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…
Citizens Union Applauds the Charter Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy for Embracing Key Accountability Reforms in New Report
June 6, 2025 - Citizens Union today issued the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh in response to the updated recommendations released by the NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy
Citizens Union Applauds Federal Decision to Appoint Independent Leadership at Rikers
May 13, 2025 – Citizens Union has released the following statement from Director of Public Policy Ben Weinberg in response to judge Laura Taylor Swain ordering an independent outside official take control of Rikers Island from the City of New York
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:
Citizens Union Statement on Dismissal of Charges Against Mayor Adams
April 2, 2025 - Citizens Union today released the following statement from Chairman John Avlon in response to dismissal of corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams
Citizens Union Applauds Passage of City Council Resolution Urging State to Reform Charter Revision Process
March 12, 2025 - Citizens Union issued the following statement on the City Council’s passage of Reso. 740-2025 (Restler), which urges the State Legislature to pass S590 (Krueger)/A3665 (Simone), state legislation that would prevent mayors from blocking ballot questions by establishing their own charter revision commission and requiring minimum timeframes for charter commissions
Citizens Union: Eric Adams Should No Longer Be Mayor of New York City
February 19, 2025) - Mayor Eric Adams should resign from his office. His choices and actions over a sustained period of time have led to levels of ethical misconduct in City Hall unseen in decades. This has created a crisis of confidence in his ability to lead the government of our nation’s largest city and has led to the resignation of more than half of his current deputy mayors. Serious ethical lapses by the Mayor, and an absence of stability in any one of these roles, let alone all of them, threaten to undermine policymaking and the delivery of essential public services citywide.
Groups Applaud Court of Appeals Decision Upholding State Ethics Commission
February 18, 2025 - Watchdog and legal groups applauded today’s thoroughly-researched and argued decision by the NYS Court of Appeals that solidifies the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG). This victory for state ethics oversight will help ensure that the governor does not have undue control over the very body that ensures their conduct is ethical
Statement from Citizens Union on Former Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon’s Resignation and Allegations Against Mayor Adams
February 14, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon in response to the resignation of former Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon and her letter detailing allegations against Mayor Eric Adams
Statement from Citizens Union on FEMA’s Seizure of NYC Funds
Feburary 12, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) unilateral seizure of $80.5 million from New York City’s bank accounts
Statement from Citizens Union on DOJ Directive Dropping Charges Against Mayor Adams
February 10, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum and Board Chair John Avlon in response to the directive from the Acting Deputy Attorney General to the Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York to dismiss the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
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.
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
Statement from Citizens Union in Response to Resignation of NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey
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
Statement from Citizens Union on Mayor Adams’ Announcement of a New Charter Revision Commission
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
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.
Statement from Citizens Union on New York Voters Passing Proposition 1, Citywide Ballot Questions 2-5 and Rejecting Proposition 6
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
Citizens Union Response to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’s Proposed Legislation Creating a New Charter Revision Commission
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
Citizens Union Announces Positions on 2024 Ballot Questions
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
Citizens Union Responds to Onondaga Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down Law Aligning Local Elections with Even-Numbered Years
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
Group Statement on NYC Campaign Finance Following the Indictment of Mayor Eric Adams
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.
Citizens Union Responds to the Resignation of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban
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
Citizens Union Applauds Court of Appeals Ruling Upholding Early Mail Ballot Law
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: