Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cleo Acevedo, Community Organizer for Citizen Action New York, opposing jungle primaries
2:27:22
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3 min
Cleo Acevedo, a Bronx resident and community organizer for Citizen Action New York, testifies in strong opposition to jungle primaries or nonpartisan primary elections.
She argues that such systems are not a solution to low voter turnout and would undermine community organizing within parties, particularly for communities of color, by favoring candidates with wealth and name recognition over grassroots leaders. Acevedo contends that political parties are voluntary associations and choosing not to join a party means choosing not to participate in its internal decisions, which is not disenfranchisement but a consequence of personal choice.
- Opposes jungle/nonpartisan primaries, arguing they don't solve low turnout and weaken community organizing within parties.
- Believes these systems favor wealthy candidates over grassroots leaders, especially from communities of color.
- States that choosing not to join a party is a personal choice with the consequence of not participating in that party's internal decision-making (primaries).
- Advocates for even-year elections and continued funding for public finance campaign reforms to increase voter turnout and support diverse candidates.
Cleo Acevedo
2:27:22
Good evening, commissioners.
2:27:24
My name is Cleo Acevedo.
2:27:25
I am a proud resident of the Bronx, and, actually, I live in this district.
2:27:31
I am a 20 year old, New York City community organizer for Citizen Action New York.
2:27:37
And I am here to talk about the election reforms that you guys are thinking and talking about.
2:27:45
I am here to strongly oppose adopting jungle primaries or non partisan primary elections in New York City.
2:27:51
We've heard the argument that unaffiliated voters, those who choose not to enroll in political parties, are being excluded from the current system, but that is not the problem here that requires dismantling party primaries.
2:28:04
It is a feature of representative party based democracy, not of law.
2:28:09
Political parties are voluntary associations of people who have the same values and shared missions.
2:28:15
It's just like a lot of the members of my organization.
2:28:17
They joined to this in action because they believe in our mission and our vision to improve New York State and make it equitable and affordable for everyone.
2:28:25
Primaries are not general elections.
2:28:27
Primaries exist so party members can choose who they who they want to represent them in general elections.
2:28:32
If someone chooses not to join a party, they are choosing not to participate in that party's internal decision making.
2:28:39
That's not exclusion or disenfranchise, and it's a consequence of personal choice.
2:28:43
Let's not pretend that this is a justice issue when, in fact, it is a matter of political preference.
2:28:48
Allowing nonpartisan jungle primaries would weaken the ability of communities of color to build power through collective organizing within parties.
2:28:56
Groups like labor unions, tenant organizations, parent advocates, and civil rights organizations often engage the electoral process through party structures.
2:29:05
Usually around this time of the year, I would be doing get out the vote or civic engagement by registering people to vote.
2:29:12
That's how we elect champions for our own communities.
2:29:15
We don't want to elect just people with money or name recognition, which is what we would be doing by introducing jungle primaries.
2:29:22
Because with jungle primaries, more people with more money who are not representing our communities and not representing the color of our community's skin are running for these elections and actually get more notoriety because the more money you have, the more you're able to put yourself out there, which is why and if you actually wanna increase voter turnout, we actually switch to an even year.
2:29:46
Right?
2:29:46
And we also continue to fund programs like the public finance campaign reform, where we have more black and brown folks running on grassroots elections, where we have more community members whose dollars make more impact than corporations.
2:30:02
Now the argument is usually the jungle power men often use the language of fairness, but the reality is that the system disempowers organized communities in favor of individualism and wealth driven campaigning.
2:30:12
It's a flat difference instead of recognizing power diverse coalitions and movements.
2:30:17
In city like San Francisco and Los Angeles, who we've seen how nonpartisan primaries have made it harder for working class candidates, candidates of color, and grassroots leaders to compete in their elections and actually have lowered voter turnout.