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: