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New Virginia Majority
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| New Virginia Majority | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Alexandria, Va. |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Top official: | Jon Liss, Executive director |
| Year founded: | 2007 |
| Website: | Official website |
New Virginia Majority is a 501(c)(4) political advocacy group that
Mission
According to its website, New Virginia Majority's mission statement is:[1]
| “ | New Virginia Majority is the catalytic force for the progressive transformation of Virginia through mass organizing, leadership development, and strategic communications. We are creating a powerful movement that transforms Virginia by organizing communities of color, women, working people, LGBTs, youth and progressive people. Through continuous purposeful and strategic activity, we will create a Virginia that is democratic, just and sustainable.[2] | ” |
Work
Virginia New Majority works, in part, on get out the vote efforts, often shortened to GOTV. These are concerted efforts to register voters and increase voter turnout during elections. As a 501(c)(4) organization (also called a social welfare organization), New Virginia Majority can make its GOTV work in support of or opposition to a candidate or cause. The IRS does not consider direct or indirect political influence to be in the domain of promoting social welfare. However, a social welfare organization designated as a 501(c)(4) can engage in some political activity in support of or opposition to candidates for office. These political activities cannot be the organization's primary activities and cannot be direct donations to a candidate for office or a candidate's committee.[3][4]
Voter organization
New Virginia Majority's voter organization campaigns make up most of the group's work. The group typically looks to register and organize voters who share the progressive values of the organization's mission. On its website, New Virginia Majority explains the principles behind its organizing: "Our voter organizers are trained to identify and recruit leaders, motivate residents to take action, and educate voters about things they care deeply about. We believe that Virginia’s progressive majority can achieve it’s vision for a fair and equal Virginia when its organized and working together."[5]
Redistricting advocacy
Along with the nonprofit Common Cause, New Virginia Majority has challenged Virginia's districting and promoted five independent alternative plans "aimed at curing the districts’ racial imbalance." According to co-executive director Tram Nguyen, "At the end of the day, the courts have an opportunity to establish a new map that values all voters equally, regardless of party. Based on this impartial analysis, there are five maps that pass the fairness standard and five that failed."[6] According to the amicus curiae New Virginia Majority filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, the organization also "sought to prevent Prince William County from opting out of 1965 Voting Rights Act review of their redistricting process" in 2011.[7]
Convicted felon voter outreach
In 2016, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) restored the voting rights of more than 200,000 convicted felons. In the first days after these rights were restored, Virginia New Majority began registering them to vote in the upcoming 2016 elections. According to The Washington Post, Virginia Republican leaders accused McAuliffe of helping Democrats carry Virginia in the presidential election. Virginia New Majority co-executive director Tram Nguyen told The Washington Post that the organization's involvement in voter registration was about aiding those who had regained the right to vote. She said, "People say it’s political. But for us, this is a moral issue and something that’s beyond any election cycle, beyond any candidate. It’s about giving a voice to a community that has felt voiceless."[8] According to The New York Times, New Virginia Majority was also involved in educating those who had their rights restored about McAuliffe's executive order.[9]
Leadership
Jon Liss is the executive director of New Virginia Majority, and Tram Nguyen is the co-executive director.[10]
The following individuals are members of the board of directors for New Virginia Majority, according to the organization's website:[11]
- Jamaa Bickley-King, Board president
- David Broder, Board secretary
- José Gonzalez, Treasurer
- Doris Crouse-Mays
- Imam Abdul Malik Johari
- Jon Liss
- Andrew Rivera, General counsel
Tax status
New Virginia Majority is a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Its 501(c) status refers to a section of the U.S. federal income tax code concerning social welfare organizations.[12] Organizations that have been granted 501(c)(4) status by the Internal Revenue Service are exempt from federal income tax.[13] Section 501(c) of the U.S. tax code has 29 sections listing specific conditions particular organizations must meet in order to be considered tax-exempt under the section. Unlike 501(c)(3) organizations, however, donations to 501(c)(4) organizations are not tax-deductible for the individual or corporation making the contribution. 501(c)(4) organizations may engage in political lobbying and political campaign activities. This includes donations to political committees that support or oppose ballot measures, bond issues, recalls, or referenda.
- See also: 501(c)(4) organizations on Ballotpedia
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'New Virginia Majority'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Virginia Majority, "Mission and History," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "Political and Lobbying Activities," accessed July 10, 2015
- ↑ Nolo, "What are Section 501(c)(4) Social Welfare Organizations?" accessed July 14, 2015
- ↑ New Virginia Majority, "Our Work," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ Common Cause, "Reform Groups Urge Court to Attack Partisan Gerrymandering," October 8, 2015
- ↑ Campaign Legal Center, "Personhuballah v. Alcorn Amici Memorandum on behalf of Common Cause and New Virginia Majority," October 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "In Virginia, the race is on to register 200,000 felons," May 6, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Virginia at Center of Racially Charged Fight Over the Right of Felons to Vote," June 5, 2016
- ↑ New Virginia Majority, "Staff," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ New Virginia Majority, "Board," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "IRC 501(c)(4) Organizations," accessed July 10, 2014
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