Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our goal is to enable every citizen to be a voter. Too many voters find the process of participating in the franchise to be cumbersome and confusing with incomplete information from too many sources to cull through. Often voters give up. U.S. Vote Foundation solves that. Together with our Overseas Vote initiative, the complete set of tools and information services we provide to voters simplifies and clarifies registration and absentee ballot request so that every US citizen, no matter where they are in the world, can engage and vote! In addition, we license our services and data to states, outreach organizations, corporations and other developers so that they can also produce and offer better services to voters. This broadens US Vote's reach, eliminates redundancy of effort across organizations and at the same time, it supports standardization of better quality data and services across voter organizations.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Voter Account
US Vote's unique Voter Account is a voter's personal democracy dashboard, providing access to personalized and streamlined services and information that support ongoing voter participation.
Through the Voter Account service, US Vote aims to transform the voter experience from a scattered online process to a refined and enjoyable user experience that simultaneously infuses value and ease into the voting process.
Civic Data Products and Services
US Vote’s Civic Data Products and Services program provides a vital, nationwide voting and election data resource to civic and government organizations. The foundation continues to evolve this service, carefully curating and adding more data to meet growing election data demands and expanding the application programming interface (API). The program goal is to improve the voting and election data and information available to all U.S. citizens through a broad network of organizations who use the US Vote Civic Data API.
The Civic Data program has three aspects:
1) Gathering and maintaining a broad and dynamic set of nationwide election and voting data
2) Normalizing, standardizing, and presenting the data in a usable form to voters
3) Providing an API that allows other developers and civic organizations to use the data in their own tools and websites
Key data sets available through the Civic Data API include US Vote's Election Official Directory, Election Dates and Deadlines, Voting Methods and Options, and State Voting Requirements.
Voter Alerts and Outreach
US Vote conducts ongoing online communications to voters to increase and maintain participation in all levels of elections. Communications in the form of customized Voter Alerts, email communications, online advertising, and all forms of popular social media are embraced within this program.
Hosted Systems Solutions - Licensed, Custom Voter Service Websites
US Vote’s Hosted Systems Solution (HSS) program provides licensed, customized, comprehensive website services that enable states, counties, nonprofits, corporations, political action committees, campaigns, associations, and voter outreach organizations to meet the voting needs of their target audiences.
The HSS program offers the proven tools that civic organizations need in order to effectively engage voters. Licensees can choose which of the US Vote-developed tools and services it will run under its banner, fully hosted and maintained by the US Vote organization.
HSS tools and services include:
• Voter registration
• Absentee ballot request
• Voter Account
• Vote-print-mail federal mail-in absentee ballot
• Election official directory
• State-specific voter information directory
• Mailing list
• Reporting dashboard
Programs and Results
What we aim to solve
At US Vote, we’re on a mission to make it simple and easy for every American citizen to vote. The right to vote is part of our country’s foundation, woven into the fabric of democracy itself. Voter participation and engagement is essential, and every citizen should be able to exercise this right. While the country has made huge strides in voter turnout, there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure that US Vote’s motto – Every Citizen Is a Voter – comes true.
The problem we’re solving
Today, voting in the U.S. is a complex web of laws and regulations that differ across all 50 states. States and local jurisdictions have different deadlines for voter registration, diverse and changing voter identification requirements, and uneven standards of voting accessibility and method. As of 2020, there were more than 7,500 local election offices across the country. To make matters even more complicated, hundreds of new voting-related laws are passed every year in states and localities, which means voting guidelines are constantly changing. There is no one way to vote.
Understandably, U.S. citizens are often unsure or confused about how, where, and when to vote. While some dedicated voters resolve to figure it out themselves, for others, this barrier proves insurmountable. This means that people who are legally entitled to vote – and who want to vote – sometimes don’t.
These problems are significant enough in the United States, and for U.S. citizens living overseas or serving in the military, it’s even worse. Some don’t realize they’re eligible to vote, and others don’t know what is required to register and vote from overseas.
Without help, millions of Americans are disenfranchised. That’s where we come in.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of unique website visitors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Voter Account
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2018, we projected 2020 users to reach between 2.5 and 3 Million - and we surpassed our goal!
Number of website pageviews
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Voter Account
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The numbers demonstrates how voters engage more in Presidential Election Years, but the 2014 to 2018 comparison for the Midterm years is also valid and highly indicative of strong growth.
Number of website sessions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Voter Account
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Note the rise of this and other metrics in 2020. All indications show that vote-by-mail drove tremendous voter traffic to our sites.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
In 2005, founder and CEO Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat banded together with other American citizens abroad to form Overseas Vote, the precursor to US Vote focused on helping Americans living abroad exercise their voting rights. But the more the Overseas Vote team learned, the more they realized that citizens living in the U.S. needed help just as badly. Applying the lessons learned during the creation of Overseas Vote, and making election information available to U.S. citizens living in America, was the logical next step. The team saw the potential to transform the U.S. voting landscape for the better.
In 2012, US Vote was established, bringing the easy-to-use, free and accurate voting information to domestic US voters, overseas and military voters alike. Unlike other sources of voter information, US Vote and Overseas Vote take a voter-centric approach that keeps the end user – the voter – in mind.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Today, both Overseas Vote and US Vote help tens of millions of voters each election cycle. Here’s how:
1. We give voters the information they need.
US Vote’s website is a free, accurate, easy-to-use resource that gives voters a simple way to find out:
• Where, when, and how they can register to vote
• When their state’s voter registration deadlines are
• What their state’s rules are for absentee and mail-in voting
• Where their polling place is, and when polls are open
• Who their election officials are, and how they can contact their local election office
2. We amplify our reach by making our tools available to other civic organizations.
Realizing the scale and seriousness of the problem, many other organizations are also dedicated to expanding equity and access to voting. We partner with these voter outreach organizations, state and county governments, and federal agencies, giving them access to our accurate, up-to-date software database of state- and local-level civic data.
Our licensees include many well-known organizations, including the Alliance for Securing Democracy, the Brennan Center for Justice, Hip Hop Caucus, the League of Women Voters, Rock the Vote, Vote.org, VoteAmerica, the State of Ohio, and the United States Postal Service, among many others.
How we’re different
• We are the only organization that offers all voter services and information for domestic, military, and overseas voters, all in one place.
• US Vote was created by voters, for voters, and with the voter in mind.
• We offer a range of voter tools, election information, and FAQs.
• We run a Voter Help Desk, where people can get personalized answers to their questions.
• We continually update our database as information changes.
• We’re relentlessly focused on quality and are wholly committed to protecting our users’ security and privacy.
• We conduct post-election research.
• We are nonpartisan. We exist to serve voters, not to promote issues.
• We do not collect or share any data about individual voters.
• We provide more services to more voters per dollar donated than any other voter services organization.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
For nearly two decades, U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote) has consistently demonstrated its unwavering commitment to voter-centric civic technology innovation. Founded as “Overseas Vote Foundation,” the organization spearheaded civic tech automation of overseas and military absentee voting processes. While serving all voter types, US Vote continues its commitment to this voting population through its Overseas Vote initiative.
The processes that helped make the 2020 general election the safest and most successful election in U.S. history were online ballot requests; online access to dates, deadlines, and eligibility information; and available local election official contact information – all innovative services that were pioneered on the US Vote and Overseas Vote sites.
A Legacy of Firsts
US Vote is a trailblazer. It is the only nonpartisan, nonprofit organization to offer all voter services and information for domestic, military, and overseas voters in one place. US Vote takes a voter-centric approach to its work, keeping the voters top of mind in every strategic decision. Here are a few of US Vote’s “firsts”:
• First user-friendly, wizard-driven online system for overseas and military Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) voter registration and ballot requests
• First to create an online “vote-print-mail" Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) with dynamic, integrated candidate lists for overseas and military voters
• First voter help desk for overseas and military voters
• First to license customized overseas and military voter websites for states and other organizations
• First overseas and military absentee ballot return shipping program, “Express Your Vote" – a collaboration with FedEx in 94 countries
• First Youth Vote Overseas outreach program
• First automated domestic voter registration and absentee ballot request to produce customized, state-specific form output across all states
• First to develop and license Election Official Directory
• First to develop and offer the Voter Account service, creating personal democracy dashboards for individual voters
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
From the time it launched its first voter service in 2004 until now, US Vote has played a key role in many of the nation’s core voting initiatives and highest-profile organizations. Here is a snapshot of the organization’s impact:
Domestic and Overseas Voter Information Services
• 3.3 million voters were directly served through the US Vote and Overseas Vote websites during the 2020 election cycle, from the primaries through to the Georgia runoff election in January 2021, surpassing the organization’s goal.
• On Election Day 2020: US Vote had more than 11 million pageviews, and more than 72,000 voters used its services.
• Overall, traffic to US Vote’s website increased by approximately 80 percent during 2020 as compared to 2016, evidence of the organization’s increasing visibility among voters.
• During 2020, Overseas Vote had more than 600,000 unique site visits, and more than 11,000 voters accessed the site on Election Day 2020 alone.
• In 2017, US Vote launched the LOCelections initiative to make it easy for voters to find the dates and deadlines for their next local election, ultimately resulting in higher voter turnout and more representative local elections.
Civic Data and Systems Licensing
• US Vote served an estimated 25 million additional voters through its Civic Data API program used by all of the top voter outreach organizations in the U.S. to provide voters with access to its dates, deadlines, eligibility, and election official contact information.
• US Vote has licensed its Civic Data to 47 voter, academic, and government organizations, including the United States Postal Service, the National Association of Secretaries of State, the League of Women Voters, Vote.org, the Brennan Center for Justice, and many more.
• 1.4 million voters maintain a Voter Account on the US Vote system, putting customized voter information at their fingertips.
• As of 2020, US Vote’s Hosted Systems Solutions (HSS) program served 24 licensees with HHS systems, including eight states as well as a variety of civic organizations, offering them an integrated suite of voter services.
What’s next
Looking ahead, US Vote will build on our existing strengths with two transformative initiatives:
1. Increasing local elections participation: LOCelections program
To increase voter participation in local elections, we are curating a nationwide resource for election dates and deadlines for voters and licensees. LOCelections will enable voters to find out when their next local election is and how they can participate, ultimately resulting in higher voter turnout and more representative local elections.
2. Optimizing US Vote for mobile: Voter Account
1.4 million voters already hold Voter Accounts on the US Vote platform. We never stop improving the service. The current re-development efforts will bring forward a mobile-optimized Voter Account service. The Voter Account supports voter engagement through personalized voter services.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
U.S. Vote Foundation
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mr Michael Steele
The Steele Group and MSNBC
Term: 2017 -
Mr Chip Levengood
U.S. Vote Foundation
Term: 2020 -
Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat
U.S. Vote Foundation
Richard Vogt
U.S. Vote Foundation
Mark Ritchie
State of Minnesota (former)
Michael Steele
The Steele Group and MSNBC
James Brenner
Hirondelle USA
Chip Levengood
U.S. Vote Foundation
Kevin Kennedy
Wisconsin Elections & GAB (former)
Chris Thomas
Michigan Department of State (former)
Clarissa Martinez-de-Castro
UnidosUS
Marcia Johnson-Blanco
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data