Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Grace Rauh, Executive Director of Citizens Union, supporting even-year elections and open primaries
1:54:23
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3 min
Grace Rauh, Executive Director of Citizens Union, urges the commission to advance proposals for even-year elections and open primaries for the November ballot.
She highlights the growing success and acceptance of past reforms like early voting and ranked-choice voting (RCV), arguing they have enhanced democratic participation.
Rauh emphasizes that open primaries would enfranchise over a million currently excluded voters, who are disproportionately younger. Citizens Union supports either a top-two or top-four model.
- Moving to even-year elections would align city contests with higher-turnout cycles, drawing a more diverse electorate.
- She acknowledges these reforms take time but are foundational to a healthy democracy.
Grace Rauh
1:54:23
evening, commissioners.
1:54:26
Thank you for the opportunity to testify tonight.
1:54:29
My name is Grace Rao.
1:54:30
I'm the executive director of Citizens Union.
1:54:33
We work to ensure honest and effective government, fair and open elections, and a civically engaged public.
1:54:39
And I'm struck that this hearing today falls just one day before the primary election, which has shaped up to be one of the most competitive and dynamic municipal contests that we've seen in decades.
1:54:51
Election reform may not be flashy, but it is foundational to a healthy democracy, and we are seeing in real time how benefits from election reforms can grow over time.
1:55:04
I'm here to urge you to advance two election reform proposals under consideration for the November ballot, even year elections, and open primaries.
1:55:14
When early voting was first implemented, critics were focused on how few people used it.
1:55:20
But as we are seeing right now, more than 340,000 New Yorkers have voted early in this election, more than double the number from our last citywide primary.
1:55:30
And that reform has given people more of an opportunity to have a say in this important race.
1:55:36
On ranked choice voting, when that was adopted, some critics said it wouldn't matter.
1:55:41
It wouldn't change campaign dynamics or voter behavior.
1:55:44
And now six years later, we are watching as New Yorkers actively strategize to maximize the impact of their ranked choice ballots.
1:55:52
Campaigns are cross endorsing, and most importantly, we know that voters will have a greater say in the outcome of this election as a result of ranked choice voting.
1:56:02
Even our widely respected public matching funds program, which took decades but has become the backbone of our elections, and today candidates without ties to big money are able to break fundraising records through small donations from everyday New Yorkers.
1:56:17
And the two reforms that this commission is considering putting on the ballot in November are similarly transformative.
1:56:25
First, opening up our closed primary system would give over 1,000,000 voters who are currently shut out of the process a chance to vote in this hugely consequential election.
1:56:36
As others have noted, unaffiliated voters are disproportionately younger, more than a quarter in the city, are under the 30, and we would likely see even more New Yorkers be eligible to join an open primary given the rapid growth that we've seen of unaffiliated voters, especially among younger New Yorkers.
1:56:56
I also wanna note that whether you put forward a top two or a top four model for open primaries, Citizens Union would support either approach.
1:57:07
We feel very strongly that we should no longer exclude this many voters from meaningful participation in our primary elections.
1:57:16
It isn't democratic.
1:57:19
Second, by moving away from the city's off cycle election calendar onto the higher turnout, even year cycle, we would ensure the most important elections for city voters take place when turnout is at its highest.
1:57:32
Instead of city politics being an insider's game, we would draw on a younger, more diverse, and more representative electorate to vote on local issues.
1:57:41
We know that these reforms will take time to implement, and that is okay.
1:57:46
Democracy takes time.
1:57:48
Elections are serious.
1:57:49
Reforms must be thoughtful.
1:57:51
That's why we're so grateful to have charter commissions like yours, independent bodies conducting robust public engagement, with a mandate to think long term about what's best for New York.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
1:58:02
Thank so much.