Former First Lady Michelle Obama is known for expressing her strongly partisan political views. It wasn’t unexpected when the organization she founded revealed a coordinated effort last week to target and register voters likely to lean Democrat ahead of the 2024 election.
On Thursday, the Obama-founded When We All Vote initiative launched its “Culture of Democracy Tour,” a summer-long initiative to “register, educate and engage thousands of voters and volunteers.” According to the organization’s press release, this tour aims to integrate “voting into popular culture through events, sweepstakes, campaigns, voter registration drives, and more, in collaboration with the organization’s numerous volunteers and partners.”
This campaign appears to be an extension of When We All Vote’s “Culture of Democracy Collective,” comprising over 200 organizations and companies dedicated to “registering, educating, and mobilizing voters.” Among its partners are prominent groups and corporations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and Lyft. As per the press release, the rideshare company has pledged to “offer discounted rides to the polls during primaries, early voting, and on Election Day across the nation. They will also assist riders, drivers, and team members in registering, preparing to vote, and understanding voting ID requirements.”
Sports teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are also part of this network.
A Democrat GOTV Drive Masquerading as ‘Nonpartisan’
Despite claiming to be a “nonpartisan initiative,” When We All Vote’s summer campaign is decidedly partisan. Many of the events the organization is set to participate in cater to demographics that tend to support Democrats.
For instance, the group is scheduled to be present at the Essence Festival of Culture and the Global Black Economic Forum’s Summit and Conference, both taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, in early July. These entities primarily target Black Americans, a crucial voting bloc for Democrats, and a group with whom Joe Biden is struggling to retain support as the 2024 election approaches.
When We All Vote also plans several “National Days of Action and Volunteer Mobilization,” during which “[h]undreds of volunteers will organize voter registration drives and get their communities ready to vote.” These days are strategically timed with holidays popular on the left, featuring “Pride Month voter registration drives throughout June” and a “Weekend of Action” tied to Juneteenth.
The organization’s efforts also extend to the digital realm, partnering with athletes and celebrities on “digital campaigns” aimed at “engaging voters.” Alongside Obama, notable co-chairs include Tom Hanks, Selena Gomez, Steph Curry, and Jennifer Lopez.
Earlier this year, When We All Vote announced its objective to turn out 5 million voters for the 2024 elections. The group also seeks to register “at least 500,000 Americans to vote — particularly Black, Brown, and young voters,” all of whom generally favor Democrats.
A Lever in Democrats’ Dark Money Election Machine
When We All Vote’s role in promoting Democrat-leaning get-out-the-vote activities is part of a broader Democrat dark money apparatus influencing U.S. elections.
When We All Vote is a project of Civic Nation, a left-wing nonprofit led by Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Civic Nation also oversees the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a program founded in 2016 to boost voter participation among college students — another segment that tends to support Democrats.
According to InfluenceWatch, When We All Vote receives significant funding from the New Venture Fund, a left-wing advocacy group tied to Arabella Advisors’ “dark money” network. Reportedly, $4.2 million was funneled to When We All Vote ahead of the 2018 midterms, as detailed by the Capital Research Center.
When We All Vote’s 2024 GOTV strategy aligns with the methods employed by previous left-wing 501(c)(3) voter registration groups. Instead of openly stating their aim to register likely Democrat voters — actions that would violate federal law — the group camouflages its partisan motives by claiming to target demographics that are “underrepresented” or “historically disenfranchised.”
In essence, the strategy is to skirt the law by prioritizing the registration of groups they anticipate will vote for the Democrat Party.
