Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Diane Stiles, Director of All Stars Project of New York, in support of open primaries
0:28:40
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83 sec
Diane Stiles, Director of the All Stars Project of New York and a long-time independent voter, testifies in support of an open primary system.
She finds it incomprehensible that over a million New Yorkers, including herself, cannot vote in taxpayer-funded primaries due to their independent status.
Stiles argues that independent voters are unable to fully participate in the electoral process and are left to choose between general election candidates they had no hand in selecting.
- She notes that over 43% of the national electorate are independents and hopes the commission will address this inequity.
Diane Stiles
0:28:40
Good evening.
0:28:41
My name is Diane Stiles.
0:28:43
I'm the director of the All Stars Project of New York, a national nonprofit that creates developmental opportunities for young people from some of our poorest communities.
0:28:54
I'm a native Staten Islander, who now lives in Chelsea, and I've been an independent voter since I began voting in 1976.
0:29:03
So I'm here tonight in support of an open primary system.
0:29:08
I find it somewhat incomprehensible that I and over a million other New Yorkers can't vote in taxpayer funded primaries by virtue of being an independent.
0:29:22
We're not able to fully participate in our electoral process, but instead have to choose between candidates in the general election that we have had no hand in getting there.
0:29:36
Over 43% of the national electorate are independents, not aligned with either of the two major parties.
0:29:42
Many others register in one party or another simply to have the opportunity to vote in primaries.
0:29:49
So I hope the commission will grapple with and address the inequity built into our current process and instead create a more inclusive one in line with the changing nature of voters and our interests.
0:30:03
Thank you.