PUBLIC POLICY INTERNSHIP

Citizens Union is a nonpartisan good government advocacy group dedicated to making democracy work for all New Yorkers. Citizens Union serves as a civic watchdog, combating corruption and fighting for political reform. We work to ensure fair and open elections, honest and efficient government, and a civically engaged public.

Our interns play a vital role in Citizens Union’s success. We are looking for interns with an interest in New York City politics and policy to join our Policy Department for Winter/Spring 2026. Interns will work on research related to state and local elections and other ongoing policy issues.

Responsibilities include:

• Conducting research on candidates running for state office in NYC, including biographical and policy research;
• Working with volunteers to contact, schedule and participate in interviews with candidates running for state office in NYC;
• Conducting research on public policy issues of importance, including election reform, campaign finance, redistricting, ethics, as well as other issues of good governance;
• Researching for, writing, and editing issue summaries, analyses and reports, candidates’ bios, memos of support, organizational position statements, and correspondence to public officials;
• Attending and taking notes of relevant city and state legislative hearings, Board of Elections meetings and other relevant events and forums.

Citizens Union’s internship program is open to candidates with a variety of educational backgrounds, including but not limited to college graduates, postgraduates, or undergraduates studying public policy, political science, sociology, law, and other social sciences.

Qualifications:

• Interest in New York City and State politics, policy, and civic life – necessary;
• Writing, editing, research and communication skills – important;
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office or Google Docs/Sheets, and online research skills – required;
• Comfort making cold calls; and
• The availability to commit a minimum of 15 hours per week (minimum 6 hours/day with some flexibility).
• Candidates with experience working on NYC campaigns, government offices, or local advocacy groups are encouraged to apply.

If you have some, but not all, of these qualifications and feel you would make a positive contribution to the team, we encourage you to apply.

Citizens Union is a hybrid workplace. Our office is located in downtown Manhattan.

We do not offer paid internships but do provide a modest daily meal reimbursement of $15/day. We are also happy to work with your academic institution if you are interested in receiving credit.

Citizens Union is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applicants of all backgrounds and experiences to apply.

Dates: January 20, 2026 – May 22, 2026. Flexibility with start and end dates to accommodate for your plans.

To apply: Please

submit a cover letter and résumé via email to policy@citizensunion.org, with

the subject line: “Spring 2026 internship – [full name].” Your cover letter

should include what specific skills you bring with you, when you hope to start,

and how much time you can spend with us. Do not submit your application through

a third-party service, as those will not be received. We will start considering applications on December 8th and on a rolling basis afterwards until all positions are filled.

We do not offer paid internships but do provide a modest daily meal reimbursement of $15/day. We are also happy to work with your academic institution if you are interested in receiving credit.