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Opposition Grows on Voter ID Bill, Letter Sent to Legislators

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Opposition Grows on Voter ID Bill, Letter Sent to Legislators

Twenty-three voting rights and democracy groups have written a letter to Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton and members of the General Assembly, urging them to reject House Bill 771, a voter ID proposal that risks disenfranchising eligible voters.
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Pa. ends ‘prison gerrymandering’ with closely divided committee vote

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Pa. ends ‘prison gerrymandering’ with closely divided committee vote

Khalif Ali, who directs Pennsylvania’s chapter of government accountability nonprofit Common Cause, called the change “is an important step toward fully representative legislative districts in Pennsylvania” that has been “a long time coming.”

New Census data shows population shifts in PA

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New Census data shows population shifts in PA

“While this process has historically been conducted behind closed doors with little to no public input, 2021 is our year to flip the script and ensure that the voices of our communities, particularly those of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other communities of color, are at the center of the conversation,” said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania.

Census in PA.: What the latest figures mean for legislative and congressional seats

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Census in PA.: What the latest figures mean for legislative and congressional seats

Common Cause Pennsylvania executive director Khalif Ali said in a statement that it is time to “flip the script” and heed the voices Black, Latinx, Asian and other minority communities.

“When redistricting is fair, transparent, and includes everyone, our maps are more likely to be representative and secure, free, fair and responsive elections for the next decade,” Ali said.

Pennsylvania’s lawmaker reimbursement rules are ‘ripe for abuse’

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Pennsylvania’s lawmaker reimbursement rules are ‘ripe for abuse’

Those expense rules, highlighted in a series of stories by The Caucus and Spotlight PA over the past two years, have created “a culture of zero accountability,” Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said during a recent Spotlight PA live event.

Theft charges brought down a state lawmaker. But Pa.’s taxpayer-funded system for perks was already ripe for abuse.

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Theft charges brought down a state lawmaker. But Pa.’s taxpayer-funded system for perks was already ripe for abuse.

Those expense rules, highlighted in a series of stories by The Caucus and Spotlight PA over the last two years, have created “a culture of zero accountability,” Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said during a recent Spotlight PA live event.

Redistricting reformers want changes to how political maps are drawn

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Redistricting reformers want changes to how political maps are drawn

After years of attempting to get lawmakers to change how state legislative and congressional districts are drawn, redistricting reform advocates had to drop attempts to have political maps drawn by an independent commission.

Hearings begin this week on Pennsylvania legislative, congressional redistricting

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Hearings begin this week on Pennsylvania legislative, congressional redistricting

The first of the hearings in Harrisburg will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, and feature presentations from advocacy leaders and experts including Common Cause of Pennsylvania Executive Director Khalif Ali, Fair District PA Chair Carol Kuniholm and Temple University’s Lee Hachadoorian.

Redistricting advocates tell Pa. House leaders that transparency an absolute necessity in mapping process

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Redistricting advocates tell Pa. House leaders that transparency an absolute necessity in mapping process

Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, recommended that lawmakers start from a blank map, disregarding any existing boundaries and building their own based on public testimony. It might take longer to create, he said, “but we believe that the time spent will result in a map that will be far more representative to the people of the Commonwealth.” Could this practice disadvantage current incumbents? Sure, but protecting incumbents shouldn’t be the goal of redistricting, Mr. Ali said.

Recommendations for Drawing Congressional Districts: ‘Start From a Blank Map’

Press Release

Recommendations for Drawing Congressional Districts: ‘Start From a Blank Map’

"We believe that redistricting should be fair, accessible, and politically neutral. Most importantly, we believe that to be successful, a redistricting process must intentionally seek to ensure that every Pennsylvanian, regardless of zip code, race, ethnicity, first language, or profession has an equal opportunity to elect a representative that shares their values and lived experience," Common Cause Pennsylvania Executive Director Khalif Ali will tell the Committee.

WATCH: A live reader Q&A on how lawmakers spend millions of taxpayer dollars on perks

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WATCH: A live reader Q&A on how lawmakers spend millions of taxpayer dollars on perks

On Wednesday, July 28 at 5 p.m., Spotlight PA’s Angela Couloumbis; Sam Janesch, Brad Bumsted, and Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus; and Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, participated in a free Q&A on state lawmaker expenses.

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