March 2 is when candidates hoping to run in the June 22 primaries begin collecting petition signatures to get on the ballot. Petitioning always creates tension between credentials and inclusion: We generally want people to demonstrate they have some competency and support before putting them on the ballot, but also don’t want to create unfair barriers to running for office.

Critics have long argued that New York’s process sets the ballot-access bar too high. Those cries have grown louder amid the pandemic. Even though the number of required signatures has been reduced by 70 percent, dozens of candidates have pushed for petitioning to be suspended altogether in light of the dangers and difficulty of collecting signatures while maintaining social distancing.

In any words, it might be hard for candidates to find you, safely. But if there is a candidate you really want to see on the ballot, or if you believe in electoral inclusion and are willing to help get a candidate on the ballot even if you are unlikely to vote for them, you could turn the tables and seek them out.

City Limits asked a wide array of candidates in the two contested citywide races—20 of those running for mayor and the nine declared candidates for comptroller—how voters might get in touch to sign a petition. The information they submitted is below and will be updated as needed. (If you want to help get a candidate for borough president, district attorney or City Council on the ballot, you can always track them down via the web or social media.)

Remember, you must be a registered member of the candidate’s party and a resident in the borough district they are running in if they aren’t seeking citywide office to sign a petition—and you can only sign one petition per office. The process is due to wrap up by March 25.

City Limits does not endorse any candidate or support having any particular number of candidates on the ballot. We’re just trying to help as people balance participation with public-heath considerations at an extraordinary time.

Mayor

Art Chang:  http://bit.ly/ArtChangPetitioning 

Eddie Cullen: eddie@eddiecullen.com or 888-622-2021

Kathryn Garcia: Colin Millet at 908-565-2951

Dianne Morales: dianne.nyc/petitioning

Wiliam Pepitone: TeamPepitone2021@gmail.com

Paperboy Prince: Text 727-379-2327 or sign up here.

Loree Sutton: campaign@suttonfornyc.com or use this form: https://loreeformayor.nyc/contact/

Joycelyn Taylor: info@taylorfor2021.com

Comptroller

Brian Benjamin: https://forms.gle/9iovyhjw79pbmRJLA

Brad Lander: Volunteers can sign up for specific shifts on Mobilize here or sign up to stop by our office to pick up petitioning forms (that form is here), or email organizing@landerfornyc.com.

Terri Liftin: terri@liftin2021.com or 646-535-5868

Alex Pan: campaign@panfornyc.com or 917-242-6496