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Rolling up our Sleeves for Fair Maps

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After the Supreme Court's disappointing decision in the Rucho case this past June—failing to take a stand for voters and establish limits around when partisan gerrymandering goes too far—we promised we wouldn’t throw up our hands and just give up, but we’d roll up our sleeves and fight harder than ever.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing with the launch of the People Powered Fair Maps campaign: a massive, nationwide campaign designed to reform redistricting strategically, state by state, once and for all.

People Powered Fair Maps

This unprecedented effort is called “People Powered” because this campaign is designed to empower people—millions across this country—who’ve told us they feel their votes don’t matter.

Comprising of five key focus areas and reaching into every state and the District of Columbia, this campaign will be a game-changer for our democracy. With redistricting reform rolled out within a national strategy, not every state will take on the same work. And that's because we know there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution. So, we’ve created a plan that addresses five major areas: 

  1. Ballot Initiatives or Referendums: With the goal of passing—or protecting ballot measures implementing fair redistricting processes, this focus area centers on mass education and mobilization campaigns in 21 states.
  2. State Constitutional Options: Using our successful work in Pennsylvania as a model, this focus area aims to implement fair redistricting through state constitutional provisions requiring “free and fair” map-drawing processes in 18 states—prioritizing states that face threats.
  3. State Legislative Fixes: Targeting 26 states, this area of the project will look for opportunities to improve public input and advance laws that increase transparency and public participation in the redistricting process.
  4. Federal Legislative Fixes: The League will work to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act through Congress and generate national momentum around putting protections in place in time for the 2021 redistricting cycle. We are already on Capitol Hill talking with legislators about how and what they need to move this important legislation forward.
  5. Civic Engagement and Education: This focus area is really the foundation that secures all the other four areas by working to educate and increase knowledge of and commitment to fair redistricting processes. This is a key component to empowering individuals to effectively advocate for themselves and their communities toward change.

As you can see, this campaign is all about building and sharing power across communities. We’re building a national movement to end partisan gerrymandering and ensure redistricting plans designed in 2021 are free, fair, and accessible.

And what’s more, by helping voters feel ownership of—and the ability to have a say in—what their electoral maps look like, we’re ensuring they also feel empowered to hold their leaders accountable! That’s the stamp of a functioning democracy.

Together, we will make lasting change—and ensure our democracy realizes its promise of one person, one vote.

Read more about the campaign here.

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to empower voters and defend democracy.