Covering the politics, policies and people of New York State government.
The New York Public Interest Research Group — New York’s largest student-run watchdog group — unveiled a new report detailing the significant role that campaign contributions play in electing state legislators. According to the report, the majority of campaign contributions for state legislators still come from a small handful […]
There are some things that I really don’t understand about politics, despite the fact that I have been studying the subject my whole life. I mean, on the face of it, it’s pretty obvious. It’s all for sale. Politics is a candy store. When I asked Andrew Cuomo why people […]
Election reformers are seeing mixed results in the new state budget passed this week. On one hand, New Yorkers will now be able to vote before Election Day, register to vote online, and polls will open earlier for upstate primaries. Additionally, employers will be required to give all workers three […]
With the start of the new fiscal year coming on Monday, campaign finance reformers made a last push for smaller campaign contribution limits and publicly funded campaigns during a rally outside the governor’s office in the Capitol on Thursday. About 40 members of the Fair Elections coalition — led by […]
A group pushing for campaign financing reform is planning a rally in the Capitol this coming Monday to pressure lawmakers who appear to be backing away from earlier proposals to fund some elections with public matching funds. Even though the Assembly Democratic Conference — the largest in the state […]
With a new Legislature about to be seated in Albany, a coalition of more than 90 groups is asking the governor and lawmakers to reform the state’s voting laws this coming session. The Fair Elections of New York campaign sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and all 213 members […]
The New York State Senate Democratic Conference is sponsoring eight bills they say will bring about stronger campaign finance regulations. A 2015 study by the Center for Public Integrity graded New York a D- in a state integrity investigation and ranked New York 31st in the nation for public accountability. […]