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Groups Urge Census Changes to Accurately Count Prison Populations For Redistricting

Press Release

Groups Urge Census Changes to Accurately Count Prison Populations For Redistricting

Today, Common Cause and the Prison Policy Initiative urged the U.S. Census Bureau to change how it counts prison populations each decade. The Bureau’s use of differential privacy, the intentional infusion of inaccurate information into population data, creates unnecessary miscounts in data used by state and local officials for redistricting. In a letter to Director Robert L. Santos and other senior officials, the groups emphasized that the populations of correctional facilities are already publicly available and that differential privacy is...

Media Contacts

David Vance

National Media Strategist
dvance@commoncause.org
240-605-8600

Katie Scally

Communications Director
kscally@commoncause.org
408-205-1257

Ariana Marmolejo

Regional Communications Strategist (West)
amarmolejo@commoncause.org

Jennifer Garcia

Regional Communications Strategist (South)
jgarcia@commoncause.org

Kenny Colston

Regional Communications Strategist (Midwest)
kcolston@commoncause.org

Common Cause’s network of national and state democracy reform experts are frequent media commentators. To talk with one of our experts, please reach out to any member of the press team above.

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The Fulcrum (Op-Ed): Two smart ways to deter foreign money and dirt-digging from our elections

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The Fulcrum (Op-Ed): Two smart ways to deter foreign money and dirt-digging from our elections

American democracy is resilient. Last November's election "was the most secure in American history," according to the Department of Homeland Security. In the face of immense challenges — threats of foreign interference, rampant disinformation, risks posed by the pandemic — election administrators, organizers, attorneys and advocates worked together to protect the vote. Americans voted in record numbers, casting their ballots safely by mail, drop box and in person.

But the work to secure our elections is not over. Recent...

Los Angeles Times (Commentary): Why MLB should consider moving the 2021 All-Star game from Atlanta

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Los Angeles Times (Commentary): Why MLB should consider moving the 2021 All-Star game from Atlanta

“This is Jim Crow in a suit and a tie,” Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, told The Times.

Dennis said the data her group has studied show the effects of the proposed restrictions would have the greatest impact upon Black and other minority voters.

“This is definitely an attack on the voting freedoms and the gains we’ve made in the last 60 years,” she said.

The Guardian: ‘Everything is on the table’: Senate prepares for showdown over filibuster

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The Guardian: ‘Everything is on the table’: Senate prepares for showdown over filibuster

Despite those warnings, Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy and government affairs at Common Cause, a government watchdog group, said that Democrats needed to keep every option on the table.

“Senate Democrats have the majority and they need to have the ability to govern,” he said. “This idea that it can be costless to filibuster, that you can essentially raise your hands behind closed doors and grind everything to a halt, is unacceptable.”

CNN: Putting ‘cologne on Jim Crow’: Georgia GOP lawmakers drive toward new voting restrictions

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CNN: Putting ‘cologne on Jim Crow’: Georgia GOP lawmakers drive toward new voting restrictions

Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said ID requirements for obtaining absentee ballots, would harm older voters, those who are low-income, and college students because they are all less likely to have driver's licenses or other forms of required identification, such as passports or a state or federal photo identification card.

Georgia Republicans "are saying that voting should be for the 1% and ... for the privileged," Dennis told CNN.

CNN: Glory days of Trump’s gold-plated 757 seem far away as plane sits idle at a sleepy airport

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CNN: Glory days of Trump’s gold-plated 757 seem far away as plane sits idle at a sleepy airport

Trump could use money in his political action committees to pay for the plane upgrades, or other expenses, experts say. "PACs are often used as slush funds," said Paul S. Ryan, an expert on campaign finance and a top lawyer at Common Cause, a good governance non-profit.
"Campaign finance law doesn't require PAC money to be used for political purposes, leaving open the possibility that Trump could use PAC funds to pay for private plane repairs."

Gray Television (VIDEO): Exploring the dueling partisan efforts on voting reform

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Gray Television (VIDEO): Exploring the dueling partisan efforts on voting reform

However, critics like Stephen Spaulding with the watchdog group Common Cause, call it voter suppression.

“In the wake of that record turn-out, we are seeing a backlash in some states that are looking to really curtail that access to the ballot box,” said Spaulding.

In Washington, there’s a dueling effort by Congressional Democrats intended to expand voter access. The “For the People Act”, or H.R.1, is a sweeping reform bill that could put an end to those state voting restrictions.

“It...

ABC News: ‘A direct response’: How Trump’s 2020 loss is dictating the future of elections in battleground states

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ABC News: ‘A direct response’: How Trump’s 2020 loss is dictating the future of elections in battleground states

"If the result in Ohio had been that Biden won, it is extremely difficult for me to imagine that we wouldn't have a dozen bills already in the legislature now," said Mia Lewis of Common Cause Ohio, a nonpartisan democracy watchdog. ...

In Pennsylvania, where a slew of lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies challenging Biden's electoral victory failed to pass muster in the courts, Republicans are now targeting the methods by which judges in the state are elected.

"Our understanding is there is a significant...

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia voting limits bill may preserve Sunday and no-excuse absentee

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Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia voting limits bill may preserve Sunday and no-excuse absentee

Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said out-of-precinct voters would be disenfranchised if their provisional ballots are discarded. Under current law, federal and state races for voters who show up in the wrong county precinct are counted, but they can’t vote for local contests they’re not eligible to participate in.

“This bill cuts at every part of the voting process in Georgia and is making it very difficult for the most vulnerable populations in Georgia to be able to cast a ballot,” Dennis said.

The Guardian: Texas Republicans pushing slate of bills to make voting even harder in state

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The Guardian: Texas Republicans pushing slate of bills to make voting even harder in state

“These exact kinds of lies about voting led to people dying in the insurrection at the Capitol. This goes way beyond politicians playing legislative chess to retain power,” Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of the Texas chapter of Common Cause, a watchdog group, wrote in an email.

Georgia Murders Point to Growing Incidence of Hate Crimes & Domestic Terrorism 

Press Release

Georgia Murders Point to Growing Incidence of Hate Crimes & Domestic Terrorism 

Our hearts today are with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, particularly here in Georgia. We know that this type of crime is often intended to intimidate an entire community. Asian women in Georgia have a very powerful and visible voice -- and we cannot allow it to be silenced. We stand with our Asian American neighbors who are grieving.

Senate Focuses on Safeguarding Democracy with For the People Act

Press Release

Senate Focuses on Safeguarding Democracy with For the People Act

All Americans deserve to have their voices heard and votes counted, regardless of the size of their wallets or the color of their skin. However, for far too long, special interests, the ultra-wealthy, and corporate lobbyists have had a megaphone, and vote suppressors' continued efforts to silence largely Black and Brown communities have left many Americans feeling voiceless. The For the People Act would knock down barriers that prevent equal participation in our democracy. We commend Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Merkley, Senator Klobuchar,...

Associated Press: Voter outreach led to big drop in rejected mail ballots

News Clip

Associated Press: Voter outreach led to big drop in rejected mail ballots

“It’s not that something bad didn’t happen when we worried something bad would happen. It’s that we did all this hard work to stop the bad thing from happening,” said Sylvia Albert with Common Cause, one of several groups assisting voters who encountered problems with mail ballots.

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