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More Than A Vote

Type:

Voter Advocacy Group
Formation:

2020

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More Than A Vote is an advocacy nonprofit established in June 2020 by NBA player LeBron James and a collective of athletes and entertainers who include NBA player Trae Young, WNBA player Skylar Diggins-Smith, and former NBA player and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose. The group advocates for more lenient criminal justice policies and aims to inspire African Americans to register to vote. The group supported Democratic candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election. 1 It had recruited more than 42,000 poll workers and facilitated 300,000 votes across the country. 2

The nonprofit was created in response to George Floyd’s death in May 2020. Co-founder Skylar Diggins-Smith said she was “sick of seeing unarmed black men killed by the police […] [I wanted] to put some action behind my anger.” 3

Background

More Than A Vote was established in 2020 by LeBron James and a collective of athletes and entertainers. Notable More Than A Vote activists include actor Kevin Hart, NBA player Draymond Green, NFL player Alvin Kamara, retired NBA player Stephen Jackson, professional basketball player Eric Bledsoe, retired NBA player Udonis Haslem, and retired NBA player Sam Perkins. 4

The advocacy organization relies on LeBron James’ online influence to promote more lenient criminal justice policies and left-leaning accusations of voter suppression. As of June 2023, James had an aggregate of 235 million followers across all platforms. 5

The organization has expanded its advocacy work to include mobilizing African-American voters in local elections, and to advance Democratic redistricting proposals in states like Georgia. 6 More Than A Vote has partnered with Stacey Abrams’s New Georgia Project in order to oppose Georgia’s elected Republican legislature. Criticizing Georgia Republicans during a news release, More Than A Vote member Renee Montgomery said lawmakers were “trying to change the rules in 2021” because “Black and brown voters changed the game in 2020.” 7

The group is being advised by Adam Mendelsohn and Addisu Demissie, who is also the group’s executive director. Demissie helped run the campaigns of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) also played an advisory role for More Than A Vote. 8

Activities

More than A Vote supported Democratic candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election. Along with ads and social media posts, the group partnered with left-leaning organizations to increase voter turnout in Democratic-heavy urban areas, such as Atlanta, Georgia. 9 When asked whether More Than A Vote can impact the election, the group’s executive director Addisu Demissie responded, “I think [it] already has.” 10

The nonprofit has operated in cities such as Milwaukee, Saginaw, Lansing, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. In 2020, it has recruited over 40,000 poll workers and opened new polling stations. 11 Most polling stations were in key electoral states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia. 12

More Than A Vote has produced television and social media ads promoting left-leaning issues. 13 The group’s 2021 “Protect our Power” campaign attacked Georgia’s Republican-controlled legislature for implementing voter regulations such as Senate Bill 202. 14 In one of the campaign’s ads, James called for Black voters to fight against suppression and added that those opposing Black voters are “using every trick in the book” and “attacking democracy itself.” 15

The nonprofit donated $100,000 to Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a group that promotes election participation for convicts in Florida. The donation helped FRRC mitigate the Florida law which requires felons to pay restitution fees before becoming eligible to vote. 16

Partnerships

More Than A Vote has collaborated with left-leaning advocacy groups and individuals, including Fair Fight Action and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote, which is funded by left-wing “dark money” from Arabella Advisors’ New Venture Fund. 17

More Than A Vote’s activist members secured agreements with NBA team and arena owners to convert basketball arenas into “mass-voting locations” in 2020. 18 That same year, More Than A Vote recruited poll workers in collaboration with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. 19

References

  1. Joey Morona, cleveland.com. “Lebron James Officially Endorses Joe Biden for President.” cleveland, November 3, 2020. https://www.cleveland.com/election/2020/11/lebron-james-officially-endorses-joe-biden-for-president.html.
  2. Brito, Christopher. “Lebron James’ Voting Rights Group Takes Aim at Pivotal Georgia Senate Runoffs.” CBS News, December 2, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lebron-james-georgia-senate-runoff-elections-more-than-a-vote/.
  3.  Martin, Jonathan. “Lebron James and Other Stars Form a Voting Rights Group.” The New York Times, June 10, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/us/politics/lebron-james-voting-rights.html.
  4. McMenamin, Dave. “Lakers’ Lebron James Partners on ‘more than a Vote’ to Energize, Inform Voters.” ESPN. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29295297/lakers-lebron-james-partners-more-vote-energize-inform-voters.
  5. Lebron James Tops the list of the most followed NBA athletes. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.basketballnetwork.net/off-the-court/lebron-james-tops-the-list-of-the-most-followed-nba-athletes.
  6. Turman, Jack. “Lebron James’ More than a Vote Launches New Campaign to Defend Voting Rights.” CBS News, March 5, 2021. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lebron-james-more-than-a-vote-voting-rights/.
  7. “Lebron James Launches New Ad for Campaign to Protect Black Voting Rights.” NBCNews.com, March 5, 2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/lebron-james-launches-new-ad-campaign-protect-black-voting-rights-n1259758.
  8. Martin, Jonathan. “Lebron James and Other Stars Form a Voting Rights Group.” The New York Times, June 10, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/us/politics/lebron-james-voting-rights.html.
  9. Brito, Christopher. “Lebron James’ Voting Rights Group Takes Aim at Pivotal Georgia Senate Runoffs.” CBS News, December 2, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lebron-james-georgia-senate-runoff-elections-more-than-a-vote/.
  10. Peter, Josh, and Jeff Zillgitt. “Lebron James Aims to Make a Difference in Election. How’s It Going?” USA Today, November 2, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2020/11/02/election-2020-lebron-james-political-push-make-difference/6100545002/.
  11. Peter, Josh, and Jeff Zillgitt. “Lebron James Aims to Make a Difference in Election. How’s It Going?” USA Today, November 2, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2020/11/02/election-2020-lebron-james-political-push-make-difference/6100545002/
  12. “Could Lebron James Defeat Donald Trump?” POLITICO. Accessed July 6, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/06/nba-strike-2020-election-voting-lebron-trump-409211.
  13. “Could Lebron James Defeat Donald Trump?” POLITICO. Accessed July 6, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/06/nba-strike-2020-election-voting-lebron-trump-409211
  14. Senate Bill 202. Accessed July 13, 2023. https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/200015.
  15. Vote, More Than A. “Just Released: Watch Our #NBAAllStar Weekend Ad Targeting Voter Suppression.” Twitter, March 5, 2021. https://twitter.com/morethanavote/status/1367851916093493249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1367895290544459776%7Ctwgr%5E9dbf225745ed874a7ec6305921a2e29b8f3a05fb%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2934663-video-lebron-james-narrates-more-than-a-votes-ad-promoting-voting-rights.
  16. Brad Botkin. Jul 4. “Kyrie Irving, Jerami Grant Rank as Worst NBA Free-Agent Deals; Fred VanVleet, Austin Reaves among the Best.” CBSSports.com, July 4, 2023. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kyrie-irving-jerami-grant-rank-as-worst-nba-free-agent-deals-fred-vanvleet-austin-reaves-among-the-best/.
  17. Peter, Josh, and Jeff Zillgitt. “Lebron James Aims to Make a Difference in Election. How’s It Going?” USA Today, November 2, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2020/11/02/election-2020-lebron-james-political-push-make-difference/6100545002/.
  18. “Could Lebron James Defeat Donald Trump?” POLITICO. Accessed July 6, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/06/nba-strike-2020-election-voting-lebron-trump-409211
  19. Peter, Josh, and Jeff Zillgitt. “Lebron James Aims to Make a Difference in Election. How’s It Going?” USA Today, November 2, 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2020/11/02/election-2020-lebron-james-political-push-make-difference/6100545002/.
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