John, I hope you saw this important update:
John, the next few months will determine what our democracy looks like in the next decade. And quite frankly, the extent of effort you and I make could very well determine that future.
You see, last week marked the official beginning of the 2021 redistricting cycle -- that means all 50 states will now begin to draw new legislative districts for the 2022 elections and beyond.
Frighteningly… without bold, nationwide action by Common Cause members like you and me, there’s a serious risk the voting maps drawn by partisan politicians will lock in a decade of unfair, inequitable representation in government.
You’ve probably heard stories of communities split in pieces by legislative district lines -- leaving them without an elected representative who will wholeheartedly advocate for them. Instead they get taken for granted by politicians who have drawn themselves into “safe” districts who can ignore constituents.
I regret to inform you, John, it’s about to get a lot worse if we don’t fight back.
You see, ever since the Supreme Court refused to rein in extreme partisan gerrymandering in our Rucho v. Common Cause lawsuit in 2019, some politicians have been plotting just how far they can go to silence voters and rig district maps this year using the new census data..
If we don’t stop them, they’ll be free to draw heinously unrepresentative maps. The new district maps will be used in next year’s midterm elections, locking in an unfair advantage until the year 2030.
Who loses? Communities across the country who lose the ability to be fairly represented and to get the resources we need to thrive.
That’s why I wanted to give you early notice of Common Cause’s official Fair Maps 2021 Action Plan -- a massive mobilization of We the People to guarantee impartial government and equitable representation for every American:
FIRST… as I write you we are recruiting and training thousands of individual Common Cause members like you, especially among those traditionally denied a voice in government, to serve as Community Advocates for fair maps.
THEN… those Community Advocates will jump into state and local redistricting processes, attend hearings, give testimony, meet with mapmakers -- and do whatever it takes to make sure they, and every other American, has their voice heard.
FINALLY… we’ll be closely watchdogging and scrutinizing new maps the moment they’re released. This will ensure we’re ready to file whatever lawsuits are necessary to OVERTURN deviously gerrymandered maps, and uphold our fundamental right to a meaningful say in the decisions that affect our future.
John, all of this must occur in just a few short months. At the very same moment, we are mounting a massive nationwide campaign to pass the For the People Act -- historic legislation that would permanently ban the odious gerrymandering that we’re fighting against.
IN ADDITION... even as our state teams are on the front lines fighting voter suppression laws in states like Florida, Texas, and Georgia, they must now -- on top of everything else-- take on new efforts to prevent those extremist state legislatures from drawing districts that silence voters even further.
Simply put, fighting this once-in-a-decade battle against dishonest and discriminatory gerrymandering will require a major infusion of resources -- and I am writing to you in hopes that you can step up to help provide it.
Your contribution to your Fair Maps 2021 Fund will help ensure our state leaders on the ground have the support necessary to see this campaign through.
I believe, as I’m sure you do too, that every single person who lives in this country -- no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from -- should have their voice matter in our democracy.
That’s why I’m deeply disturbed to see some partisan politicians attempting to deny us that right. But make no mistake, I’m encouraged we can prevail because I know we can count on you.
With your immediate and generous help we can -- together -- repel this assault on democracy and guarantee fair representation for all of us.
Thanks for standing up for democracy at this critical moment.
Suzanne Almeida, Redistricting and Representation Counsel
and the team at Common Cause
P.S. Want to learn more about redistricting and how to advocate for your community through community mapping and testifying? Register for our Redistricting Community College webinar on August 19 or August 26.
