Dear Friends,

Great news! Yesterday Governor Brown signed the National Popular Vote legislation into law. With his signature, we are now 49% of the way to establishing a fairer way to elect a President -- by a national popular vote instead of the current winner-take-all Electoral College.

Common Cause members like you have pushed hard for California to join the compact to support National Popular Vote, urging Governor Brown to make the right decision for our state and for our country.

For too long, California and two-thirds of the rest of the country have sat on the bench in presidential elections, with no real role in picking the president. That's because our state, and so many others, are considered "safe" for one party or the other. Governor Brown's signature brings us one step closer to making our votes, and all votes across the country, equally important. National Popular Vote ensures that the candidate with the most votes actually wins. 

The battle will now continue in other states until the same legislation is passed in a majority of the country. At that point, we will have fully succeeded in reforming the Electoral College. No longer will it be possible for the candidate with fewer votes to win the election. No longer will national policy debates be dictated only by issues that matter to Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and other "battleground" states. No longer will election night be described in terms of red states and blue states, and the vote called before our polls even close. Instead, we will be one country voting together for the most important office in the country.

Many thanks for helping us pass this important reform.

Sincerely,

Kathay Feng
and the rest of the team at California Common Cause

P.S. Governor Brown also signed legislation yesterday to increase efficiency and access to registration forms and elections polls -- reforms that California Common Cause and dedicated activists like you have been working towards. Learn more here.