New Group to Combine Efforts of Nation’s Largest Grassroots Political Organizations

People For the American Way and more than a dozen other organizations have joined forces to form America Votes, a national organization committed to registering, educating and mobilizing voters. PFAW President Ralph G. Neas called America Votes a “historic and unprecedented partnership.” “Never before have so many large grassroots progressive organizations joined forces to work together to encourage greater voter participation,” Neas said.

“With so much at stake in 2004, it is imperative that the American people have all the facts, register to vote, and turn out on election day. Especially important is the future of the federal judiciary,” Neas said. “The winner of the 2004 presidential election will likely nominate one, two or three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. The importance of this appointment power cannot be overstated: the Supreme Court has the final say for all Americans on critical issues concerning civil rights, reproductive rights, privacy, religious liberty, worker and consumer rights, campaign finance reform, environmental protection and so much more. Decisions made in the next 16 months will determine the law of the land for decades.”

PFAW is a founding national board member of America Votes, whose membership also includes ACORN, AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), EMILY’s List, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn.org, Moving America Forward, NAACP National Voter Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Partnership for America’s Families, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Sierra Club, and other groups.