JULY 2023

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📈 The first half of 2023 has seen a near-record^[1] number of both good and bad state-level voting laws. Motivated by a continuing election-denier movement, the harmful laws target mail voting, registration efforts, direct democracy and more. Despite this, many more laws expanded voting rights. 

Currently, 15 states have passed over 20 laws that improve voting accessibility and procedures. Texas, Arkansas and Virginia took steps to make absentee voting easier. Colorado increased the number of ballot drop boxes on college campuses and expanded early voting in tribal nations. Connecticut enacted comprehensive voter protections, preventing discriminatory changes and making elections more accessible. Notably, New Mexico and Minnesota took the major steps of implementing automatic voter registration, allowing voters to permanently request absentee ballots and restoring incarcerated people’s voting rights immediately after release from prison.

✊ With these improvements, millions of Americans will be able to exercise their right to vote in a more accessible way in next year’s elections and beyond.

[1] https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-june-2023

*****

🗣 Since 2011^[2], Common Cause has been calling for a code of conduct for the U.S. Supreme Court. In recent months, a new spate of corruption scandals involving Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor have served to intensify calls for ethical standards for members of our nation’s highest court.

As these Justices make major legal decisions that impact everything from our student loan debts to our civil rights, we need to ensure that they are doing so fairly and impartially. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to consider a bill that would require the court to adhere to a code of ethics.

👩‍⚖️ Common Cause supports that legislation, and we’ll continue to fight for judicial transparency — because our highest court should meet the highest ethical standards. Friend, will you sign our petition below demanding that SCOTUS adopt a code of ethics?

[2] https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2011-jan-22-la-na-thomas-disclosure-20110122-story.html

Ajhani Carroll was a former research and impact intern for Common Cause Maryland and Common Cause Youth Programs engagement intern. As an intern, Ajhani recruited over 30 student volunteers for the Maryland poll monitoring program and social media monitoring program, found ways to create space for young people to discuss how they interact with politics, what social justice issues they’re interested in and ways they want to see those issues addressed. 

When asked why she wanted to intern at Common Cause, Ajhani said “the goal of Common Cause, to support community engagement, involvement and advocacy aligns with my goals. Having the privilege of serving as a Common Cause intern will provide me with greater exposure and experience to achieve my career ambition of working in advocacy and social change.” 

Ajhani is a recent Howard University graduate. She will soon be moving to Spain to teach English.

We're working so hard across the country, we could write you a novel instead of a newsletter. But instead, here are a few more quick headlines we don't want you to miss:

• Pennsylvania 🔔: Here’s five things you need to know about ERIC, the newest target of election conspiracy theorists. 

• Delaware 🏖️: Last month, activists shut down a proposal that would have allowed corporations to vote in local elections in Seaford, Delaware.

• Maryland 🦀: Following the striking of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, Bowie State University fellow Rondez Green wrote about how MD can become more worker-friendly.

• National 🦅: We're offering policy and advocacy internships across the country this fall!

This means small donors have a BIG impact in races across the Old Line State! 🦀

Congrats! You made it to the end. But will you make it through Barbenheimer without taking any bathroom breaks? 👀

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