F.Y. Eye

Democracy is reliant upon voter participation not only in federal elections, but importantly, local elections.

The New York City 2021 Primary elections served as an opportunity for better representation of elected officials, as the election was the first in the city’s history to be based around Ranked Choice Voting. Moving forward in city primary and special elections, voters can now rank up to five candidates in order of preference instead of choosing just one. New Yorkers of all backgrounds, languages and ethnicities needed to be informed of the introduction of Ranked Choice Voting into the 2021 primaries, how it works in the polls, and why ranking one’s vote is beneficial in our elections.

our approach

In partnership with a range of nonprofits, community-based organizations, local artists and media groups, F.Y. Eye worked to mobilize New Yorkers around Ranked Choice Voting. We built a Voting PSA Clearinghouse that provided a diverse array of nonprofit and community-created civic graphics, translated into multiple languages for anyone to download and share.

Select PSAs were displayed across our PSA Network of digital billboards located in trusted community spaces throughout NYC, as well as other out-of-home media spaces such as bus shelters, small businesses, ethnic print media, and LinkNYC in strategic locations. In partnership with Democracy NYC and local artists’ group The Illuminator, some PSAs were illuminated across buildings in the city during community events and aired on television and radio ad spots. In partnership with Big Bowl of Ideas, we also secured donated space in New York Magazine.

IMPACT

Results from the June 2021 election show that voter turnout increased for the primary, with numbers of voters up from the last two primaries, making turnout the highest in the decade. Nearly 1 million New York City voters cast ballots in the 2021 primaries, exceeding the 2013 primaries -- the last mayoral race to have both Democratic and Republican primaries and no incumbent running -- by roughly 245,000 votes. (Source: Gotham Gazette)

PRESS
Juneteenth + Voting | The Shorty Awards
NYC Mayor's Office DemocracyNYC Hosted "Your Flatbush. Your Voice. Your Vote.", Including Performances, The People's Bus, and Civic Engagement Art Installations | NYC
The Three Vs for Voter Engagement: Validators, Volunteers and Visibility | Gotham Gazette
Inspiring Voter Participation Through Arts and Media | FJC
Dancers From JAGGED LITTLE PILL, Street Beat Brass Drum Line and More to Take Part in ‘Countdown To Vote’ | Broadway World
NYC Mayor’s Office DemocracyNYC and The NYC Civic Engagement Commission hosts “Countdown to Vote”, Including Performances, The People’s Bus and Large Scale Projection/Illumination | NYC
GoVoteNYC Fund Announces $1 Million in Grants for Voter Engagement, May 2021 | Revson Foundation

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
‍Adhikaar, Big Bowl of Ideas, City Meals on Wheels, Common Cause New York, DemocracyNYC, DominicanosUSA, ‍ElectNYC, Greenwich House, Hispanic Federation, Latino Justice, League of Women Voters NYC, LiveOn NY, NALEO Educational Fund, New York City League Of Conservation Voters, New York Civic Engagement Table, NYC Civic Engagement Commission. NYC VOTES, SAGE USA, Sakhi for South Asian Women, Soze, Uptown Collective, YVote, 21 in’21.

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