Voting Rights

Voters were forthright on one democracy issue this election season. Ordinary people, not politicians, should draw the voting boundaries that determine the fate of elections. Here's our analysis on what went right and what went wrong with gerrymandering in the 2018 midterms and what's in store for the next redistricting cycle.

New York City requires any candidate who accepts public funding for citywide office to participate in debates," said Kati Phillips, a spokeswoman for California Common Cause. They've spent three years trying to develop a similar model in Los Angeles. "We are one vote away from requiring all city council and citywide candidates to participate in a debate or town hall to qualify for public financing," Phillips said. "Previously the law had a loophole — candidates just had to agree to a debate, not actually show up!"

California Common Cause today urged the California Fair Political Practices Commission to not allow campaigns to accept crypto-currency until the emerging technology is better studied and understood. The commission voted 3-1 to disallow the contributions.

California Common Cause today urged the Los Angeles city rules committee to approve a package of public financing reforms that would enhance the influence of small donors on city council and citywide elections and reduce the influence of wealthy, special interest donors.

California Common Cause and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will assist voters during the November 6 election. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations will operate an Election Protection Hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE, for voters who have questions or experience trouble at the polls. The 1-866-OUR-VOTE hotline will be answered live on Election Day by a volunteer legal team.

A new report out Wednesday from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found continuing voting problems for people of color and people with disabilities. The report took a national view, but some of these challenges have been playing out in California.