Who we are

The Citizens Campaign founded in 1998, works to cultivate a culture of service and develop a new generation of leaders - leaders who put service over personal gain. We give people a tool kit to get results on issues they care about.

Through live events and online classes, the Citizens Campaign has educated thousands of New Jerseyans in how to navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns. The Citizens Campaign educates citizens how to get results through 5 powerful nonelected leadership positions, as citizen legislators, political navigators, citizen journalists, political party committee people, and appointed officials.

The Citizens Campaign also devises innovative government solutions that support good government and open the doors for citizen service. We have led the successful fight for the adoption of pay-to play protections at the state level. New Jersey now has the strongest state pay-to-play reform law in the nation.

The Citizens Campaign was founded by Harry and Caroline Pozycki Sr. to teach citizens about the legal rights and political skills they need to bring constructive, responsible leadership to the service of our communities and our country.

Major Accomplishments

Developed and won adoption of the strongest State-Level Pay-to-Play Reform Law in the Nation.

Developed and won adoption of the Citizen Service Act opening appointments to government policy boards and commissions.

Developed and won adoption of the Political Party Democracy Act creating grassroots control of gubernatorial endorsements.

Developed and won Executive Orders Issues by Governor which make New Jersey's pay-to-play regulations the national gold standard.

Developed and won adoption of over 200 city and town-level citizen empowerment laws.

Developed and obtained Governor's Executive Order to open up the closed shop of government appointments to state boards and commissions.

Harry Pozycki, The Citizens Campaign Chairman, was named Citizen of the Year 2008 by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Won adoption by the New Jersey State Board of Education of a mandatory Social Studies curriculum component, Participation Civics, for all New Jersey high schools.

Wrote the book The Citizens' Manual, which won endorsements from Harvard President Derek Bok and Governor Tom Kean.

Developed Citizen Leadership Forum Series for adult citizens with first forum, taught by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, made into a New Jersey Network Documentary.

Won sweeping series of reform laws in Newark, called by the New York Times among the most far-reaching of any American City and gained the adoption of an Environmental Commission, the first in Newark's history.