This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Common Sense Party of California" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Common Sense Party
AbbreviationCSP
ChairmanTom Campbell
Founded2019
Membership (February 2023)Increase 24,454[1]
IdeologyGovernance Reform
National affiliationForward Party
ColorsBlue, Red, Purple
Statewide Executive Offices
0 / 8
Seats in the State Senate
0 / 40
Seats in the State Assembly
0 / 80
California seats in the U.S. Senate
0 / 2
California seats in the U.S. House
0 / 52
Website
www.cacommonsense.org

The Common Sense Party of California is a political party in the U.S. state of California. It was founded in 2019 and is currently chaired by Tom Campbell.[2] Since its foundation, the grassroots movement has been conducting educational and outreach efforts to acquire enough voter registrations to qualify as a state-recognized political party before the 2024 election year.

History

The Common Sense Party was founded in 2019 by former Republican representative Tom Campbell, former Independent state Senator Quentin Kopp, and former state Commerce Secretary Julie Meier Wright.[3] Coming with multi-partisan experiences in California politics, these politicians collaborated to create a new political party that mainly supports governance reform and multi-party representation.

On January 27, 2023, the Common Sense Party and Forward Party announced a coalition in California with the goal of achieving the necessary 73,000 registered voters to gain qualified political party status in the state.[4]

Political positions

The Common Sense Party focuses primarily on opportunities for optimization of the political system rather than specific issues. Examples of political system reform that the party support are campaign finance reform, voting reform, and increased government transparency and accountability.[5]

The party aims to advance policies and endorse candidates that foster inclusion and engagement in governance. It advocates for political reforms that bolster environmental safeguards, allocating resources to support individuals who encounter obstacles to success, and optimizing investments in education, healthcare, and transportation.[5][failed verification]

Voting Reform

The Common Sense Party believes that the current plurality voting system, also known as "winner take all" or "first past the post" where the candidate with the most votes wins, does not result in voter engagement. It proposes alternatives to plurality voting, such as ranked choice voting.[5]

Campaign Finance Reform

The Common Sense Party supports campaign finance reform that aims to eliminate the financial prominence of PACs, special interests groups, lobbies, and political parties.[6]

It opposes the ruling of the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC, which prohibited the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations and other associations.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Secretary of State of California. "Report of Registration - February 10, 2023" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Signature Gatherers Duped San Diegans Into Signing Up For New Political Party". KPBS Public Media. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  3. ^ "California needs a party that stands for common sense: Tom Campbell". Orange County Register. 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  4. ^ "Yang's Forward Party eyes California recognition". NewsNation. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  5. ^ a b c "Our Principles". Common Sense Party California. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  6. ^ "Learn More". Common Sense Party California. Retrieved 2023-07-10.