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
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.
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.
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 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 8, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union and seven other groups issued the following statement in response to numerous questions about the New York City public matching program since Mayor Eric Adams was indicted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. According to the U.S. Attorney, foreign nationals used straw donors to make illegal campaign contributions to 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
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 25, 204 - Yesterday, the New York City Charter Review Commission issued its preliminary report on potential changes to the City's charter. In response, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York and Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union, issued the following statement about the Commission's process and need to provide greater opportunity for public input
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
June 5, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that the implementation of Congestion Pricing will be delayed:
June 4, 2024 - The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Brooklyn Voters Alliance, Citizens Union, Common Cause/NY, Disabled In Action of Metropolitan NY, Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance (DCPAA), New York Civic Engagement Table, Reinvent Albany, Stand Up America, Village Independent Democrats, and YVote issued the following joint statement in response to a bill introduced in the state legislature yesterday (S9826 Skoufis/A10538 Jacobson) that would move local elections throughout New York State, excluding New York City, to even-numbered years
May 13, 2024 - Our groups, united in our belief that the law creating New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) is constitutional, are concerned that the alarming logic of the recent Appellate Court decision would create an imperial Governor who cannot be held accountable for defying the law – short of impeachment or the ballot box.
March 22, 2024 – Citizens joins the Let NY Vote coalition in a letter urging the Assembly and the Governor to join the Senate in ensuring legislation to establish he elections database and join ERIC remain in the final budget.
February 26, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the news that the Legislature plans to reject the Congressional maps sent to them the by the Independent Redistricting Commission:
January 25, 2024 - Citizens Union released a statement urging the State Legislature to create a viable mechanism for disqualifying candidates under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution. This issue has been raised in a number of states, including Colorado and Maine, that have disqualified former President Donald Trump from appearing on their state’s ballots. The New York State Board of Elections is meeting on February 6th to finalize the state’s ballot for the upcoming presidential primary election.
December 27, 2023 - The bill Governor Hochul has vetoed ran counter to the goals of the landmark program. This decision means the state’s public campaign finance program will continue to amplify the voices of everyday New Yorkers.