A Story of 11 Votes
Originally from Long Island and currently pursuing her MPA at SUNY Binghamton, Jillian Sampson first joined us this year as a Spring Intern, immediately demonstrating her passion for public service and an enthusiasm for supporting women running for office.
In the fall, Jillian was accepted into the Eleanor's Legacy Fellows program, where she was assigned to support Christina Charuk, the Democratic candidate for Mayor of Johnson City, a village of about 15,000 in New York's Broome County.
A third generation Johnson City resident, Christina had never planned to run for political office, but she knew the sitting Republican mayor wasn't doing all he could for the community she loved, so she launched a campaign focused on safety, services, transparency, and sustainability.
Christina had no money for paid staff, so side by side, Jillian and Christina knocked doors, organized volunteers, and connected with voters one conversation at a time. On Election Night, Christina Charuk won by 11 votes, becoming the first woman ever elected Mayor of Johnson City.
Local elections shape the daily lives of our communities—from public safety to housing, schools, infrastructure, and economic development. As we saw with Christina's race, these elections are often decided by razor-thin margins.
Since 2001, we have supported women candidates who are often overlooked, underfunded, and underestimated. Across New York State, Eleanor's Legacy is building power from the ground up by investing in women like Jillian and Christina.
Today, Christina is getting ready to lead her community toward a stronger future and Jillian is continuing her studies while also preparing to join Mayor Charuk's office as a part-time administrator.