The Issues

We are creating a democracy where everyone’s voice is heard and everyone plays by fair and commonsense rules.

We are building a strong democracy with commonsense solutions that put everyday Americans before big money donors.

Minnesotans know that money has too much influence in our political system. That’s why we advocate for money in politics solutions that empower small-dollar donors to make an impact in campaigns, require disclosure of all campaign money raised and spent, remove the financial barriers stopping everyday people from running for office, and hold elected officials and wealthy special interests accountable to voters.

Even with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC, states and cities across the country are proving that we can reform and improve our campaign finance system with laws that amplify the voices of everyday Minnesotans, require strong disclosure, and make sure everyone plays by the same common-sense rules.

We have been working hard to rein in the power of big money in politics. Our work to reform the system has always been about making sure there is accountability in our politics and everyone has a voice and say in government.

Campaign Finance

In addition to citizens funded elections such as campaign funding vouchers, we support reforms that provide public matching funds to amplify the role of ordinary Minnesotans in financing elections and have made it possible for more women, people of color, and those of modest means to run and get elected to public office.  

The freedom to vote and have our voices heard is fundamental to our democracy. It’s the most basic – and essential –  building block of our government.

At a time when false claims of rampant voter fraud are used to chip away at Minnesotan’s rights to access the ballot – we must rededicate ourselves to increasing voter registration and participation among eligible voters in Minnesota, especially disenfranchised and marginalized communities. 

Generations of Americans fought and died for our right to vote, the freedom to choose our leaders, and the right to speak up for our beliefs.

But today, those rights still are under attack. In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted key portions of the Voting Rights Act, which protected eligible voters from discriminatory voting laws. The court claimed those protections were no longer necessary.

Since then, opportunistic state lawmakers have proven the court wrong. At least 20 states have passed new voting restrictions — from cuts to early voting, to strict voter ID requirements, to rolling back strong reforms. In Minnesota year after year, legislators have pushed to require voter ID and implement provisional ballots, both are tactics used in other states to disenfranchise voters of color and the poor. 

That’s why we support the following reforms:

• Restore The Vote
• Automatic Voter Registration
• Expanding vote-by-mail to all Minnesotans
• National Popular Vote
• Ranked Choice Voting for local government
• Redistricting reforms establishing an independent redistricting commission.

In Minnesota, elections are supposed to reflect the will of the people, not politicians. We all want our voices to be heard in determining the future of our families and communities. We fought for a census in which every person was counted and a process for drawing district boundaries that puts our communities, and not the needs of politicians, first.

Sadly, sometimes partisan politicians manipulate voting maps to keep themselves and their party in power. They don’t keep communities at the forefront of the process of reshaping our district maps. We need to reform the rules and make the process of drawing districts impartial and transparent so our government is of, by, and for the people.

We believe voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. Through the OurMapsMN grassroots Redistricting Campaign, we’re working to create better ways to draw districts that fairly represent your state’s communities. We support reforms including the creation of independent redistricting commissions, the hiring of non-partisan state staff, and clear, constitutional rules for how lines should be drawn. Learn more about independent redistricting commissions.

Sign up for the Gerrymander Gazette, a monthly newsletter highlighting reform efforts across the country.

From Congress to the smallest town hall in Minnesota, our elected representatives make laws that touch lives and livelihoods, including their own. 

Minnesotans expect that our elected representatives will always put aside their private interests to advance the public interest. This means that the public should have access to all information considered in their decision making process in real-time to allow for meaningful engagement before decisions are made.