Press Release
High Scores for New York on Common Cause’s 2024 Democracy Scorecard
“The 2024 Democracy Scorecard empowers voters with information to hold their leaders in Washington accountable for a government that works for all.”
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“It empowers voters,” said Susan Lerner, head of the good government group Common Cause. “We want more voter choice.”
Common Cause has found that among city primary races with three or more candidates, two thirds are decided without a majority vote. “You don’t have to vote for the lesser of two evils. You don’t have to be concerned about splitting the vote,” Lerner said. If the system is implemented, the city will no longer hold physical runoff elections, which often cost millions and have low turnout. Other cities,...
Common Cause has found that among city primary races with three or more candidates, two thirds are decided without a majority vote. “You don’t have to vote for the lesser of two evils. You don’t have to be concerned about splitting the vote,” Lerner said. If the system is implemented, the city will no longer hold physical runoff elections, which often cost millions and have low turnout. Other cities,...
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“So then the question is how to handle it. Is it appropriate to give an additional vacation or personal comp time day in order to balance that out,” said Susan co, executive director of the government watchdog Common Cause New York, in an interview.
“That’s a collective bargaining question, which so far it is my understanding the city has not taken up with the unions,” she added.
“That’s a collective bargaining question, which so far it is my understanding the city has not taken up with the unions,” she added.
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And de Blasio narrowly avoided indictment in an influence-peddling scandal in 2017 that was tied to his fundraising for a nonprofit controlled by his allies, the Campaign for One New York.
“He keeps taking the wrong lessons from these reprimands — that he can get away with things, rather than stop doing them,” Susan Lerner, the longtime head of the New York chapter of the left-leaning good government group Common Cause, told The Post in August as the news of the HTC hotel permit shift broke.
“It’s deeply upsetting and...
“He keeps taking the wrong lessons from these reprimands — that he can get away with things, rather than stop doing them,” Susan Lerner, the longtime head of the New York chapter of the left-leaning good government group Common Cause, told The Post in August as the news of the HTC hotel permit shift broke.
“It’s deeply upsetting and...
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Shockingly few candidates for city office won more than 50% of the vote in the last three election cycles, according to research cited by Common Cause/NY. “A mere 36% of multi-candidate primaries were won with more than 50% of the vote during the last three election cycles. Worse, still, 29.8% of multi-candidate primaries were won with less than 40%,” according to a Common Cause/NY primer.
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The contributions and interactions between Exact Capital's principals, their relatives and the councilman left good-government groups aghast. "It appears to be a deliberate attempt to subvert the ethics and intent of our campaign finance law," said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY. Lerner reiterated her group's longstanding calls for a public disclosure of charitable contributions made at an elected official's request, and suggested the city tighten its law restricting contributions from interested parties so relatives are...
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Some groups offered slight differences in their recommendations. Reinvent Albany suggested limiting matching funds to small donations only, rather than matching, for example, the first $200 of a much larger donation. The Brennan Center proposed having a higher matching rate for in-district donations to encourage candidates to solicit more money from their constituents. And Common Cause emphasized the need to impose a sensible cap on public funds – the maximum amount of money a candidate could receive from the state.
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“Every step along the way the board makes bad choices and they are never held accountable for it,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of good government group Common Cause New York, in testimony at the City Council oversight hearing on last year’s elections.
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“For almost three years, Common Cause/NY has said Keith Wright can either be party chairman or a lobbyist but he can’t have it both ways,” Susan Lerner, executive director of the group said. “The opportunities to wield his political position for personal enrichment, or use his position to advance a client’s agenda present a clear conflict of interest.”
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“This proposed public financing commission is a ploy to remove power from the Legislature, by delegating the authority of our duly elected representatives to a mystery commission,” said Susan Lerner of Common Cause NY. The good-government group opposes the short timetable for such potentially drastic change, but welcomes the public hearings to address a decades-old pressing need.
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In response to the ruling, the good government group Common Cause New York tweeted that a "raise without a ban on outside income is unacceptable."
"Lawmakers deserve a raise, and New Yorkers deserve elected officials who work only for them," Common Cause NY wrote.
"Lawmakers deserve a raise, and New Yorkers deserve elected officials who work only for them," Common Cause NY wrote.
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“Early voting in New York will be a game changer for millions of New Yorkers, but only if it’s set up correctly. Suffolk County needs more voting sites and centers in places that are easily accessible for voters — not just those that have access to a car. The clock is ticking, Suffolk County BOE, time to get it right,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY.
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“At a minimum, it creates the appearance of impropriety and illegality,” said Susan Lerner, the head of good government group Common Cause. “The mayor keeps setting up situations that beg for a pay-to-play interpretation.”