August 17th, 2022 2 Minute Read Press Release

New Report: Reforming New York City’s Elections

New Yorkers are electrified by competition. So why are local elections so predictable?

NEW YORK, NY – Next week, voters in New York will select congressional candidates in a handful of districts across the city. Although only primaries, the races will likely determine November’s winners, speaking to a sad reality: in the most important municipality in the world’s most influential democracy, general elections routinely fail to sport meaningful competition. What’s more, they come as the city Board of Elections faces ongoing scrutiny over ineptitude and scandal.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A new report for the Manhattan Institute from fellow John Ketcham offers a pathway for urgent reform. In the report, Ketcham diagnoses the most significant problems with the city’s electoral system and makes timely recommendations for improvement.

  • Reforming the Board of Elections
  • Shifting elections on-cycle
  • Including endorsements on the ballot
  • Abolishing the Offices of Public Advocate and Borough President
  • Implementing Final Five Voting (FFV) or reintroducing Proportional Representation (PR)

Underlying Ketcham's report is a vision of reinvigorating local democracy by encouraging broad participation, democratic deliberation, and robust political competition. Such improvements could increase competition in local elections, driving a renaissance of policy innovation and responsiveness among the city’s representatives.

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