Spread The Vote aims to close the gap between registered voters and voter turnout by educating and empowering voters. One of the most common barriers for disenfranchised voters is living in a state with restrictive voter ID laws. Over 21 million Americans lack the ID they need to live full lives. At Project ID, we help members of our communities obtain the IDs they need for jobs, housing, health care, and, most importantly, identity. We help voters get the IDs that they need to get to the polls and provide practical, non-partisan voter education.
Spread The Vote was founded as a direct response to an urgent need. Individuals from across the country weren’t voting or were showing up to the polls and being turned away, because they lacked proper identification. Restrictive voter ID laws continue to be implemented across the country and while they may seem benign to those with the means to get a new ID or replace a lost ID, voters across the country are left without a say on the issues that matter most to them. While we lament about long lines and frustrated faces at the DMV, there are millions across the country who are living without the piece of plastic that could potentially turn their lives around.
Since 2017, we have gotten over 3,000 IDs nationwide, 600 of which came from Virginia. We are getting over 100 IDs a week, which is amazing, but as one would expect, it costs a substantial amount of money to keep our operation going.
We look forward to continuing to serve our local communities, but we need your help. The average cost to obtain an ID is $50. Please help us to serve more people and get them the ID they need to apply for jobs, housing and social services, and of course, that allows them to make their voice heard at the polls!