Yorkers to tune in, get informed through the great resources available at ElectNYC.org, and vote in the June primaries and fall general election. The future of the city is on the line as voters choose the next roster of government leadership, and we’re here to help.”
“ElectNYC.org is an exciting new tool that the city’s employers intend to make available to help their employees learn about the candidates and issues in the upcoming municipal elections,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO, Partnership for New York City.
“The 2021 elections will have a tremendous impact on the future of New York City; the YMCA of Greater New York is thrilled to have a new election resource to help prepare our communities. Trustworthy, nonpartisan information is essential to helping New Yorkers exercise their right to vote. We know ElectNYC will be a valuable tool in the Y’s efforts to encourage civic participation and strengthen communities throughout the five boroughs,” said Sharon Greenberger, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater New York
“Since their inception, public libraries have been at the foundation of civil society, connecting New Yorkers with the resources that they need to learn, grow, unlock doors of opportunity, and make strong, informed decisions. As part of these efforts, we are pleased to partner with Citizens Union to share the clear, accessible, non-partisan information that they have put together at ElectNYC.org as part of our overall Read, Think, Vote initiative to prepare New Yorkers for this year’s high-stakes elections. It is imperative that everyone have access to the tools they need to make a real impact and strengthen their communities, and this partnership will help further accomplish that,” said Tony Marx, President, New York Public Library.
“Public libraries have long encouraged civic engagement, empowering patrons to fully participate in our democracy by providing information and opportunity to discover various points of view,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We present clear, nonpartisan resources and information about the candidates and issues at stake in the upcoming elections and we could not be more delighted to partner with Citizens Union Foundation as it launches ElectNYC.”
“With over 400 candidates running for office in this year’s primary election cycle, trustworthy and streamlined candidate information is more crucial than ever. Citizens Union’s ElectNYC platform offers voters a thorough look into the people seeking to represent them in every part of city government. DemocracyNYC is proud to promote this valuable tool as a resource for voters citywide,” said Laura Wood, Senior Advisor and General Counsel, DemocracyNYC.
“ElectNYC.org is a vital resource for New Yorkers looking to make informed decisions at the polls. We applaud Citizens Union Foundation for the countless hours of work their staff put into building a stronger democracy. This is just the kind of initiative New York needs,” said Tom Speaker, Policy Analyst, Reinvent Albany.
“In the months of voter outreach and education we’ve done around Ranked Choice Voting, one of the most common questions we are asked is, ‘Where can I learn more about who is running?’ We now have an answer: ElectNYC.org. It is an in-depth, nonpartisan platform about who will be on the ballots in June and is a very welcome resource,” said Julie Kerr, Executive Committee Member, Brooklyn Voters Alliance.
ElectNYC has been made possible through funding from The Ford Foundation, The Klingenstein Family Foundation, The Agnes Gund Foundation, Gail Erickson, Standard Industries, Stephen J. Meringoff and more.
To learn more, visit ElectNYC.org. For updates, follow ElectNYC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For follow up, please contact Jake Oliver at Anat Gerstein, Inc. at
jake@anatgerstein.com or 347-361-9983
About Citizens Union
For 120 years, Citizens Union has been a force for transparency, accountability and ethics in New York’s City and State governments. A nonpartisan organization, some of our current initiatives include increased voter participation and civic engagement, greater police accountability, and an accurate 2020 census. Learn more at www.citizensunion.org.
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