Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric Bronner, Founder and COO of Veterans for All Voters, supporting open and unified primaries
2:39:22
·
3 min
Eric Brunner, founder of Veterans for All Voters and a lifelong independent voter, urges the commission to refer a fully open and unified primary system to voters.
He highlights that 55% of post-9/11 veterans identify as independent and that over 65,000 independent NYC veterans are currently voiceless in primaries their taxes fund.
Brunner counters arguments that open primaries dilute minority votes by citing St. Louis, Missouri, where an open, unified primary system with approval voting led to the election of the city's first Black woman mayor and a more diverse government.
- He characterizes opposition as attempts by party elites to protect power at the expense of diverse independent voters.
Eric Bronner
2:39:22
Can you hear me okay?
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:39:23
Yes.
Eric Bronner
2:39:25
Great.
2:39:26
Thank you so much.
2:39:27
Thank you for your time.
2:39:28
Thank you for your public service.
2:39:31
My name is Eric Brunner.
2:39:32
I'm a Naval Academy graduate and proud Navy veteran and a lifelong independent voter.
2:39:37
I'm also the founder and COO of Veterans for All Voters.
2:39:41
We're a national nonprofit community of over 5,000 veterans and supporters from across the political spectrum.
2:39:48
We advocate for more open and inclusive election systems.
2:39:52
We've worked on reform campaigns from Maine to Alaska to my hometown and state of St.
2:39:57
Louis, Missouri.
2:39:58
I'm here tonight to urge this commission to refer a fully open and unified primary system to New York City voters this November.
2:40:07
You have the chance to make a dramatic improvement in New York City's democracy.
2:40:13
As one of 55% of post nineeleven veterans who identify as independent, I'm here on behalf of over 65,000 independent New York City veterans who have no voice in the primary elections their taxes paid for and which they fought to defend.
2:40:32
The commission has the power to give these independent veterans a voice.
2:40:37
It's come to my attention that some of our opponents for more open and inclusive election systems talk about the potential to dilute minority votes.
2:40:49
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
2:40:51
In fact, my experience here in St.
2:40:53
Louis, Missouri is just the opposite.
2:40:56
In 2020, I had the privilege of working on a citizen led reform campaign in St.
2:41:01
Louis City to get rid of our antiquated partisan primary election system.
2:41:06
We were addressing the problem of vote splitting, low turnout, and plurality winners.
2:41:11
Proposition D passed with 68% support in November 2020.
2:41:16
We implemented a new open and unified primary system with approval voting and a top two runoff.
2:41:23
This system delivered on its promises for a more diverse and representative government in St.
2:41:29
Louis.
2:41:29
Under this unified primary system, we elected our first Black woman mayor of St.
2:41:35
Louis, the first female president of the Board of Aldermen, and we elected the first all female board of estimate and apportionment.
2:41:44
Party elites and power brokers love to spread disingenuous fear about open primary election systems.
2:41:53
This is a feeble attempt to protect their own power and control at the expense of millions of diverse independent voters who are locked out of close primaries.
2:42:04
There's no justification for treating independent voters like second class citizens anywhere, and especially not independent veterans who not only fought for this country, but fought for the system and the right to vote in their own democracy.
2:42:20
So please keep us in mind when you make this recommendation for the November ballot.
2:42:25
Thank you very much.