Media Center

On Tuesday night, Howard County voters approved a charter amendment to bring balance to our democracy and make local government more representative and accountable to everyday people.

Ellicott City, MD: A packed crowd gathered last night at Kelsey’s Restaurant in Ellicott City to officially launch “Yes on A! For the Citizens Election Fund.” The campaign is building support for ballot question A, which would establish a Citizens’ Election Fund to create a small donor empowerment program for Howard County elections.

Over the last year, the composition of influential industries lobbying in Annapolis has remained virtually unchanged. However, spending on lobbyists continued to climb. According to Common Cause Maryland, the amount industries spent on lobbying jumped by almost $1.5 million this year, reaching a record-setting $19,809,305.

We applaud the General Assembly for passing legislation to improve upon Maryland's voter registration system. With the Freedom to Vote Act, our state expands voter registration opportunities to nearly every state agency. The move towards modernized, online or electronic voter registration systems – and away from outdated paper-based models – will save the state both time and money, making this a win for both voters and administrators alike.

With the 2016 legislative session nearing its close, advocates expressed their disappointment that more progress was not made on good government reforms in the past 90 days.

Annapolis – The Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee today heard SJ5, a Resolution to rescind Maryland’s existing calls for a federal Constitutional Convention. The sponsor and advocates supporting the bill discussed the importance of Maryland acting – and acting now.