John,

Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to dismantle our democracy.

He’s issued an executive order to override how states run elections, promised to end birthright citizenship, and is backing the SAVE Act—a bill that could block millions from voting.

We’ve seen this playbook before: fear, lies, and power grabs. Just this month, the Supreme Court had to intervene after a man was wrongly deported—despite a court order to let him stay.

These threats are real. But so is the movement to stop them. Across the country, Common Cause members like you are fighting back.

Here are some ways we’re taking action—and how your support makes it possible:

• Colorado: Common Cause is leading the charge to pass the Colorado Voting Rights Act, which faces a final vote this week. It would protect voters from discrimination, expand access to multilingual ballots in local elections for 1.37 million Coloradans, and make Colorado the first state to explicitly protect LGBTQ voters from discrimination on the basis of their identity.

• Florida: When lawmakers tried to fast-track a restrictive elections bill, Common Cause Florida and our partners introduced a bold counterproposal—the Florida Voting Rights Act. It didn’t pass, but for the first time in state history, lawmakers were forced to publicly declare where they stand on voting rights.

• Georgia: Common Cause Georgia just ended the 2025 state legislative session successfully stalling three restrictive voting rights bills, a municipal government bill that attacked civil rights, and fought back against AI legislation that lacked rules to prevent bias or harm.

• Illinois: Our team is leading the fight to stop foreign-influenced corporations from pouring money into IL elections with our bill HB 3071. It’s a commonsense fix—one that closes a loophole — and is essential to ensure that Illinoisians, not foreign corporations, decide our elections.

• Maryland: We helped pass the MD Voting Rights Act through the senate! The bill would stop voter suppression before it happens, expand language access, and ensure communities of color can challenge unfair election policies.

• Oregon: When lawmakers tried to eliminate Oregon’s long-standing vote-by-mail system, Common Cause Oregon helped mobilize thousands of public comments—enough to crash the state’s website and shut down the bill.

• Minnesota: Common Cause Minnesota is trying to pass a simple bill—a ban on bribery in elections. We got bipartisan votes and passed this out of the Senate Elections Committee, yet somehow, we’re facing stiff opposition from those in the MN House. We are reminding MN House Representatives that a 67/67 split calls for bipartisanship - not inaction.

• Pennsylvania: We’re working to make every vote for president count equally by joining the National Popular Vote Compact. Common Cause Pennsylvania is lobbying lawmakers and testifying at the Capitol—because the candidate who gets the most votes should win, period.

• California: Politicians are trying to gut anti-corruption laws that require them to step aside when donors have a conflict of interest. Common Cause California is fighting to keep public decisions free from pay-to-play influence.

• Indiana: The Indiana Attorney General and Secretary of State continue to play political games with the voting rights of naturalized citizens and Common Cause Indiana isn’t going to sit back and watch it happen. We’re preparing to go to court to protect access to the ballot for all Hoosiers.

• Nebraska: Lawmakers tried to eliminate Nebraska’s split Electoral College system—a change that would benefit partisan interests. Thanks in part to grassroots pressure from Common Cause Nebraska members, the bill failed to advance.

• Massachusetts: Remote and hybrid public meetings allowed more people to participate in government during the pandemic. Now, some towns want to roll back that access. Common Cause Massachusetts is pushing to make it permanent.

• North Carolina: A losing Supreme Court candidate is trying to throw out thousands of legitimate ballots—many from military and overseas voters. Common Cause North Carolina is on the ground, fighting back against this unprecedented attempt to overturn an election result.

• New Mexico: We’re working with coalition partners to strengthen election infrastructure, improve language access for voters, and stop partisan actors from interfering in how NM elections are run.

• Michigan: Common Cause Michigan is organizing to stop a dangerous proposal modeled after the SAVE Act that would create needless barriers to voter registration and suppress turnout—especially among students and married women.

John, everything we’ve done—and everything we’re still fighting for—is because of people like you.

You’ve spoken out, donated, called lawmakers, shared petitions, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Common Cause members in every corner of the country.

That’s what this movement is all about.

Common Cause is powered by teachers, veterans, students, neighbors—people who believe in a democracy where every voice counts, and every vote matters.

The threats to our democracy are real. They are well-organized and relentless. But so are we.

And as long as members like you keep showing up, Common Cause will be right there —state by state, bill by bill, vote by vote.

Thank you for being in this fight with us, John.

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