MoveOn.org
| MoveOn.org | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Type: | 501(c)(4), PAC |
| Founder(s): | Joan Blades, Wes Boyd |
| Year founded: | 1998 |
| Website: | Official website |
MoveOn.org, or MoveOn, is a progressive political networking and organizing group made up of a 501(c)(4) and a PAC, called MoveOn Civic Action and MoveOn Political Action, respectively. The group utilizes advertising, digital tools, such as online petitions, and social networking to accomplish its goals of supporting progressive candidates and policies.[1]
Background
Founded in 1998, MoveOn started when an email petition started by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd about former President Bill Clinton's impeachment process called "Censure President Clinton and Move On to Pressing Issues Facing the Nation" went viral. The signers of the petition became the first members of MoveOn.[2]
In 2004, MoveOn was one of the 527-type groups financed by George Soros to help campaign against and defeat former President George W. Bush. By 2016, the group had become a 3 million-member grassroots umbrella group containing MoveOn Civic Action, which is a 501(c)(4), and MoveOn Political Action, which is a PAC. The 501(c)(4) focuses on education, advocacy, and the petition process, while the PAC focuses on supporting candidates and policies that align with the group's principles.[1][3]
As of October 2025, MoveOn said its "rapid-response organizing and campaigning, communications interventions, digital innovation, rigorous data science and testing, and culture of grassroots participation have repeatedly combined to produce real-world impact, changing outcomes and making our country better."[1]
Leadership
As of October 2025, Katie Bethell was MoveOn's executive director.[4]
Work and activities
MoveOn Civic Action
MoveOn Civic Action is the 501(c)(4) arm of the MoveOn organization. It focuses on advocacy and citizen participation in the democratic process. It also houses the group's political petitions. According to the group's website, MoveOn Civic Action "focuses on education and advocacy, provides civic engagement tools to the public, and builds the progressive movement by encouraging and supporting the development of more grassroots leaders. MoveOn.org Civic Action is home to MoveOn Petitions, our online petition tool that empowers MoveOn members to lead and win their own MoveOn campaigns."[5]
MoveOn Political Action
MoveOn Political Action is the PAC arm of the MoveOn organization. It focuses on electing candidates who support the values of MoveOn's members. According to the group's website, the PAC is "focused on running powerful progressive advocacy campaigns and demonstrating MoveOn members’ power at the ballot box. In contrast to most PACs which funnel industry contributions to candidates in exchange for access, MoveOn.org Political Action bundles hundreds of thousands of small donations together to elect progressive candidates who will represent the American people."[6]
Endorsements
2016 elections
In the 2016 election cycle, MoveOn endorsed Bernie Sanders during his campaign for the presidency. The group stated on its website that it raised over $1.2 million in donations and worked on door-to-door campaigns to support his presidential run.[7]
Contributions
MoveOn Political Action spending overview
The MoveOn PAC, MoveOn Political Action, makes contributions to various candidates who support the group's values each election cycle. The PAC's spending is shown below broken down by election cycle, as recorded by Open Secrets:[8]
| Year | Spending | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $56,764,083 | |
| 2022 | $57,850,046 | |
| 2020 | $43,718,445 | |
| 2018 | $30,508,679 | |
| 2016 | $19,239,756 | |
| 2014 | $10,199,097 | |
| 2012 | $21,642,681 | |
| 2010 | $29,049,999 | |
| 2008 | $38,123,090 | |
| 2006 | $28,135,116 | |
| 2004 | $30,043,755 | |
| 2002 | $1,014,448 | |
| 2000 | $2,281,661 | |
| 1998 | $0 |
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Finances
The following table shows the total donations received by the MoveOn Political Action PAC each election cycle between 1998 and 2024, as recorded by Open Secrets:[8]
| Year | Total donations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $47,554,680 |
| 2022 | $60,084,495 |
| 2020 | $49,833,034 |
| 2018 | $31,761,203 |
| 2016 | $20,727,635 |
| 2014 | $10,032,062 |
| 2012 | $19,813,474 |
| 2010 | $29,851,852 |
| 2008 | $39,860,865 |
| 2006 | $27,696,917 |
| 2004 | $31,870,612 |
| 2002 | $1,250,767 |
| 2000 | $2,290,268 |
| 1998 | $12,000 |
The following is a breakdown of MoveOn Civic Action's revenues and expenses for the 2011 to 2024 tax years, according to documents submitted to the Internal Revenue Service and compiled by ProPublica.[9]
| Tax Year | Total Revenue | Total Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,809,345 | $7,371,864 |
| 2023 | $6,029,864 | $6,779,911 |
| 2022 | $9,510,798 | $8,305,715 |
| 2021 | $10,598,957 | $12,706,892 |
| 2020 | $12,676,761 | $10,174,553 |
| 2019 | $10,970,609 | $11,112,538 |
| 2018 | $10,017,366 | $9,773,721 |
| 2017 | $12,002,967 | $12,571,992 |
| 2016 | $4,863,074 | $3,390,097 |
| 2015 | $3,257,832 | $3,660,350 |
| 2014 | $4,592,367 | $4,566,993 |
| 2013 | $6,177,741 | $5,614,211 |
| 2012 | $4,267,294 | $3,662,490 |
| 2011 | $773,053 | $923,925 |
Noteworthy events
Vote Score project (2012)
MoveOn used a social pressure campaign paired with a digital advertising campaign to reach 12 million potential voters in the 2012 election in order to influence their vote in the November election. The group also produced a sample ballot for the same year and pioneered the 999Airlines campaign in which MoveOn members submitted and voted on airplane banner advertisements opposing Mitt Romney's presidential campaign that were then flown over Romney campaign events.[10]
"Bush in 30 Seconds" ad contest (2004)
In 2004, MoveOn sponsored an ad contest in which MoveOn members submitted ads opposing President George W. Bush that were judged by a celebrity panel. The winning ad was scheduled to appear during halftime of the that election cycle's Super Bowl. CBS refused to air the ad, so CNN aired it instead.[10]
See also
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'MoveOn.org'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 MoveOn.org, "What is MoveOn.org?" accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ MoveOn.org, "A Short History," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ NPR, "Profile: MoveOn.org," August 4, 2008
- ↑ Facebook, "April D. Verrett," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ 'MoveOn.org, "About MoveOn.org Civic Action," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ MoveOn.org, "About MoveOn Political Action," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ MoveOn.org, "Thank You, Bernie," June 21, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Open Secrets, "MoveOn.org Political Action profile summary (1998-2016)," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ ProPublica, "MoveOn.Org Civic Action," accessed October 2, 2025
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 MoveOn.org, "MoveOn's Electoral Work," accessed October 2, 2025
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