Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Catherine Du from Fridays for Future NYC against jungle primaries
3:06:42
·
3 min
Catherine Du, a rising high school freshman volunteering with Fridays for Future and the Sunrise Movement, testifies in opposition to the proposed "jungle primaries."
She argues that the system is a "betrayal to the youth" because it would eliminate choices and favor money over the people-powered organizing that drives youth engagement.
She believes the system would dismantle the power that grassroots groups have built and lead to elected officials who do not truly represent the people.
- Du argues that jungle primaries would reduce voter choice, especially for young people and independents.
- She believes that people-powered organizing by unions and grassroots groups is what truly drives voter turnout.
- She sees the proposal as an attempt to dismantle the power that has been built within political parties by these groups.
- She invokes the founding principles of American democracy, arguing that the proposal would lead to a system that favors billionaires over the people.
Catherine Du
3:06:42
Good evening.
3:06:43
My name is Catherine, and I volunteer with Fridays for Future New York City and the Sunrise Movement.
3:06:47
I'm a rising freshman at Hunter College High School in the Upper East Side, and I have presided Queens.
3:06:51
I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to testify at 8PM at night and I'm in opposition to the proposed general primaries.
3:06:57
Jungle primaries are a betrayal to the youth of New York City, the future of New York.
3:07:01
Youth can no longer vote for their candidate of choice if the rest of their district overwhelmingly supports one party.
3:07:06
Independents are at risk of being flooded out of the chance of having office.
3:07:10
Youth may have a lower rate of being registered with a party, and jungle primaries would eliminate choices of voters rather than giving all voters an opportunity to vote.
3:07:18
If you want to vote in a primary, register with a party.
3:07:21
There is no barrier to that.
3:07:23
There are is a clear importance balance between the final election and the primary election.
3:07:27
The final election is more important because it is the deciding factor.
3:07:31
Right now, youth voter turnout is already low at 47% in 2024 for Tufts University.
3:07:36
It cannot afford to go any lower.
3:07:38
Lower voter turnout means that our elected officials do not truly represent the views of more and more people, especially young people.
3:07:44
Jungle primaries seek to dismantle the party by party power built by grassroots power and through race and class.
3:07:50
Juggle primaries are rejected across the country in New York City.
3:07:53
Political parties are
Richard R. Buery Jr.
3:07:54
I'm sorry.
3:07:54
I'm sorry.
3:07:55
If you could slow down we're trying to transcribe, so it's hard.
3:07:58
If you could try to slow down a little bit, I'd appreciate it.
3:08:01
I'm not I'm so serious because I wanna make sure that we're actually hearing the testimony, and I really appreciate you being here and sharing with us.
3:08:06
So it means a lot to us, but I wanna make sure we can actually follow.
3:08:10
Well, thank you.
3:08:11
Appreciate it.
Catherine Du
3:08:12
Okay.
3:08:13
I'll start from jungle primaries seek to dismantle the party by party power built by grassroots power and through race and class.
3:08:21
Jungle primaries are rejected by the popular vote.
3:08:24
Political parties are important signifiers of values and stances, and eliminating that eliminates, would eliminate and limiting that, sorry, favor money over organization.
3:08:37
What does what drives voter turnout?
3:08:40
People power.
3:08:41
Unions, grassroot organizations, and communities.
3:08:43
This is what jungle primaries seek to oppress when they dismantle all the historical power built up by people within political parties.
3:08:50
Elections are the central tenet of democracy.
3:08:52
What have I been taught in school in a curriculum funded and curated by New York City?
3:08:55
What was America founded on?
3:08:57
Why did our founding fathers decide to massacre the indigenous peoples of America?
3:09:00
Why did they fight a war with Great Britain?
3:09:03
America is meant to be committed to individual liberty and self governance, not to billionaires, not to oligarchy, not to authoritarianism, not dictatorship, and not monarchy.
3:09:12
Look in the constitution.
3:09:13
In America, the elected representatives represent and act on behalf of the people.
3:09:19
New York has always been on the forefront at forward thinking and solution oriented revolution.
3:09:23
This position is at stake with jungle primaries being pub opposed.
3:09:27
Democracy is in danger.
3:09:29
Just read the headlines of what Trump and billionaires are doing and revisit the authoritarianism handbook.
3:09:35
Messing around with our primaries undermines the charter commission's book goals and, marks many steps back.
3:09:42
Low to no border turnout, billionaire buyouts, elected officials that do not represent the sentiment of most people, constitutional destruction, and racial injustice are what is on the line.
3:09:51
These may be good in theory but have failed in all six states where they have been tested.