{{short description|American political organization}} {{Infobox organization | name = America Votes | formation = 2004 | type = 501(c)(4) organization | purpose = Supporting Democratic candidates and progressive policies | headquarters = Washington, D.C. | leader_title = President | leader_name = Greg Speed | key_people = | website = https://americavotes.org/ }}
'''America Votes''' is a 501(c)(4) organization that aims "to coordinate and promote progressive issues."<ref name=cpi>{{cite news|last1=Wollner|first1=Adam|title='America Votes' spent nearly $1 million on Wisconsin recall|url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/08/19/13176/america-votes-spent-nearly-1-million-wisconsin-recall|accessdate=12 August 2014|publisher=Center for Public Integrity|date=2013-08-19}}</ref> America Votes leads national and state-based coalitions to advance progressive policies and increase voter turnout for Democratic Party candidates.<ref>{{cite news|last=Luo|first=Michael|title=Shifts for Soft-Money Groups|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906EED8103FF934A15755C0A96E9C8B63|accessdate=25 September 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 27, 2008}}</ref><ref name=funding/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Silver|first1=Jonathan|title=Fliers try to shame Democrats, indies into voting Tuesday|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2014/11/01/Fliers-try-to-shame-Democrats-indies-into-voting-Tuesday/stories/201410310221|accessdate=30 November 2014|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=November 1, 2014}}</ref>
America Votes was created prior to the 2004 United States presidential election by Ellen Malcolm, the founder of EMILY's List; former Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope; Harold Ickes; Steve Rosenthal; and Andy Stern, the former president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU).<ref>{{cite news|last=Lester|first=Beth|title=Coalition Of Dem-Leaning Groups Rally Behind Kerry|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/28/politics/main620236.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040607031109/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/28/politics/main620236.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 7, 2004|accessdate=25 September 2010|newspaper=CBS News|date=May 31, 2004}}</ref> Cecile Richards was the founding president.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pollitt |first1=Katha |title=A Professional Troublemaker’s Guide for Young Activists |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/books/review/cecile-richards-make-trouble.html |website=The New York Times |language=en |date=25 April 2018}}</ref> Greg Speed serves as president of the organization.
==Activities== America Votes coordinates GOTV and advocacy campaigns in the United States, "helping liberal advocacy groups work together to avoid overlapping efforts".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Haynes |first1=Lukas |title=Philanthropy to Protect US Democracy |url= https://ssir.org/articles/entry/philanthropy_to_protect_us_democracy# |website=Stanford Social Innovation Review |language=en |date=13 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Will |title=Profile: America Votes |url= https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93050203 |website=NPR |language=en |date=4 August 2008}}</ref> According to POLITICO, America Votes has "expanded dramatically" since 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bland |first1=Scott |title=Liberal ‘dark-money’ behemoth funneled more than $400M in 2020 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/17/dark-money-sixteen-thirty-fund-522781 |website=POLITICO |language=en |date=1 November 2021}}</ref> America Votes is also involved in advocacy efforts to expand access to voting. For example, the organization recently opposed efforts to restrict out of state students from voting in New Hampshire.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sylvia |first1=Andrew |title=Legislators ask if ballots should be public documents |url= https://manchesterinklink.com/legislators-ask-if-ballots-should-be-public-documents/ |website=Manchester Ink Link |language=en |date=1 March 2023}}</ref>
==Funding== America Votes does not disclose its donors. The group raised $12.7 million in 2013, and projects revenue of $8.5 million in 2014. According to the Center for Public Integrity, "Between 40 percent and 50 percent of that sum is projected to come from wealthy donors connected to the Democracy Alliance, a secretive nonprofit whose funders include the likes of billionaire investor George Soros and author, horticulturalist and philanthropist Amy Goldman."<ref name=funding>{{cite news|last1=Beckel|first1=Michael|title=Who’s bankrolling secretive liberal group America Votes?|url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/05/21/14791/who-s-bankrolling-secretive-liberal-group-america-votes|accessdate=12 August 2014|publisher=Center for Public Integrity|date=2014-05-21}}</ref>
In 2018, the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave America Votes $27 million. The $27 million grant was nearly twice the amount America Votes had previously ever raised in a single year.<ref name=politico>{{cite news |last1=Bland |first1=Scott |last2=Severns |first2=Maggie |title=Documents reveal massive 'dark-money' group boosted Democrats in 2018 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/19/dark-money-democrats-midterm-071725 |accessdate=8 May 2020 |publisher=Politico |date=November 19, 2019}}</ref>
==Donors== The following groups have donated to America Votes:<ref name=funding/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Choma|first1=Russ|title=Liberal Group With Ties to Unions Ends Donor Disclosure|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/08/patriot-majority/ |publisher=OpenSecrets |date=2012-08-23}}</ref> *National Education Association (over $1 million between October 2012 and September 2013) *Service Employees International Union ($443,000) *American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees ($333,000) *United Food and Commercial Workers ($28,000) *Mayors Against Illegal Guns *League of Conservation Voters *Ballot Initiative Strategy Center *Tides Advocacy Fund ($1.8 million in 2012 election cycle)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Paul|title=Nothing Really Compares To The Koch Brothers' Political Empire|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/koch-brothers-liberal-counterpart_n_5113492.html|accessdate=22 February 2015|publisher=Huffington Post|date=April 9, 2014}}</ref> *Fred Eychaner *Jon Stryker
==Member organizations== The following groups are listed on the America Votes website as "national partners": * AFL–CIO<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldberg|first=Mark Leon|title=Ashes of ACT|url=http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=ashes_of_act|accessdate=25 September 2010|newspaper=The American Prospect|date=February 20, 2006}}</ref> * American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) * American Association for Justice * American Federation of Teachers * Ballot Initiative Strategy Center * Bull Moose Sportsmen Alliance * Center for Community Change * Clean Water Action * EMILY's List * Environment America * Every Voice * Fair Elections Legal Network * Fair Share * Human Rights Campaign * International Association of Fire Fighters * International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers * International Brotherhood of Teamsters * League of Conservation Voters * NARAL Pro-Choice America * National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare * National Council of La Raza * National Education Association * People for the American Way * Planned Parenthood Action Fund * Progressive Majority * ProgressNow Action * Service Employees International Union * Sierra Club * The Voter Participation Center * United Food and Commercial Workers International Union * USAction * VoteVets * Women's Equality Center * Working America
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.americavotes.org America Votes website]
Category:527 organizations Category:Progressive organizations in the United States Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations