SAM, The Serve America Movement, Endorses Colorado Redistricting Reform Measures
DENVER, July 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SAM, the Serve America Movement, announced its support and endorsement for Colorado's Fair Maps redistricting reform measures that will appear on this November's General Election ballot.
"Redistricting reform is one of our key electoral reform priorities," SAM CEO Sarah Lenti said. "Colorado is SAM's home state and we are proud to support these essential measures. It is time to do away with the partisan gerrymandering that has led to increased political polarization and allows politicians to choose their voters."
"At a time of unprecedented political gridlock, Colorado is proving there is a better way. Amendments Y & Z are about improving our democracy, not partisan interests, and we're happy to have SAM join the ranks of those who believe that voters should pick their politicians, rather than politicians picking their voters," said Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita and co-chair of the Fair Maps Colorado campaign.
This fall Colorado voters will vote on two measures, Amendment Y (Congressional) and Amendment Z (Legislative) to reform how the state draws its legislative boundaries. Both measures will:
- Create balanced, independent commissions that include four Republicans, four Democrats and four unaffiliated voters;
- Establish clear criteria for map drawing and prohibitions on gerrymandering;
- Place limits on the roles of partisans and courts;
- Provide for open meetings, public records and heightened ethical requirements;
- Provide fair and effective representation for all Colorado voters (e.g. minority and rural communities and other communities of interest) and;
- Maximize competition in all districts
SAM's goals for 2018 and beyond include:
- Obtaining ballot access in states across the country
- Advocating for and supporting electoral reform measures across the country, including ballot measures that
- End Partisan Gerrymandering
- Repeal of "Sore Loser" Laws
- Reform and Strengthen Campaign Finance Disclosure
- Give Voters More General Election Choices
- Expand Voter Registration and Voter Access
- Remove Unnecessarily High Barriers to Ballot Access by Independents and New Parties
- Implement "Top" Four Primaries Utilizing Ranked-Choice Voting
- Recruiting and supporting candidates for political office who put people before party and are dedicated to finding objectives-based solutions to the country's biggest problems.
SAM is a 527-organization based in Denver, Colorado. SAM's goal is to break the self-interested stranglehold of the two entrenched parties over our politics and build a new political party for a new American majority.
To learn more about Colorado's Fair Maps and their campaign to bring reform to Colorado politics, please click here. To learn more about SAM, please click here.
To learn more about SAM, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read about us at www.joinsam.org
SOURCE Serve America Movement
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