We are a diverse coalition of more than 90 respected established organizations committed to revitalizing democratic practice in America. Each member has agreed to adhere to The Four Principles.
Since it’s often difficult for any one group to fully capture public attention or broadly popularize solutions, we are banding together to create great impact across three broad areas: civic engagement, governance and policymaking, and campaign and election processes.
December 14, 2018
When I arrived on Capitol Hill in the summer of 1983 for my internship with a House member, I had never stepped foot in a congressional office building. I walked into the office, was led to a corner in the back and sat down in front of an IBM Selectric typewriter. (For younger readers, you can see examples at the Smithsonian.) A rather intimidating young woman with an impressive title, legislative correspondent, sat me down and handed me a giant tabbed notebook. It was organized by issue topic, each with a paragraph on the lawmaker’s position.
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December 10, 2018
On November 13th, Open Primaries Education Fund (OPEF) filed a lawsuit against New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver challenging the state’s expenditure of funds to supervise and administer its closed primary elections. New Mexico is one of only 9 states with completely closed primary elections, which disenfranchise the state’s 270,000 registered independent voters -- 22% of New Mexicans and the fastest growing segment of the electorate. At issue is the unconstitutional use of taxpayer money to pay for primary elections that benefit private political party activities. Specifically, OPEF argues that the current system violates the anti-donation clause of the New Mexico Constitution, which reads:
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November 30, 2018
Inspire Leader, Claire Harmon, a senior at Marshall Co. High School in Kentucky, is a Fellow with the 22x20 which is a campaign to engage the youth to have a voice in the democratic process. How Long Have You Been Thinking About Making Change Or Engaging Other Youth In Making Change? I have been interested in advocacy since entering high school. My family had never been particularly invested in politics or social issues, but when I entered high school, I found a group of friends all dedicated to effecting change in our area. Through extracurricular activities and the encouragement of my friends, I found my voice and realized that there are issues I care deeply about.
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December 14, 2018
When I arrived on Capitol Hill in the summer of 1983 for my internship with a House member, I had never stepped foot in a congressional office building. I walked into the office, was led to a corner in the back and sat down in front of an IBM Selectric typewriter. (For younger readers, you can see examples at the Smithsonian.) A rather intimidating young woman with an impressive title, legislative correspondent, sat me down and handed me a giant tabbed notebook. It was organized by issue topic, each with a paragraph on the lawmaker’s position.
Read More
December 10, 2018
On November 13th, Open Primaries Education Fund (OPEF) filed a lawsuit against New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver challenging the state’s expenditure of funds to supervise and administer its closed primary elections. New Mexico is one of only 9 states with completely closed primary elections, which disenfranchise the state’s 270,000 registered independent voters -- 22% of New Mexicans and the fastest growing segment of the electorate. At issue is the unconstitutional use of taxpayer money to pay for primary elections that benefit private political party activities. Specifically, OPEF argues that the current system violates the anti-donation clause of the New Mexico Constitution, which reads:
Read More
November 30, 2018
Inspire Leader, Claire Harmon, a senior at Marshall Co. High School in Kentucky, is a Fellow with the 22x20 which is a campaign to engage the youth to have a voice in the democratic process. How Long Have You Been Thinking About Making Change Or Engaging Other Youth In Making Change? I have been interested in advocacy since entering high school. My family had never been particularly invested in politics or social issues, but when I entered high school, I found a group of friends all dedicated to effecting change in our area. Through extracurricular activities and the encouragement of my friends, I found my voice and realized that there are issues I care deeply about.
Read More
