Thomas previously presented the case for these reforms before the commission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unite NY is a nonpartisan movement committed to building a stronger democratic process in New York. However, while many reform groups focus on one specific proposal, Unite NY\u2019s agenda is built on five pillars:<\/p>\n
Term LimitsRanked ChoiceCitizen Ballot Initiatives (New York does not have a citizen initiative process)More CandidatesOpen Primaries (New York has closed primaries)<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s objective in Buffalo is to hit 3 of these pillars. Unite NY was named the chair of the Western New York Ranked Choice Voting Coalition (WNYRCV) in January, which is working on advancing RCV in Buffalo and Erie County.<\/p>\n
But Unite NY has also linked<\/a> its ballot access effort in Buffalo to a broader issue in New York where sitting lawmakers effectively pick their successors by exploiting candidate filing deadlines.\u00a0<\/p>\n For example, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced she would not seek re-election after the candidate filing deadline. No one filed to challenge her, which allowed the Erie County Democratic Committee to fill the party vacancy on the ballot.<\/p>\n They chose Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope.<\/a> Unite NY asserts that this is a routine practice in the state.\u00a0Meanwhile, independent candidates are given excessively high barriers to gain ballot access. <\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n In an interview with IVN, Thomas said it is important to the mission of reform to identify specific community needs by listening to them. Especially since election systems at-large tend to leave some groups out in favor of others.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe perspectives that allow all of us to participate have to be inclusive,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we believe all men are created equal, we don\u2019t get to say some men are created more equal.\u201d<\/p>\n He said he got involved with Unite NY from a distance. At the time, he was working with a client on open primaries. He said he saw what Unite NY was doing and he realized there weren\u2019t many organizations that approached reform work the same way.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought the board was diverse and thoughtful in origin and perspective, but also in argument, which I think is something you need for a reform movement to be successful,\u201d Thomas remarked.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thomas has been an organizer in the campaign space for almost 20 years. This largely includes work with the labor movement, but he has worked in government spaces, for political parties, for unions, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the rooms I have occasionally been in or historically been in, I have a pretty healthy assessment of the proverbial system,\u201d he said. He also added that he comes from a family that believes in a \u201cleave it better than you found it\u201d mantra.<\/p>\n \u201cI think about this work as part of that larger moral arc of the universe,\u201d he elaborated. It is a reference to the famous Martin Luther King Jr quote, \u201cThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”<\/p>\n It is a quote that was frequently used by former President Barack Obama, who added to the idea by noting that the arc does not bend on its own. There must be people willing to pull it in the direction of justice.<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n Thomas was appointed executive director in November 2025. A critical role he plays is building cross-partisan coalitions in communities across the state to advance proposals that will bolster participation, competition, and accountability in elections.<\/p>\n But this work isn\u2019t about going in and telling a community what reforms they need. It is identifying communities who have a need and working with them to achieve their goals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should go to communities that are already chewing on something,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIf you go to place A and they are really up in arms around ranked choice voting, I am not going to sell them term limits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, let\u2019s talk about how ranked choice voting can be effectual in this community or communities.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the same thing applies to a community that is talking about term limits. The goal should not be to turn them off of the reform they want and push something else. In fact, it is a good way to lose the trust of the community entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be obtuse of us to try to get them to equally appreciate other pillars when their community doesn\u2019t need that,\u201d he remarked. He added that it is important to meet people where they are.<\/p>\n![\"IVP](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IVN_Donate-Ads_300x250_0.png\")
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