Established in 2012, VoteRiders is a left-of-center nonprofit organization based in Southern California that supports voters, especially voters from left-leaning demographic groups, in obtaining valid voter identification. Framed as a charitable organization, VoteRiders provides free voting resources and services, including guides to state voter identification laws and one-on-one voter registration assistance. ¹

Background

Founded by California attorney Kathleen Unger in 2012, VoteRiders is a nonprofit organization that specializes in providing guidance on state voter identification laws and monitoring changes to them. ^{2 3}

Activities

VoteRiders aims to promote voter participation in the United States, especially among key Democratic demographics such as ethnic minorities. VoteRiders helps individuals to obtain a voter ID card if they do not already have a suitable form of identification and assists them in registering them to vote. ⁴

Individual Voter Assistance

VoteRiders works with individuals who lack the necessary identification to vote in their state, providing legal aid services, coordinating transportation services to a local DMV office, and subsidizing any fees associated with obtaining a voter identification card. ⁵

Voter ID Education

VoteRiders compiles and monitors voter identification laws in all 50 states. VoteRiders then provides summaries of those laws to the public on its website and maintains the Voter ID Helpline, a call service for individuals to learn more about voting requirements in their states. ⁶

Organizational Partnerships

VoteRiders also partners with several left-of-center organizations at both the local and national level, including the Election Protection Coalition, the Center for Popular Democracy, Common Cause, and Public Citizen. ⁷

Financials

In 2019, VoteRiders spent a total of $626,000. The organization’s greatest expense was employee compensation and benefits, accounting for 75% of its total expenditures. ⁸

Leadership

VoteRiders founder Kathleen Unger currently works as president and executive director of the organization. ⁹ Her husband, Stephen Unger, also sits on the board. ¹⁰ Los Angeles-based attorney Tim Hoy is treasurer and secretary of VoteRiders. ¹¹

1. “What We Do.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/about/.
2. “What We Do.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/about/.
3. “Kathleen Unger, Esq.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/staff/kathleen-unger-esq/.
4. “What We Do.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/about/.
5. “What We Do.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/about/.
6. “What We Do.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/about/.
7. “Partner Organizations.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 13, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/partners/.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2019.
9. “Kathleen Unger, Esq.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.voteriders.org/staff/kathleen-unger-esq/.
10. “Our Team.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 13, 2020, https://www.voteriders.org/team/.
11. “Tim Hoy, Esq.” VoteRiders. Accessed October 15, 2020, https://www.voteriders.org/staff/tim-hoy-esq/.