Black Voters Matter

Black Voters Matter
Name	Black Voters Matter
Founded	2016
Founders	LaTosha Brown; Cliff Albright
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Focus	Voter mobilization; civic engagement; policy advocacy; election protection

Black Voters Matter is an American civic organization focused on increasing civic participation among African Americans, working on voter registration, turnout, and community empowerment through grassroots organizing. The organization was founded in 2016 by LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright and has been active in numerous campaigns, coalitions, and legal actions across Southern states such as Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

History

The organization was founded in 2016 by activists LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright after the 2016 United States presidential election, drawing on organizing traditions linked to the Civil Rights Movement, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and contemporary groups like Color of Change and Movement for Black Lives. Early work connected to campaigns in Georgia (U.S. state), Alabama, North Carolina, and Mississippi intersected with efforts by organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Democracy Initiative, and Working Families Party. The group gained national attention during the 2017 and 2018 cycle, coordinating with coalitions including MomsRising, Center for Common Ground, and People’s Action while responding to events like the 2017 Charlottesville rally and legislative fights over voting laws in states like Texas and Florida. In 2020 and 2021 the organization played a role in high-profile contests in Georgia (U.S. state), working alongside figures like Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock, and Jon Ossoff and groups such as Fair Fight Action and the Brennan Center for Justice.

Mission and Activities

The group's stated mission emphasizes Black political power, civic engagement, and community resilience, echoing principles advanced by leaders like Fannie Lou Hamer, John Lewis, Ella Baker, and contemporary strategists associated with Black Lives Matter. Activities include voter registration drives, get-out-the-vote operations, civic leadership training, direct services during natural disasters similar to responses by Hands On Network and Red Cross, and policy campaigns on issues tied to voting access and economic justice advocated by organizations such as Dēmos and Bipartisan Policy Center. The organization partners with community institutions like churches in the Black community, historically black colleges and universities, and local chapters of groups like Urban League and NAACP to advance its agenda.

Voter Registration and Mobilization Campaigns

Field campaigns have targeted battleground and low-turnout jurisdictions including counties in Georgia (U.S. state), Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan (U.S. state), coordinating efforts with national coalitions such as Poll Worker Recruitment, League of Women Voters, and Southern Poverty Law Center-affiliated initiatives. Tactics include door-to-door canvassing influenced by methods used by the Obama campaign (2008), digital outreach paralleling work by ActBlue and MoveOn.org, phone banking similar to strategies from Priorities USA, and voter protection coordination with groups like Common Cause and Brennan Center for Justice. Notable campaigns contributed to increased turnout in runoff elections and federal contests, aligning with endorsements and event partnerships involving advocates like Van Jones, Alicia Garza, and organizations such as People's Action.

Policy Advocacy and Legal Work

The organization engages in policy advocacy around voting rights, election administration, and civil rights, participating in coalitions with institutions like Brennan Center for Justice, ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and state-level civil rights groups. Activities include public advocacy on state legislative battles in Georgia (U.S. state), litigation support coordination comparable to efforts by Campaign Legal Center and Public Interest Law Center, and submitting amicus briefs in cases heard by courts including United States Supreme Court and state supreme courts. Policy priorities have intersected with debates over voting laws such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, state voter ID statutes, felony disenfranchisement reforms in Florida, and redistricting disputes connected to the United States census and litigation before the United States District Court.

Organizational Structure and Funding

Founded as a nonprofit, the group operates through a national office in Atlanta, Georgia with regional staff and local partners in states across the South (United States), including Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Funding sources have included philanthropic grants from foundations in the civic sector such as the Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and donor-advised funds associated with national philanthropies, as well as individual contributions and partnerships with political advocacy platforms like ActBlue. The organization has registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization and has maintained affiliated entities for civic engagement and education work, working within regulatory frameworks overseen by the Internal Revenue Service and campaign finance rules adjudicated by the Federal Election Commission.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters credit the organization with measurable increases in turnout, especially in Black communities during key contests such as the 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia, 2020–21 and local elections in cities like Atlanta, asserting links to victories by candidates such as Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and policy wins related to voting access. Critics from conservative groups like Heritage Foundation and commentators in outlets linked to Fox News and National Review have challenged its partisan impact and questioned funding transparency, while some progressive allies debate strategy and priorities alongside organizations like Indivisible and Swing Left. Independent analyses by research institutions such as Brennan Center for Justice and academic studies from universities including Emory University and Georgetown University have examined the organization’s role in mobilization and civic engagement.

Category:Political organizations based in the United States