Democracy Wire

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.

California has a chance to lead the way on net neutrality, but the clock is ticking. The bill is now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for signature, and he has until the end of the month to sign the bill into law. This is California’s opportunity to pave the way for strong net neutrality protections across the country and show Chairman Pai why Americans overwhelmingly support a free and open internet.

In a 2-2 vote by the California Fair Political Practices Commission last week, the commission declined to endorse a proposal that would give greater power and fundraising ability to state legislative leaders, while creating new reporting requirements.  Common Cause California and other open government groups warned against fast-track approval of the proposal. 

This Tuesday, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission is expected to vote on new recommendations to city campaign finance laws. But after all the talk and all the studies, it’s not even clear that they will be discussing a ban on corporate donations or a boost to public financing.

California takes a big step to protect the Internet.

This past Saturday, Sacramento County opened the doors to its first Vote Center for the June 5, 2018 election.