Thanks to CREDO members, When We All Vote is building an informed and engaged electorate

Since 2018, our grantee partners at When We All Vote, an initiative of Civic Nation, have brought together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country, advance civic education for voters of every age, and build an informed and engaged electorate for generations to come.

In March 2022, CREDO members voted to distribute $35,750 to help the organization’s voter programs ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections. With direct attacks on our democracy, WWAV remains committed to changing the culture around voting, increasing voter participation, and closing the race and age voting gap.

Here’s an update from WWAV highlighting some recent victories and new projects, thanks to funding from CREDO members:

Recent victories

We are incredibly grateful for CREDO’s support and are pleased to share some of our successes and accomplishments over the course of the year.

This year, When We All Vote:

• Volunteers reached more than one million voters via text
• Recruited more than 3,000 people to serve as poll workers
• Hosted more than 200 parties at or near polling locations as a part of the organization’s Party at the Polls Program
• Recruited and partnered with more than 200 high schools to launch My School Votes clubs and secured three district-wide partnerships
• Partnered with nearly 100 media, corporate and nonprofit organizations, and an additional 14 professional sports teams and leagues joined When We All Vote as part of the Rally the Vote coalition
• Hosted over 20 virtual rallies and trainings that reached nearly 10,000 volunteers

This year, WWAV has recruited and trained 366 chapter leaders in 44 states through our new Chapter Leader Program, which includes monthly trainings to support both entry-level and super volunteers up and down the ladder of engagement. This new infrastructure lends to more stability and deeper, long-term relationships that we can build on. WWAV also launched the VOTE LOUD HBCU Squad Challenge in March, as part of our Voting Squad Program, to empower HBCU students to take a leading role in voter registration, education, and mobilization. These Squads will help register students and the surrounding communities to vote in 2022 and beyond.

Additionally, My School Votes (MSV), our high school student engagement program, is running a Student Ambassador (SA) program. The SA Program is a paid six-week leadership opportunity for 31 current high school students, recent graduates, and college students. Student Ambassadors will help expand MSV into target districts.

During the week of September 19, WWAV embarked on our National Week Of Action to get thousands of voters registered and ready to vote. Our volunteers & MSV students hosted more than 150 voter registration events all across the country.

New projects

In order to combat disinformation that plagues our nation, our multifaceted marketing and communications strategy is designed to empower Americans with knowledge about our government and its role in it and to combat disinformation that seeks to erode our democracy. 

One key element of our strategy was our Culture of Democracy Summit. On June 10, 2022, WWAV hosted the first ever Culture of Democracy Summit featuring WWAV founder, Michelle Obama, and several other co-chairs, celebrity ambassadors, and voting rights activists who support WWAV’s work and vision, including Chris Paul, Selena Gomez, Liza Koshy, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington, former Attorney General Eric Holder, Magic Johnson, Doc Rivers, David Hogg, Nikole Hannah Jones, and more. 

The inspiring four-day nonpartisan convening brought together artists, athletes, academics, grassroots organizers, and business leaders to discuss the role different industries play in protecting and strengthening democracy through voter registration, education, mobilization, and culture change. The summit allowed leaders to discuss how we can collectively support each other in this work for the midterms and beyond, connecting on common themes of funding, fighting voter suppression, and voter engagement. More than 1,300 people convened at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles for the final day of the Summit. WWAV also announced the winners of the first-ever Culture of Democracy Awards, which recognized leaders across industries and communities doing critical work to advance WWAV’s mission.

In September, following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, WWAV and a group of climate and community organizations, led by Climate Power, announced Vote Future, a new effort to boost youth voter participation in the 2022 midterm elections. The joint nonpartisan campaign educated young voters about the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant climate legislation ever passed in the U.S., and equipped them with the tools to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Most recently, When We All Vote launched Party at the Polls, a celebratory voter engagement strategy proven to increase voter participation. When We All Vote joined partners and volunteers to host more than 200 celebrations at or near polling locations across the country to increase voter turnout and bring communities together to celebrate voting with music, food and fun activities.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved with When We All Vote, please visit their website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.