New Yorker of the Week: How Soft Power Vote Is Demystifying NYC Elections episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 19, 2025 · 57 MIN

New Yorker of the Week: How Soft Power Vote Is Demystifying NYC Elections

from New Yorker of the Week · host Nora Fried and Hanna Gerlander

t’s Week 2 of New Yorker of the Week: “The World’s on Fire So We’re Getting Political for a Sec” Edition This week’s honorary New Yorkers are two legends doing the lord’s work: Melissa Sáenz Gordon and Molly Salas, co-founders of @softpowervote.Soft Power Vote is your go-to for actually clear, non-boring, deeply researched voting guides - made for New Yorkers who want to make informed choices but don't want to have 19 tabs open about the NYC Board of Elections. Right now they’re zeroed in on the mayoral race (same), and making sure voters feel confident, not confused.We get into:Why voting shouldn’t feel like taking the SATThe absolute comedy that is Eric Adams’ public statements (funny? yes. fit to govern? absolutely not.)Why local elections matter even if you’ve emotionally disassociated from the federal governmentAnd how Melissa and Molly are making voting feel less like a chore and more like a power moveIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a ballot, side-eyed a mayoral press conference, or just love to hear from badass New Yorkers doing something useful — this episode’s for you.Love us? Hate us? Keep in touch!Check us out (yes, literally!) on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@newyorkeroftheweek⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ny_of_the_week⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And if you've fallen head over heels for us (and who could blame you?), show us some love on Instagram too:Hanna Gerlander:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@hanna_gerlander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nora Fried: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@norafriedcomedy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Curley - Production Manager and Video Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@therealseancurley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Special Guests: Soft Power Vote @softpowervote (co-founders, Melissa Sáenz Gordon and Molly Salas)Follow, comment, share—in the wise words of Sheryl Crow, “If it makes you happy, it can't be that badddd.”

t’s Week 2 of New Yorker of the Week: “The World’s on Fire So We’re Getting Political for a Sec” Edition This week’s honorary New Yorkers are two legends doing the lord’s work: Melissa Sáenz Gordon and Molly Salas, co-founders of @softpowervote.Soft Power Vote is your go-to for actually clear, non-boring, deeply researched voting guides - made for New Yorkers who want to make informed choices but don't want to have 19 tabs open about the NYC Board of Elections. Right now they’re zeroed in on the mayoral race (same), and making sure voters feel confident, not confused.We get into:Why voting shouldn’t feel like taking the SATThe absolute comedy that is Eric Adams’ public statements (funny? yes. fit to govern? absolutely not.)Why local elections matter even if you’ve emotionally disassociated from the federal governmentAnd how Melissa and Molly are making voting feel less like a chore and more like a power moveIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a ballot, side-eyed a mayoral press conference, or just love to hear from badass New Yorkers doing something useful — this episode’s for you.Love us? Hate us? Keep in touch!Check us out (yes, literally!) on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@newyorkeroftheweek⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ny_of_the_week⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And if you've fallen head over heels for us (and who could blame you?), show us some love on Instagram too:Hanna Gerlander:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@hanna_gerlander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nora Fried: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@norafriedcomedy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Curley - Production Manager and Video Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@therealseancurley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Special Guests: Soft Power Vote @softpowervote (co-founders, Melissa Sáenz Gordon and Molly Salas)Follow, comment, share—in the wise words of Sheryl Crow, “If it makes you happy, it can't be that badddd.”

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New Yorker of the Week: How Soft Power Vote Is Demystifying NYC Elections

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This episode was published on June 19, 2025.

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t’s Week 2 of New Yorker of the Week: “The World’s on Fire So We’re Getting Political for a Sec” Edition This week’s honorary New Yorkers are two legends doing the lord’s work: Melissa Sáenz Gordon and Molly Salas, co-founders of @softpowervote.Soft...

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