On Super Tuesday, the race is competitive. Delegates are up for grabs. The country is watching.
New York is one of the largest & most diverse states in the nation. Our voices should help shape the outcome.
By April, the nomination is often effectively locked up.
Campaigns pull resources. Organizing slows. Media attention fades.
And when attention fades — turnout drops.
NYers deserve a REAL say in who becomes a party’s nominee for President.
Today we stood with @jamesskoufis.bsky.social, @landondais4ny.bsky.social, Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda @justinsanchez17.bsky.social & @commoncauseny.bsky.social to support moving NY’s presidential primary to #SuperTuesday. 🗳️
The Mayor’s communications must follow the law.
Our Executive Director Grace Rauh told Politico's @c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social: “City leaders must be deliberate about how they communicate...The rules exist to protect the public.”
Read more 👇 www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
NY’s courts are overwhelmed. We joined @citizensunionny.bsky.social Common Cause NY and Scrutinize to support the Uncap Justice Act and Timely Justice Act to modernize judicial staffing with transparency, data, and accountability. Time to fix the system. ⚖️ buff.ly/qaphcAo
Voters need certainty—and fast.
Our Executive Director Grace Rauh warns that delayed decisions and a split primary could lead to lower turnout and unnecessary confusion. With petitioning starting in late February, speed is of the essence.
The Trump admin's unilateral pause on offshore wind is bad governance and bad policy. Read the response from Grace Rauh and @johnavlon.bsky.social
After you read @nickgarber.bsky.social's reporting in @crainsnewyork.bsky.social check out our full report here 👇
citizensunion.org/document/202...
This is exactly why Citizens Union raised concerns about pass-through PACs like Put NYC First in our post-election report.
These structures may be legal, but they weaken transparency and accountability in NYC elections. It’s time to close the loopholes.
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...
NYC families are juggling impossible costs & too few options. Providers are strained, the workforce is underpaid & demand keeps rising. This mayoral transition is a real opportunity to build a child care system that finally works for families, providers & employers across NYC.
Through the 5Boro Institute at Citizens Union, Grace has been a leading voice on NYC’s child care crisis and a champion for policies that make care more affordable and accessible. More than 80% of NYC families can’t afford care at today’s prices. That must change.
Big news: Grace Rauh, our Exec Dir tapped to serve on Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social 's Transition Committee on Youth and Education. Child care is economic infrastructure & we’re proud to help shape this pivotal moment to strengthen NYC’s childcare system for working families.
Restoring trust in NYC gov starts with real ethics & accountability reform. We're encouraged the NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy is advancing measures including a long-overdue process to remove a mayor for misconduct & guaranteed funding for oversight agencies. Full statement 👇
Want the Weekly Watchdog delivered to your inbox every Friday? 📨 subscribe! citizensunion.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
The Watchdog never sleeps. After the election, NYC politics is still barking with news:
💸 Super PAC loopholes exposed
🚔 NYPD oversight shake-up
🗳️ Agencies flunk voter registration law
🏛️ Mamdani names top staff
📊 Who showed up at the polls
mailchi.mp/citizensunio...
The 2025 election cycle may be over — but NYC politics is just getting started.
👔 Who joins Mayor-elect Mamdani’s team?
🚔 Will Tisch stay NYPD Commissioner?
🏛️ Council Speaker race heats up
📊 Even-year elections fall short (for now)
Catch it all in this week’s Watchdog: mailchi.mp/citizensunio...
Congratulations to Kayla Santosuosso on her election to represent Brooklyn’s Council District 47!
We’re proud to have endorsed her and look forward to working together to advance transparency, accountability, and reform in NYC.
A historic moment for NYC democracy: voter turnout reached its highest level in 50+ years!
We applaud the voters & poll workers who made it happen. Strong participation is progress & together we will keep building a democracy that works for everyone
gothamist.com/news/voter-t...
Citizens Union will continue fighting for election reforms that:
✅ Increase turnout
✅ Close participation gaps
✅ Strengthen NYC’s democracy
As we have for more than a century.
Learn more at: citizensunion.org/fair-and-ope...
#DemocracyForAll #NYCVotes
But we must not assume this is the new normal. Sustaining civic energy means:
🗳️ Investing in voter education
🤝 Expanding civic engagement
⚖️ Supporting pro-voter reforms like open primaries
Even so, this year’s municipal election saw encouraging levels of participation — over 2 million New Yorkers voted, representing about 40% turnout, the most ballots cast for mayor in half a century. That’s worth celebrating.
This reform sought to reverse decades of declining voter turnout.
NYC’s 2021 mayoral election saw just 23% turnout — the lowest in modern history. Aligning city elections with presidential years would have changed that.
Supported by a broad coalition of civic, community, and voting rights organizations, #Prop6 aimed to strengthen local democracy by increasing participation—especially among young people and voters of color.
We’re deeply disappointed that Ballot Proposal 6 did not pass.
This reform would have moved NYC’s local elections to presidential years—when turnout is highest—giving millions more New Yorkers a voice in choosing who governs our city.
Full statement:
It’s #ElectionDay! 🗳️
Our Executive Director @gracerauh joins @PIX11News tonight from 8–11:30 PM with @DanMannarino for in-depth election coverage — breaking down key races, early results, and what they mean for New York’s political landscape.
On PIX11 Politics Daily, our Exec Director busts a major myth about #BallotQuestion6: More voters = more visibility for local issues.
When elections align with national contests, turnout soars — and NYC’s local races finally get the attention they deserve. 🗳️ pix11.com/news/politic...
This year’s celebration was especially meaningful — it marked Executive Director Grace Rauh's first at the helm of Citizens Union and the first for @johnavlon.bsky.social as Board Chairman.
A night of firsts, and a night to remember.
Each fall, we honor the New Yorkers whose leadership makes our city stronger: the Gotham Greats.
This year, we were proud to celebrate 4 great New Yorkers: Eric Gertler, Rose Gill, Betsy Gotbaum, and Dawn L. Smalls. And we gave journalist Michael Daly our Searchlight award.
Our Exec Director, Grace Rauh, joined the #JuanManuelBenítezWantstoKnow podcast with @juanmabenitez.bsky.social to discuss how a YES vote on Ballot Proposal 6 would increase voter turnout, provide greater representation, & strengthen democracy.
🎧 Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/4o8A...