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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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Cincinnati Enquirer/Columbus Dispatch: GOP OKs Ohio legislature maps tweaked from rejected ones, Democrats say process ‘hijacked’

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Cincinnati Enquirer/Columbus Dispatch: GOP OKs Ohio legislature maps tweaked from rejected ones, Democrats say process ‘hijacked’

Advocates for redistricting reform already have their sights set on a better process, possibly an independent commission such as ones used in other states. Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, said they would not rush anything to the ballot, but something needed to change. 

"They're drunk on power," Turcer said. "They need to be removed from the decision-making process." 

Roll Call: Biden budget seeks $10 billion over decade to improve elections, make ballots postage-free

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Roll Call: Biden budget seeks $10 billion over decade to improve elections, make ballots postage-free

Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, an independent citizens' lobbying group, said that much money would be “transformative” for states holding elections.  ...

Albert said states often save the grant money they receive from the federal government for emergencies or for other unexpected reasons. 

“Officials don't have confidence that more money will be coming. They don’t feel free to use it in a way that could expand access,” Albert said, praising Biden's call for sustained...

The Guardian: How gerrymandering allows a purple state to promote Trump’s big lie

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The Guardian: How gerrymandering allows a purple state to promote Trump’s big lie

Getting people to look beyond congressional gerrymandering and at distortions for state legislative districts can be a challenge, said Suzanne Almedia, redistricting and representation counsel at Common Cause, a government watchdog group.

“Particularly, given the polarized nature of the US Congress, it’s a lot more straightforward to tell a story of Democrats versus Republicans on the national level than it is to think through the nuances of what happens on the state level,” she said. The policies that most directly affect...

Salon: “Throwback to Jim Crow”: New Texas voting law means Black voters’ ballots get tossed

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Salon: “Throwback to Jim Crow”: New Texas voting law means Black voters’ ballots get tossed

"Texas was already the hardest state to vote in before Republicans passed these laws that made it even harder," said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, in a statement to Salon. "What we're seeing today is a small preview of what we can expect to see at a far wider scale in November unless the federal government finally takes real action to intervene."

Gutierrez said the Texas secretary of state's office was repeatedly told about the potential for these problems when the voting-restriction bill was...

Common Cause Statement on Passing of Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

Press Release

Common Cause Statement on Passing of Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

"Former Secretary Madeleine Albright dedicated her life to promoting democratic values at home and abroad. As the first woman to hold the title of Secretary of State, she is an inspiration to every child who dreams of one day contributing to the great experiment of representative democracy."

Associated Press: Political lobbyists denounce harassment by state senator

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Associated Press: Political lobbyists denounce harassment by state senator

Heather Ferguson, a co-signor of the letter and executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, said that Ivey-Soto referred to her and a female colleague by the nickname “Lips and Hips” in 2016.

“We walked into a meeting with him,” Ferguson said. “He said, ‘Here comes Lips and Hips.’”

Ferguson said she told Ivey-Soto the nickname was sexist and degrading, and that he repeated it later. 

She described a “toxic culture” at the Legislature, praised Anaya’s courage for filing a...

Raleigh News & Observer: Is gerrymandering to blame for more extremism in US politics?

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Raleigh News & Observer: Is gerrymandering to blame for more extremism in US politics?

“The winner is chosen in the primary and the primary draws, for lack of a better way of saying it, the most extreme and emotional voters,” said Bob Phillips, who leads the redistricting reform group Common Cause NC.

He said he’s heard state legislators on both sides of the aisle complain that their party’s leaders instruct them not to even mingle with the other side when they’re in Raleigh, let alone vote with them.

“We’ve seen it in Raleigh and seen it in Washington,” he said. “Folks that come...

MSN/Austin American-Statesman: Central Texas counties report ‘higher than ever’ rejection rates for primary mail ballots

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MSN/Austin American-Statesman: Central Texas counties report ‘higher than ever’ rejection rates for primary mail ballots

“I think we were all worried about vote-by-mail requirements, but I don’t think anyone expected for it to be quite this much of a catastrophe,” said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of the nonpartisan elections and democracy organization Common Cause Texas, which is is suing state officials over SB 1.

Part of the problem, Gutierrez said, is that he is not seeing an earnest effort from the secretary of state to alert voters of the new changes.

"The secretary of state seemed to be doing little to nothing...

USA Today: Ohio’s redistricting is in disarray weeks before the primary. Can it pull off the election?

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USA Today: Ohio’s redistricting is in disarray weeks before the primary. Can it pull off the election?

“What’s really sad about all of this for Ohio voters: not that many people vote in primaries anyway," said Mia Lewis, associate director of the good-government group Common Cause Ohio. "What’s going to be the incentive for an Ohio voter to bother to pay attention and figure all of this out?”

Common Cause Announces Support for Confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Press Release

Common Cause Announces Support for Confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

In a letter sent to the U.S. Senate this morning, Common Cause urged senators to confirm U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Common Cause’s letter highlighted Judge Jackson’s strong commitment to justice for all and the wealth of experience she brings that led to bi-partisan support throughout her judicial career.

Business Insider: How more than $407 million in taxpayer money got locked away in a forgotten government fund — and lawmakers won’t spend it or return it

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Business Insider: How more than $407 million in taxpayer money got locked away in a forgotten government fund — and lawmakers won’t spend it or return it

The For the People Act "represents the boldest democracy reform since Watergate, and any funds currently available for the old system should be used for the new system of federal citizen-funded elections, which must pass so we can get big money out of politics," Beth Rotman, the director of money in politics and ethics for Common Cause, said prior to the bill's stall-out.

Associated Press: DeSantis, lawmakers sued by groups over congressional maps

News Clip

Associated Press: DeSantis, lawmakers sued by groups over congressional maps

Voter rights groups are suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his secretary of state and lawmakers in a bid to throw out redrawn congressional districts, saying the governor inappropriately influenced the once-a-decade process.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in Tallahassee by Common Cause Florida and Fair Districts Now, two non-partisan groups advocating for good government.

The complaint states DeSantis overstepped his executive powers to propose his own maps to favor Republicans. It says his plans...

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