Illinois Redistricting Must Protect Fair Representation and Meet Common Cause Fairness Criteria
Common Cause, the nation’s premier redistricting leader, is urging Illinois state legislators to ensure that any mid-decade redistricting meets the organization’s six fairness criteria.
Common Cause Releases 2022 “Democracy Scorecard” Showing Growing Support in Congress for Democracy Reform
CHICAGO, IL — As constituents evaluate the performance of their members of Congress, Common Cause released its 2022 “Democracy Scorecard,” a tracking resource with the positions of all members of Congress on campaign finance reform, ethics and transparency, and voting rights legislation. The fourth biennial scorecard is produced to help constituents hold their leaders in the 117th Congress accountable for passing common-sense legislation that preserves and strengthens our democracy.
Common Cause Illinois Issues Statement After June 28 Primaries
Common Cause Illinois is a non-partisan, pro-democracy organization. The choice that candidates such as Miller and Bailey offer is not a choice between different views on policy, but rather a choice between democracy and authoritarian rule; a choice between certifiable elections or the ability of ideologue to overturn the will of the people.
Better Government Association: Former Veterans Affairs Chief Wrote Checks Totaling $50,000 to Her Mom From Her Political Fund
“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, who has advocated for laws to mirror state’s such as California, where officials “go deep into all manner of contributions, loans and how those dollars are coming in and going out the door.
Better Government Association: Pritzker Trust Bought Stock in a Top Illinois Contractor After He Was Elected Governor
“It’s a blind trust in the way of — put your hand over one eye,” said Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause, an organization that advocates for government transparency.
Daily Herald: The Time is Right for Campaign Finance Reform
As a board member of Common Cause Illinois, I am excited that we have an opportunity to give power back to the people through innovative and effective campaign finance reform. Common Cause Illinois is part of a coalition that is working right now to pass a small-donor match program in Evanston.
Illinois Newsroom: New Congressional Maps Unveiled Ahead of Fall Veto Session
Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, said in an interview that there was a general feeling of frustration among many advocacy groups that took part in the legislative redistricting process that has carried over into congressional redistricting.
The Center Square: Nonpartisan Group Calls for the End of Gerrymandering
“What we initially heard was that the General Assembly really wanted to hear from the community,” Young said. “Unfortunately, we found that they heard but didn’t listen.”
Washington Times Herald: Common Cause Criticizes Redistricting Process in Indiana, Illinois
"They used a different data set, despite the fact that... we were telling them that districts that were drawn with that data would be malapportioned," Young said.
The Mendota Reporter: Democrats pass new legislative maps after a contentious debate
Common Cause Illinois, a political reform advocacy group, issued a statement Monday afternoon saying it would boycott the hearing out of protest for the way in which lawmakers were conducting the redistricting process.
The Fulcrum: Illinois Democrats slammed for rushing a partisan redistricting plan
Other organizations that called for greater accountability and transparency in the redistricting process included the Latino Policy Forum, Common Cause Illinois, Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations and Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
WTTW: Illinois Democrats Advance New Legislative Districts With Little Public Review
“Since the beginning, we’ve pleaded with lawmakers to keep the redistricting process open, transparent and accessible to no avail,” Young said in a statement. “At each opportunity in this redistricting process, it’s as if lawmakers went out of their way to ensure the creation of these maps had as little public input as possible. Rejecting an independent bipartisan redistricting commission, politicians chose to draw maps themselves. They did so behind closed doors, with a series of hearings attempting to add a veneer of public...
