{{short description|Roman Catholic conservative political group}} {{Infobox organization | name = CatholicVote | image = Catholicvote.org logo.jpg | image_size = 160px | type = 501(c)(4) non-profit | tax_id = | founded = 2008 | founder = | location = Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | coordinates = | origins = | key_people = Kelsey Reinhardt (president)<br>Joshua Mercer (co-founder, vice president<br>Brian Burch (co-founder, senior advisor) | region_served = United States | focus = Roman Catholic political advocacy | method = | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | owner = | non-profit_slogan = | former_name = | website = [http://www.catholicvote.org/ www.CatholicVote.org] | dissolved = | footnotes = }}{{Abortion in the Catholic Church}}'''CatholicVote.org''' is a conservative,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/11/donald-trump-family-values-conservative-believe-it-or-not/print/ |title=Politics Daily: Donald Trump, Family Values Conservative -- Believe It or Not |access-date=2012-07-25 |archive-date=2011-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215062408/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/11/donald-trump-family-values-conservative-believe-it-or-not/print/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/conservative-catholics-rally-against-contraception-mandate-133410160.html Conservative Catholics rally against contraception mandate]</ref><ref>[http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-16/opinion/30628991_1_rick-santorum-conscience-catholicism Boston Globe op-ed: Faith reduced to caricature]{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-nun-vigil-0515-20120515,0,4848381.story |title=Chicago Tribune: After Vatican rebuke, nuns celebrated |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2012-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725103252/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-nun-vigil-0515-20120515,0,4848381.story |archive-date=2012-07-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> non-profit political advocacy group based in the United States. While the organization acknowledges the authority of the Magisterium, it is independent of the Catholic Church.<ref name= "About">[http://www.catholicvote.org/index.php?/about_us/ CatholicVote About] "CatholicVote Civic Action is inspired and organized by faithful Catholic laity. For this reason, we do not claim to speak for any individual bishop or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. We represent the voices of millions of Catholics across America who seek to renew our country and our culture, in full communion with and 100% faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church."</ref>

== Structure == CatholicVote.org is divided into three organizations:

*CatholicVote.org, a project of Fidelis, a Catholic organization.<ref name=newsweek /><ref>[http://observer.com/2007/05/antirudy-catholics-plan-their-assault/ NY Observer: Anti-Rudy Catholics Plan Their Assault]</ref><ref>[http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=a7840405-ecd7-4cd1-927f-db09b3ce0647%40sessionmgr11&vid=1&hid=7&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=18450480 National Journal: Conservative Catholics' New Advocates]{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://blog.beliefnet.com/godometer/2008/10/new-fidelis-antiabortion-antig.html/ BeliefNet: New Fidelis Anti-Abortion, Anti-Gay Marriage Video]</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/us/politics/05catholic.html NYT: A Fight Among Catholics Over Which Party Best Reflects Church Teachings]</ref>

*CatholicVote.org Political Action Committee (CatholicVote PAC) is the group's connected political action committee; its goal is to financially support political candidates who "will be faithful stewards of Catholic social teaching and the common good".<ref name= "About" /> In 2010, it made campaign contributions to six Republicans and one Democrat.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00411181&cycle=2010] Donation Recipients</ref>

*CatholicVote.org Education Fund is a 501(c)3 tax-deductible program which comprises two units: the CatholicVote.org Education Fund and the CatholicVote.org Legal Action Fund.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

==History== ===Domain name=== The CatholicVote.org domain name was first used by the Catholic Alliance in early 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicvote.org/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000302210506/http://www.catholicvote.org/ |title=CatholicVote.org Homepage&nbsp;– a project of Catholic Alliance |publisher=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |archivedate=March 2, 2000 |accessdate=August 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Catholic Alliance was a grassroots group of Americans who agreed with the platform of the fundamentalist evangelical Protestant Christian Coalition but wished to widen the Coalition's scope to include Catholics.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=frt7RDOT1PUC&pg=PA77 |page=77 |title=Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics |first1=Paul A. |last1=Djupe |first2=Laura R. |last2=Olson |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=1438130201}}</ref> The Catholic Alliance, formed in 1995, held the website until mid-2002. The next owner of the domain name was Larry Cirignano, founder of Catholic Vote, later called Catholic Citizenship. He used the domain for six years until mid-2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://63.123.226.152/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020921041000/http://63.123.226.152/ |title=CatholicVote.org&nbsp;– an association of Catholic voters in America |publisher=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |archivedate=September 21, 2002 |accessdate=August 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicvote.org/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609042742/http://www.catholicvote.org/ |title=Catholic Vote&nbsp;– Catholic Citizenship |publisher=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |archivedate=June 9, 2008 |accessdate=August 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Fidelis Center began operating the domain in October 2008, initially redirecting it to CatholicVote.com. The first published articles linked on the site included ones by co-founders Brian Burch and Joshua Mercer. The Fidelis Center subsequently sold the domain to Fidelis, a related, but independent 501(c)4 organization which operates the domain today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicvote.com/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013103105/http://www.catholicvote.com/ |title=CatholicVote.com |publisher=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |archivedate=October 13, 2008 |accessdate=August 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Activism== ===Marriage and sexuality=== On June 25, 2015, one day before same-sex marriage became legal everywhere in the United States, CatholicVote.org uploaded a video onto YouTube called "Not Alone".<ref name="Not Alone (Guardian)" /> The video features Catholic people who oppose same-sex marriage defending this belief, saying that people should not hate or dislike those who oppose same-sex marriage.<ref name="Not Alone (Independent)">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/you-are-not-alone-us-religious-pressure-group-releases-video-for-catholics-victimised-by-gay-10368037.html |title='You are not alone': US religious pressure group releases video for Catholics 'victimised' by gay marriage ruling |work=The Independent |last=Mortimer |first=Caroline |date=July 6, 2015 |accessdate=March 26, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Not Alone (CNA)"/> It quickly received a minimum of a million views on YouTube,<ref name="Not Alone (Guardian)">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/04/anti-gay-marriage-video-us-pressure-group-catholicvote-plays-victim-card |title=Anti-gay marriage video by US pressure group CatholicVote plays victim card |work=The Guardian |last=Gayle |first=Damien |date=July 4, 2015 |accessdate=March 26, 2018}}</ref> where it received a massive backlash due to the video's message.<ref name="Not Alone (Independent)"/> On YouTube, "Not Alone" both received many more dislikes than likes.<ref name="Not Alone (Guardian)" /><ref name="Not Alone (Independent)"/> Parodies of the video appeared very quickly.<ref name="Not Alone (Guardian)" /><ref name="Not Alone (Independent)"/> According to Catholic News Agency, many websites condemned the video, calling the participants "bigots" or "anti-gay".<ref name="Not Alone (CNA)"/> CatholicVote.org president Brian Burch said "literally tens of thousands of people are emailing, saying: 'thank you for speaking up for me. I don't agree with the Supreme Court decision, but I don't hate anyone.'{{sp}}"<ref name="Not Alone (CNA)">{{cite web |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/32263/catholicvote-says-controversial-video-sparked-outpouring-of-thanks |title=CatholicVote says controversial video sparked outpouring of thanks |publisher=Catholic News Agency |date=July 2, 2015 |access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>

In June 2022, CatholicVote.org urged parents to check out any LGBT-themed books from their local libraries so that no children would be able to see them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Falcon |first=Russell |date=2022-06-11 |title=Catholic group launches 'Hide the Pride' anti-LGBTQ library campaign |url=https://thehill.com/news/wire/3516571-catholic-group-launches-hide-the-pride-anti-lgbtq-library-campaign/ |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Anti-abortion=== "Imagine Spot 1" was the first release of the national media campaign "Life: Imagine the Potential" in 2009. In ten days it recorded over 700,000 hits.<ref name=NBC/> The commercial centers around the story of President Barack Obama, showing an ultrasound image and saying that despite a hard childhood, the unborn child will grow up to be President of the United States.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123854185757175689 Facing Tough Washington Climate, Abortion Foes Move Debate Online]</ref> The advert was rejected by both NBC for airing during the Super Bowl<ref name=NBC>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/30/nbc-rejects-pro-life-ad-featuring-obama/ NBC rejects pro-life ad using Obama]</ref> and CNN for airing during coverage of President Obama's first State of the Union Address.<ref name='mcfeely'>{{cite news | first = Tom | last = McFeely | title = CNN Punts Pro-Life Obama Ad | date = 2009-02-20 | publisher = Circle Media Inc | url = http://www.ncregister.com/blog/cnn_punts_pro-life_obama_ad/ | work = National Catholic Register | accessdate = 2010-10-16 | archive-date = 2011-07-18 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110718154247/http://www.ncregister.com/blog/cnn_punts_pro-life_obama_ad/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>

A second commercial was also released in 2009, "Imagine Spot 2". This commercial featured Nelson Mandela. It aired in selected markets during the ''American Idol'' season 8 finale.<ref name=newsweek>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090514005737/http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/05/anti-abortion_ad_scores_with_american_idol.html Anti-Abortion Ad Scores with 'American Idol']</ref>

===Other activism=== In 2010, CatholicVote.org organized a petition urging the United States Postal Service to issue a Mother Teresa commemorative stamp despite opposition by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and similar groups.<ref name="Stamps">{{Cite web |url=http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=zenit&id=30256 |title=US Issues Mother Teresa Postal Stamp |access-date=2010-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629145910/http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=zenit&id=30256 |archive-date=2011-06-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also== {{portal|Catholicism}} *Catholic Church and politics in the United States *Homosexuality and Roman Catholicism *Catholic Church and abortion *American Life League

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.catholicvote.org Official website] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CaBR3z85c "Imagine Spot 1"] from the campaign "Life: Imagine the Potential" *{{Cite web |url=http://fidelis.org/ |title=Fidelis official website |access-date=2017-08-01 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20060609154352/http://fidelis.org/ |archive-date=2006-06-09 |url-status=bot: unknown }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Catholicvote.Org}} Category:Organizations based in Madison, Wisconsin Category:Catholicism and politics Category:Organizations established in 2008 Category:Anti-abortion organizations in the United States Category:American Christian political organizations Category:Catholic Church and abortion Category:2015 controversies in the United States Category:2015 in LGBTQ history Category:2015 in American politics Category:Political controversies in the United States Category:Religious controversies in the United States Category:Opposition to same-sex marriage in the United States Category:Conservative organizations in the United States