American democracy is being dismantled as we speak. These groups are fighting back.
Groups fighting for voting rights and democracy:
American Civil Liberties Union, founded in 1920, works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that works to advances truth, accountability and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. The watchdog group exposes threats to democracy and attempts to restrict voting rights and helps journalists gain access to public records.
Bluesky. Now that X (formerly Twitter) boosts hate speech, lies and far-right consipiracy theories, there’s a much better social media platform where you can find more fact-based information and fewer hate bots. Initially started by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in 2019, Bluesky is an independent social media company that has built an open social protocol for public conversation. Bluesky will look very familiar to Twitter users.
Brennan Center for Justice. Inspired by Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr.’s devotion to core democratic freedoms, the Center works to strengthen democracy, end mass incarceration and protect liberty and security. It fights against outdated registration and voting systems that keep people from the polls and promotes solutions, including automatic voter registration and early voting, to make it easier for eligible Americans to register and to vote.
Campaign Legal Center. This nonpartisan legal organization is dedicated to advancing democracy through law. CLC fights for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. The group litigates cases to defend and ensure enforcement of federal and state campaign finance laws, to protect the fundamental right to vote, to challenge redistricting plans that discriminate against voters on the basis of their race or political beliefs, and to ensure compliance with government ethics laws. CLC also participates in trial and appellate cases through friend-of-the-court briefs, engages in educational efforts (such as know-your-rights trainings), and provides legislative drafting and opposition assistance to legislatures and organizations seeking to improve election law.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. This non-partisan legal watchdog group, founded in 2003, uses legal action and aggressive research to highlight violations of the law and abuses of power by elected officials. One recent lawsuit it brought resulted in a Jan. 6 insurrectionist being removed from office as a county commissioner citing the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
Democracy Docket. Founded in 2020, Democracy Docket tracks and reports on the latest election and voting-related litigation, providing filings, in-depth analysis and up-to-date developments about court proceedings.
Democracy Forward. This nonprofit provides free legal representation and expert counsel to people and communities “who make up the very fabric of American democracy,” including: voters, veterans, teachers, students, workers, the press, doctors, health care professionals, patients, small businesses, conservationists, cities, counties, tribes, civil servants, unions, immigrants, academics and researchers, among many others.
End Citizens United. For more than a decade, the nonprofit ECU has worked in partnership with champions of democracy to overturn Citizens United, end the unlimited and undisclosed money in politics, and protect and expand the right to vote.
Fair Fight Action promotes fair elections around the country, encourages voter participation and educates voters about elections and their voting rights. Fair Fight Action also advocates for election reform at all levels.
FairVote. This nonprofit advocates for reforms including ranked-choice voting, non-gerrymandered districts and more civil political campaigns. The website offers great information on where, why and how ranked-choice voting is being implemented.
The Journal of Democracy is the world’s leading publication on the theory and practice of democracy. Since 1990, it has engaged activists and intellectuals in critical discussions of the problems of and prospects for democracy around the world. The Journal is based in Washinton, D.C., and is part of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, housed within the National Endowment for Democracy.
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. This nonpartisan, nonprofit organization formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to mobilize the nation’s leading lawyers as agents for change in the Civil Rights Movement. Today, the Lawyers’ Committee marshals the pro bono resources of the bar for litigation, public policy, advocacy and other forms of service by lawyers to the cause of civil rights.
League of Women Voters. This nonpartisan nonprofit works to empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education and litigation at the local, state and national levels.
National Voter Registration Day. This nonpartisan civic holiday is dedicated to getting every eligible American registered to vote. Voters can also find links for confirming their voter registration, find their polling place, become a poll worker and more.
No Kings. This pro-democracy movement blossomed on June 14, 2025, when President Trump threw himself a military birthday parade. That day, No Kings protests erupted in every state and across the globe. On October 18, 2025, more than 7 million Americans joined more than 2,700 peaceful No Kings protests in all 50 states — an uprising 14 times larger than both of Trump’s inaugurations combined. No Kings has become a sustained national pro-democracy movement fueled by the fundamental ideal that America “does not belong to kings, dictators, or tyrants. It belongs to We the People — the people who care, who show up, and who fight for dignity, a life we can afford, and real opportunity.”
PEN America. This New York-based nonprofit advocates for free expression, defends writers and artists around the globe and fights censorship. The group is also fighting the current wave of book bans and censorship in schools.
Power the Polls was launched in June 2020 by a coalition of businesses and nonprofits seeking to recruit a new wave of poll workers in the midst of a nationwide poll-worker shortage caused in part by the coronavirus pandemic. This nonprofit relies on objective data about poll worker requirements and applications collected from more than 5,000 jurisdictions assembled by the non-partisan Fair Elections Center. Its work is important at a time when the far right has discussed placing partisan poll workers to undermine free elections and has worked to intimidate long-time nonpartisan poll workers and volunteers.
Project on Government Oversight. This nonpartisan watchdog exposes government waste, corruption and abuse of power and investigates when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing.
Protect Democracy. This nonprofit group is dedicated to defeating the authoritarian threat, building more resilient democratic institutions and protecting civil rights. Its experts and advocates use litigation, legislative and communications strategies, technology, research, and analysis to stand up for free and fair elections, the rule of law, fact-based debate and a better democracy for future generations.
Public Citizen. This nonprofit consumer advocacy organization defends American democracy, resists corporate power and fights to ensure that government works for the people – rather than big corporations. Founded in 1971, Public Citizen boasts more than 1 million members and supporters.
Southern Poverty Law Center works to dismantle white supremacy and advance the human rights of all people. The nonprofit SPLC calls out and tracks extremist hate groups, exposing their activities to the public, the media and law enforcement.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition of more than 240 national organizations fighting to protect, defend and expand the rights of every person in the United States. Born out of the civil rights movement, The Leadership Conference advocates for public policies that make America more fair and more free.
The Save America Movement is currently trying to resist fascism via advertising and “liberty vans” that are following mass roundups by masked ICE “officers” who are arresting and terrorizing immigrants — many who are undergoing the legal process of becoming citizens. Former Republicans are involved in this pro-democracy, pro-civil-rights nonprofit.
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. This research center at Harvard Kennedy School explores the intersection of press, politics and public policy in an attempt to bridge the gap between journalists and scholars, and between them and the public.
United to Protect Democracy. This nonpartisan, nonprofit group is dedicated to “defeating the authoritarian threat, building more resilient democratic institutions, and protecting our freedom and liberal democracy.” Its experts and advocates use litigation, research and analysis to support free and fair elections, the rule of law, fact-based debate and a better democracy for future generations.
Voting Rights Lab. This nonprofit advocates for free and fair elections via expert analysis, research and innovation. Track election-related legislation and existing laws in all 50 states and D.C. in the State Voting Rights Tracker.
