Mayor Adams applauds vote making racial justice a priority in NYC

Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday that city voters, in backing a trio of Election Day ballot questions promoting racial justice, had placed equity at the forefront of governance.

“Equity and justice go hand-in-hand and are key to building a prosperous city that serves all New Yorkers,” Adams said in a statement. “By using their voices and their votes for all three racial justice ballot proposals, New Yorkers have placed racial equity at the heart of our city’s government.”

His statement came after voters overwhelmingly supported three ballot questions focused on racial justice in New York City. Each measure won at least 70% of voter support.

One of the measures creates a new city office to steer racial justice initiatives. A second calls for a new preamble to the city charter calling upon city agencies and officials to promote racial equity. The third calls for a new “true cost of living” metric – a tool for figuring eligibility for certain benefits.

Ahead of the voting, the city spent $5 million on an ad campaign urging voters to look for the questions on the "flip" side of their ballot.

“Our administration is fully committed to advancing equity, and I am proud of New Yorkers’ decision to create the first-ever racial equity office,” Adams said. “New Yorkers from all walks of life have made history to dismantle structural racism in our city and ensure equity is a core government function, setting a precedent that cities around the nation can follow.”