Women Vote!
| Women Vote! | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | Super PAC |
| Affiliation: | Democratic |
| Year founded: | 1995 |
| Website: | Official website |
Women Vote! is a super PAC founded to help motivate women voters to elect Democratic candidates who support legalized abortion. The group, which makes independent expenditures, is affiliated with EMILY's List, a progressive women's organization focused on encouraging women who support legalized abortion to run for public office.[1]
Mission
As of June 2017, the website for EMILY's List had the same mission statement for all affiliated organizations:[2]
| “ | We elect pro-choice Democratic women to office.[3] | ” |
Background
Women Vote! was founded in 1995 and is an EMILY's List affiliate.[1] In July 2016, the organization described itself in its promotional material: "WOMEN VOTE! is EMILY’s List’s independent expenditure arm which works to educate and mobilize women voters on behalf of pro-choice Democratic women candidates, and help turnout voters for Democrats up and down the ballot. Launched in 1995, the EMILY's List WOMEN VOTE! project combines polling and research, sophisticated message testing, the latest innovations in data and technology as well as good old-fashioned voter contact to mobilize millions of women voters across the country."[4]
Work
Women Vote! focuses on supporting women Democratic candidates and on increasing voter turnout among women. The organization runs broadcast and digital advertising campaigns as well as traditional mail contact.[1]
Advertising campaign opposing Trump, July 2016
In July 2016, Women Vote! and Priorities USA Action, a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton (D), announced a joint $20 million digital campaign in July and August. The campaign was directed at millennial women, discouraging them from supporting Donald Trump (R) for president. Of the ad campaign, EMILY’s List deputy executive director Denise Feriozzi stated, "Young people across the country could never imagine saying the derogatory, racist comments from Donald Trump, let alone having a president who says them. The values that millennial women stand for and the future that they want hang in the balance this election—but they also have the power to do something about it. If millennial women make their voices heard this November, they can make sure Donald Trump doesn’t speak for them, or anyone else."[4]
Political activity
| Super PACs |
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| Read more about super PACs and the super PACs covered on Ballotpedia. |
2016 elections
Expenditures
The following table details the top independent expenditures for Women Vote! during the 2014 election cycle. All data comes from the Center for Responsive Politics.[5]
| Women Vote! expenditures in the 2016 election cycle[5] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office | For | Against | ||
| Donald Trump |  |
N/A | President | $0 | $5,970,968 | ||
| Hillary Clinton |  |
N/A | President | $5,568,710 | $0 | ||
| Joe Heck | |
Nev. | Senate | $0 | $3,404,000 | ||
| Kelly Ayotte | |
N.H. | Senate | $0 | $3,196,423 | ||
| Pat Toomey | |
Pa. | Senate | $0 | $3,134,200 | ||
| Richard Burr | |
N.C. | Senate | $0 | $3,076,352 | ||
| Donna Edwards | |
Md. | Senate | $2,934,855 | $0 | ||
| Joe Sestak | |
Pa. | Senate | $0 | $1,554,540 | ||
| Anna Throne-Holst | |
N.Y. | House | $728,467 | $0 | ||
| Pramila Jayapal | |
Wash. | House | $48,202 | $0 | ||
2014 elections
Expenditures
The following table details the top independent expenditures for Women Vote! during the 2014 election cycle. All data comes from the Center for Responsive Politics.[6]
| Women Vote! expenditures in the 2014 election cycle[6] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office | For | Against | ||
| Thom Tillis | |
N.C. | Senate | $0 | $2,887,936 | ||
| David Perdue | |
Ga. | Senate | $0 | $2,196,587 | ||
| Scott Brown | |
N.H. | Senate | $0 | $975,944 | ||
| Colleen Hanabusa | |
Hawaii | Senate | $460,492 | $0 | ||
| Bruce Poliquin | |
Maine | House | $0 | $349,828 | ||
| David Jolly | |
Fla. | House | $0 | $170,563 | ||
| Brenda Lawrence | |
Mich. | House | $166,173 | $0 | ||
| Wendy Greuel | |
Calif. | House | $158,516 | $0 | ||
| Katherine Clark | |
Mass. | House | $140,402 | $0 | ||
| Alma Adams | |
N.C. | House | $119,752 | $0 | ||
2013 elections
Endorsed candidate
2012 elections
Expenditures
The following table details the top independent expenditures for Women Vote! during the 2012 election cycle. All data comes from the Center for Responsive Politics.[7]
| Top 10 largest Women Vote! expenditures in 2012[7] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | State | Office | For | Against | ||
| Tommy Thompson | |
Wis. | Senate | $0 | $2,637,521 | ||
| Dean Heller | |
Nev. | Senate | $0 | $940,750 | ||
| Todd Akin | |
Mo. | Senate | $0 | $532,089 | ||
| Scott Brown | |
Mass. | Senate | $0 | $409,942 | ||
| Tammy Baldwin | |
Wis. | Senate | $384,918 | $0 | ||
| Elizabeth Esty | |
Conn. | House | $318,120 | $0 | ||
| Bobby Schilling | |
Ill. | House | $0 | $248,391 | ||
| Jonathan Paton | |
Ariz. | House | $0 | $232,508 | ||
| Robert Cornilles | |
Ore. | House | $0 | $194,250 | ||
| Daniel Webster | |
Fla. | House | $0 | $168,357 | ||
Finances
2016
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Women Vote! reported $34,006,357 in total receipts and $35,400,838 in total disbursements during calendar year 2016.[8]
2015
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Women Vote! reported $2,679,508 in total receipts and $1,415,496 in total disbursements during calendar year 2015.[9]
2014
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Women Vote! reported $11,205,854 in total receipts and $11,337,139 in total disbursements during calendar year 2014.[10]
2013
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Women Vote! reported $1,193,648 in total receipts and $991,310 in total disbursements during calendar year 2013.[11]
2012
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Women Vote! reported $9,232,319 in total receipts and $9,583,964 in total disbursements during calendar year 2012.[12]
Legal status
Women Vote! is a super PAC. A super PAC is a political committee that can solicit and spend unlimited sums of money. A super PAC cannot contribute directly to a politician or political party, but it can spend independently to campaign for or against political figures. These committees are also called independent expenditure-only committees. A super PAC is not legally considered a political action committee (PAC) and as such is regulated under separate rules.[13][14]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Women Vote!'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 EMILY's List, "Women Vote!" accessed July 16, 2013
- ↑ EMILY's List, "Mission & Vision," accessed June 13, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 EMILY's List, "Emily’s List’s Women Vote! and Priorities USA Launch General Election Program for Millennial Women," July 15, 1016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Center for Responsive Politics, "Women Vote! 2016 Independent Expenditures," accessed June 13, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Center for Responsive Politics, "Women Vote! 2014 Independent Expenditures," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Center for Responsive Politics, "Women Vote! Outside Spending Summary 2012," accessed July 16, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Women Vote! Year-End Report, 2016," January 31, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Women Vote! Year-End Report, 2015," January 31, 2016
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Women Vote! Year-End Report, 2014," January 31, 2015
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Women Vote! Year-End Report, 2013," January 31, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Women Vote! Year-End Report, 2012," January 31, 2013
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The New York Times' Disingenuous Campaign Against Citizens United," February 24, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Who's Financing the 'Super PACs?" May 7, 2012
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