Ballot Proposals

Earlier this year, the mayor convened a Charter Revision Commission (CRC) to consider changes to the City Charter. The CRC has submitted ballot questions for New York City voters like you to decide. The CRC held public meetings and hearings in order to gather feedback on these measures.

Transcripts of these meetings, as well as the Commission's final report, are available at nyc.gov/charter.

Now it’s your turn to decide how our city’s government should run. Read up on the questions so you can make an informed choice this November.

For each ballot proposal, the Guide includes:

The official text of the question as it will appear on your ballot.

A plain language summary prepared by the CFB based on official abstracts provided by the CRC.

Reasons to vote “yes” and reasons to vote “no” based on statements made by different groups and individuals at CRC public hearings, in the press, and in submissions to the CFB.

Read the full abstracts for the ballot proposals.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the ballot proposals described, particularly those in the campaign finance category, directly affect the CFB’s work. The CFB testified before the Charter Revision Commission and provided information to the Commission during its deliberations. The reasons to vote “yes” or “no” are based on perspectives raised by organizations and individuals in their testimony before the Commission, including the CFB, and by the Commission itself in its Preliminary Staff Report and Final Report. The information provided may not represent all possible arguments for or against each proposal.


Proposal 1: Campaign Finance

This proposal would lower the amount that a candidate for city office may accept from a contributor to their campaign, increase the amount of public funds available to participating candidates, and make public funds available earlier. Candidates in the 2021 election would have the choice of whether or not to have the new limits apply to them.


Proposal 2: Civic Engagement Commission

This proposal would create a Civic Engagement Commission that would centralize civic engagement initiatives, create a citywide participatory budgeting program, assist community boards, and provide language interpreters throughout the city on Election Day.


Proposal 3: Community Boards

This proposal would change how community boards throughout the city are run, by imposing term limits on appointees, changing the application and appointment process for community board members, and require the Civic Engagement Commission (if Question 2 is approved) to provide resources to community boards.