Amy Loprest, executive director of the Campaign Finance Board, issued the following statement on the passing of Jane Kalmus.
"We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jane Kalmus this morning. Jane devoted her life to serving New York City, starting in 1961 when she went to work as communications director for Mayor Robert F. Wagner. In the 1970's, she was a leading member of the Citizens Committee for New York City, a nonprofit group founded to address the City's fiscal crisis.
Jane made enormous contributions to civic life and voter engagement in New York City. She founded the National Nonpartisan Voter Registration Campaign in 1984 and established a 24/7 telephone helpline at the New York City Board of Elections (212-VOTE-NYC). Starting in 1990 she was a founding and active member of the city's Voter Assistance Commission and our own Voter Assistance Advisory Committee.
With Jane's passing, the voters of New York City have lost a reliable and ardent champion. We all owe her a deep debt of gratitude."
Art Chang, the chair of the CFB's Voter Assistance Advisory Committee, said: "Jane was an inspirational voice and a courageous advocate for the disenfranchised. She embraced technology long before most others did as the way to improve the experience of voting and urged VAAC to take a leadership role in this effort, which resulted in NYC Votes. We will never forget her contributions."
NYC Votes is the non-partisan voter engagement campaign 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.