We hit a major milestone this month in the fight to strengthen our local democracy.
After years of advocacy, research, and public testimony, the city took a huge step to boost
participation in our low-turnout local elections. The 2025 Charter Revision Commission voted to put a transformative measure on the November ballot and ask New Yorkers to support holding our local elections at the same time as presidential contests to increase voter engagement. We’re urging New Yorkers to vote YES on the ballot proposal to move city elections to presidential election years, when voter turnout is consistently and significantly higher than in our local elections.
We commend the Commission for listening to the voices of experts, advocates, and New Yorkers, and we thank Chair Richard Buery, the commissioners, and Executive Director Alec Schierenbeck for conducting a thoughtful and transparent process with significant public input.
At Citizens Union, we’ve long believed that city elections should work for voters — not against them. With this ballot proposal, we’re closer than ever to that goal.
At the same time, we were deeply disappointed that the Commission decided not to advance a ballot measure that would have allowed open primaries. We will continue our effort to reform our closed partisan primary system, as it shuts out more than one million voters from important local elections.
The road to a stronger democracy is long, but we’re moving forward together. Thank you for your support!
Best,
Grace Rauh
Executive Director, Citizens Union/Citizens Union Foundation
5BORO Institute at Citizens Union
POLICY UPDATES
Charting the Course: Even Years on the Ballot
On July 21, the 2025 Charter Revision Commission formally voted to place a proposal to move our city elections to presidential years on the November ballot. If approved, this measure will boost turnout, deliver a more diverse electorate, and save millions in election costs. The change emerged as one of the most popular reforms before the 2025 Charter Revision Commission, garnering broad support from civic and community groups, editorial boards, and elected officials.
Watch Grace Rauh break down the Commission’s work on PIX on Politics.
Advancing Accountability: Allegations of Corruption in the NYPD
Amid troubling allegations of corruption in the NYPD, we were encouraged to see the City Council take a vital step to strengthen police oversight. The chamber passed Councilmember Gale Brewer’s legislation mandating stronger transparency and accountability measures within the Office of the Inspector General, exposing stonewalling that has too often gone unchallenged.
The legislation was passed on the heels of civil lawsuits filed by high-ranking former police chiefs alleging corruption, cronyism, and retaliation at the highest levels of the NYPD. Citizens Union called for the Department of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General to investigate, because the public deserves to know the truth.
Read our statement on the Council police oversight legislation.
Read our statement on the allegations of corruption.
Gotham Greats: You’re Invited!
Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, October 22nd, Citizens Union will gather with friends for our annual Gotham Greats celebration at the NYC Bar Association. We’ll be celebrating 128 years of good government advocacy and honoring four great civic leaders:
● Eric Gertler, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. News & World Report
● Rose Gill, Principal Bloomberg Associates, and former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation
● Dawn L. Smalls, Partner Jenner & Block, and Member of the New York City Campaign Finance Board
● Betsy Gotbaum, former Executive Director of Citizens Union and former New York City Public Advocate.
Congratulations to the Gotham Greats, and we hope to see you there!
Get your tickets today or join the host committee.
CU IN THE NEWS
PIX on Politics Daily
Charter reforms on NYC Ballot
July 23, 2025
Independent Voter News
5 Influential Forces that Threaten the Success of Open Primaries
July 23, 2025
PIX11 News
NYC voters will decide on even-year elections in November
July 21, 2025
New York Daily News
Opinion: Independent voters in NYC must count
July 21, 2025
Manhattan Institute
The Bigger Apple: Affordable Housing Math (in “Open Primaries To All Voters?” section)
July 11, 2025
Generocity.com
Does low voter turnout in Philadelphia highlight a need for reform?
July 9, 2025
New York Daily News
Editorial Opinion: Expand voting to all New Yorkers: Charter Revision Commission must approve nonpartisan elections
July 7, 2025
New York Daily News
Opinion: Open primaries will aid local democracy
July 7, 2025
Vital City
Opinion: New York’s Primary and the Power of Better Elections
July 2, 2025
Gothamist
Electing NYC mayor and U.S. president in the same year? It may be on the ballot this Nov.
July 1, 2025
WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Gothamist
How did New Yorkers rank their mayoral candidates? The data is in.
July 24, 2025
City & State
Whatever happened to those ‘guardrails’ for Eric Adams?
July 8, 2025
New York Daily News
Ex-NYPD chiefs sue Mayor Adams, top aides over alleged favoritism, corruption in department
July 8, 2025