Vote.org

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/long-distance-voter-goes-the-d |title=Long Distance Voter Goes the Distance |work=Teen Vogue |date=2008-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511182528/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/long-distance-voter-goes-the-d |archive-date=2018-05-11 |access-date=2018-05-11}} The organization was volunteer-run and did not have any full time staff from 2008-2016. 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/moiravetter/2016/05/13/what-can-non-profit-startup-vote-org-do-with-y-combinator-seed-funding-in-178-days/ |title=What Can Non-Profit Startup Vote.org Do With Y Combinator Seed Funding In 178 Days? |last=Vetter |first=Moira |date=2016-05-13 |work=Forbes.com |access-date=2018-05-11}}{{cite web |url=https://blog.ycombinator.com/vote-org/ |title=Vote.org is a non-profit that wants to get the U.S. to 100% voter turnout |publisher=Y Combinator |date=2016-05-17 |access-date=2018-05-11}}{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/this-y-combinator-backed-company-wants-to-redesign-the-voting-process-for-the-digital-age-2016-11 |title=This Y Combinator-backed company wants to redesign the voting process for the digital age |last=Fitts |first=Alexis Sobel |date=2016-11-06 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2018-05-11}} During the Y Combinator demo day, Cleaver pitched the then-novel use of unsolicited text messages as a way of registering voters.{{Cite magazine |last=Fitts |first=Alexis Sobel |title=This Y Combinator-Backed Company Has a Secret Weapon to Sway Elections |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2016/11/this-y-combinator-backed-company-has-a-secret-weapon-to-sway-elections/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |issn=1059-1028}} 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.{{Cite web|title=VOTE.org + Hustle: Voter Registration GOTV peer-to-peer texting - The Shorty Awards|url=http://shortyawards.com/2nd-socialgood/voteorg-hustle-voter-registration-and-gotv-with-texting|access-date=2021-03-25|website=shortyawards.com}} Since then, Vote.org has run many experiments, primarily using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) measuring the effectiveness of voter turnout tactics and messaging.{{Cite web |date=2020-01-29 |title=Vote.org Research |url=https://www.vote.org/research |access-date=2021-11-23 |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite magazine |last=Steinmetz |first=Katy |date=2018-03-12 |title=Should Employers Give You Election Day Off? These Companies Think So |url=http://time.com/5193568/voting-election-day-holiday/ |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511183103/http://time.com/5193568/voting-election-day-holiday/ |archive-date=2018-05-11 |access-date=2018-05-11}}{{cite web |url=https://citizentruth.org/new-movement-election-day-holiday/ |title=Companies are Signing Up to 'Party Down For Democracy' & Make Election Day a Holiday |first=Lauren |last=von Bernuth |publisher=Citizen Truth |date=2018-05-08 |access-date=2018-05-11}} As of 2020, over 1000 companies had opted to participate, including Twitter, T-Mobile, Lyft, and Adidas.{{Cite web|title=Electionday.org {{!}} Participating Companies|url=https://www.electionday.org/companies|access-date=2021-03-25|website=ELECTIONDAY.ORG|language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Kate |last2=Maheshwari |first2=Sapna |date=2020-10-23 |title=Paid Time Off, Free Fries: How Corporate America Is Getting Out the Vote |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/business/corporate-america-voting-time-off.html |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In June 2020, Vote.org, the Alliance for Retired Americans, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine filed suit against Maine. 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, 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/news/voteorg-is-suing-maine-47631286|title = Voting by Mail Should be Easy, and This Organization is Suing to Ensure It is|date = 29 July 2020}} In September 2020, Superior Court judge William Stokes rejected the lawsuit, citing that the suit took place too close to the actual election and any changes to ballot deadlines would be to the detriment of the state's electoral process and cause disruptions to results. The Alliance of Retired Americans now seek to file an appeal to Maine's Supreme Judicial Court.{{Cite web|last=Caitlin Andrews|date=2020-09-30|title=Maine judge turns back lawsuit seeking major 2020 election changes, but appeal likely|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2020/09/30/politics/maine-judge-turns-back-lawsuit-seeking-major-voting-changes-ahead-of-2020-election/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Bangor Daily News|language=en-US}}

In 2020, Vote.org organized food trucks at polling places, and provided free meals to 40,500 voters who were waiting in long lines.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-02|title=Making it Count • The Nob Hill Gazette|url=https://nobhillgazette.com/making-it-count/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=The Nob Hill Gazette|language=en-US}} Vote.org partnered with tech company Propel, developer of the Fresh EBT app, to register 60,000 low-income participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to register to vote before the 2020 election.{{Cite web|last=Field|first=Anne|title=How Propel And Vote.org Helped Register 60,000 SNAP Beneficiaries To Vote|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2020/10/24/how-propel-and-voteorg-helped-register-60000-snap-beneficiaries-to-vote/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Forbes|language=en}} 

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.{{Cite web |title=HR1, "For the People Act of 2021" |url=https://ballotpedia.org/HR1,_%22For_the_People_Act_of_2021%22 |access-date=2021-09-27 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} Fair Fight Action, When We All Vote, the Declaration for American Democracy, and Vote.org drafted a letter which was signed by 90 corporations; the letter urged Congress to pass the For the People Act.{{Cite news |title=Stacey Abrams, Michelle Obama urge voters to join the fight to protect access to the ballot |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/05/stacey-abrams-michelle-obama-urge-voters-join-fight-protect-access-ballot/ |access-date=2021-09-27 |issn=0190-8286}} On March 3, 2021, the United States House of Representatives approved the For the People Act with a 220–210 vote. On June 22, the Senate voted 50–50 to continue debate on the bill, which means the act did not pass. Vote.org also worked with Fair Fight Action and When We All Vote to oppose changes in Georgia's voter ID laws.

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.{{Cite web |last1=Crawford |first1=Lacy Jr. |date=2021-08-06 |title=Lawyers' Committee Partners with The CW and Vote.org to Launch New Nonpartisan Initiative to Protect the Freedom to Vote |url=https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/lawyers-committee-partners-with-the-cw-and-vote-org-to-launch-new-nonpartisan-initiative-to-protect-the-freedom-to-vote/ |access-date=2021-11-23 |website=Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law |language=en-US}} This is an expansion of the CW's and Vote.org previous Vote Actually campaign in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Tapp |first=Tom |date=2020-09-09 |title=CW Announces New Initiative, CW Vote Actually, To Encourage Viewers To Make Their Voices Heard In 2020 |url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/cw-announces-new-initiative-cw-vote-actually-to-encourage-viewers-to-make-their-voices-heard-in-2020-1234574255/ |access-date=2021-11-23 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-04 |title=Civil Rights Division {{!}} Vote.org v. Byrd {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/crt/case/voteorg-v-byrd |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Case 4:23-cv-00111-AW-MAF |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-08/statement_of_interest-_vote.org_v_byrd.pdf |website=justice.gov}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=🚨 New filing in Vote.org v. Byrd |url=https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/florida-wet-signature-challenge/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Democracy Docket |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fineout |first=Gary |last2=Leonard |first2=Kimberly |date=2023-07-25 |title=Florida loses bid to lock DOJ out of voting case |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2023/07/25/florida-loses-bid-to-lock-doj-out-of-voting-case-00107957 |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-17 |title=Florida officials hit with federal suit over signature rule for prospective voters |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/florida-officials-hit-federal-suit-signature-rule-prospective-voters-rcna75424 |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Vigdor |first=Neil |date=2023-03-16 |title=Florida Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Signature Rules for New Voters |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/us/politics/florida-lawsuit-voter-registration.html |access-date=2023-11-19 |issn=0362-4331}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Becky |date=September 22, 2023 |title=A Taylor Swift Instagram post helped drive a surge in voter registration |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/09/22/1201183160/taylor-swift-instagram-voter-registration |website=NPR}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Taylor Swift told fans to register to vote -- then Vote.org got 35K new voter registrations |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/taylor-swift-told-fans-register-vote-vote-35k/story?id=103379385 |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CxgmpUlMFnM/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=www.instagram.com}}{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Anna |date=2023-11-07 |title=Taylor Swift Reminds Fans to Vote on Election Day: ‘It’s Time to Use Your Voice’ |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-vote-election-day-reminds-fans-1235465273/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-21 |title=Traffic surged 1,226% on Vote.org after Taylor Swift urged fans to register to vote |url=https://www.livenowfox.com/news/taylor-swift-urged-fans-register-to-vote-website-traffic-surged |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=FOX TV Stations |language=en-US}} For the partnership, Vote.org and Swift were awarded a Webby Award for Best Creator or Influencer Collaboration, Features (Social) in 2024.{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/2024-webby-awards-winners-list-1235892208/ |title=Webby Awards Winners List: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Ryan Gosling, Keke Palmer, Shannon Sharpe & Julia Louis-Dreyfus Among Honored |last=Tinoco |first=Armando |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 23, 2024 |access-date=April 24, 2024}}

On National Voter Registration Day 2024, more than 100 celebrities participated in a voter registration initiative led by Vote.org in partnership with Linktree. Public figures like Olivia Rodrigo, Stephen Curry, and Kerry Washington turned their Linktree profiles into "voter registration hubs," directing their social media followers to resources where they could check their voter registration status and learn about local registration requirements.{{Cite web |last=Chang |first=Emily |date=September 17, 2024 |title=National Voter Registration Day mobilizes celebrity action |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/national-voter-registration-day-mobilizes-celebrity-action/story?id=113758589 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Crowley |first=Kinsey |date=September 17, 2024 |title=Steph Curry, Maggie Rogers join 100+ celebs using link-in-bio for voter registration |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/17/olivia-rodrigo-national-voter-registration-day/75182554007/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The campaign resulted in over 150,000 new voter registrations, making it the most successful National Voter Registration Day in Vote.org's history.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Julia |last2= |date=October 1, 2024 |title=Celebrities boost Gen Z voting registration through Linktree |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1890666/celebrities-boost-gen-z-voting-registration-linktree |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=PRWeek |language=en}}

In the summer of 2019, the organization's board terminated founder and CEO Debra Cleaver, citing "differences in opinion".{{Cite web|title=Debra Cleaver, Founder Of Vote.org, Is Making Women's History Now|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/debra-cleaver-founder-of-voteorg-is-making-womens-history-now-42771|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Bustle|language=en}} This resulted in losses in funding, including $4 million of promised funding from Sage Weil.{{Cite web |last=Schleifer |first=Theodore |date=2020-04-28 |title=One of America's key voting rights groups plunged into chaos when it was needed most |url=https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/4/28/21239380/vote-org-debra-cleaver-silicon-valley-fight-absentee-mail-voting-coronavirus |access-date=2021-09-27 |website=Vox |language=en}} Cleaver was replaced by board member Andrea Hailey.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-04 |title=Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey on the Issues Voters Care Most About This Midterm Election |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/andrea-hailey-vote-org-midterms |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Glamour |language=en-US}}

In October 2019, Vote.org purchased billboards in Mississippi to encourage turnout in an upcoming election. The billboards had the wrong date.{{cite web |title=An organization bought billboards to remind voters of Election Day. The signs had the wrong dates. |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/22/politics/election-day-billboard-mixup-trnd/index.html |website=CNN.com |access-date=24 May 2023}}

Founder Debra Cleaver filed a lawsuit against Vote.org in August 2022 alleging wrongful termination and a misappropriation of charitable funds.{{cite web |title=Vote.org, an Influential Voting Rights Group, Faces a Lawsuit by its Founder |url=https://time.com/6207319/vote-org-lawsuit-founder-voting-rights/ |website=Time.com |access-date=24 May 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2022-08-22 |title=Vote.org-Voting Rights Organization, Is Being Sued By Its Founder! |url=https://expertlegalreview.com/vote-org-is-being-sued-by-its-founder/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Expert Legal Review |language=en-US}}

In May 2024, an investigative article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, detailed a litany of ongoing issues at Vote.org including regulatory and compliance failures such as fundraising in states without a valid registration including New York in 2019 until November 2021 as required by New York State Law.{{cite web |title=Fund Raising Professional Registration |url=https://nyc-business.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/description/professional-fund-raiser |website=NYC-Business.NYC.gov}} Questionable financial decisions have also been uncovered such as tax forms signed by a contractor, donations which were not recorded in financial statements according to an official audit of Vote.org in July 2021, and an ongoing lawsuit for disability discrimination.{{cite web |title=Turmoil at Vote.org |url=https://www.philanthropy.com/article/turmoil-at-vote-org |website=Philanthropy.com}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|www.vote.org}}
• [https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/262094990 Charity Navigator Profile]

Category:501(c)(3) organizations

Category:Organizations established in 2008

Category:Voter turnout organizations

Category:Y Combinator companies

Category:Organizations based in the United States

Category:Voter registration

Category:Y Combinator nonprofit organizations