The Movement Voter PAC is a political action committee affiliated with the left-of-center Movement Voter Project and its sister organization, the Movement Voter Fund. 1
Background
The Movement Voter PAC was established on November 22, 2019, in Northampton, Massachusetts. Its sister organizations are the Movement Voter Project (formerly known as the All Hands on Deck Network), a clearinghouse for Democratic donors to donate to aligned small-scale political groups, and the Movement Voter Fund, an independent fund of the Tides Foundation, a left-of-center grantmaking organization, umbrella network, and donor advised fund provider. 2 3 4 5
Policy
In a memo, “Sending Up the Bat Signal,” published on September 6, 2023, the Movement Voter PAC’s executive director, William “Billy” Wimsatt, made a case to donate to the organization, arguing that if former President Donald Trump returns to office in 2024, Republicans will expand the power of the executive branch, start an “escalated assault” on democracy writ large, and “incite violence” against vulnerable communities. 6
In an interview with the left-of-center National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, published on February 14, 2024, following up on the memo, Wimsatt reiterated his call for donations, and cited past policy successes in Minnesota as examples of what such donations might achieve. 7
These examples included state subsidized housing, state subsidized school breakfasts and lunches, environmental regulations, policies allowing Minnesotans without legal residency documents to obtain drivers’ licenses, legislation securing abortion access, stricter employment regulations, state subsidized higher education for children from families earning less than $80,000 a year, more severe regulations on applications for gun ownership, and the automatic expungement of misdemeanor convictions relating to marijuana. 8
Finances
During its first year, between 2019 and December 31, 2020, the Movement Voter PAC raised a total of $14,495,792, spent $12,304,782, and had $480 in debt. Through 2023 and 2024, according to a report filed on May 31, 2024, the organization, had raised $27,975,910 and spent $12,045,973. 9
Contributions
During the 2024 election cycle, the Movement Voter PAC and its employees contributed to aligned PACs and party committees including the Working Families Party, Workers Vote, API Pennsylvania Votes, the Victory PAC (Arizona), the Our Voice Our Vote Arizona PAC, the Pennsylvania United Super PAC, the Casa in Action PAC, the Make the Road Action Super PAC, the Black Voters Matter Action PAC, the One Apia PAC, the Missouri Democracy Project, the Brighter Future PAC, the Care in Action PAC, Power to the Polls Wisconsin, the Texas Organizing Project, the Siembra PAC, and the Michigan Liberation Action Fund. 10
Leadership
William “Billy” Wimsatt is the executive director of the Movement Voter PAC as well as the founder of its sister organizations, Movement Voter Project and Movement Voter Fund. Previously, Wimsatt established similarly aligned left-of-center organizations including the League of Young Voters, the Generational Alliance, the Solidaire Network, Student Power, and Rebuild the Dream. He has also acted as a consultant to organizations including Rock the Vote and Green For All. 11 12 13
Regina Clemente is the treasurer of the Movement Voter PAC as well as a senior advisor to its sister organization, the Movement Voter Project. Previously, Clemente was the latter’s managing director and worked in leadership positions at organizations including the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (while it was still affiliated with ACORN), Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, the L.A. LGBT Center, Freedom to Marry, and Brave New Films. 14 15
References
- “About Movement Voter Fund.” Movement Voter Fund. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://movementvoterfund.org/about/
- Homepage. Movement Voter Project. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://movement.vote/
- Movement Voter PAC. Statement of Organization. Federal Election Commission. 2019. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/428/201911229166075428/201911229166075428.pdf#navpanes=0
- “About Movement Voter Fund.” Movement Voter Fund. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://movementvoterfund.org/about/
- “Shifting Power. Advancing Social Justice.” Tides Foundation. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.tides.org/#:~:text=Tides%20is%20a%20nonprofit%20and,both%20to%20unlock%20transformative%20change.
- Wimsatt, William. “Sending Up the Bat Signal.” Movement Voter PAC. September 6, 2023. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KvgFrSAwIJxfKdEPd91-35EO_4zmZdGe/view
- Gibson, Trey, Wimsatt, Billy. “Following the Bat Signal: Funding Democracy Like You Mean It.” National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. February 14, 2024. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://ncrp.org/2024/02/following-the-bat-signal/
- Gibson, Trey, Wimsatt, Billy. “Following the Bat Signal: Funding Democracy Like You Mean It.” National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. February 14, 2024. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://ncrp.org/2024/02/following-the-bat-signal/
- “PAC Profile: Movement Voter PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/movement-voter-pac/C00728360/summary/2024
- “PAC Profile: Movement Voter PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/movement-voter-pac/C00728360/summary/2024
- “About Movement Voter Fund.” The Movement Voter Fund. Accessed June 17, 2024. https://movementvoterfund.org/about/
- Movement Voter Fund. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990), 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/863534872/202313199349208266/full
- Gibson, Trey, Wimsatt, Billy. “Following the Bat Signal: Funding Democracy Like You Mean It.” National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. February 14, 2024. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://ncrp.org/2024/02/following-the-bat-signal/
- Movement Voter PAC. Statement of Organization. Federal Election Commission. 2019. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/428/201911229166075428/201911229166075428.pdf#navpanes=0
- “Regina Clemente.” The Movement Voter Project. Accessed June 27, 2024. https://movement.vote/team/regina-clemente/