New Hampshire's first in the national primary leads to a special opportunity for New Hampshire voters to influence political dialogue. By asking a variety of detailed questions, common citizens have an opportunity to get candidates on record giving their stance on key issues.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday Walk Celebrates Granny D 's 3200-mile Mission for Campaign Finance Reform

DUBLIN, NH--- On the 20th anniversary of Doris "Granny D" Haddock's walk across the United States, activists, walkers, politicians, elders, youth and friends of Doris will gather in Dublin and Peterborough this Saturday to celebrate in Granny D style:  They're going to walk six miles, carrying messages against Big Money politics and corruption. 

It's the 20th anniversary of Granny D's walk across the United States!   Join us Saturday, Aug. 3 for the Granny D Memorial Walk from Granny's home in Dublin, NH and walk six miles to Peterborough, NH's Depot Square.  Can't do 6 miles?   Walk with us the last mile, or just join us for the lunch & rally.  

Register by Aug 1 for free

In the wake of a complaint filed Monday by seven Republican members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Open Democracy Executive Director Olivia Zink urged state officials to “hold all political organizations to the same standard.”

“Granite Staters are tired of having out-of-state organizations tell us how we should vote,” Zink said. “It’s even more offensive when the group sidesteps political disclosure laws by calling themselves a nonprofit organization.”

This Thursday, June 21^st, the author and legal scholar cited by the Supreme Court in 35 of its decisions will be the keynote speaker for Open Democracy’s Annual Meeting. Yale Law Professor Akhil Reed Amar’s remarks will include a discussion of Article 10 of the New Hampshire Constitution [“Right of Revolution”].

The event runs from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Executive Court Banquet Facility (1199 S. Mammoth Road; Manchester, NH 03109).

CONCORD, NH — A survey of New Hampshire voters has found that large majorities in both parties believe big money is a problem in state elections, and support a current legislative proposal to fix it.

In the survey just released by Public Policy Polling, eight in 10 voters -- including 79% of Democrats, 74% of Republicans and 85% of Independents -- said they believe big money is a problem in Granite State elections.

Hollis, NH: On Thursday, November 30, NH Rebellion will hold a “Democracy Dinner” starting at 5:30 pm at the Lawrence Barn Community Center, 28 Depot Road, Hollis, NH with special guest Lawrence Lessig.

The speaking program will focus on the group’s campaign for a "Civic Dollars" campaign financing system in New Hampshire.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE --- Throughout October, more than a dozen communities across New Hampshire will be treated to performances of “Granny D: The Power of One” a play which portrays the efforts of one woman to draw attention to the need for campaign finance reform and her contention that money in politics had betrayed our representative democracy.

Doris "Granny D" Haddock and 31 other people were arrested on April 21, 2000, while Granny D was reading the Declaration of Independence in the Capitol Rotunda.

Press releases and C-SPAN coverage from that day decribe the arrests.  

"We no longer have proper representation," Ms. Haddock, the 90-year-old woman who walked across the continent for campaign finance reform, told a press conference on the Senate lawn before she led the group into the Rotunda. "Our elected leaders are consumed by the need to raise election funds from special interests, and they no longer are able to represent the needs of the people or of our ravaged earth. We must declare our independence from the corrupting bonds of big money." 

Granny D's statement at her sentencing still resonates, today.

CONCORD: A new poll shows that two-thirds of New Hampshire adults support public financing of elections to reduce the influence of money in politics. Public financing had 67 percent approval overall and majority support among Democrats, Republicans and independents, according to the University of New Hampshire poll for the nonpartisan Coalition for Open Democracy and our project NH Rebellion. Only 7 percent opposed public financing, while 26 percent didn’t take a position.

National polls also have shown strong support for giving all voters more equal influence in elections.