Common Cause

Redistricting & representation organized a massive communications effort in support of reform legislation around moore v. harper. In this u.s. supreme court case, we our defending our courtroom victory striking down a racial and partisan gerrymander in north carolina. Our communications efforts included organizing national and state-level press briefings, placing state-specific op-eds, and culminated with a rally and briefing on the steps of the u.s. supreme court. We brought successful lawsuits to strike down unlawful gerrymanders in north carolina and baltimore county, Maryland. We are currently litigating to strike down racial gerrymanders in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Common Cause led charge, a nationwide coalition that trained more than 2,000 people to actively participate in the redistricting process by telling the story of their communities and provided educational materials about redistricting in 13 different languages. In Indiana, Common Cause founded the indianapolis citizens redistricting commission, which led a redistricting process, alternative to the state process, that created more competitive voting maps. In Massachusetts, Common Cause co-led the state's redistricting work, successfully advocating for a transparent and inclusive process that led to an increase in majority minority districts, from 20 up to 33 in the state house and from three to six in the state senate. In Ohio, Common Cause led the grassroots campaign to fight for fair maps in a transparent and participatory process. Common Cause drove out more than 6,500 ohioans to participate in the redistricting process through public hearings, webinars, and rallies at the statehouse. In 25 states, Common Cause advocated for a more open, transparent, and fair redistricting process.

Voting & elections rescinded article v constitutional convention call in Illinois. Testified to the u.s. house of representatives committee on house administration elections subcommittee about ballot access in new mexico released a scorecard tracking every member of congress' support for democracy reform legislation, including campaign finance, ethics and transparency, and voting rights legislation. Developed a report documenting the bills introduced in congress that would nationalize voter suppression and have the potential to advance in the house of representatives this coming year. Created a survey distributed to all major party candidates running for congress and selected state offices about their positions on pro-democracy issues. In Colorado, Common Cause passed the vote without fear act, legislation that bans the open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling places, drop boxes, and central count facilities. Common Cause also passed the election official protection act, legislation to increase protections for election workers and officials against harassment, threats, intimidation, and doxing. Common Cause championed the Colorado election security act, legislation adding security measures and protocols for state and count election officials to help them protect the vote. In Connecticut, Common Cause fought for the passage of the constitutional amendment to allow early-in-person voting. The effort included deploying more than 50 nonpartisan poll standers on election day, garnering 92 responses to the our democracy 2022 candidate questionnaire, a nonpartisan virtual candidate forum, . Common Cause also led more than 700 individuals and 75 organizations, groups, and unions to urge state leaders to ban foreign spending on state ballot reforms, to enact a Connecticut voting rights act, and to create ranked choice voting task force. In Delaware, Common Cause co-led a coalition to pass vote-by-mail and same-day registration and launched the first ever election protection program. While the legislative effort was successful, a state court subsequently overturned the new vote-by-mail and same-day registration laws. In Georgia, led an election protection program with hundreds of volunteers, disinformation monitors, and audience-specific voter education across the state. In Hawaii, Common Cause spearheaded the passage of legislation to establish rank choice voting for special federal elections and vacant county council seats, legislation requiring vote by mail envelopes to include information on how to obtain language translation services in 6 languages, and legislation that requires approval of agenda items 48 hours prior to meetings. In Indiana, Common Cause blocked legislation that would require candidates for school board to declare a party affiliation, legislation that would add barriers to voting by mail in Maryland, Common Cause passed emergency legislation to allow election officials to check for any errors with a ballot that can be fixed by the voter and emergency legislation that allowed for the pre-processing of ballots during the 2022 election cycle to avoid delays to the election results. In Massachusetts, Common Cause led the successful efforts to pass the votes act, legislation that made permanent vote-by-mail, extended early voting, jail-based voting, and a reduced voter registration cutoff period. In new york Common Cause and the let ny vote coalition passed the john r. lewis voting rights act which strengthens and protects the freedom to vote. In north carolina, Common Cause created nonpartisan voter guides that reached 1 million voters. In Oregon, Common Cause passed pro-democracy reforms via legislation and ballot measures that protect election workers, increase election funding, improve online voter registration, remove racist and anti-immigrant language from state law, and introduce rank choice voting, multi-member districts, and an independent redistricting commission. In rhode island, Common Cause helped lead a robust coalition that successfully advocated for the let ri vote act, legislation that expanded access to vote by mail and early voting. In Wisconsin, Common Cause led the legislative and advocacy fight against more than 40 voter suppression measures introduced at the state level, driving more than 20,000 communications to the governor and state elected leaders.

Money in politics & ethics in Maryland, Common Cause provided support to local governments with public financing programs during the 2022 primary election. The campaign included nonpartisan trainings, ensuring funds were being disbursed to qualify candidates, and monitoring the newly modernized and funded fair campaign financing fund. In Nebraska, Common Cause passed legislation aimed at keeping the influence of foreign money out of elections. Nebraska law now forbids foreign nationals from contributing to both candidate and ballot measure campaigns. Nationwide, Common Cause led a grassroots campaign urging congress to pass the freedom to vote act, a comprehensive package to get big money out of politics and strengthen the right to vote, generating tens of thousands of calls and emails to congressional offices, hundreds of letters to the editor in local papers, and at least 10 opinion editorials. In California, Common Cause sponsored and passed legislation that closes the pay-to-play loophole at the local level. The new law limits special interest donations to $250 to local lawmakers that those special interests have business before, such as contracts, licenses, and permits. Also in California, Common Cause sponsored and passed legislation signed into law that increases the frequency of lobbying reporting at the end of legislative sessions and requires disclosure for issue ads designed to pressure lawmakers on votes to be placed directly on the ads. California Common Cause also led the passage of the oakland fair elections act via ballot measure that creates the nation's second democracy dollars voucher program and other good government reforms.

Media & democracy and other programstestified to the u.s. house of representatives committee on house administration about the growing threat of disinformation's negative impact on democracy championed passage of the american data privacy and protection act out of the u.s. house of representatives energy and commerce committee. The legislation establishes comprehensive privacy and data security protections.