CFB Launches NYC's 2017 Debate Program

It’s election year in NYC! This fall, New York City residents will head to the polls to elect their next mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough presidents and City Council members.  The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) will be in the thick of it all, not only leveraging campaign contributions from local residents through the City’s public matching funds program, but also coordinating the City’s official Debate Program. 

The Debate Program, a cornerstone of the CFB’s voter education efforts, provides New Yorkers with an opportunity to compare candidates side-by-side as they discuss the important issues facing the city.

The CFB organizes debates among citywide candidates: mayor, public advocate and comptroller. Candidates who participate in the public funding program and meet debate requirements must participate in a debate prior to any election in which he or she is on the ballot.  

In 2013, the CFB worked with 15 sponsors, including WNYC, NY1, WCBS, The Wall Street Journal, El Diario, Common Cause, and Transportations Alternatives, to air 12 debates in the weeks leading up to Election Day, which are available on the CFB’s YouTube channel. 

This year, the 2017 Debate Program is kicking off on January 27th with the same call for sponsors among media outlets and community and good government groups, at an informational breakfast in the CFB’s Joseph O’Hare Board Room. Attendees will learn about the agency’s debate mandate, the participation criteria for candidates, and what the CFB hopes sponsors will bring to the table.