Our Impact
Common Cause Maryland has been fighting for and winning key democracy reforms since our founding in 1974.
Common Cause Maryland has been fighting for and winning key democracy reforms since our founding in 1974.
With the support of our dedicated members, we have shown up time and time again to protect Marylanders’ rights. We’ve worked to protect voters, limit Big Money’s influence on our elections, improve transparency in government, stop partisan and racial gerrymandering, and more. We will continue to make our government here in Maryland more open, honest, and accountable.
Check out some of our most impactful victories from the last decade:
2014-2019
2014: Common Cause Maryland worked with the Montgomery County Council to make history. The Council unanimously passed Bill 16-14, creating the first local program in Maryland for small-donor fair elections called the Public Election Fund.
2015: As part of the Unlock the Vote coalition, Common Cause Maryland helped to restore voting rights for approximately 40,000 citizens who live in their communities but could not vote because of a criminal conviction in their past. The General Assembly voted to override the veto on the rights restoration bill in 2016.
2016: Common Cause Maryland, as part of the Fair Elections Maryland coalition leadership, worked to send a small donor campaign financing for local elections to the ballot in Howard County. 52% of voters approved the charter amendment that established the Citizens’ Election Fund.
2018: Common Cause Maryland successfully led efforts to establish an automatic voter registration program, streamlining the process at the Motor Vehicle Administration and other government offices. We also led efforts to allow for same-day registration on Election Day. Voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment that eliminated an arbitrary deadline that stopped citizens from voting.
2020-2024
2020: As the COVID-19 pandemic seizes the country, Common Cause Maryland pushed for access to safe and secure voting, including through the expansion of mail-in voting. Many of these emergency regulations are now permanent in our elections. We also spearheaded our first and largest Election Protection effort, mobilizing nearly 400 volunteers from all 24 counties to monitor the polls in person and flag pieces of potential disinformation online.
2021: Common Cause Maryland worked in coalition to expand access to legislative proceedings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once inaccessible to most, the General Assembly now streams all proceedings and allows for remote participation for those unable to come to Annapolis. We also work with the Expand the Ballot, Expand the Vote coalition to secure meaningful access to voting for eligible incarcerated voters.
2022: Common Cause Maryland spearheaded efforts to expand access to mail-in voting. With the support of our coalition partners, we were able to establish a process for curing and allow for the pre-processing of ballots for the release of prompt and accurate results. This is in addition to our victories in 2021 which included making secure drop boxes permanent, improving our mail voting materials and envelopes, and more.
2024: Common Cause Maryland joined election officials throughout Maryland in demanding that protections be put in place because they have been the target of ongoing threats and harassment, with some even leaving their roles out of fear. This year we passed legislation to ensure election officials – state, local, and even election judges – feel safe at work during the 2024 election cycle and all future elections.
Hear from Common Cause Maryland members....
Meet Peggy Dennis
Peggy Dennis has been a Common Cause Maryland member for more than 20 years. In 2021, she adopted a 0.8-mile section of Falls Road in Montgomery County MD, in the organization’s name as a way to bring attention to our work, while striving to clean up her community. She also stated that it serves as a way for her to publicize the issues she cares about, such as voting rights and campaign funding.
Peggy said: “I don’t feel I need to have my name up there on the post, but I’m glad to do the work in the name of an organization I admire and respect. Anyone can do the same for their church, civic association, or club, or in the memory of someone they cared for.“
Meet Ariell Mello
Ariell is a graduate student at the University of Maryland and served as our Research & Policy Intern in 2023, developing recommendations for language access expansion in our elections and legislative proceedings.
Ariell said “It was great helping to build the Maryland team’s language access campaign. I now work in the House of Delegates and get to see how my research informed the language access bill being championed by the organization. To see my research become legislation and potentially law in the next few years is truly democracy at work.”
50
Years of Work
We are one of the state's most effective watchdog groups and a strong force for reform at all level of government because of your support
32k
Members Across the State
Together, we are working to create a democracy that work for all of us - fighting for the people of Maryland against special interests and partisan political games, and protect the important accomplishments we’ve already made.
24
Counties with Common Cause Maryland members
We have a network of members and supporters in every jurisdiction. They serve as our eyes and ears on the ground - alerting us of issues and opportunities for engagement
