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Spring 2012, No. 22
New York City
Campaign Finance Board CFB Adopts Independent Expenditure Disclosure Rules for City Elections
Father Joseph P. Parkes, S.J. The 2012 federal campaign year has been defined • Clearly label certain communications as
Chairman by a flood of spending by outside groups hoping “paid for by” the organization or individual.
Art Chang to influence elections. So far, these groups have • Disclose all contributions from other
Richard J. Davis spent more than $120 million on races across organizations and contributions $1,000
Courtney C. Hall the country. At the same point in 2008, outside
Mark S. Piazza or more from individuals, once cumula-
spending totaled only $50 million. More than 80 tive spending reaches $5,000.
Board Members percent of the spending this year was by super
Amy M. Loprest PACs that can raise and spend unlimited sums of The rules implement a City Charter amendment
Executive Director money, often without disclosing their source. that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in
November 2010. After a year-long public rule-making
Elizabeth Bauer But things will be different when it comes to the
Chief of Administrative Services process, the final rules were adopted in March.
citywide elections in 2013. New rules adopted by
Daniel Cho the CFB will require anyone making independent With the rules in place, New York City voters will
Director of Candidate Services expenditures of $1,000 or more to a candidate or know more than they ever have about who is
Shauna Tarshis Denkensohn ballot initiative to: trying to influence their vote before they go to
Director of Operations & Budget
• Report all expenditures of $100 or more the polls in 2013. Visit the CFB website for more
Sue Ellen Dodell to the CFB and the public. information about the independent expenditure
General Counsel disclosure rules.
Eric Friedman
Director of External Affairs
Peri Horowitz
Director of Campaign Finance Matching Funds Program Encourages Residents to Participate in Elections
Administration
Onida Coward Mayers
As campaign finance reformers have set their New Yorkers made three times as many low-dollar
Director of Voter Assistance sights on Albany, many commentators and advo- contributions to City Council candidates, roughly
cates have pointed to the city’s Campaign Finance 54,000, compared to just 17,000 to candidates for
Kenneth O’Brien
Program as a model for increasing participation in state legislative office. These results echo findings
Director of Systems Administration
the electoral process. Various reports have shown published recently by the Brennan Center and the
Julius Peele how the generous matching funds program, Campaign Finance Institute.
FULL
Director of Auditing & Accounting
which provides a $6-to-$1 match for each contri-
Jesse Schaffer bution up to $175 from New York City residents, The emphasis on low-dollar, local contributions
Director of Special Compliance encourages candidates to seek funds from actual through the matching funds program clearly results
Elizabeth A. Upp voters, rather than well-financed special interests. in more participation in City Council elections.
Director of Communications
news from the Residents contribute to City Council candidates
DISCLOSURE
Peggy A. Willens
Director of Management
Analysis & Records Administration
A review of campaign finance data suggests that
nyc campaign finance board
the Program succeeds at increasing participation
in City elections — especially when compared to
in far higher numbers across the city, including
neighborhoods where residents barely give to
state legislative candidates at all. While some of
elections for state office. We compared small in- the disparities may be driven by competition for
Matt Sollars dividual contributions (of $250 or less) throughout specific seats, the differences are sufficiently stark
Press Secretary the city during the full year prior to the November and widespread to suggest that more competitive
Bonny Tsang 2009 elections for City Council, and the November races are only a part of the explanation.
Press Aide 2010 elections for state legislative seats.
The disparity does not indicate, however, that
The data show that in neighborhood after neigh- state legislative candidates are raising less money
FULL DISCLOSURE borhood, candidates for the City Council were far overall compared with their counterparts running
Spring 2012, No. 22
more likely to receive small contributions from for City Council. To the contrary, state legisla-
40 Rector Street, 7th Fl. individual constituents than were state Senate tive candidates actually raised $12 million more
New York, NY 10006 and Assembly candidates. from New York City sources than did City Coun-
www.nyccfb.info
(continued on page 2)
Questions/Comments
212.306.7100
press@nyccfb.info
1
Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less)
by New York City Borough
Funds Program Encourages Residents to Participate in Elections (from page 1)
Matching15,087
13,364
cil candidates — when you include high-dollar individual, corporate, and PAC contributions. Brooklyn
Candidates for City Council are seeking out more contributions from their neighbors, so they
10,310
Residents of East New York were very active
are less beholden to big-money interests and more accountable to their constituents. in City Council elections, yet the contribution
5,692
5,227
A breakdown of contributions by zip code provides evidence that City candidates are en-
4,939 level to state legislative candidates is among
3,260 2,782
gaging New Yorkers who are regularly overlooked by candidates for state office. Below are the lowest in the city. Borough-wide, Brooklyn
1,446 1,223
some examples of neighborhoods where the difference in contribution levels is most striking. residents made nearly five times more contri-
Brooklyn Bronx Manhattan Queens Staten Island
butions to City Council candidates than state
legislative candidates.
Staten Island
of Small Small Contributions ($250 or less)
Number Number of Contributions ($250 or less) Residents of Staten Island’s Rossville section
New York City Borough
by in selected New York City Zip Codes made nearly three times as many contributions
15,087
582 to City Council candidates in 2009 than to As-
535
13,364
sembly and state Senate candidates in 2010.
Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less) Borough-wide, Staten Islanders made more
by New York City Borough
10,310 than twice as many contributions to City Coun-
cil candidates than to state legislature candi-
15,087 dates, and contributed nearly twice as much by
225
5,227 5,692 13,364 196 amount.
166 4,939
3,260 116
10,310 2,782
33 1,446
67
1,223
The Bronx
24 21
The East Tremont neighborhood saw one of the
11207 Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less)
10460 10032 11419 10309
Brooklyn East New YorkBronx 5,692
Manhattan Queens
5,227 East Tremont Washington Heights South Richmond Hill Staten
Rossville Island more competitive primary races for the state
by New(Manhattan) Borough 4,939
York City
3,260
(Brooklyn) (Bronx) (Queens) (Staten Island) legislature in 2010, between Gustavo Rivera
2,782
15,087
1,446
and Pedro Espada, Jr. Still, residents contribut-
13,364 1,223
NYC Council (2009) NYS Assembly/Senate (2010) ed in far greater numbers to candidates running
10,310 for City Council in the previous year. Borough-
Brooklyn Bronx Manhattan Queens
Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less) Staten Island wide, Bronx residents made three times more
in selected New York City Zip Codes
5,227 5,692
4,939
contributions to City Council candidates as they
3,260 2,782
did to candidates for the state legislature.
582 1,446 1,223
535 Queens
Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less) Island
Brooklyn Bronx Manhattan Queens Staten
in selected New York City Zip Codes Residents in the South Richmond Hill neigh-
borhood contributed ten times as often to City
582 Council candidates than to state legislative can-
535 didates. Borough-wide, City Council candidates
Number of Small Contributions ($250 or less)
in selected New York City Zip Codes
225 collected twice as many contributions from
196 Queens residents as state legislative candidates.
582 166
535
116
67
Manhattan
33 24 21 The difference between contributions to
225
196 candidates for City Council and the state legis-
11207 166
10460 10032 11419 10309 lature is less significant in many Manhattan zip
East New York East Tremont Washington 116
Heights South Richmond Hill
225 Rossville
(Brooklyn) (Bronx) 166 (Manhattan) (Queens) 196
(Staten Island) codes compared to the other boroughs. Still,
67
33 24 116 21
the number of low-dollar contributions to City
67 Council candidates was nearly twice the number
33 24 21
11207 NYC Council (2009) 10032
10460 NYS Assembly/Senate (2010) 10309
11419 of contributions to state legislative candidates.
East New York 11207 Tremont 10460
East Washington Heights South Richmond Hill
10032 11419 Rossville
10309 Much of this section of Washington Heights is
(Queens)
(Brooklyn) East New(Bronx) East Tremont(Manhattan) Heights South Richmond Hill
York Washington (Staten
Rossville Island)
within Senate district 31, which was an open
(Brooklyn) (Bronx) (Manhattan) (Queens) (Staten Island)
seat in the 2010 election that attracted three
candidates in the Democratic primary; yet the
NYC Council (2009) (2009)
NYC Council NYS Assembly/Senate (2010)
NYS Assembly/Senate (2010)
City Council candidates received nearly four
times as many contributions.
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Report Showcases CFB’s Voter Assistance Work
2012 is a significant election year for New York, as voters head to the We also emphasized using technological tools to engage more New
polls four times for four different elections, particularly for the impor- Yorkers. Voter Assistance Advisory Committee Chair Art Chang has
tant presidential election in November. As we look ahead to this year launched the Digital Action Working Group, composed of leading
and to the citywide election in 2013, we want to energize New Yorkers members of the city’s tech community, to leverage technology to
to get out to the polls and ensure that their voices are heard. In April, increase voter participation in civic life. Our NYC Votes! Facebook
we released the 2011 – 2012 Voter Assistance Annual Report, detailing (www.facebook.com/nycvotes) and Twitter (@NYCVotes) accounts
the agency’s efforts to increase voter engagement in New York City deliver the most up-to-date voting information to all New Yorkers.
during the past year and what we hope to accomplish in the future.
The report also recommends several legislative changes to modern-
The report highlights partnerships that expand the agency’s outreach ize the administration of elections and improve the voting experience.
to New Yorkers, especially to groups that work with underrepresented We strongly recommend implementation of online voter registration to
communities. The agency partnered with the New York City Commis- make it easier for citizens to register and update their voting informa-
sion on Women’s Issues to increase voting among women and with the tion. Additionally, changing the design of the ballot should be a top
Department of Homeland Security to register new citizens. priority for the State Legislature; improved ballot design could save
thousands of votes in New York that are lost due to confusing direc-
Our NYC Votes! team, including 2012 Youth Poet Laureate Ishmael tions and format. Implementation of early or no-excuse absentee vot-
“Ish” Islam, continued to reach out to the city’s youth by attending the ing would also increase the number of voters in New York by allowing
“Poem in Your Pocket Day” and the Voto Latino conference. “Poem in more people to vote at a time convenient for them.
Your Pocket Day” is an annual event that encourages New Yorkers to
embrace literacy and poetry by inviting the city’s schoolchildren to The Annual Report is mandated by the Charter. To read the full report,
write and perform their own poetry. Ish performed his poem about please visit our website at www.nyccfb.info.
voting, “Daydreaming at the Voting Booth,” at the event at Bryant Park
on April 26. At the Voto Latino Youth Power Summit, the New York City
team participated in panels and workshops dedicated to empowering
youth to engage in civic life in their community.
The NYC Votes! Youth Team with Voto Latino Co-Founder Rosario Dawson.
From left: Kristian Brown, Rosario Dawson, Chyann Sapp, Ish Islam and
2012 Youth Poet Laureate Ishmael “Ish” Islam performs before schoolchildren. Christopher Walker.
The VAAC will hold a public hearing on
Monday, June 11 at 6 p.m. at 40 Rector Check out the Candidate Services
Street, 6th Floor, Conference Room E. Unit Tip of the Month: “How to
A live video stream will be available at
www.nyccfb.info/live. Avoid Prohibited Contributions”
3
Ruslan Gendelman Receives Outstanding Employee Award
Ruslan Gendelman may not have invent- For his work, Ruslan was named the Outstanding Employee for this quar-
ed the Internet, but he is bringing the ter. Executive Director Amy Loprest said, “Ruslan has worked on many of
CFB’s financial disclosure system into the our biggest Systems projects, whether internal ones, like the improved
next digital age. An analyst programmer, payment processing, or external, like the new web-based C-SMART.
Ruslan’s current project is the develop- He has done so quietly, but with determination and good humor.”
ment of C-SMART-Web, the CFB’s next-
generation program for filing campaign The best part of working at the CFB is getting “a chance to work with
financial disclosures. The web-based great people and for a great cause,” says Ruslan.
Ruslan Gendelman platform will increase accessibility and Before joining the CFB in September 1999, Ruslan studied at Long Island
ease the filing process for campaigns. University and did programming at a consulting firm. He has lived in
Ruslan is also part of the team that developed and maintains our con- Staten Island for ten years with his wife and two children. When he’s
tact records and payment systems, and our financial summary reports. not working, he loves to travel and play soccer and hockey with friends.
A Community Workshop on Complying with CFB Rules
The CFB’s landmark Campaign Finance Program allows small contri- Participants learned about how private citizens can ensure that their
butions to have a big impact, encouraging more New Yorkers to get potential contributions comply with campaign finance rules.
involved in city elections. As more city residents contribute to support
their candidates of choice, more people are interested in having a clear Highlights from the presentation included:
understanding of the rules governing campaign finance. Campaigns • Who are acceptable contributors and what are the contribu-
are legally responsible for complying with the city’s campaign finance tion limits;
law, but all New Yorkers can help keep the Program going strong. • The importance of filling out contribution cards completely; and
In March, the CFB’s Director of Candidate Services, Daniel Cho, con- • How house parties and other fundraisers must be reported
ducted a workshop with the Asian American Federation (AAF) on the to the CFB.
“dos” and “don’ts” of campaign finance. More than twenty people
attended the two-hour workshop, which was requested by the AAF. More information about campaign finance rules is available on the CFB
website at www.nyccfb.info.
2012 Election Dates and Deadlines
June 26 – Congressional Primary Election (United States House and Senate)
August 17 – Last day to register to vote in the New York State and local Primary Election
September 13 – New York State and local Primary Election
October 12 – Last day to register to vote in the General Election
November 6 – General Election
To receive email updates from the CFB, including press releases, voter assistance news, and
campaign finance news and analysis, sign up here.
For Campaign Finance Board news and updates, follow us on Twitter: @NYCCFB.
For information about the CFB’s voter outreach and education efforts,
follow @NYCVotes! on Twitter and Facebook.
Voter Assistance Advisory Committee
4
RECENT BOARD ACTIONS (March 2012 – May 2012)
Penalty Determinations
Candidate Election Office Sought Penalties
Tracy L. Boyland 2009 CD #41 $8,410
William A. Carrington 2009 CD #36 $900
Luis A. Facundo 2009 CD #10 $1,612
Peter J. Gleason 2009 CD #01 $1,150
Andy L. King 2009 CD #12 $3,786
Helen M. Marshall 2009 Borough President (Queens) $1,730*
Donald R. Pagano February 2009 CD #49 $3,489
Jerome L. Rice 2009 CD #12 $1,150
Robert J. Rodriguez 2009 CD #08 $8,349
Adrian M. Straker 2009 CD #36 $363
Bob Zuckerman 2009 CD #39 $3,878
* Candidate paid penalties in full.
Public Funds Repayments
Candidate Election Office Sought Repayments
Tracy L. Boyland 2009 CD #41 $21,869
William A. Carrington 2009 CD #36 $15,515
Andy L. King 2009 CD #12 $27,541
Adrian M. Straker 2009 CD #36 $21,926
2009 candidates Peter J. Gleason and Helen M. Marshall repaid the balance remaining in the campaigns’ bank accounts. 2009 candidate
Bob Zuckerman is required to repay the balance remaining in the campaign’s bank account.
Post-Election Public Funds Payments
Candidate Election Office Sought Payments
Donald R. Pagano February 2009 CD #49 $1,417*
* Penalties assessed by the Board were deducted from the candidate’s campaign payment.
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