Vote Mama

{{Short description|PAC and organization that helps women with small children run for office}}

Vote Mama is an American progressive political action committee and foundation aimed at helping mothers with young children run for office as Democrats.{{Cite web |first1=Stephanie |last1=Akin |date=2019-01-16 |title=Vote Mama helps moms with young children to run for office |url=https://rollcall.com/2019/01/16/vote-mama-helps-moms-with-young-children-to-run-for-office/ |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-01-16 |title=Liuba Grechen Shirley's Vote Mama PAC Aims To Put More Moms Of Young Kids In Office |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/liuba-grechen-shirleys-vote-mama-pac-aims-to-put-more-moms-of-young-kids-in-office-15830444 |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Bustle |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Usalis |first=Katie |date=2022-05-06 |title=What Moms in Politics Really Want This Mother's Day: Campaign-Funded Childcare |url=https://msmagazine.com/2022/05/06/moms-politics-women-representation-childcare-campaign-finance/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Ms. Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Pechenkina |first=Ekaterina |date=2023-03-03 |title=Political 'mamas' have a child care problem |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/women-rule/2023/03/03/political-mamas-have-a-childcare-problem-00085404 |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}

Founded in 2018 by Liuba Grechen Shirley, a congressional candidate from New York, the committee focuses on supporting progressive young mothers running for office.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-23 |title=Moms Are Fighting To Use Campaign Funds For Child Care |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/moms-campaign-funds-childcare_n_5cb9f7bbe4b06605e3ee468a |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-07-25 |title=Vote Mama: How this new PAC is helping mothers run for office |url=https://www.msnbc.com/know-your-value/vote-mama-how-new-pac-helping-mothers-run-office-n1034691 |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=MSNBC.com |language=en}}

In order to be endorsed by the committee, "candidates must be Democrats who support abortion rights,{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Too many politicians don't know what it's like to be pregnant or miscarry |url=https://www.mother.ly/life/motherly-stories/we-need-more-mom-politicians-vote-mama/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Motherly |language=en}} paid family leave, universal pre-K, along with special attention paid to other issues that matter to working families."{{Cite web |date=2019-01-17 |title=Every 2018 Female Congressional Candidate With Kids Under 2 Lost. This PAC Aims to Help Moms Win |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/every-2018-female-congressional-candidate-023512395.html |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}

Senator Elizabeth Warren filmed the group's launch video.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Christine Michel |title=Electing A Mother As VP? Vote Mama Resoundingly Says Yes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecarter/2020/08/08/electing-a-mother-as-vp-vote-mama-resoundingly-says-yes/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Hillary Clinton headlined its launch event in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Barbara |date=2022-01-25 |title=Pumping, voting, taking leave: Legislators who are mothers face specific challenges |url=https://19thnews.org/2022/01/state-legislators-mothers-study/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=The 19th |language=en-us}}

In 2021, it launched a campaign to pass campaign funds for child care in all 50 states by 2023.{{Cite web |title=How Much America's Lack of Child Care Infrastructure Is Costing Women |url=https://morningconsult.com/opinions/how-much-americas-lack-of-child-care-infrastructure-is-costing-women/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Morning Consult |language=en-US}} It also launched a survey to find out what lawmakers' childcare needs are.

The group's endorsement of Sabina Matos in Rhode Island's 2023 special election was somewhat controversial because its rules state that it would not endorse candidates in races with more than one mother running.{{Cite web |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Edward |title=Vote Mama endorsement stirs controversy in R.I. congressional race - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/10/metro/vote-mama-endorsement-stirs-controversy-ri-congressional-race/ |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}