Plus - do you like The Office??
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Hi Friend,

 

Did you know that this week, after years of fighting for fair maps, the
commissioners for Colorado’s first everindependent redistricting commission
were announced
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?

 

Or that last month, Republican governor Larry Hogan announced a bipartisan
redistricting commission
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, made up of Republican, Democrat, and independent appointees? 

 

And in Ohio, redistricting kicked off with a new slate of reforms
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designed to limit the ability of legislators to carve and cut districts at
will?

 

Across the country, Americans are fighting for fair representation and equal
rights. And it's never been more clear just how important these efforts are to
ensure our Republic puts voters first.

 

Here are three things to think about this week:

Unite Arizona is up and live!
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If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you’ve probably heard
about our state program in Virginia, where our Virginia team has been working
to pass redistricting reform in the Commonwealth; or maybe you’ve read our
blogs on Unite Colorado about putting voters first. Well we’re excited to
announce that we have a new state program that’s launched:Unite Arizona
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Working in the Grand Canyon State and led by the incomparable Luis
Acosta-Herrera, Unite Arizona is working to protect the rights of voters and
build better governance for all Arizonans. This week, Unite Arizona published a
new blog about a piece of legislation making its way through the state senate
that would restrict voters’ access to the ballot box. SB1069 is an effort to
change the state’s massively popular (and successful!) Permanent Early Voting
List (or PEVL),

 

Checkout the first ever blog from our team in Arizona, and learn about PEVL,
its success, and how SB1069 would hurt voters. While you’re there, check out
the Unite Arizona website (including the Spanish language version!) and the
state of reform in Arizona.



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Reform is at the center of it all.
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It’s a phrase we use often at Unite America: political reform is the one issue
that impacts everything else. When it comes to solving the big problems facing
our country, the gridlock in our political system has become a blocker for any
solution to succeed. Whether you’re a Republican who believes in limited
government, or a Democrat who prefers an activist approach, having an effective
and stable government is essential. 

 

From climate change to the healthcare crisis, nothing will get solved unless
we have a government that works for we, the people. This week, our friends at
RepresentUs released a new video in their “Unbreaking America
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problem that impacts 1 in 8 Americans: student debt. 

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As actor and comedian Ed Helms explains in the video, Americans are racking up
billions in student loan debt while Congress lets special interest groups make
the rules — in no small part because our political system all but encourages
these groups to get involved. From student loans to incarceration and the
justice system, political reform is the one issue that impacts them all. To
build a better future for our country, we have to start with reform.



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We should be doing the opposite of this.
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After a record-breaking election year with the highest voter turnout in more
than 100 years, you’d think we’d have a lot to celebrate. In the face of direct
and unashamed challenge, the US pulled off a democratic election that was by
all (credible) reports safe and secure. 

 

It should be surprising, then, that across the country, there are more than
100 bills that have been introduced in state legislatures that would limit the
abilities of Americans to access the ballot box
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. These are bills (like SB1069 in Arizona!) that would prevent more Americans
from early voting, voting at home, or even finding a ballot drop-box location
that’s close to them. 

 

Our political system works when more people participate. That’s when we get
election results that best reflect us — all of us, regardless of party or
ideology. Our Republic isn't functioning properly when it subverts some voices
for the benefit of others. We have to focus on putting voters first; in fact,
there have been 406 bills that have been introduced that wouldexpand voter
access. That's something to celebrate.



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Thanks for reading!

 

Brett
__
Brett Maney
Senior Communications Manager
Unite America
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