All New Yorkers aged 14 to 25 are invited to provide their thoughts and concerns about voting and local government at a public hearing streamed live on the “NYC Votes” Facebook page.

 

The third annual “We, the Young People” youth-led Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC) hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 18, starting at 5.30 p.m. All New Yorkers may RSVP in advance to view the hearing live. Young people who are interested in testifying should contact Olivia Brady, the youth coordinator for NYC Votes, at obrady@nyccfb.info.

 

“Youth voices are often excluded from conversations on civic participation, so we’ve created a space that centers and uplifts the experiences of young, civically-engaged New Yorkers,” said Brady. All feedback received at the hearing will guide NYC Votes youth outreach and programming over the next year.

 

During the hearing, VAAC members want to hear directly from young New Yorkers about their experiences on voting and local government, and to receive their recommendations on how to improve youth outreach efforts. Elected officials, their staff, and candidates for office are invited to attend and hear from the youth testifiers.

 

There are two ways to provide testimony: either a spoken statement provided live during the hearing, or by submitting pre-recorded video, written, or creative testimony. For instance, New York City’s 2021 Youth Poet Laureate, Serena Yang, will perform a spoken word poem as her testimony.

 

All testimony should convey feelings or experiences about voting and New York City government. After the hearing, all testimony will be shared publicly on the NYC Votes website, voting.nyc.

 

Those who have never testified at a public hearing may consult the NYC Votes Youth Coordinator for help crafting their testimony. Any young person who is interested in testifying should contact Olivia Brady at obrady@nyccfb.info.

 

The Voter Assistance Advisory Committee consists of nine members who advise the Campaign Finance Board and its nonpartisan voter engagement initiative, NYC Votes. In addition to hosting public hearings, the committee recommends legislative and administrative changes to improve elections in New York City.

 

NYC Votes is the nonpartisan voter engagement initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). In addition to promoting voter registration, participation, and civic engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships, NYC Votes sponsors the city’s official Debate Program and produces the citywide Voter Guide.