I am a voter. Merges With HeadCount Ahead Of 2024 Election 

Originally published May 2.

With the countdown on to the Nov. 5 election, I am a voter. (IAAV) has merged with fellow non-partisan, non-profit organization HeadCount, which has spent more than two decades using the power of music, culture and digital media to register more than 1.25 million voters and encourage participation in democracy. 

The partnership between the women-led organizations will help “strengthen voter participation through the sharing of resources, expertise, and teams.” As an announcement points out, the nonprofits hope to increase next gen voter participation by leveraging their relationships, which include some of the biggest names in music and entertainment. The merger was announced May 2 at the The Global Citizen NOW conference in New York by HeadCount Executive Director Lucille Wenegieme. 

I am a voter. (IAAV) was co-founded in 2018 by a group of 25 women leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and artists, along with CAA Foundation as a founding partner with a mission of making “voter identity mainstream, aspirational, and an integral component of personal identity.” To spread their message, the nonprofit has worked with more than 200 brands, including CAA, NBA, NFL, Disney, Urban Outfitters, Bumble, Digital Brand Architects, Starbucks, Disney, H&M, iHeartMedia, Instagram, Tory Burch, McDonald’s, Snapchat, and Stuart Weitzman. 

“I am a voter. formed in 2018 to unify around a central truth: our democracy works best when we all participate,” Mandana Dayani and Natalie Tran, co-founders of I am a voter, said in a statement. “We truly believe in the power of culture to inspire others and shape narratives. With the twenty years of critical infrastructure and programs that HeadCount has pioneered, this consolidation of expertise and resources promises to strengthen democracy and generate voter enthusiasm. We’re so grateful to be part of the HeadCount family and our collective journey ahead.” 

HeadCount has worked with musicians including Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles, Dead & Co., Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys, as well as major events including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride Festivals, and RuPaul’s DragCon. The organization has 60,000 volunteers who register voters nationwide at more than 1,500 live events each year. HeadCount has also partnered with organizations including Global Citizen and brands such as Spotify, Ben & Jerry’s, Major League Baseball, and American Eagle.

“In this pivotal and polarizing Presidential election year, we couldn’t be more grateful to have I am a voter. as a new part of HeadCount, a merger rooted in shared values, purpose and a mutual belief that the civic space needs less ego and more collaboration to get things done,”  said Lucille Wenegieme, Executive Director of HeadCount. “Together, at a time when potential youth voters don’t feel seen and their participation is questionable, our collective influential relationships across core cultural sectors from music and entertainment, to sports and fashion, will further our ability to meet next gen voters where they are. This is the kind of partnership that brings the biggest names in America to the table along with the education, resources, and energy that young people need come November.”

IAAV and HeadCount’s first project under the merger is Register a Friend Day on June 4, one of the largest voter registration events of the year. 

Visit Headcount.org and iamavoter.com for more information.