Cheri Quickmire led fight for State VRA and early voting 

National government watchdog, Common Cause, announced the retirement of Cheri Quickmire, who led the Connecticut office for 18 years. Quickmire’s retirement comes after defeating attempts to advance a wholesale rewrite of the U.S. Constitution and diminish the state’s campaign finance authority in the last legislative session.  

“Holding power accountable has been an extraordinary journey,” said Quickmire. “We won as we rolled back efforts by legislators to take away the independence of the State Elections Enforcement Commission that holds accountable candidates who participate in the nationally renowned Citizens’ Election Program.” 

Earlier this year, Connecticut lawmakers sought to undermine the state’s nationally renowned campaign finance system. Common Cause successfully led the advocacy effort to establish the Citizens’ Election Program in 2005 which shifted power to the people over big money donors and special interests. The program was widely popular across partisan lines after a series of major conflicts of interest led to high-profile scandals for public officials. In 2020, a report found the program to be a national model with 85% of candidates participating in the program.   

“Cheri has been a steadfast champion for democracy, and the policies she’s championed will have a long-lasting impact beyond her tenure,” said Common Cause Vice President of States Heather Ferguson. “From holding our leaders in Washington accountable to making the ballot box more accessible with early voting, Cheri’s work has strengthened the voice of the people for years to come.”  

In 2023, Quickmire led Common Cause’s major voting rights victory in Connecticut, passing the state level Voting Rights Act. With the bill’s passage, the state earned some of the strongest voter protections in the country while other states stripped away those protections. 

In 2022, Quickmire and a statewide coalition of voting rights advocates led the successful campaign to bring early voting to Connecticut via ballot measure. After the passage, the state legislature passed a law officially bringing it as an option to voters. Prior to the passage, Connecticut was one of four states that did not allow early voting.  

Common Cause will continue its advocacy in the state and will begin hiring in the near future.