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Vote.org
Formation2008
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit
PurposeVoter registration
Get out the vote
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Vote.org, formerly Long Distance Voter, is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is based in the United States.[1][2] It provides online voter guides for every state, including voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and information on deadlines, directions, and ID and residency requirements.[3] The organization is best known for large-scale voter registration programs, registering 4 million voters in the 2020 election cycle alone.[4]

History

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Vote.org was founded by Debra Cleaver in 2008. The organization was named Long Distance Voter at the time, and sought to increase voter turnout by providing greater access to absentee voting information online.[5][6] The organization was volunteer-run and did not have any full-time staff from 2008 to 2016. Cleaver became the first full-time employee in January 2016.

Long Distance Voter relaunched as Vote.org in April 2016, and was accepted into Y Combinator in June 2016. The mission was updated to reflect a new goal of 100% voter turnout.[6][7][8] During the Y Combinator demo day, Cleaver pitched the then-novel use of unsolicited text messages as a way of registering voters.[9] In Fall 2016, Vote.org worked with Hustle to run a nationwide SMS peer-to-peer voter registration program in which they sent millions of text messages to unregistered voters. The program was then expanded to include polling place location information for registered voters. A quantitative evaluation of this program found that these messages increased turnout by 0.2 percentage points.[10] Since then, Vote.org has run many experiments, primarily using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) measuring the effectiveness of voter turnout tactics and messaging.[11][12][13]

In March 2018, Vote.org launched ElectionDay.org, a campaign that encouraged CEOs of large companies to voluntarily give their employees time off to vote on Election Day.[14] As of 2020, over 1000 companies had opted to participate, including Twitter, T-Mobile, Lyft, and Adidas.[15]

In October 2019, Vote.org purchased billboards in Mississippi with the wrong date.[16]

In June 2020, Vote.org, the Alliance for Retired Americans, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine filed suit against Maine to extend the deadline of mail-in ballots. The lawsuit alleged that Maine's voting systems were inaccessible and out-of-date, thereby creating barriers to voting. The lawsuit highlighted a lack of voter registration options including no online option, a lack of prepaid postage on mail-in ballots, ballot collection hurdles, an Election Day receipt deadline, and rejection of absentee ballots that had technical defects.[17] In September 2020, Superior Court judge William Stokes, citing how soon the election was approaching, did not require changes for the 2020 election.[18] In October 2020, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld the trial court finding as the petitioners did not meet their burden of proof.[19]

In 2021, Vote.org advocated for passing the For the People Act, a U.S. bill which expands automatic and same-day voter registration, voter access mail-in and online ballot infrastructure, and new limits on campaign spending.[20][21] Vote.org worked with Fair Fight Action and When We All Vote to on For the People Act as well as to oppose changes in Georgia's voter ID laws.[21]

Also in 2021, Vote.org partnered with the CW network and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under law to launch the Freedom to Vote nonpartisan initiative, which aimed to increase content promoting voter registration and civic participation on a number of different platforms.[22] This is an expansion of the CW's and Vote.org previous Vote Actually campaign in 2020.[23]

In 2023, the DOJ filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit challenging a Florida voter registration law that mandates people to sign their name with a wet signature, with physical pen and paper. Voting advocacy groups Vote.org, the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP filed the lawsuit against Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and other state election officials.[24][25][26]

In September 2023, Taylor Swift posted an Instagram message asking her 272 million followers to register to vote and linking to Vote.org. Vote.org reported more than 35,000 applications submitted on National Voter Registration Day, due in part to Swift's superstar influence.[27][28][29][30][31] For the partnership, Vote.org and Swift were awarded a Webby Award for Best Creator or Influencer Collaboration, Features (Social) in 2024.[32][33][34]

For 2024, Vote.org has a goal of registering 8 million voters, having registered 500,000 as of April 19, 2024.[2]

In July 2024, Vote.org helped to register more than 100,000 voters in the five days after Joe Biden dropped out. Nearly 85% of the new voters registering on Vote.org are under 35 and 18-year-old voters alone make up 18%. Vote.org has an over an 80% conversion rate from registration to the ballot box.[35]

Organization

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In the summer of 2019, the organization's board terminated founder and CEO Debra Cleaver, citing "differences in opinion".[36] This resulted in losses in funding from some donors loyal to Cleaver.[37] Cleaver was replaced by board member Andrea Hailey,[38] and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in August 2022.[39][needs update]

In May 2024, an investigative article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, detailed ongoing issues at Vote.org including regulatory and compliance failures and an ongoing lawsuit for disability discrimination.[40]

Awards

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Anthem Award

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2024 - Taylor Swift and Vote.org for Human & Civil Rights - Best Influencer Collaboration, Awareness & Media Categories[41]

Webby Award

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2024 - Taylor Swift and Vote.org for Best Creator or Influencer Collaboration, Features (Social) in 2024.[32][33][34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hughes, Trevor. "Why do celebrities endorse politicians? Because it can sway votes". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  2. ^ a b Mueller, Julia (2024-04-19). "Vote.org planning its largest voter-registration campaign ever". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  3. ^ Thorpe, JR (2017-03-07). "Debra Cleaver, Founder Of Vote.org, Is Making Women's History Now". Bustle. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  4. ^ Dress, Brad (September 6, 2022). "Vote.org unveils $10M campaign to register young Americans".
  5. ^ "Long Distance Voter Goes the Distance". Teen Vogue. 2008-10-24. Archived from the original on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  6. ^ a b Vetter, Moira (2016-05-13). "What Can Non-Profit Startup Vote.org Do With Y Combinator Seed Funding In 178 Days?". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  7. ^ "Vote.org is a non-profit that wants to get the U.S. to 100% voter turnout". Y Combinator. 2016-05-17. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  8. ^ Fitts, Alexis Sobel (2016-11-06). "This Y Combinator-backed company wants to redesign the voting process for the digital age". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  9. ^ Fitts, Alexis Sobel (November 2, 2016). "This Y Combinator-Backed Company Has a Secret Weapon to Sway Elections". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  10. ^ "VOTE.org + Hustle: Voter Registration GOTV peer-to-peer texting". Shorty Awards. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  11. ^ "Vote.org Research". 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  12. ^ "2018 November election warm sms program evaluation". VoteAmerica Research Center. 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  13. ^ "2017 Virginia billboard campaign analysis". VoteAmerica Research Center. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  14. ^ Steinmetz, Katy (2018-03-12). "Should Employers Give You Election Day Off? These Companies Think So". Time. Archived from the original on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  15. ^ Kelly, Kate; Maheshwari, Sapna (2020-10-23). "Paid Time Off, Free Fries: How Corporate America Is Getting Out the Vote". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  16. ^ Murphy, Paul P. (22 October 2019). "An organization bought billboards to remind voters of Election Day. The signs had the wrong dates". CNN.com. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  17. ^ Harano, Lauren (2020-07-28). "Voting by Mail Should Be Easy, and This Organization Is Suing to Ensure It Is". Popsugar. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  18. ^ Andrews, Caitlin (2020-09-30). "Maine judge turns back lawsuit seeking major 2020 election changes, but appeal likely". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  19. ^ "Healthy Elections Project - Case Details". healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  20. ^ "HR1, "For the People Act of 2021"". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  21. ^ a b Williams, Vanessa (August 5, 2021). "Stacey Abrams, Michelle Obama urge voters to join the fight to protect access to the ballot". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  22. ^ Crawford, Lacy Jr. (2021-08-06). "Lawyers' Committee Partners with The CW and Vote.org to Launch New Nonpartisan Initiative to Protect the Freedom to Vote". Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  23. ^ Tapp, Tom (2020-09-09). "CW Announces New Initiative, CW Vote Actually, To Encourage Viewers To Make Their Voices Heard In 2020". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  24. ^ Fineout, Gary; Leonard, Kimberly (2023-07-25). "Florida loses bid to lock DOJ out of voting case". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  25. ^ "Florida officials hit with federal suit over signature rule for prospective voters". NBC News. 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  26. ^ Vigdor, Neil (2023-03-16). "Florida Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Signature Rules for New Voters". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  27. ^ Sullivan, Becky (September 22, 2023). "A Taylor Swift Instagram post helped drive a surge in voter registration". NPR.
  28. ^ "Taylor Swift told fans to register to vote -- then Vote.org got 35K new voter registrations". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  29. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  30. ^ Chan, Anna (2023-11-07). "Taylor Swift Reminds Fans to Vote on Election Day: 'It's Time to Use Your Voice'". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  31. ^ "Traffic surged 1,226% on Vote.org after Taylor Swift urged fans to register to vote". FOX TV Stations. 2023-09-21. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  32. ^ a b Tinoco, Armando (April 23, 2024). "Webby Awards Winners List: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Ryan Gosling, Keke Palmer, Shannon Sharpe & Julia Louis-Dreyfus Among Honored". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Nordyke, Kimberly (2024-04-23). "Taylor Swift Beats Travis Kelce at Webby Awards; Olivia Rodrigo, Timothée Chalamet Also Among Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  34. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (2024-04-23). "Variety's 'Actors on Actors' Wins Two 2024 Webby Awards". Variety. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  35. ^ Weintraub, Karen (July 26, 2024). "The election just got a lot more interesting. It's inspiring young voters to register". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  36. ^ "Debra Cleaver, Founder Of Vote.org, Is Making Women's History Now". Bustle. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  37. ^ Schleifer, Theodore (2020-04-28). "One of America's key voting rights groups plunged into chaos when it was needed most". Vox. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  38. ^ "Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey on the Issues Voters Care Most About This Midterm Election". Glamour. 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  39. ^ Cortellessa, Eric (August 18, 2022). "Vote.org, an Influential Voting Rights Group, Faces a Lawsuit by its Founder". Time. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  40. ^ Rendon, Jim (May 9, 2024). "Turmoil at Vote.org". Chronicle of Philanthropy.
  41. ^ Schneider, Michael (2024-01-30). "Taylor Swift, Elton John AIDS Foundation, 'The Daily Show With Trevor Noah' Among This Year's Anthem Awards Honorees (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
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