The 2019 legislative session is underway with bills flying into the hopper including a number that deal with campaign finance reform and redistricting. The eight member Clean Elections legislative team is organized and is being educated on the legislative process through Zoom meetings conducted by Common Cause Minnesota Executive Director Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera. We’ve identified 15 issues we want the Legislature to act on in 2019 to promote clean elections.

Goals: End Gerrymandering—and More

Although being at the legislature is not a substantial part of our efforts, we do try to monitor legislation and attend hearings on bills that address money in politics. This year we expect bills on sending a resolution to Congress to reverse Citizens United, ending dark money in Minnesota elections, establishing a national popular vote electoral procedure for Minnesota, public financing of elections, and automatic voter registration, to name a few. We will also participate in the Common Cause Minnesota effort to establish a commission to advise legislators on a fair process to draw electoral maps.

How We Work—and Succeed
Team members will identify, summarize and track bills that are offered, contact legislators and legislative assistants, attend legislative hearings to record comments or possibly testify when able to attend, and write letters to the editor or otherwise publicize legislative action. The Capitol is an exciting place to be during the session and participation in the process is important and rewarding. We do affect the outcomes. In 2018 we were able to save Minnesota’s modest public financing from being abolished and we expect more positive measures to support this year.

Join the Clean Elections Team
The current legislative advocacy team includes MnCCE members George Beck, David Miller, Sharon Tornes, Jim Herrick, Julie Palmer, Rick Varco, Sherrie Marcy and Gil Gustafson. But there is strength in numbers; and since not everyone can make every important meeting or hearing, we encourage interested people to join the team and take part in a short training on how to advocate for our causes to the MN Legislature. For more information contact George beck at: georgeabeck@aol.com.