Monday, August 14, 2017

Political Gerrymandering is a Major Form of Voter Suppression




Common Cause is a Nonpartisan Grassroots Organization dedicated to upholding the Core Values of American Democracy. They work to create Open, Honest, and Accountable Government that serves the Public Interest, They Promote Equal Rights, Opportunity, and Representation for All. They Empower all People to make their Voices heard in the Political Process.

Received this email from Robert Reich, the Board Chair and the Team at Common Cause.

The results of next year's Elections will be determined by what we do today. That’s why, all across the Country, Common Cause members like you are taking Action now to help end Gerrymandering.

Political Gerrymandering is a Major form of Voter Suppression. It’s the Process by which your Legislator picks you, when it should be you who picks your Legislator. And when Incumbents draw District Lines to preserve their Power, they deprive Voters of the ability to Elect Candidates of their Choice, and ultimately to hold Politicians Accountable.

It doesn’t need to be this way: “Redistricting” and Drawing the Legislative Districts can be a process that involves everyday People, Respects our Changing Communities, and is Transparent and Fair.

Common Cause has a Plan to make it happen.

It doesn’t matter which Party is doing it, or what State is affected. Gerrymandering is an Outrageous and Unconstitutional Abuse of Power. It’s also an affront to the Millions of Americans who are denied a meaningful Choice in their Elected Representatives.

In Court after Court, They are Winning Judgments that could ultimately get Partisan Gerrymandering Declared Unconstitutional once and for all. In State after State, they are pushing Innovative Reforms that will take Politicians out of the Redistricting Process, and put ordinary Citizens in Charge.

But, if we don’t Escalate our efforts before the next round of Redistricting in 2021, we could face another Decade of Gerrymandered Districts. Another Decade of Unequal Representation. Another Decade of Incumbents holding onto Power, with only token Opposition, while ordinary Voters are Locked out of the Political Process.

We can’t afford to let that happen.

With more than 900,000 Activists, 35 State Organizations, Members in all 50 States, and a Year-Round Presence in Washington, DC, Common Cause is aggressively tackling the problem of Gerrymandering, State by State, and they have the results to show for it!

In North Carolina, the U.S. Supreme Court just clearly Affirmed that Racial Gerrymandering is Unconstitutional. But there is still work to be done. The Court did not address the Partisan Gerrymandering which is also denying North Carolina Voters their Constitutional Right to Choose their Representatives. That’s why Common Cause filed Common Cause v. Rucho, which calls on the Courts to set Limits on Partisan influence in Redistricting in this State. They expect this Issue to wind up in the Supreme Court for a Ruling.

In Maryland, Common Cause has been Partnering with Republican Governor Larry Hogan to Reform a Redistricting Process that has made Maryland one of our Country’s most Gerrymandered States. Toward that end, They are supporting a Lawsuit originally brought by a Common Cause Member against that State’s Maps for unfairly advantaging Democrats.

That’s just two examples, They are making Major headway in State after State, advancing Reform that can be adopted from one end of the Country to the other.

Clearly, Grassroots organizing, combined with critical Lawsuits that could have a Nationwide Impact, is our best path towards Victory.

CLICK HERE for more Information about Common Cause and determine how you can Participate in the Gerrymandering Fight.











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