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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ben Weinberg from Citizens Union on even-year elections and a mayoral removal process
2:03:44
·
3 min
Ben Weinberg from Citizens Union reiterates support for moving city elections to even-numbered years, presenting polling data showing strong, cross-partisan voter approval locally and nationally, and highlighting the success of similar ballot measures in other cities.
He then details Citizens Union's new proposal for a mayoral removal process triggered only by severe misconduct, involving high supermajority council votes (70% to initiate, 80% to recommend after a hearing) followed by a final decision by voters in a special removal election, aiming for accountability while preventing partisan abuse and prolonged disruption.
- Even-year elections poll strongly with NYC, NYS, and US voters across party lines.
- Similar ballot measures passed 36 out of 37 times in other US cities recently.
- Proposes a hybrid mayoral removal process: Council investigates/recommends (with high thresholds), voters decide.
- Process triggered only by misconduct, includes due process hearing, capped at 67 days.
- Also advocates reforming the governor's currently broad power to remove mayors.
Ben Weinberg
2:03:44
Hello.
2:03:45
Can you hear me and see me?
2:03:47
Yes.
2:03:48
Great.
2:03:49
Can I begin?
2:03:50
Please.
2:03:51
Wonderful.
2:03:53
Good evening, commissioners.
2:03:54
My name is Ben Weinberg.
2:03:56
I'm the policy director for Citizens Union.
2:03:59
I apologize for not being able to be with you in person tonight, but I want to expand tonight on two key issues that we've mentioned in the last government reform hearing.
2:04:10
First is moving city elections to even years, and the second is creating a process for mayoral removal over misconduct.
2:04:18
So on even year elections in February, we presented the benefits and merits of this proposal.
2:04:25
But as the commission considers questions to place on the ballot, we wanted to speak about the popularity of this reform among voters.
2:04:33
After the state moved county elections to even years in 2023, a CNN poll found that it was the most popular policy of the end of that session supported by two to one voters statewide with the highest support coming from New York City voters.
2:04:47
A 2024 survey of city voters on this specific question showed an area of three to one support, and that was across age, race, and party lines, importantly.
2:04:58
And nationally and in other states, we see the same surveys again and again and again.
2:05:02
There is a survey that shows 70% of Americans support aligning local and federal elections.
2:05:08
So it's not surprising that in the last decade, this question was on the ballot 37 times in different cities across The United States, and it passed 36 of those times and with pretty overwhelming majority, 70%, sixty plus percent.
2:05:24
At the state level, it passed it was approved, sorry, by blue, red, and purple legislators.
2:05:30
So the message from voters here is clear.
2:05:32
They do approve this change.
2:05:35
The main thing I I wanna talk about today is on the mayor removal proposal.
2:05:40
So at the last hearing, we committed to, coming back to you with a more detailed proposal on how to, remove a mayor in severe cases of misconduct.
2:05:51
Today, Citizens Union released a report laying out such process that we believe would ensure accountability, avoid partisan abuse, and pro prevent prolonged disruptions.
2:06:02
So our proposal is for a locally controlled hybrid two step system.
2:06:07
It begins with the city council and ends with the voters.
2:06:10
The way it works is that the council could vote to bring charges against the mayor in a 70 supermajority vote, only for miss Codnock, not for political disagreements.
2:06:21
The mayor would then have full public hearing with legal representation, evidence, and witnesses.
2:06:28
At the end of that thirty day hearing, the council would be required to vote and and get a higher supermajority, 80% of the council, to vote to approve these charges and recommend removal.
2:06:40
The final decision would then go to the voters at what we call a special removal election.
2:06:45
So this process is intended to be rare and fair.
2:06:50
It's based on our analysis of dozens of removal systems around the, country and why they are applicable or not to New York City, and the entire timeline would be capped at sixty seven days to prevent extended disruption.
2:07:06
Finally, I will say and this is beyond the commission's jurisdiction, but our reports, I do wanna note, also recommends reforms to the governor's power, kinda unchecked power today, to remove mayors, and we propose limiting this authority to misconduct, having, due process and a specific timeline.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:07:23
Thank you.