2022 General Election

Governor Kathy Hochul assumed office under difficult circumstances that included a government in disarray and a resurgence of the covid pandemic . One of her first promises was to “change the culture of Albany,” and she indeed brought in a new style of governing that was sorely needed . Her collaborative and open approach allowed her to build good working relations with the Legislature and New York City Mayor, a rare sight in New York . She assembled an impressive team of dedicated public servants to assist her and has been open to receiving input from all stakeholders.

Hochul’s first plan also included a bold vision to replace the state’s failed ethics watchdog with a new independent body that would not be appointed by elected officials and would work under more effective and transparent rules, which she framed as “blowing up JCOPE .” The reform she passed, a compromise approved in the final stretch of budget negotiations, kept appointment power with elected officials but added a vetting process for appointees, managed by law school deans . While we view it as inadequate, we are hopeful that the new ethics watchdog provides the opportunity to “reset” expectations about state ethics oversight . In her interview with Citizens Union, Hochul was honest about the difficulties in getting reform policies to pass and spoke about the pushback she often receives . She said she believes in incremental progress to build support for the future . “It’s a game of yards,” she said on reform.

Another critical area of reform where she wants to see change is election administration . Hochul said she supports meaningful reforms to the Board of Elections, including reducing the party-based hiring in election boards, implementing open and competitive hiring processes, and amending the constitution to remove the control of parties over election boards . Acknowledging the political challenges around this issue, Hochul said she wants to start with “low-hanging fruit” and work from there . Her commitment to election reforms is evident from the increased funding she provided to the new public campaign finance system, as well as the support she lent for important policies like ten-day voter registration deadline, poll sites on college campuses, and the New York Voting Rights Act.

Although Governor Hochul is more amenable to a reform agenda than some of her predecessors, as an office holder, she has faced a series of questions regarding ethics issues since entering the governor’s mansion . She has raised great sums of money at a record breaking pace from donors with clear financial interests before the state . The latest example is a $637 million contract for Covid tests, which the state awarded to a company owned by a family who donated over $300,000 to the Hochul campaign . California paid about half as much money per test from the same company . Earlier this year she faced criticism for the rushed approval of the Buffalo Bills stadium deal and the appointment of a Lieutenant Governor who was later indicted for corruption . Our primary preference called for the Governor to do more to ensure New Yorkers that she conducts the political affairs of this office in an ethical manner, yet more issues have surfaced since.

The Governor also had a role in approving the gerrymandered redistricting plan that was struck down by the courts . She must now ensure that the redrawing of State Assembly districts, slated to happen next year, remains independent . Moreover, as the state considers the next steps in redistricting reform, the Governor should show the leadership needed to prevent parties from using the process for their advantage, as we saw this year.

New Yorkers are facing a critical moment in American politics . Attacks against basic democratic principles and the rule of law are putting our democracy at risk . Citizens Union believes that Kathy Hochul is best positioned to tackle those problems, and effectuate critically needed changes in how Albany operates . She has shown a willingness and interest to pursue important reforms and demonstrated a better way of governing the state . Citizens Union endorses her for Governor and looks forward to continuing working with her to improve New York’s democracy.

Lee Zeldin has represented Long Island in the U .S . House of Representatives since 2011 . Before that, he served two terms in the New York State Senate, where he chaired the Consumer Protection Committee . Zeldin chose not to participate in Citizens Union’s evaluation of gubernatorial candidates, so we cannot assess his stances on reform issues or otherwise . His platform calls to strengthen New York’s Freedom of Information Law and end the “3 persons in a room approach to governance”, both positive proposals . However, he also suggests the state’s ethics watchdog could be overhauled by maintaining the power of elected officials to appoint ethics commissioners but evenly distribute appointments between the two major parties . This would only hinder independence and effectiveness at the agency.

More important is Zeldin’s role in the growing election disinformation campaign that is threatening American democracy over the past two years . In the aftermath of the 2020 elections, as more unsubstantiated claims about election fraud were being spread, Zeldin offered strategic advice to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows on how to promote reports of voting irregularities and use them to fundraise . Hours after the U .S . Capitol was attacked on January 6, 2021, Zeldin voted against certifying the 2020 election results in two battleground states . He has repeatedly avoided admitting that there was no widespread fraud in that election, going as far as saying that we “will never know” the consequences of policies meant to facilitate voting during the Covid-19 pandemic . During the only debate in this race, he refused to say if he would vote for election certification, if given another chance and considering everything he now knows.

Based on the above, we have decided to endorse Zeldin’s opponent, Kathy Hochul, for New York governor