News Clips

Wilmot submitted a petition to Office of Campaign and Political Finance on Nov. 7, asking the agency to reexamine the “rulemaking concerning political activity by nonprofit entities, groups, organizations and unincorporated associates,” after the Supreme Judicial Court upheld a longstanding ban on campaign donations from businesses. In response, the OCPF drafted the proposed regulation. During the Tuesday hearing on the proposed rule, Wilmot said the draft regulation “was the appropriate thing to do.”

A push to lengthen terms for City Councilors inched forward Wednesday, as the council voted 11-2 to double its term lengths — from two to four years — despite concerns that its effects would further hurt the city’s already dismal voter turnout.

In Massachusetts, Common Cause has led campaigns to bring about a host of democratic reforms including online voter registration, automatic voter registration and election security measures to protect against cyber attacks and domestic hacking, the state chapter’s executive director, Pam Wilmot, told a group of 50 Sunday afternoon.

"We're definitely pleased that the agency adopted our recommendations with just a few minor tweaks," said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. "We look forward to looking more thoroughly at the details, and the process will continue, but we think it's the right decision based on the statute, the law and good public policy."

A coalition of open government advocacy groups is recommending major changes to the rules governing Massachusetts' legislative process, in order to make the Legislature more accessible and open to the public. The groups also recommend broadening the state's public records law to apply to the governor's office, the Legislature and the judiciary.

Pam Wilmot of Common Cause Massachusetts said the legislation, based on bills originally filed by state Sen. Cynthia Creem, of Newton, and the late state Rep. Peter Kocot, of Northampton, is among the strongest in the country and "will make our voter registrations system more efficient, accurate, and secure while at the same time improving voter participation."