The New York Civic Engagement Table (NYCET) is a left-of-center get out the vote (GOTV) and activist incubator organization that operates across New York State. ¹ The New York Civic Engagement Table is the New York branch of State Voices, An organization that creates coalitions out of existing left-of-center advocacy and activist organizations. ²

Introduction

NYCET was created in 2009 to increase voter registration in the state of New York. It operates by coordinating a coalition of 60 partner organizations. ³

Finances

Unlike affiliate organizations such as the Virginia Civic Engagement Table, NYCET does not appear to have tax records. The donation page for the organization links to the Public Policy and Education Fund of New York, indicating that the NYCET may be a project of that organization. ⁴

Activism

NYCET’s activist incubation program was created in 2017. The program is referred to as the Leadership Pipeline, ⁵ the program creates spaces where “people of color, women, and youth” can “brainstorm” left-of-center policy solutions to problems they face in their communities. ⁶

NYCET also directs a Youth Organizing Institute (not to be confused with The Youth Organizing Institute), an activist incubation program that provides students with “training on the history of social justice movements that help contextualize current challenges.” This is followed by lessons on how to use digital tools for community activism and professional development workshops that assist with resumes, cover letters, and mock interviews. ⁷

Get Out The Vote Activities

NYCET operates a detailed operation to register individuals who are likely to vote for Democratic Party politicians. This includes a New York State Legislature map that breaks down each legislative district by the number of Hispanic, Asian, Black, Youth (defined as age 18-34), and low-income residents in each district, followed by an assessment of how many individuals in each sub-group are eligible to vote but unregistered. ⁸

Through NYCET’s Civic Education and Political Education program, NYCET provides other left-of-center organizations with actionable data to operate GOTV projects. ⁹

Election Law

NYCET is a coalition member of Fair Elections NY, a coalition of left-of-center election law organizations that oppose free speech activity in political elections, seeking to limit such activities. ¹⁰ The coalition also supports “public funding” of campaigns, ¹¹ under which taxpayers would match each small-dollar donation received by a candidate with government money. NYCET has stated that such a system should match “at least $6 to every $1 raised” through public spending. ¹²

Leadership

Melody Lopez is the executive director of NYCET. Before joining the organization, Lopez worked for the New York City Department of Education, and prior to that, she managed several electoral campaigns for left-of-center candidates, including Kenneth P. Thompson (D-Brooklyn), ¹³  a former District Attorney for Kings County, New York. ¹⁴

1. “Regions” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/programs
2. “Who We Are” State Voices. https://statevoices.org/about/who-we-are/
3.  “NYCET 2020 Mid-Year Report” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/reports
4. “Donate” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://secure.everyaction.com/5ffYdL-S6k-uk3DM4_erKg2
5. “Training – Leadership Pipeline Program” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/training
6. “Training – Leadership Pipeline Program” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/training
7. “Home” Youth Organizing Institute. https://www.yoiny.org/
8.  “Equity Gap Map” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.mapping-power.org/#
9. “Civic and Political Education” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/training
10. “Our Issues – Campaign Finance Reform” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/our-issues
11. “Our Issues – Campaign Finance Reform” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/our-issues
12. “ Our Issues – Campaign Finance Reform” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/our-issues
13. “Staff – Melody Lopez” New York Civic Engagement Table. https://www.nycet.org/staff
14. “Melody Lopez” Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melody-lopez-aa97bb6/