The Environmental Voter Project is a lobbying organization that seeks to increase voter turnout among American environmentalists. Billionaire Jeremy Grantham, a British financier who pushes environmentalist causes, has primarily bankrolled the organization. The group raised $475,00 in 2017 which rose to $1.5 million in 2018. ¹²

Campaigning

Environmental Voter Project acknowledges the environment is a low priority for voters in most polling, but says that tens of millions of Americans that support progressive environmental policies don’t vote. So rather than persuade more people to care about the environment, the goal is to make sure those who do vote. ³

EVP research claimed 15.8 million so-called “super environmentalists” sat out the 2014 midterm election. It defined “super environmentalists” as people who list the environment as one of their top priorities. Even in a presidential year, 2016, 10.1 million of this demographic supposedly abstained. ⁴

The organization uses data analytics to identify existing environment-motivated voters and applies behavioral science techniques to push environmentalists to become consistent voters. ⁵

The organization focused on Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. For the 2020 election cycle, the group expanded its focus into Arizona, Virginia, New Mexico, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Maine. ⁶

The group claims to have activated 58,961 environmentalists to vote in the 2018 midterms. Its goal is targeting 2 million “environment-first voters who’ve never voted” for the 2020 elections, the Huffington Post reported. ⁷

Leadership

Nathaniel Stinnett is the founder and executive director. He founded the Environmental Voter Project in 2015. He previously has worked on campaigns for various Congressional, state, and mayoral campaigns. ⁸

Peter Polga-Hecimovich is the field and data director after working for various political candidates and ballot initiatives. He was previously a political organizer with the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation. ⁹

Kate Heffernan is the senior organizing adviser. She was a campaign organizer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016. She also worked for the National Center for Science Education. ¹⁰

Shannon Seigal is the organizing director. She started at the group as an intern. She has experience in pushing fossil fuel divestment campaigns. ¹¹

1. Alexander Kaufman. “This Man Is Building An ‘Army Of Environmental Super Voters’ To Rival The NRA In Turnout.” Environmental Voter Project, October 17, 2017. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/news/man-building-army-environmental-super-voters-rival-nra-turnout.
2. Alexander C. Kaufman. ”The Group Raising An NRA-Style ‘Army Of Environmental Super Voters’ Is Expanding.” Huffington Post. September 1, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-vote-2020-environmental-voter-project_n_5d689479e4b0488c0d12103e
3. Our Mission. Environmental Voter Project. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/our-mission
4. Romm, Joe. “A ‘Jaw-Dropping’ 15 Million Super-Environmentalist Don’t Vote in the Midterms.” Think Progress. September 4, 2018. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://archive.thinkprogress.org/15-million-super-environmentalists-dont-vote-in-the-midterms/
5. “Environmental Voter Project.” Yale Center for Business and Environment. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://cbey.yale.edu/event/the-environmental-voter-project
6. Alexander C. Kaufman. ”The Group Raising An NRA-Style ‘Army Of Environmental Super Voters’ Is Expanding.” Huffington Post. September 1, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-vote-2020-environmental-voter-project_n_5d689479e4b0488c0d12103e
7. Alexander C. Kaufman. ”The Group Raising An NRA-Style ‘Army Of Environmental Super Voters’ Is Expanding.” Huffington Post. September 1, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-vote-2020-environmental-voter-project_n_5d689479e4b0488c0d12103e
8. [1] Leadership. Environmental Voter Project. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/leadership
9. [1] Leadership. Environmental Voter Project. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/leadership
10. [1] Leadership. Environmental Voter Project. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/leadership
11. [1] Leadership. Environmental Voter Project. Accessed May 2, 2020. https://www.environmentalvoter.org/leadership