John,

While MAGA politicians in Congress push schemes to block millions from voting, roll back rights, and work to jam through a budget that favors greed over people, Common Cause is advancing a different vision: one where every voice is heard and every one of us counts.

And we’re doing it the way we always have—by organizing, mobilizing, and winning real change state by state.

Right now, those in power in Washington D.C. are dragging our democracy backward—but in the states, we’re building a better future. And Common Cause teams are there—on the ground, day after day—fighting back and moving our democracy forward.

Here are just some ways we’re leading the charge:

🔔 Common Cause Pennsylvania helped pass one of the strongest voting reform bills in the country through the state House. It expands early voting, secures drop boxes, simplifies mail voting, and improves access to voter registration. Now we’re pushing the state Senate to act—and fighting back against a voter ID bill that would silence thousands.
🌲 Common Cause North Carolina helped lead a historic defense of democracy after a losing candidate tried to toss out thousands of lawful votes. Following a federal court’s rejection of his baseless challenge, he was forced to concede. Our People v. Griffin campaign mobilized North Carolinians statewide—through rallies, calls, and letters—to protect every vote. Justice prevailed because We The People showed up.
🌴 California Common Cause’s bill to defend independent, community-based journalism advanced through the General Assembly! If passed in the Senate and signed into law, it would give local reporters and communities a real chance to preserve their news outlets before they’re sold off to corporate media giants.
🐊 Common Cause Florida helped stop a dangerous voter suppression bill modeled after the federal SAVE Act—blocking efforts to purge eligible voters. And for the first time ever, the Florida Voting Rights Act was heard in committee. In one of the toughest states for voting rights, we’re making real progress.
🦀 Common Cause Maryland helped win new language access protections that ensure voters with limited English proficiency and those who may need assistance in American Sign Language can fully participate in elections and expand democracy for thousands across the state. This is part of our larger effort to pass a full-fledged Maryland Voting Rights Act, piece by piece.
🐋 Common Cause Massachusetts just launched the Voting Access Campaign to fix outdated voter registration laws that are costing thousands of voters their right to be heard in state elections. We’re mobilizing public pressure and making headlines—so that every eligible Bay State voter can cast a ballot that counts on Election Day.
🏔️ Common Cause Colorado led a 40+ group coalition to write and pass the new Colorado Voting Rights Act, which protects voters from discrimination, expands multilingual ballot access, and makes Colorado the first state to explicitly safeguard LGBTQ+ voters from suppression at the ballot box.
🌞 Common Cause New Mexico helped pass legislation to open primary elections to hundreds of thousands of independent voters. We also advanced bills to increase lobbyist transparency and move the state toward independent redistricting—part of our long-term fight for a more open, accountable democracy.
🦫 Common Cause Oregon mobilized thousands of public comments to stop a dangerous attempt to gut the state’s vote-by-mail system—overwhelming the Capitol and killing the bill. Now, we’re backing a youth voting measure to give high school students a say in school board elections and help them become lifelong voters.
🗽 Common Cause New York is demanding accountability after peaceful constituents were forcibly removed from a congressional town hall. We’re calling on Governor Hochul to stop the State Police from suppressing public participation—and to protect every New Yorker’s right to be heard.
⚓ Common Cause Rhode Island is leading the fight at the General Assembly for Same Day Voter Registration–eliminating Rhode Island’s strictest-in-the-nation voter registration deadline, and bringing thousands of otherwise eligible citizens into our democracy. We mobilized dozens of Common Cause members to lobby legislators at the State House in recent weeks.
🌽 Common Cause Illinois is leading the fight to stop foreign-influenced corporations from interfering in our elections. We’re advancing a commonsense reform to ensure that real people—not corporate “persons” with foreign ownership—decide who leads our state.
🤠 Common Cause Texas is fighting to bring Texas’s voter registration into the 21st century. In a state with over 30 million people, letting voters register online like they can in 46 other states isn’t just common sense; it’s essential for democracy.
🏁 Common Cause Indiana is bringing transparency and public input to how voting districts are drawn in cities like LaPorte and Valparaiso—putting power back in the hands of voters, not politicians.
🌺 Common Cause Hawai‘i introduced a bold slate of pro-democracy reforms—from automatic voter registration to banning foreign-influenced money in elections. But behind closed doors, legislative leaders killed them without a vote or hearing. We’re shining a light on these backroom deals to build public pressure and push them forward.
🚗 Common Cause Michigan is organizing to defeat a state version of the federal SAVE Act that would create unnecessary barriers to registration—especially for students and newly married voters.

John, this is what people-powered democracy looks like.

From blocking voter suppression to rewriting laws that expand access and transparency—Common Cause members like you are making it happen. Every action you take fuels this work, and every step forward is because people like you showed up.

Our democracy doesn’t survive because of what happens in Congress. It survives—and grows stronger—because people in states and communities across the country fight for it every day.

That’s the Common Cause strategy. That’s your impact.

Thank you for being in this fight with us,

Elena Nunez, Senior Vice President of States
and the team at Common Cause

P.S. Our fight for democracy in Pennsylvania and across the country is powered by people like you. Every contribution helps us defend voting rights, hold politicians accountable, and push for bold reforms. If you’re able, consider chipping in today to support Common Cause Pennsylvania >>