Media Contact: Kelsey Moore, [email protected]
WASHINGTON D.C. — The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State (DASS) and its affiliated organizations announced an unprecedented fundraising haul of $4.5 million in 2021; over $2 million more than reported in 2020 and $3 million more than in the entire 2018 cycle. DASS and its affiliated organizations are well on track to meet or surpass their goal of raising $15 million for the 2022 cycle thanks to the support of union allies, corporate partners, and individual donors — many of whom are donating for the first time.
The record-breaking totals show that voters and donors alike are paying close attention to Secretary of State races and eager to support election officials who are committed to defending the right to vote and our democracy against coordinated attacks by Big Lie politicians. Across battleground states, Democratic incumbents’ and challengers’ recent fundraising reports also show DASS-supported candidates are highly competitive with or ahead of their Republican opponents.
“Democratic Secretaries of State are the last line of defense for democracy. Our Secretaries have proven leadership in administering secure and accessible elections, and the other side knows it. That’s why we’re seeing attacks on access to the ballot and the push for sham reviews more than a year after the election. If changing the rules doesn’t work, they want to change the players,” said Kim Rogers, executive director of DASS. “We’re running against people who have voted to overturn presidential electors, who have purged voter rolls, and who were at the Capitol on January 6th. And DASS will fight like hell to defeat them. “
In recent years, Democratic Secretaries of State have expanded early in-person and mail voting, along with the number of drop boxes available to voters; implemented automatic, online, and same-day voter registration; increased transparency in campaign finance; and strengthened the security of voting systems, among many other pro-democracy reforms. Together, they are at the forefront of making our democracy work for all voters regardless of their zip code, what they believe in, or what they look like.