Citizen Action of New York is a left-of-center voter mobilization group that orchestrates protests and demonstrations in favor of left-of-center causes. The organization is a branch of the national organization People’s Action, and through networks of community organizers Citizen Action New York is able to play a significant role in New York local politics. ¹

Citizen Action New York is part of the Progressive Power Coalition which is composed of Citizen Action New York, Community Voices Heard Power, New York Communities for Change, Make the Road Action, and Vocal-NY Action Fund. ²

Background

Citizen Action of New York was originally created in the early 1980s by left-wing community organizer Ralph Nader and headed by political activist Donald Ross. The group was formed as the New York state branch of Nader’s national Citizen Action group headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Citizen Action dissolved in 1997 and was succeeded by People’s Action. Citizen Action of New York is now a member of People’s Action.

Political Activities

Endorsements

Citizen Action New York tends to support far-left members of New York’s Democratic Party.

In 2018, Citizen Action New York endorsed now-U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York’s 14^th congressional district³ and far-left actress Cynthia Nixon in her failed 2018 bid to unseat Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in New York’s gubernatorial primary. ^{4 5 6}Citizen Action New York has attacked Cuomo for not being progressive enough, accusing him of siding with “billionaire developers” because he did not institute government-mandated rent controls. ⁷

In the 2016 Democratic presidential primary Citizen Action New York initially endorsed socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. After his defeat, Citizen Action NY endorsed voting for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on the ballot line of the left-wing labor-union-aligned Working Families Party.⁸

Voter Mobilization

According to Citizen Action New York’s events calendar the group also organizes weekly community phone banking drives as well as voter canvassing efforts twice a month. ⁹ According to the organization’s tax returns Citizen Action New York recruited roughly 5,000 volunteers in 2017 and logged about 7,000 hours of volunteer work on political campaigns. ^{10 11} The organization also employed 87 people as organizers during 2016. ¹² According to a job posting in June 2019, the group works with the New York Civic Engagement Table and offers $15 per-hour for temporary work as an “organizer.”¹³

Protest of David Clarke

In May 2018 Citizen Action New York created an unsuccessful petition to the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police to rescind a speaking invitation to former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. ¹⁴ Citizen Action New York argued that his visit would cause conflict between citizens and police, in part because Clarke publicly supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. ¹⁵

After the petition was rejected, Citizen Action New York staged a protest outside the event with “more than three dozen protestors.” ¹⁶

1. “ABOUT.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/about.
2. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
3. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
4. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
5. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
6. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
7. “Activist Check In: Cuomo’s Housing Crisis.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/2019/05/activist-check-in-cuomos-housing-crisis/30679.
8. “Candidate Endorsements.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/endorsements.
9. “Upcoming Events.” Citizen Action of New York. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://citizenactionny.org/upcoming-events.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Citizen Action of New York. 2017. Schedule A. Part I. Line 6.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Citizen Action of New York. 2017. Schedule C. Part I-A. Line 3.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Citizen Action of New York. 2016. Schedule A. Part I. Line 5.
13. “Organizer.” BambooHR. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://nexusmanagement.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=69.
14. “Sign-on Letter: Sheriff Clarke’s Racism and Hate Has No Place in New York State.” Action Network. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-on-letter-the-city-of-albany-and-new-york-state-are-no-place-for-sheriff-clarkes-bigoted-vitriol.
15. “Sign-on Letter: Sheriff Clarke’s Racism and Hate Has No Place in New York State.” Action Network. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-on-letter-the-city-of-albany-and-new-york-state-are-no-place-for-sheriff-clarkes-bigoted-vitriol.
16. “Controversial Ex-sheriff David Clarke’s Speech Met by Protests.” Times Union. May 09, 2018. Accessed June 25, 2019. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Clarke-s-speech-met-by-protests-12901408.php.