The People’s Watchdog Newsletter - September 12

This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 6 minute read at 800 words.

Saturday, September 12, 2026 👋 Hi Pamela! Happy Saturday. Election Day is only 52 days away! In the Watchdog Newsletter, we share what you need to know to hold power accountable from the nonpartisan source you can trust. This watchdog doesn’t let presidents set election rules. This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 6 minute read at 800 words. 🚫 We’re Keeping the Polls Safe by Keeping ICE Out No one should have to cast their ballot in fear or be forced to face armed federal agents just to exercise their right to vote. But President Trump doesn't agree. That’s why Common Cause is going to court to stop the Trump administration’s plan to send armed ICE officers into polling places during the 2026 midterm elections. The law is clear. For over 150 years, federal law has barred armed officers from being stationed at polling places. The Justice Department, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, has spent decades upholding those limits. Now, the Trump administration is trying to bulldoze through them by inserting armed immigration agents directly into our elections. We know what happens when armed ICE officers show up in peaceful places, like where people vote. It creates fear. And that fear can deter eligible voters — particularly naturalized citizens, immigrant families, and communities of color — from exercising their rights. Intimidation does not dictate who has a say in our democracy. Common Cause took swift action, joining LULAC, UnidosUS, and the City and County of Denver in the federal lawsuit to block this policy before Election Day. We’re fighting to make sure every eligible voter can participate safely, freely, and without fear. Our elections belong to the people. We will show up. We will vote. And Common Cause will keep fighting to protect that fundamental right. Read more about why we sued to stop ICE⁠ here. 🗳️ Your neighbors are protecting the right to vote. You can too. Stopping armed ICE officers from intimidating voters is just one way we’re protecting the freedom to vote. Our work to empower voters goes far beyond the courtroom. For over 20 years, Common Cause has co-led Election Protection, the largest nonpartisan voter protection effort in the nation. Right now, we’re training and mobilizing thousands of volunteers for the 2026 midterms to answer voters’ questions, identify any problems at polling places, and help people navigate the voting process. Our volunteers are everyday people from communities across the country, just like you and me. They’re neighbors helping neighbors — people who know our democracy depends on all of us looking out for one another and making sure every voter can make their voice heard. When someone runs into a problem at the polls, Election Protection volunteers make sure they don’t have to figure it out alone. Common Cause has voters’ backs, and thousands of our friends and family members are stepping up to have their neighbors’ backs too. We asked some of our 2026 Election Protection volunteers why they decided to join. They told us about wanting to help first-time voters, answer questions important to their communities, and simply do their part to make sure our elections work like they should. You can be someone your neighbors count on this election. Join us as an Election Protection volunteer. Hear from the people already volunteering about why they decided to step up. 📚 Weekend Reads Consider this your weekend watchdog reading list. Our Substack digs into what’s happening behind the headlines, who’s wielding power, and what it all means for our democracy. 📺 Pop Congress: What’s Happening to Congresswoman McIver Should Worry All of Us What happens when a member of Congress tries to hold the government accountable… and faces prosecution for doing her job? In the newest Pop Congress, Preston Mitchum examines the case of Rep. LaMonica McIver and what it says about congressional oversight, political retaliation, and the particular scrutiny Black women face when they exercise power. The stakes reach far beyond one member of Congress. Oversight is one of Congress’s fundamental checks on executive power. If lawmakers face intimidation and legal consequences for investigating what the government is doing, Congress can’t effectively do what it’s supposed to. Holding power accountable should never come with consequences. Read “What’s Happening to Congresswoman McIver Should Worry All of Us” on Substack. 📱 Our Favorite Post 👀 ICYMI We're working so hard to protect our democracy, we could write you a novel instead of a newsletter. Instead, here are the top headlines you don't want to miss: California 🐻: As federal fights over voting by mail create confusion across the country, Common Cause is making sure voters have the information they need to cast their ballots with confidence. Read more. New York 🗽: We're standing up for the integrity of our elections across the nation and making sure voters can trust that their voices — and the results — will be respected. Learn more. Ohio 🎢: Common Cause is working to make sure real people have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their communities — and that public officials hear from the people they represent. Learn more. Texas 🤠: We’re fighting cuts to Election Day polling locations in Tarrant County and ensuring every Texan has equal access the ballot. Read more. 🗞️ Kicker Quote 👕 Wear Your Values If you were forwarded this newsletter and want to sign up too, click here. 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