Center for Voter Information
The Center for Voter Information, a nonpartisan 501(c)(4), works to increase voter turnout and create a more representative democracy. Along with its affiliated nonpartisan 501(c)(3) group, Voter Participation Center, CVI uses evidence-based strategies to increase participation by unregistered and low-propensity voters, with a primary focus on engaging people by mail. Together, the two groups have brought millions of Americans into the electoral process and have been especially successful in catalyzing higher voter turnout by people of color and young people.
Why This Work is Important
Too many voices aren’t heard in elections. A large swath of eligible voters don’t participate in elections and turnout is disproportionately low for Blacks, Latinos and young people — particularly in midterm or off-year elections. It’s essential to bring more people into the electorate to have a truly representative democracy.
Expanding the electorate can change election outcomes. While demography is not destiny, efforts to engage non- or low-propensity voters can have a major impact on electoral outcomes, especially in an era when elections are often decided by small margins.
Facilitating voting access and boosting participation is straightforward. A range of tools and strategies has been proven effective in making it easier for people to register and vote, as well as encouraging them to do so. A leader in voter mobilization, CVI prioritizes tactics validated through randomized-controlled trials.
Why Donors Should Consider the Center for Voter Information
CVI has a strong record of impact. Since its founding, CVI and its c3 partner, VPC, have registered or mobilized millions of voters. Their mailing outreach has registered more voters by mail than any other organization. In the 2023-24 election cycle, the two groups sent out nearly 200 million pieces of mail to 82 million Americans in 39 states. This work generated 271,442 net votes in 2024, or votes that occurred specifically due to VPC/CVI’s nonpartisan programs.
CVI is a leader in voter registration. While many electoral groups focus on turning out already registered voters, with little investment in registering new voters, CVI devotes huge energy to expanding the voting rolls and changing the overall composition of the electorate. At the same time, the groups also invest heavily in mobilization at election time.
Donors can have confidence that their funds will have an impact. By using evidence-based voter engagement strategies, CVI can accurately predict how much it will cost to catalyze voting by people who otherwise would not have participated. It estimates that the average cost per net vote in 2024 was $229 for VPC/CVI’s nonpartisan programs.
CVI has a long-term vision for future impact. Through research and data analysis, CVI has identified those states where demographic change is most likely to help drive electoral change thanks to the growth of the “New American Majority”: people of color, young people, and unmarried women. So, in addition to the CVI’s valuable work in current battleground states and districts, it is mapping out a long-range plan to remake American politics and create a more representative democracy.
Conclusion
The Center for Voter Information is a national leader in registering and mobilizing voters. Few other groups have the depth of experience, track record, and sophistication for doing this important work.