News Clips

Viewers of a certain age may remember the movie the "Never Ending Story." Well, all New Yorkers are familiar with the state's own never-ending story — redistricting. For reaction to the latest addition to this saga, Capital Tonight was joined Tuesday by Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York.

Common Cause Wisconsin hailed the signing of the maps, writing in a statement that “the citizens and voters of Wisconsin have prevailed.”

“Democrats were champing at the bit to have these maps six months ago, now they wish they had a chance to get a better court-approved map,” said Jay Heck, executive director or Common Cause in Wisconsin and a backer of the legislation. “C’mon. What’s he going to do, veto his own maps?”

Common Cause Hawaii’s program manager, Camron Hurt, emphasized the need for more comprehensive changes to make Hawaii’s elections free from outside influence, more competitive and more popular. “I think those (other reforms) are all tools to fix the same wheel. Right. So I think we fixed parts of the wheel, but the wheel still isn’t moving as efficiently as it can,” Hunt said.

Good-government groups applauded the possibility of a legislative agreement, largely because it brings about stability and a measure of political certainty until the next redistricting process, after the 2030 census. Besides, said Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, “The governor’s maps are pretty darn good.”

Establish clear and fairly low limits on gifts lawmakers and other officials may accept, while limiting coordination with dark-money groups, reforms suggested by Common Cause Ohio.