OUR STORY

We came together as a volunteer family, working as virtual leaders called Kamala’s Captains for the Harris-Walz campaign in summer 2024. Our team members provided support for the campaign’s rapidly growing phone banks, volunteer onboarding, and issue education events that reached thousands of participants per shift. Feedback from our members helped the campaign fine-tune the processes and materials for those virtual events, allowing for greater impact and capacity.

After Election Day, we got back to work and reorganized as an independent volunteer team, with a name and a mission chosen directly by our members: Every Vote Matters (EVM): Voter Activation Support Team. 

Today, EVM remains rooted in our shared determination to make a difference. We continue to work directly with campaigns, as well as in partnership with other grassroots organizations and in consultation with the DNC, to defend and lift democracy by maximizing volunteer political engagement. In addition to running phone banks, we also specialize in generating and refining the materials and presentations used in their execution.

CAMPAIGNS WE HAVE SUPPORTED:

Abigail Spanberger for Governor, Virginia

Mikie Sherrill for Governor, New Jersey

Proposition 50 (Redistricting), California

Kannan Srinivasan, Virginia Senate special election

JJ Singh, Virginia House of Delegates special election

WHY EVERY VOTE MATTERS?

A well-structured, volunteer-driven online outreach program creates an effective platform to inform and obtain feedback from large numbers of voters. It is a critical element of a successful campaign. Unstructured virtual events can be messy and complicated—even chaotic—with participants feeling lost in the training, disconnected from the group, unable to master the technology, or unsure about the process. These common frustrations can drain the momentum from any campaign’s efforts.

Keeping online events on track takes a trained team. But it takes time to recruit and train a roster of volunteers large enough to respond to a campaign’s needs. That’s where Every Vote Matters makes a difference.

Our team supports virtual outreach events with clear and comprehensive presentations. We provide information, motivation, and solutions for any and all technical issues—one-on-one when necessary. We strive to provide an empowering experience to participants. Giving volunteers that positive experience keeps them engaged and brings them back for additional events. Happy participants are also far more likely to recommend that others join them!

HOW WE WORK

Virtual events such as phone banks require three main roles to run smoothly and effectively:

• Facilitator/trainer. Runs the virtual meetings. They welcome, energize, and train volunteers for the task at hand.

• Tech support. Works with participants to resolve any and all tech issues. This can range from diagnosing complicated issues in a one-on-one exchange to simply helping a caller who is not comfortable with technology, calling software, or managing their Zoom settings.

• Chat moderators. Work in the Zoom chat to answer questions quickly, provide supporting information, motivate participants, collect feedback, and keep a watchful eye for any negativity or trolls.  

EVM provides volunteers to fill all of these roles on shifts arranged by campaigns and using the campaign's messaging. We also develop many of the materials used by our team members in their different roles, such as chat guides and training manuals. 

Members communicate and collaborate via our Discord server. We provide full training and support to our members in their efforts—someone is always available to answer a question and solve a problem, or just talk over an issue.

OUR MISSION

The mission of Every Vote Matters (EVM) is to defend and lift democracy by maximizing volunteer engagement and effectiveness.

Through partner phone banks and digital engagement, EVM excels at expanding volunteer enthusiasm and repeat participation, and raising voter contact rates.

Our experienced volunteer facilitators, tech specialists, and chat support team work with each partner and their volunteers to amplify their overall impact. We support volunteer success through phone bank management, digital engagement, and the development of specialized training materials and guides to meet each partner’s needs.