Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Ground Game LA

Website:

www.groundgamela.org/
Location:

Los Angeles, CA
Tax ID:

82-0910342
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Formation:

2017
Type:

Voter mobilization group

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Ground Game LA is a left-of-center voter mobilization group which originated from Jessica Salans’s unsuccessful 2017 campaign for Los Angeles City Council as a member of the Green Party. After the election, the campaign formed Ground Game LA as the lobbying and electoral sister-group to People Organized for Westside Renewal.

Ground Game LA seeks to promote left-progressive policies in Los Angeles by increasing voter mobilization, particularly among low-income and minority voters who tend to support Democrats. According to the group, only 12% of Angelenos currently vote in city elections,1 thereby leaving the electorate “dominated by whiter, more-affluent and older voters.” 2 Ground Game LA is endorsed by left-wing U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). 3

Ground Game LA supports left-wing policies intended to reduce poverty in Los Angeles city and county, including liberal immigration policies, increased spending to combat homelessness, and increased public mental health expenditure.

Founding

Ground Game LA originated as a campaign to elect Green Party candidate Jessica Salans to the Los Angeles City Council in 2017. 4 Salans previously volunteered on U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)’s 2016 presidential campaign, working as both a volunteer trainer in Los Angeles and traveling throughout the country to help the campaign. In 2017, she campaigned on a platform of fighting for “Social, Racial, Economic and Environmental Justices.” 5 Salans lost in the primary election when she came in third place with 13.56% of the vote after spending over $14,000 on her campaign. 6

After the 2017 city council election, the leaders of Salans’s campaign formed Ground Game LA as the 501(c)(4) sister-group to People Organized for Westside Renewal, a left-wing community organizing group. 7

In 2020, Salans was the co-campaign manager along with Ground Game LA co-founder Meghan Choi8 for City Councilwoman Nithya Raman (D). Raman is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was also endorsed by Senator Sanders, and was endorsed by Ground Game LA. 9 Salans became her co-chief of staff after being elected and left the position in February 2021. 10

Finances

As of July 2021, Ground Game LA’s finances have not been publicly disclosed. According to board member and communications lead Kendall Mayhew, the group’s operating budget in 2019 was $15,000, with projections of spending $60,000 in 2021. 11

Leadership

Ground Game LA’s personnel is not listed on their website. News stories refer to Kendall Mayhew as a board member and communications lead,12 and Meghan Choi as a co-founder. 13 Ashley Bennett is listed as a co-founder and organizer on her LinkedIn. 14

Choi was the co-campaign manager with Salans on City Councilwoman Nithya Raman’s (D) successful run in 2020. Choi is also a prevention assistant at the Institute for Public Strategies and was previously co-chair of the Coalition for Prevention and Awareness in L.A. Metro. 15

Bennett was a homeless engagement team member for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. 16 In February 2020, she was ousted from the position. Knock LA alleged that her ouster was politically motivated and prompted by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell (D) in retaliation for Bennett allegedly instigating activism and unrest among the homeless population against the city government. 17

Elections

In the 2020 election, Ground Game LA endorsed Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Nithya Raman (D-LA) for Los Angeles City Council, and Konstantine Anthony (D-Burbank) for Burbank City Council, all of whom were elected. 18

Ground Game also supported former Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA)’s successful 2018 Congressional campaign, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT)’s unsuccessful 2020 campaign for president, and Lorraine Lundquist’s (D-Los Angeles) unsuccessful 2020 campaign for Los Angeles City Council. 19

Ground Game LA supported California Proposition 10, which would permit localities to enact rent control, and failed to pass in 2018. 20

Ground Game LA supported Los Angeles Measure B, which would establish a public bank in the city of Los Angeles, and failed to pass in 2018. 21

Ground Game LA supported Los Angeles County Measure R, which would reduce Los Angeles County jail populations, and passed in 2020. 22

Ground Game LA PAC

Ground Game LA operates the Ground Game LA PAC. As of July 2021, the PAC has only made one contribution of $1,828 to People Organized for Westside Renewal. 23

Affiliates

Ground Game LA lists the following groups as “allies”: Food and Water Watch,24 Food and Water Action, Bike the Vote LA, Sunrise Movement,25 ICE out of LA, KIWA Workers for Justice, Al Otro Lado,26 Justice LA, Black Lives Matter LA, Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, LA Public Defenders Union Local 148,27 Los Angeles Tenants Union, Los Angeles Center for Community Law and Action, Union de Vecinos, Chinatown Community for Equitable Development, and LA Community Action Network. 28

Ground Game LA is a member of the Action Network. 29

Ground Game LA receives donations through ActBlue. 30

References

  1. “Connecting LA’s most vulnerable communities with resource, recourse, and organizing know-how.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/our-mission.
  2. Ramirez, Martha. “Meet Ground Game LA.: A Local Group Working to Turn Voters into Leaders.” Blue Tent. January 20, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://bluetent.us/old-article-sections/campaigns-elections/ground-game-la-local-group-turning-voters-into-leaders/.
  3. “Ground Game LA.” Bernie Sanders. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://berniesanders.com/get-involved/ground-game-la/.
  4. “How We Started.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/our-mission.
  5. “Jessica Salans.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.gp.org/jessica_salans.
  6. “Jessica Salans.” Ballotpedia. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://ballotpedia.org/Jessica_Salans.
  7. Ramirez, Martha. “Meet Ground Game LA.: A Local Group Working to Turn Voters into Leaders.” Blue Tent. January 20, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://bluetent.us/old-article-sections/campaigns-elections/ground-game-la-local-group-turning-voters-into-leaders/.
  8. “Meghan Choi.” Council District 4. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://councildistrict4.lacity.org/meghan-choi.
  9. Oliver, Indigo. “”The System That We Have to Respond to Homelessness Is Not One That Was Designed To Help People.”” Jacobin.  Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/02/nithya-raman-los-angeles-city-council-candidate?fbclid=IwAR3erY6qnGQXM85val3GOD71fUmQOlGl_v3yWxin7BVhEv06ijU7VVZzvLM.
  10. Lombard, Patricia. “Senior Staff Changes at CD4 Councilmember Nithya Raman’s Office.” Larchmont Buzz. February 9, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.larchmontbuzz.com/featured-stories-larchmont-village/senior-staff-changes-at-cd4-councilmember-nithya-ramans-office/.
  11. Ramirez, Martha. “Meet Ground Game LA.: A Local Group Working to Turn Voters into Leaders.” Blue Tent. January 20, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://bluetent.us/old-article-sections/campaigns-elections/ground-game-la-local-group-turning-voters-into-leaders/.
  12. Ramirez, Martha. “Meet Ground Game LA.: A Local Group Working to Turn Voters into Leaders.” Blue Tent. January 20, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://bluetent.us/old-article-sections/campaigns-elections/ground-game-la-local-group-turning-voters-into-leaders/.
  13. Ogilvie, Jessica P. “Morning Briefing: Who’s Behind LA’s Progressive Wave?” LAist. November 12, 2020. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://laist.com/news/morning-briefing-november-12-laist-los-angeles.
  14. “Ashley Bennett.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-bennett-02b9574b/.
  15. “Meghan Choi.” Institute for Public Strategies. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://publicstrategies.org/about-us/our-staff/megan-choi/.
  16. “Ashley Benett.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-bennett-02b9574b/.
  17. Powers, Annie. “Firing of LAHSA Worker was Retaliatory, Newly Released Communications Suggest.” Knock LA. August 10, 2020. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://knock-la.com/lahsa-firing-retaliatory-653cff664b0a/.
  18. “Ground Game LA Official Endorsements.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/endorsements.
  19. “Electoral Politics.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/electoral-politics.
  20. “Electoral Politics.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/electoral-politics.
  21. “Electoral Politics.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/electoral-politics.
  22. “Electoral Politics.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/electoral-politics.
  23. “Ground Game LA PAC Expenditures.” Open Secrets. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/ground-game-la/C90019217/expenditures/2020.
  24. “Environment.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/environment.
  25. “Allies.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/electoral-politics.
  26. “Immigration.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/immigration.
  27. “Policing.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/policing.
  28. “Housing & Homelessness.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://www.groundgamela.org/policing.
  29. “Ground Game LA.” Action Network. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://actionnetwork.org/groups/ground-game-la-2.
  30. “Support Ground Game LA’s progressive champions.” Ground Game LA. Accessed July 28, 2021. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/groundgameforum.
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information


Available Filings

Additional Filings (PDFs)

Ground Game LA


Los Angeles, CA