QUARTERLY DISPATCH | Dec 2025

Dear John,

As we close out this year, I want to thank our incredible community of staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters like you. You showed up for each other — and for millions of voters — in ways that inspire me every single day.

Some people talk about "off-years" in politics, but that's never been our style here at VoteRiders. Every year, voters need access to the ballot box. Every year, we're here to help make that happen by protecting the freedom to vote — every day, one ID at a time.

We're proud to carry this momentum forward into 2026's midterm elections, and we're grateful to have you with us. If you feel as proud as I do of the many accomplishments that helped us close 2025 strong, I hope you'll consider a year-end donation!

With my deepest gratitude,

Lauren Kunis

VoteRiders is Making a Difference

Broadway's Jeffrey Seller on the Power of Theater and Art in Democracy

VoteRiders sat down with acclaimed Broadway producer and longtime VoteRiders supporter Jeffrey Seller to discuss his new memoir, Theater Kid, and the role that art, storytelling, and civic engagement can play in building a stronger, more representative democracy. Read the conversation ➡️

Question 1 Rejected in Maine, Protecting Mainers' Freedom to Vote

VoteRiders celebrated the decisive rejection of Question 1 in Maine this November, which would have added new photo ID requirements for Mainers. As a member of the Save Maine Absentee Voting coalition, we’re proud to have stood with Mainers who defended voting access for all. Check out the full statement ➡️

VoteRiders Brings Bilingual Voter ID Information to New Citizens

VoteRiders’ Dr. Selene Gomez discusses National Hispanic Heritage Month and the importance of confronting systemic voting barriers. Learn how VoteRiders is working with partners to make voting more accessible for Latino and Hispanic voters ➡️

VoteRiders on the Ground

ARIZONA

In Arizona, we joined our friends at the Fair Elections Center for a student summit to educate and empower young voters. Since Arizona requires an ID to vote in person, we helped students create posters for their schools showing which IDs are accepted at the polls — including unexpired Tribal IDs.

FLORIDA

Team Florida joined the Jacksonville Pride Parade to ensure folks know that they can't be turned away from voting just because their ID doesn’t “match” their gender identity or presentation.

PENNSYLVANIA

At an absentee ballot drop-off center in Pittsburgh, our Pennsylvania crew made sure folks included an ID number or a copy of an accepted ID with their absentee ballots, ensuring that their vote would be successfully cast in key statewide elections this November for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. 

VoteRiders in the News

NPR: Trump's SAVE Tool is looking for noncitizens. But it's flagging U.S. citizens, too.

“A survey last year commissioned by the University of Maryland's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement and the advocacy group VoteRiders found that in Texas, 7% of adult citizens do not have easy access to citizenship documents. The number went up to 12% for those under 30.”

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio voting rights groups urge Gov. DeWine to veto bill nixing absentee ballot grace period.

“VoteRiders Legal Director Ceridwen Cherry worries the bill ‘does not give incorrectly flagged eligible U.S. citizens a chance to prove their citizenship. Instead, they would be purged from voter rolls without warning or recourse.’"

WCTV: New driver's license could cause voting problems in Florida, unless you update your voter registration.

“Voting rights groups like VoteRiders Florida are urging residents to update their voter registration whenever they get a new license."

Voter ID Laws Across America

NATIONAL: The wave of new proof of citizenship laws continues to spread across the country. That’s why VoteRiders is fighting back by preparing key resources for our fellow advocates, like our recently published brief on Documentary Proof of Citizenship laws.

OHIO: Ohio continues to strive to have the strictest voting laws in the country. It's now poised to become the next state to add a proof of citizenship requirement to register to vote. In November, the Ohio legislature passed a bill that’s awaiting Governor DeWine’s signature. If signed into law, Ohio voters will have to show proof of U.S. citizenship — like a birth certificate or passport — to register to vote. Ohioans who’ve changed their name (like a majority of married women) will also need to provide proof of name change, such as a copy of a marriage license or court order. This new requirement is in addition to Ohio’s existing strict photo ID law, under which only four types of non-expired photo ID are accepted at the polls. 

FLORIDA: Voters in Florida are running into issues requesting vote by mail ballots thanks to a law passed in 2024 that assigns Floridians a new ID number when they renew their driver’s license or state ID. This means that when voters use their new ID number to request a vote by mail ballot or to sign a petition, it may not match the ID number they used to register to vote with. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that Florida recently abolished permanent absentee voting, so Floridians must now submit a new vote by mail request at least every two years.

Voter Spotlight: Barbara's Story

When Barbara went to renew her Texas driver's license, she was shocked to learn she'd need her Social Security card, proof of residency, and a certified copy of her birth certificate — documents she'd never needed in 50 years of renewals. Getting a copy of her birth certificate was nearly impossible: born in Delaware in 1951, her certificate was archived and couldn't be ordered online.

Then a deadly hurricane struck Houston, leaving Barbara with life-threatening heatstroke, a damaged car, a denied insurance claim, and no way to travel and complete the license requirements. Without a license, Barbara couldn't receive medical care or vote. When she tried to vote in 2024, poll workers turned her away.

"I vote in every election because laws affect us all personally,” she said. "It hurt so bad when they turned me away."

Then Barbara connected with VoteRiders, and we got right to work. Read Barbara's story to learn how she finally secured the ID she needs for daily survival and voting with confidence — a right she has fought for throughout her life.

VoteRiders is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization registered in the US under EIN 45-5081831. 

VoteRiders
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