Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alex Hackworth, NYC Regional Organizing Director for Unite New York, supporting open primaries
2:47:52
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109 sec
Alex Hackworth from Unite New York advocates for putting open primaries on the ballot. He argues the current closed system excludes over a million diverse voters, weakens democracy, and produces leadership less accountable to the general public. He contends open primaries would increase participation, competition, and lead to more pragmatic solutions by requiring candidates to build broader coalitions.
- Closed primaries exclude over 1 million voters (independents, young people, working class).
- Open primaries increase participation and force broader candidate appeal.
- Argues this leads to more balanced and pragmatic policy solutions.
Alex Hackworth
2:47:52
My name is Alex Hackworth.
2:47:54
I live in Southside Williamsburg.
2:47:55
I can appreciate that it's getting late, so I'll I'll keep this a little brief.
2:47:59
But I I'm the New York City Regional Organizing Director for United York.
2:48:02
We're a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on advancing structural reform here in New York state.
2:48:07
I'm here to urge you to support open primaries.
2:48:12
I believe that democracy bribes when more voices are heard and not fear.
2:48:15
Right now, New York's closing primary system excludes over a million voters, silencing independents, young people, and working class communities who don't fit deeply into a two party system structure.
2:48:25
In a city where elections are often decided in primaries, shutting out these voices weakens our democracy and leads the leadership insulated by party insiders, not accountable to a broader public.
2:48:35
Open primaries would shoot.
2:48:37
They would increase voter participation, foster genuine political competition, and ensure that candidates must appeal to a broad coalition, not just the voice of the most vocal activists.
2:48:48
This reform would give power back to the people, ensuring that our leaders represent all New Yorkers, not just the select few who can participate under the current system.
2:48:56
The stakes I believe are high as they often are in our city.
2:48:59
Every day, New Yorkers face real challenges, affordable housing, public safety, and weakened economic opportunity for our city's most role.
2:49:07
The leaders who make these decisions should be chosen by all of us and not just the fraction of the selector.
2:49:12
Open primaries produce candidates who must build broad based support, leading to balanced pragmatic solutions that work for all of New Yorkers.
2:49:19
This is not a partisan issue in my opinion.
2:49:21
It's an issue of fairness, representation, and not just the city that we that not just the city, but also the democracy that we would like to raise our families.
2:49:30
That's why I urge you to put open primaries on the ballot and let the voters decide.
2:49:34
New Yorkers deserve a system that will work for all of us, not just the political establishment.
2:49:39
So let's open the doors of democracy and give every voter a