You Can Vote is a pro-democracy, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to increasing voter registration and turnout among North Carolinians facing barriers to full civic participation.
Mission and vision
Our mission is to educate and mobilize North Carolinians to take civic action, know their rights, and successfully cast a ballot in each election.
We envision a fully representative democracy that strives for equality and justice for all North Carolinians. As a nonpartisan organization, we do not promote political parties, candidates or issues.
Our history
You Can Vote was founded in 2014 following Shelby County v. Holder, 133 S. Ct. 2612, the Supreme Court decision rolling back key protections of the Voting Rights Act. We envision a fully representative democracy that strives for equality and justice for all North Carolinians. You Can Vote educates and mobilizes North Carolinians to take civic action, know their rights, and successfully cast a ballot in each election.
You Can Vote began in 2014 as an all-volunteer effort that quickly grew due to the need for quality, fact-based education. Our focus is to increase civic participation of historically marginalized populations, including young people, people of color, low-income people, people who are currently and formerly incarcerated, individuals with disabilities, and new citizens.
Organizations invite us into their communities. You Can Vote provides partners with quality training and conscientious services for their constituents, building long-term trusted relationships.
Since our founding, You Can Vote has grown rapidly. We have trained more than 5,000 volunteers, we are operating in 64 counties across the state of NC (and counting!), we’ve educated more than 1 million voters via one-on-one interactions and classroom presentations, we’re active on 60+ college campuses, and we have over 600 community partners.
North Carolina voting rights timeline
Exploring North Carolina’s voting rights history reveals a story of discrimination, obstacles, and progress. From battles for civil rights to key elections, each part of this history shows why it’s crucial to vote. Learning from this past helps us see how far we’ve come and reminds us to keep moving forward!
Our programs
Our impact
Jobs
News
- Op-Ed: Restricting registration forms punishes NC voters
Voter registration forms in bulk won’t be available for long. In February 27, with no public notice, the NC State Board of Elections instructed county elections boards to stop providing voter registration forms in bulk after the current supply runs out. Get VR forms while you can! Read More - College can be hard, but voting doesn’t have to be
Young voters care! In this blog post, a YCV Communications Fellow opens up about how voting locally directly impacts their experience as a college student at UNC. From affordable housing to public transit and campus safety, they share why showing up to the polls isn’t just political—it’s personal. Read More
