VoteRiders


VoteRiders is an American non-partisan, non-profit 501 organization whose mission is to ensure that all citizens are able to exercise their right to vote. Through resources and media exposure, VoteRiders supports on-the-ground organizations that assist citizens to secure their voter IDs and galvanizes others to engage in these efforts.
A national survey sponsored by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law in 2006 found that " many as 11 percent of United States citizens - more than 21 million individuals - do not have government-issued photo identification."
Its work on advocacy and legal aid has been described Professor Carol Anderson, author of One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy, as one that “makes the difference in whether thousands of people get to vote or are disenfranchised.” Professor of the UK College of Law has called VoteRiders “one of the most important democracy groups you’ve probably never heard of,”
VoteRiders was founded in 2012 by Kathleen Unger, an election integrity specialist since 2002, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

Activities

VoteRiders, a 501 national tax-exempt organization, has been featured extensively in local, national and international media in connection with voter ID issues. And VoteRiders' President Kathleen Unger has been asked to speak on voter ID issues at colleges and universities such as Pepperdine University, Occidental College., Stanford University and Columbia University.
To promote the cause of ballot access nationwide, VoteRiders has developed its website to be a comprehensive portal for state-by-state information about voter ID requirements. The home page features a newsfeed for regular updates about upcoming state and local elections, current news stories regarding changes in voting laws, and personal testimonials from citizens who have experienced issues with registering to vote or obtaining a valid ID for the polls.
VoteRiders has developed printable wallet cards that highlight the IDs specified in each state's voter ID law in English and Spanish, which are available on its website. They also established a toll free helpline that citizens can call or text for voter ID information and assistance.
The non-profit's voter outreach includes holding Voter ID Clinics, which provide direct aid to local communities to assist citizens in obtaining critical documents like birth certificates and proof of citizenship. The VoteRiders volunteer team participates in outreach such as training, tabling, phone- and text-banking and partners with national organizations such as the Election Protection Coalition and Rock the Vote as well as state and local organizations.

VoteRiders on the ground

Voter ID laws vary nationwide. According to a study cited in Journalist's Resource, a reference desk established by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University, the “evidence supports the notion that strict voter identification laws prevent otherwise eligible individuals from voting, and have disproportionately negative impacts on minority citizens.”
To help ensure that all eligible citizens can exercise their right to vote, VoteRiders gets involved with on-the-ground voter education initiatives and provides expertise to local, national, niche and youth-oriented media outlets to reach voters and increase awareness of potential obstacles to voting. Recent examples of these efforts include the following:
VoteRiders informs and helps voters as well as and other national organizations in addition to state and local organizations in 18 states — including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin — all of which, except for Minnesota, have voter ID laws.
Some of VoteRiders’ on the ground efforts include:

Alabama

VoteRiders founder Kathleen Unger was quoted in an October 30, 2018 article in the Montgomery Advertiser on Alabama's photo ID law: "At this point, we see 25 million eligible voters nationally who do not have a current government issued photo ID, which is the primary type of ID that states require. We've discovered over time that many millions more eligible voters are so confused and intimidated by voter ID laws, which are complicated and onerous, that they won’t vote, even though they have valid ID."
The article noted VoteRiders’ work with local groups in Alabama, including Faith in Action, to educate voters and help them secure ID, quoting Unger again: "It is understandable that people would feel overwhelmed by the legalities of voter ID laws. The key reason for our existence is to make it easy.... Our goal is for people to be fully prepared and fully confident."
In the weeks preceding the December 2017 Roy Moore–Doug Jones special election to the U.S. Senate in Alabama, VoteRiders actively assisted voters in obtaining the IDs that made them eligible to cast a ballot.

Florida

After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, the island experienced the largest out-migration in its history, and Florida was the top destination to resettle in the aftermath of the storm. In June 2018, VoteRiders began a campaign to assist resettled citizens who wished to cast a ballot in Florida, educating potential voters on what documents are required and helping them secure identification.

Georgia

Georgia's “exact match” law resulted in widespread confusion about voter ID requirements and eligibility in the 2018 election. VoteRiders developed targeted digital and radio public service announcements to provide comprehensive and timely information. The public service announcements were widely shared on Facebook, including by celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, who has 16 million followers on the social media platform. Ryan Seacrest referenced VoteRiders on Twitter, reminding Georgia voters about the election and voter ID requirements.

Texas

In response to a 2012 Justice Department report that some 1.4 million Texans would be affected by the Texas Voter ID Law, VoteRiders hosted its first Voter ID Clinic in Houston on September 21, 2013, and in May 2014, the organization hired a coordinator to work with local groups on voter ID initiatives. VoteRiders also reached out to elected officials on the federal, state and local levels in Harris County and contacted precinct chairs for both the Republican and Democratic parties. Tables with information on the new law were set up at church services and other public gatherings.
Partner organizations hosted presentations to explain the new law to the public. Volunteers were trained for voter outreach. It was a first step toward VoteRiders' ultimate goal: a nationwide network of partner organizations and volunteers dedicated to helping eligible citizens get the documents they need to vote.
VoteRiders’ partner Mi Familia Vota Texas distributed wallet-sized VoteRiders' Texas Voter ID Information Cards as part of their canvassing effort in six majority Latino precincts in Houston for the November 2016 election. While overall Houston/Harris County voter turnout decreased by 1%, turnout in these six precincts increased cumulatively by 92% and by an average of almost 9%; and in 2018, turnout in the 13 precincts where Mi Familia Vota Texas distributed VoteRiders' Voter ID Information Cards increased by an average of 435%.

Wisconsin

VoteRiders participated in on-the-ground voter ID requirement awareness and outreach campaigns in Wisconsin since 2015, forming coalitions with local leaders and engaging in education efforts via regional media. An interview with Milwaukee's alternative weekly newspaper, Shepherd Express, highlighted VoteRiders’ role as the source of wallet-sized Voter ID Information Cards and voter ID clinic resources. A VoteRiders statewide coordinator was featured in a video produced by NowThis Politics, which has more than 6 million Facebook followers.
VoteRiders was featured in a 2018 investigative piece about how Wisconsin voter ID laws posed challenges to the young, the elderly and people of color; the article stated that the organization's services include “arranging transportation to local Division of Motor Vehicle offices, free legal assistance in obtaining proper documentation, and covering the costs of documents required for registering to vote such as birth certificates and Social Security cards.”
It is estimated that approximately 600,000 of registered Wisconsin voters in 2016 were negatively impacted by the state's newly enforced voter ID law. This number includes more than 300,000 registered voters who did not have an acceptable voter photo ID and an additional 300,000 voters who were confused and intimidated by the state's voter ID law even though they did have the correct ID. This reality motivated VoteRiders to lead the nation's first ever "Voter ID Month," which took place in Wisconsin in March 2016.
VoteRiders’ efforts in Wisconsin were spearheaded by national and state coordinators, including Anita Johnson, Wisconsin Statewide Coordinator, who worked with the organization's partners, such as the Dane County Voter ID Coalition. Reporting directly to VoteRiders founder Kathleen Unger, these coordinators' efforts included training volunteers, including throughout Dane County, interacting with thousands of voters to make sure they had valid ID and, if not, helping them obtain documents to get voter ID, and arranging transportation to the DMV, oftentimes with a member of VoteRiders' team to assist.
Activities were focused especially on low-income and transient voters by way of events and presentations with voters at churches, colleges, high schools, libraries, homeless shelters, food pantries, job centers, education centers, apartment buildings and corporations, etc., in downtown Madison and throughout the county. Examples include phone banks, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, "Get It Free with Your Voter ID" pizza parties, and T-shirts with "Ask Me" and "About Voter ID".
On March 2, 2016, VoteRiders' team was responsible for organizing a press conference at the capitol that resulted in significant media attention, including coverage by all TV network affiliates. VoteRiders played a pivotal role in the Wisconsin legislature's and governor's decision to expand approved voter IDs to include a Veterans Affairs card. Based on the results of Voter ID Month, VoteRiders created toolkits for distribution to other communities in Wisconsin and across the country.
In 2020, VoteRiders became involved with Wisconsin and other states, working to measure and address the impact of COVID-19 on voter turnout for the 2020 US presidential election.

Supporters

National Partner Organizations
The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is the lead partner of the non-partisan Election Protection Coalition, of which VoteRiders is a partner. It was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and provides comprehensive voter information and advice on how citizens can make sure their vote is counted. The coalition features toll-free helplines to address issues at the polls:
In addition to nearly two dozen National Collaborating Organizations, VoteRiders’ other National Partner Organizations include:
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In addition to Partner and Collaborating Organizations in AR, CO, IA, KS, MI, MN, MS, NH and PA.
State Partner Organizations