We are ensuring fair districts and a reflective democracy.
Voters should choose their representatives and not the other way around.
Through research, education, grassroots mobilization, and litigation, Common Cause Education Fund is working – and leading successful reforms – in states across the U.S. to create fair maps that support a reflective democracy.
Polling and focus groups consistently show that very few people understand redistricting and how it functions in their state. That’s why public education is essential to our efforts.
Through robust communications efforts, community forums, and enlisting high-profile state leaders of both parties to hold or join events, we lay the groundwork for success.
And it’s working. When we take the lead on redistricting litigation, we maintain our nonpartisanship while taking a firm stance in favor of a redistricting process that maximizes fairness.
Common Cause Education Fund has been engaged in key court cases with national implications: Common Cause v. Rucho (North Carolina), Gill v. Whitford (Wisconsin), and Benisek v. Lamone (Maryland).
Our Work in Action:
When it comes to the census, counting communities of color and low-income residents is difficult under the best of circumstances. Barriers to participation and accuracy include housing and living arrangements, language, education, immigration status, and work hours. But their participation is critical to creating a truly representative democracy.
While the recently approved short-term federal budget includes increased and accelerated spending for the Census Bureau, the decennial headcount in April 2020 remains underfunded and at risk for undercounting traditionally hard-to-count (HTC) communities.
An undercount will not only deprive these communities of much-needed government resources but may result in fewer legislators representing them at all levels of government.
Leveraging our expertise in grassroots organizing, communications, and educating state and local governments, we are working to ensure HTC communities can and will participate in the upcoming count through our Count Me In 2020 initiative.