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Groups Urge Census Changes to Accurately Count Prison Populations For Redistricting

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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...

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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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ABC News: New York presidential primary postponed amid record numbers of coronavirus cases

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ABC News: New York presidential primary postponed amid record numbers of coronavirus cases

Common Cause New York, a voting rights group, had called on Gov. Cuomo and state officials to consolidate the primary, contending that officials have made it clear that they won’t have the bandwidth to conduct an entirely absentee election by late April.

“We don't have the infrastructure in place to do it quite frankly, so that's anything from having enough paper to print all the ballots, to making sure that we have prepaid postage, to make sure folks can return their ballot. It's a lot of smaller logistical decisions and...

Trump Attempt to Bypass Stimulus Package Oversight is a Corrupt Power Grab and Congress Must Fight It

Press Release

Trump Attempt to Bypass Stimulus Package Oversight is a Corrupt Power Grab and Congress Must Fight It

“Americans expect and deserve accountability for the $2 trillion Coronavirus emergency spending bill, and Congressional oversight of this Administration’s handling of the funds is absolutely critical,” said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn. “This attempt by President Trump to bypass oversight is nothing more than a corrupt power grab by an Administration known for bending over backwards to shower rewards on its political supporters. Congress must fight this move vigorously and hold President Trump accountable to the American...

USA Today: Trump objects to oversight provisions of coronavirus law, setting stage for new front with Democrats

News Clip

USA Today: Trump objects to oversight provisions of coronavirus law, setting stage for new front with Democrats

"Americans expect and deserve accountability for the $2 trillion coronavirus emergency spending bill, and Congressional oversight of this Administration’s handling of the funds is absolutely critical," Common Cause President Karen Hobert Flynn said in a statement.

"This attempt by President Trump to bypass oversight is nothing more than a corrupt power grab by an administration known for bending over backwards to shower rewards on its political supporters," she added. 

Reuters: Coronavirus emerges as major threat to U.S. election process

News Clip

Reuters: Coronavirus emerges as major threat to U.S. election process

“If nothing changes by November, there will be a lot of voters who are disenfranchised,” said Sylvia Albert, voting and elections director for good-government watchdog Common Cause.

Trump Campaign Threats Against TV Stations Airing Ads Critical of President Are Baseless Attempt to Intimidate

Press Release

Trump Campaign Threats Against TV Stations Airing Ads Critical of President Are Baseless Attempt to Intimidate

“The Trump campaign’s threat to revoke television station licenses for airing advertisements critical of the President’s actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic raises serious concerns that the President is potentially abusing his power to intimidate and retaliate against political opponents. The FCC has no authority to revoke broadcast licenses for airing political advertisements critical of the President’s actions. More importantly, the President cannot direct the FCC, an independent agency, to take this action."

Politico: Democrats delayed stimulus bill to tighten ban on Trump family profiting

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Politico: Democrats delayed stimulus bill to tighten ban on Trump family profiting

“This provision helps ensure President Trump and his family can’t benefit from coronavirus pandemic, but there are some loopholes,” said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, an advocacy group that works closely with House committee staffers. “They could benefit in indirect ways.”

Sinclair Broadcast Group/KSNV: Coronavirus is changing everything, including how America votes

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Sinclair Broadcast Group/KSNV: Coronavirus is changing everything, including how America votes

"States need to make critical investments in their election infrastructure," said Sylvia Albert, the director of voting and elections at the nonpartisan group Common Cause. She said the $400 million in the stimulus package was a "step in the right direction" but not enough.

"What is important that we establish a system where people can feel safe about exercising their right to vote," Albert said. She added that means having numerous options available to voters.

Houston Chronicle: Federal stimulus could send $20M to Texas for elections help

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Houston Chronicle: Federal stimulus could send $20M to Texas for elections help

“Every Texan needs should be able to safely register to vote and cast their ballot whether by mail or in person,” Anthony Gutierrez, Executive Director of Common Cause Texas, said in a statement. “The way we make that happen is to use these funds to implement online voter registration, expand vote by mail, extend early voting, recruit more election workers, and ensure all poll sites meets public health safety standards.”

San Francisco Chronicle: Coronavirus-safe election changes left out of $2 trillion stimulus bill

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San Francisco Chronicle: Coronavirus-safe election changes left out of $2 trillion stimulus bill

The $400 million is welcome, but not nearly enough, said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause.

“Given the recent health crisis, states and localities immediately need significantly more resources to make critical investments to ensure that all voters can participate in free, fair, orderly and safe elections this year, or else millions of voters could be disenfranchised,” she said.

Newsweek: CONGRESS’ $2 TRILLION CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PACKAGE NOT ‘NEARLY ENOUGH’ TO SAFEGUARD 2020 ELECTION, EXPERTS SAY

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Newsweek: CONGRESS’ $2 TRILLION CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PACKAGE NOT ‘NEARLY ENOUGH’ TO SAFEGUARD 2020 ELECTION, EXPERTS SAY

"I think we could see, worst-case scenario, millions of Americans disenfranchised and would not be able to have their voices heard or votes counted," said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs at the nonpartisan government watchdog Common Cause. "We should really be able to get to a bipartisan solution to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening."

Congressional Coronavirus Response Makes Down Payment to Safeguard Elections as Well as the Economy

Press Release

Congressional Coronavirus Response Makes Down Payment to Safeguard Elections as Well as the Economy

Congress’s revised Coronavirus emergency response package provides critical funds to address our public health crisis, offers a lifeline to struggling Americans, and makes a significant down payment toward safeguarding our democracy. Every American expects and deserves to have their vote counted and their voice heard in our democracy, and the $400 million in election funding for states and localities is a step in the right direction. That total is nearly triple what Senate Republicans proposed in their initial bill. However, given the recent...

Washington Post: Election officials in both parties call for emergency funding to expand voting by mail before November

News Clip

Washington Post: Election officials in both parties call for emergency funding to expand voting by mail before November

Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, said she expected the legislature to be receptive to recommendations from voting rights advocates. But whatever happens, she said, officials must clearly communicate their decisions to the public.

“People are sitting at home, and they are anxious,” Turcer said, arguing that confusion about elections “just compounds people’s worries” about the covid-19 crisis. “There are pros and cons of all sorts of decisions we could make here, but what we really do need is...

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