The new field program aims to elect candidates at the state level who are committed to getting big money out of politics and making it easier to vote
End Citizens United (ECU) and Let America Vote (LAV) today announced a new grassroots field operation in North Carolina for the 2020 election cycle. The joint operation will work to elect endorsed candidates, provide volunteers and organizational support for those candidates, and work with in-state partners to make voting safe, accessible and fair. Shane Reese will oversee ground operations as North Carolina State Director.
“North Carolina is a battleground state where flipping both chambers of the General Assembly and winning key statewide races are critical to enacting comprehensive anti-corruption and good government reforms,” said ECU and LAV President Tiffany Muller. “Through gerrymandering and voter suppression, North Carolina Republicans have been part of a nefarious effort that undermines the integrity of our democracy. We’re expanding our in-state operations to fight back. We’re activating our grassroots members to elect candidates who will push for reform. Our grassroots members are fired up, and we’re ready to get to work.”
ECU and LAV’s field operation will focus on flipping the North Carolina General Assembly and supporting Cal Cunningham’s U.S. Senate run. Only six seats are needed to flip the state House of Representatives and five to flip the state Senate. In June of 2020, ECU and LAV started digitally organizing the groups’ 91,000 North Carolina members ahead of the general election to provide grassroots support for endorsed reform and voting rights champions.
The group has already got off to a running start, having launched the Secure, Accessible, Fair Elections (SAFE) Democracy Project, a nationwide effort to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots without putting their health at risk. In North Carolina, the group has sent over 3,100 emails to Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, and contacted more than 58,000 activists through its texting program.
Both ECU and LAV have been active and engaged in North Carolina in the 2020 election cycle. ECU endorsed Cal Cunningham for U.S. Senate in July of 2019 because of his commitment to rejecting corporate PAC money and rooting out corruption in Washington. In November, ECU and LAV President Tiffany Muller joined Cunningham for an event in North Carolina to roll out his comprehensive reform agenda. In April, ECU also endorsed Deborah Ross (NC-02), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Cynthia Wallace (NC-06) and Patricia Timmons-Goodson (NC-08) for Congress.
Prior to joining ECU/LAV, Reese counseled a range of clients on their public affairs and communications efforts, working on behalf of nonprofit research groups, think tanks, universities, and legislative advocacy campaigns from state legislatures to Capitol Hill. This is his second stint working on behalf of anti-corruption and campaign reform initiatives, having earlier led the advocacy coalition North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections and worked at the North Carolina Center for Voter Education, which merged with Common Cause NC.
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