Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Deborah Green, Member of the Public, advocating for open primaries to broaden voter participation
2:24:51
·
3 min
Deborah Green, a Queens resident and long-time independent political activist, testifies in favor of open primaries.
She shares that she switched her registration to Democrat about ten years ago solely to have a voice in primary elections.
Green cites a Manhattan Institute poll indicating that 23% of polled Democrats changed their registration for the same reason.
- She argues that any system excluding over a million NYC voters cannot be truly democratic and that closed primaries force candidates to narrow their appeal, depressing turnout and favoring special interests.
- Noting the nationwide increase in independent voters, she urges the commission not to miss the chance to allow all registered voters to participate.
Deborah Green
2:24:51
My name is Deborah Green.
2:24:52
I live in Queens.
2:24:53
I moved here fifty five years ago as a student to go to college in New York.
2:24:59
I'm testifying in favor of open primaries.
2:25:04
I've been an independent activist political activist for many, many years.
2:25:08
I was a lobbyist in Washington who worked for the rights of independent voters and independent parties to have access to our democracy.
2:25:20
However, about ten years ago, I switched to my registration to the Democratic Party.
2:25:29
And I for the sole reason that I wanted to have some voice in who was going to run-in November.
2:25:37
And I enter I came across an interesting poll that was conducted by the Manhattan Institute.
2:25:44
It was a poll of likely voters in the two twenty twenty five New York City mayor election, and they found out that in polling that 23% of the Democrats that they polled and asked this question to said that they had changed their registration to Democratic Party solely to be able to vote in this primary.
2:26:11
So it seems very clear that these partisan elections are a big part of, decreasing the participation of the broadest possible electorate in our in the select number of candidates.
2:26:28
Any system that excludes so many people, I heard tonight someone say over 1,000,000 New York City voters, it cannot really be called a democratic system.
2:26:40
With regard to the issue of polarization, it seems self evident that closed primaries forced candidates to narrow their message to appeal only to those that they think are most likely to vote in the primary.
2:26:56
Usually, they're partisans that they rally every year to come out.
2:27:01
I mean, this depresses turnout.
2:27:03
It favors special interests, and it degrades representation.
2:27:09
More than twenty years ago, a referendum on open primaries was placed on the New York City ballot.
2:27:15
I worked very hard to, get it, elected, and it lost after fierce opposition from major party establishment, which was clearly not disturbed by voter disenfranchisement.
2:27:28
Two decades later, the proportion of independent voters nationwide has increased from 35% to 50%.
2:27:37
50% of voters do not wanna belong to a party.
2:27:42
This is larger than the proportion enjoyed by the two major parties together.
2:27:49
We must not lose the chance to allow all registered New York City voters to participate.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:27:54
Thank you so much for that time.
2:27:56
I apologize.