Campaign

Article V Campaign

Wealthy donors, corporations, and radical far-right actors are pushing calls for an Article V Convention in states across the country to reshape our Constitution for their own benefit.

Frighteningly, they are just a few states away from succeeding.

What is an Article V Convention?

Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, Congress is required to hold a constitutional convention if two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states) call for one.

But here’s the catch: there are absolutely no rules for an Article V Convention outlined in the Constitution.

That means the group of people convening to rewrite our Constitution could be totally unelected and unaccountable. There is nothing that could limit the convention to a single issue, so the delegates could write amendments that revoke any of our most cherished rights—like our right to peaceful protest, our freedom of religion, or our right to privacy. There are also no rules preventing corporations from pouring money into the convention to ensure they get their way.

In short, an Article V Convention would be a disaster. It would lead to long and costly legal battles, uncertainty about how our democracy functions, and likely economic instability.

But extremists and wealthy special interests see it as their best chance to write their far-right agenda into the Constitution. That is why they are working around the clock to convince their allies in state legislatures to make it happen.

How far are we from an Article V Convention? 

Right now, there are four major campaigns for an Article V Convention: the Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) campaign, the Convention of States (COS) campaign, the Wolf-PAC campaign, and the term limits campaign.

Each has different goals, but together, they have convinced 28 states to call for a convention. That means they have just six states to go.

How is Common Cause working to stop an Article V Convention?

Common Cause has made – and will continue to make – great strides in this fight for our democracy. We have the expertise, the nonpartisan reputation, and the grassroots power to win. Right now, we are working with our allies in state legislatures across the country to reject and rescind calls for a convention.

Already, we have secured important victories in states like Montana, New Jersey, Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and more.

Common Cause knows that as it exists today, the Constitution is far from a perfect document. We support efforts to amend it via the tried and true method that has been successfully used 27 times – starting in Congress. In fact, we have supported calls in over a dozen states and hundreds of cities and towns to pass an amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC, limiting corporate influence on our elections.

But in today’s hyper-polarized political climate, an Article V Convention simply puts too much at risk.

How can I help?

The conspirators behind this plot want to keep it behind closed doors—so that they can overturn our rights before we even know what is happening. That is where we come in.

We are shining a spotlight on this secretive scheme to rewrite our Constitution, and we need your help. First, start by signing our petition:

REJECT and RESCIND any calls for an Article V Convention

Petition

REJECT and RESCIND any calls for an Article V Convention

We the People will not allow unelected, unaccountable delegates to write their agenda into our Constitution. Our state lawmakers must reject any new Article V Convention calls and rescind any existing calls for a Convention.

SIGN THE PETITION

Take Action


REJECT and RESCIND any calls for an Article V Convention

Petition

REJECT and RESCIND any calls for an Article V Convention

We the People will not allow unelected, unaccountable delegates to write their agenda into our Constitution. Our state lawmakers must reject any new Article V Convention calls and rescind any existing calls for a Convention.

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Related Resources

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Report

Constitutional Chaos The Shadow Campaigns Aiming to Unravel Our Freedom

This report exposes the dangerous efforts by secretive, well-funded special interest groups to push state legislatures around the nation to call for a constitutional convention through a little-known provision in Article V of the U.S. Constitution.

Press

Public News Service: Voting rights groups call constitutional convention efforts a threat to democracy

News Clip

Public News Service: Voting rights groups call constitutional convention efforts a threat to democracy

Geoff Foster, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, said there are no rules in the Constitution for how to govern a convention and no guarantee, even the First Amendment, would be safe.

"There's great risk and great potential harm to everything already enshrined in our Constitution if we do open up this Pandora's box," Foster cautioned.

Foster pointed out a convention could potentially allow unelected delegates and special-interest groups to enshrine their agenda into a founding document.

Testimony for House Hearing on Threat of Article V Constitutional Convention

Press Release

Testimony for House Hearing on Threat of Article V Constitutional Convention

Today at 2:00 p.m. ET, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government will hold a hearing on "Examining Proposed Constitutional Amendments," including to review Article V of the Constitution and proposed amendments. Stephen Spaulding, Common Cause Vice President for Policy & External Affairs, will be testifying on the dangers inherent in calling an Article V constitutional convention. His written testimony submitted in advance of the hearing focuses on the risks and unpredictability of calling a constitutional...

KCRA-TV: Key committee set to vote on Gov. Newsom’s call for a constitutional convention

News Clip

KCRA-TV: Key committee set to vote on Gov. Newsom’s call for a constitutional convention

Critics note there are no guarantees that the convention would be limited to gun control if triggered. The nonpartisan democracy advocacy group Common Cause earlier this week blasted the push, noting a convention lacks legal guardrails and historical norms.

"By calling a constitutional convention, Governor Newsom would invite wealthy special interests to open the hood of the U.S. Constitution and tinker with our rights and liberties—without a single rule," the group said in a news release. "There are few risks to the freedoms...

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