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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, on election timing, special elections, recall, and citizen assemblies for charter revision
1:52:32
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5 min
Susan Lerner from Common Cause New York recommends caution on changing how NYC votes (e.g., open primaries) until ranked-choice voting has been fully evaluated over two mayoral cycles, but supports consolidating elections to even years. She proposes restricting citywide special elections close to regular elections, advocates for a voter-initiated recall mechanism for citywide officials, and suggests replacing periodic commissions with a large, representative citizen assembly convened every 20 years for comprehensive charter review.
- Recommends evaluating RCV further before changing primary systems.
- Supports even-year elections but wants to restrict timing of special elections.
- Advocates for a voter-initiated recall process for citywide officials.
- Proposes using citizen assemblies for periodic, in-depth charter review instead of appointed commissions.
Susan Lerner
1:52:32
Thank you very much, for the opportunity to speak with you.
1:52:36
And I do not have written remarks at the moment, but I want you to, really divide what I have to say into sort
Dr. Lisette Nieves
1:52:43
of three different categories having to do with
Susan Lerner
1:52:46
public participation.
1:52:48
First is the entire question of how we run.
1:52:53
And I would recommend that there should be increased study or any possible changes to how we increase our elections, but that we really have successfully adopted branch freeze voting and that we should have the benefit of two entire mayoral election cycles with ranked choice voting, a thorough analysis.
1:53:14
I believe it has been successfully adopted.
1:53:18
A thorough analysis of how voters have handled ranked choice voting, what has and has not worked with the extensive education program around ranked choice voting before we really dive into yet another way to change how we vote for our New York City elections.
1:53:36
But we are supportive of the discussion of when we vote, which I think does have, as Ben pointed out, a significant impact on turning.
1:53:47
And that, we believe, should engender two separate ideas.
1:53:53
We join citizen union in our support for consolidating municipal elections to even years, but we also would recommend that we change the provisions having to do with special elections, not as far as city council district elections are concerned, but as far as citywide elections are concerned.
1:54:18
And it's our recommendation that there should be no citywide special election which takes place any closer than sixty days before a state or city primary or general election.
1:54:33
And that is, one, because it's very confusing to the voters, but also because of the cost and the tremendous administrative challenge of running two citywide elections back to back.
1:54:46
Talked with people at the board of elections.
Dr. Lisette Nieves
1:54:48
We were talking back at
Susan Lerner
1:54:50
the envelope estimate, 15 to $20,000,000 for a special election, and we know special elections are the least high turnout of any elections because they are confusing to voters.
1:55:03
So we suggest that there be a revision to the charter, which now talks about the date of the vacancy rather than the date of the actual special election to be sure that we actually are not confusing the voters, not wasting money, and not creating an administrative nightmare.
1:55:23
And I'd like to talk about a way, two ways in which to provide the voters with more responsibility for what's happening in our city.
1:55:32
The first is that I think we should be talking about a recall.
1:55:36
Now I lived through the California recall when I lived in Los Angeles where you had a 15 people who were running to replace Gray Davis, and it was kind of a nightmare.
1:55:47
But the truth of the matter is that a lot of people showed up.
1:55:52
They voted, and the people were the ones who decided whether the executive should stay in office or not.
1:56:00
So while we're struggling, we should be able to recall it.
1:56:03
Should it be the state?
1:56:04
Should it be the city?
1:56:05
There is an obvious answer, which it should be the voters.
1:56:09
And that should be a recall if there is a significant problem with a, citywide elected, and the voters should have the ability to petition and put a recall on the ballot.
1:56:21
The other, I do not want the suggestion to be misinterpreted.
1:56:26
I have great regard for this panel, but it is, the third panel in a year, to look at the charter.
1:56:38
And there is a radically different way to approach charter revisions, and that is to have, impaneled what is called a citizen assembly.
1:56:50
And I will provide some written background on citizen assemblies, but it is a way of convening a longer term, in essence, study group made up of a large number of citizens who are chosen by law, but also to reflect the demographic, and ethnic and economic background of the city.
1:57:13
They are provided with expert background, and they hold a facilitated discussion.
1:57:21
We would recommend that there be an automatic citizen assembly every twenty years.
1:57:29
I would suggest that it be held on a year that ends in seven, that it be empaneled with the resources to be able to consider the entire charter for twelve to eighteen months with the idea that any recommendations would be put on the ballot in the year that ends in '8 for the general election, and that there'd a prohibition on any proposed revisions to the charter for five years after the citizens suggested revisions have been before the voter.
1:58:02
So it was a radically different way to approach it, but one that actually educates residents and has much more direct democracy to it.
1:58:13
So thank you.
1:58:15
Thank you.
1:58:16
Any questions?
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Testimony by Ben Weinberg, Director of Public Policy at Citizens Union, on election reform, mayoral removal, and ethics oversight
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Commissioner Savino, Ben Weinberg, and Susan Lerner discuss even-year elections, open primaries vs. nonpartisan systems, and recall concerns