Fair Elections Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER (FEC) IS A NATIONAL, NONPARTISAN VOTING RIGHTS AND ELECTION REFORM ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE OF OUR DEMOCRACY THROUGH INNOVATIVE EFFORTS FOCUSED ON VOTING RIGHTS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THE CENTER WORKS TO IMPROVE ELECTION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THE CENTER WORKS TO IMPROVE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION THROUGH LEGISLATIVE, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM; TO PROTECT ACCESS TO THE BALLOT THROUGH LITIGATION; AND TO PROVIDE ELECTION LAW EXPERTISE, VOTER INFORMATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO VOTER MOBILIZATION ORGANIZATIONS.
- Income
- $9.3 million
- Spending
- $8.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 7.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 48
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $296,554, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 183% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $4.7 million spent. CAMPUS VOTE PROJECT (CVP): CVP WORKS WITH UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, FACULTY, STUDENTS, AND ELECTION OFFICIALS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO STUDENT VOTING. THE PROGRAM ENABLES CAMPUS LEADERSHIP TO INSTITUTIONALIZE REFORMS THAT EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH INFORMATION ON HOW TO REGISTER AND VOTE. COLLEGE STUDENTS FACE SPECIAL CHALLENGES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REGISTER AND VOTE IN THEIR COLLEGE COMMUNITIES. THESE STUDENTS SOMETIMES LACK INFORMATION ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION RULES AND DEADLINES, LACK ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF ID FOR VOTER REGISTRATION OR VOTING PURPOSES, LACK TRANSPORTATION TO THE POLLS, FACE CONFUSION ABOUT WHERE TO VOTE, OR EVEN FACE UNSYMPATHETIC ELECTION OFFICIALS. IN RECENT YEARS, SOME STATE LEGISLATURES AROUND THE COUNTRY PURSUED LAWS THAT SEEK TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THE POLLS WITH PARTICULARLY DAMAGING EFFECTS FOR STUDENT VOTERS. CVP SEEKS TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES BY PROVIDING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS CURRENT VOTING INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN OFFER THEIR STUDENTS DURING EVENTS LIKE ORIENTATION AND CLASS REGISTRATION. CVP ALSO DEVELOPS BEST PRACTICES FOR COLLEGES TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO ALL ENROLLED STUDENTS THROUGH CAMPUS-WIDE COMMUNICATIONS DURING VOTER REGISTRATION, EARLY VOTING, AND ON ELECTION DAY. IN 2024, CVP MARKED ITS 12TH YEAR WORKING NATIONWIDE TO INSTITUTIONALIZE ACCESS TO VOTING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS. CVP PARTNERED WITH ABOUT 340 CAMPUSES THAT ENROLLED MORE THAN 4 MILLION STUDENTS IN 41 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE PROJECT RAN STAFFED PROGRAMS IN TEN STATES (AZ, FL, GA, MI, NC, OH, PA, TX, VA, WI) AND ESTABLISHED BETWEEN 20 AND 35 FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS IN EACH OF THESE STATES. CVP ALSO PAYS STIPENDS TO STUDENT "DEMOCRACY FELLOWS" TO WORK WITH CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS, FACULTY, AND OTHER STUDENT LEADERS TO SUPPORT NON-PARTISAN VOTER EDUCATION EFFORTS. FEC ALSO PROVIDES THEM WITH LEADERSHIP AND ELECTION LAW TRAINING. IN 2024, XXX FELLOWS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM IN THE SPRING AND 260 COMPLETED THE PROGRAM IN THE FALL. ADDITIONALLY, CVP FURTHERED ITS HBCU LEGACY INITIATIVE, AIN THE FALL. ADDITIONALLY, CVP FURTHERED ITS HBCU LEGACY INITIATIVE, A AIN THE FALL. ADDITIONALLY, CVP FURTHERED ITS HBCU LEGACY INITIATIVE, A IN PROGRAM STARTED IN 2020 DESIGNED TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS BARRIERS TO STUDENT VOTING AND ENCOURAGE INCREASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ON MORE THAN 45 HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN CVP'S 10 STAFFED STATES AS WELL AS IN AL, MD, AND LA.
- $519,059 spent. LITIGATION: FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER'S LEGAL TEAM LEVERAGES ITS EXPERTISE TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO REGISTRATION AND VOTING THAT IMPACT HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS OTHER VOTERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED RESTRICTED ACCESS TO THE BALLOT. THESE CONSTITUENCIES INCLUDE STUDENTS, THE YOUTH, THE ELDERLY, LANGUAGE MINORITY AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER'S WORK ALSO CHALLENGES REGISTRATION LAWS THAT DISCRIMINATE GAINST NATURALIZED CITIZENS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES THAT UNCONSTITUTIONALLY DENY VOTING RIGHTS TO FORMER FELLONS, THOSE IMPROPERLY PURGED FROM VOTER LISTS AND OTHER HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED GROUPS. IN 2024, FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER CONTINUED ITS LAWSUIT IN ARIZONA THAT CHALLENGED TWO LAWS THAT INHIBIT THE ABILITY FOR NATURALIZED CITIZENS TO REGISTER AND REMAIN REGISTERED VOTERS. THE COURT SIDED WITH FEC, STRIKING DOWN LAWS THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ELECTION OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE THE CITIZENSHIP OF VOTERS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SECURED A VICTORY FOR WISCONSIN VOTERS, AS THE WISCONSIN COURT OF APPEALS REJECTED THE STATE LEGISLATURE'S MOTION TO BLOCK LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS GIVEN MINOR DEFECTS OR EMISSIONS IN THE WITNESS ADDRESS ON A VOTER'S CERTIFICATE ENVELOPE. IN KENTUCKY, FEC BROUGHT AN APPEAL TO THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT AND ASKED THE US SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ITS 2019 CASE REGARDING VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COMPLETED THEIR FELONY SENTENCES BUT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER. FEC ALSO FILED A SIMILAR CASE IN VIRGINIA IN 2024, ADVOCATING AGAINST THE ARBITRARY DENIAL OF RESTORATION OF INDIVIDUALS' RIGHT TO VOTE. FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COMPLETED THEIR FELONY SENTENCES BUT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER. FEC ALSO FILED A SIMILAR CASE IN VIRGINIA IN 2024, ADVOCATING AGAINST THE ARBITRARY DENIAL OF RESTORATION OF INDIVIDUALS' RIGHT TO VOTE.
- $249,431 spent. ELECTION LAW AND REFORM POLICY: FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER WORKS ON ELECTION LAW POLICY IN ORDER TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THE BALLOT, SUPPORT ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. LAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO SUPPORT VARIOUS UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WITH UPDATED STATE VOTER GUIDES AND VOTER DRIVE GUIDES FOR ALL 50 STATES, INCLUDING PROVIDING TRANSLATIONS OF THESE STATE VOTER GUIDES IN KEY ELECTION STATES. THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS IN SEVENTEEN STATES TO ANALYZE LEGISLATION AND PROVIDE ANALYSIS OF ITS IMPACT ON VOTING OR ON ELECTION ADMINISTRATION. IN 2024, FEC SUPPORTED PRO-VOTER LEGISLATION IN MICHIGAN AND MINNESOTA. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OPPOSED STRICT VOTER ID LEGISLATION IN OHIO AND INFORMED NATIONAL POLICY MAKERS BY PROVIDING KEY INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR "TOOLKIT FOR THE PROMOTION OF VOTER PARTICIPATION FOR STUDENTS." FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER CONTINUED THEIR COLLABORATION WITH ALLIES TO SHAPE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING AND VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES.
- $337,131 spent. POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT
- POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT: IN 2016 AND 2018, FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER CREATED AND THEN EXPANDED ITS WORKELECTIONS PROJECT TO PROVIDE TO THE PUBLIC CURRENT POLL WORKER REQUIREMENTS AND LINKS TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS' APPLICATIONS TO FACILITATE POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT, CENTRALIZE SIMPLIFIED AND UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME A POLL WORKER. IN 2020, AS HUNDREDS OF OLDER, TRADITIONALLY ACTIVE POLL WORKERS WITHDREW BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER EXPANDED WORKELECTIONS TO PROVIDE DATA THAT FACILITATED THE RECRUITMENT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POLL WORKERS. WORKELECTIONS PARTNERED WITH THE US ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, WHO USED THE DATA FROM WORKELECTIONS TO POWER THEIR OWN RECRUITMENT EFFORT. IN RESPONSE TO THE HUGE DEMAND FOR NEW POLL WORKERS, FAIR ELECTIONS CENTER CO-FOUNDED POWER THE POLLS WITH OTHER NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATIONS AND MEDIA COMPANIES WHICH IS POWERED BY WORKELECTIONS' DATA AND API. IN 2024, DURING THE WEEK OF NATIONAL POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT DAY, OVER X,XXX PEOPLE REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT BEING A POLL WORKER THROUGH POWER THE POLLS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE PROJECT CONNECTED OVER XXX,XXX POTENTIAL POLL WORKERS TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO APPLY TO BE A POLL WORKER. EACH YEAR, WORKELECTIONS UPDATES POLL WORKER INFORMATION IN ALL 50 STATES AND LINKS TO APPLICATIONS FOR OVER 5,000 JURISDICTIONS. THE PROJECT ENCOURAGES GROUPS INCLUDING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, MEDIA COMPANIES, SCHOOLS, AND FELLOW VOTERS TO PROMOTE POLL WORKING TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, CLIENTS, STUDENTS AND MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A MORE DIVERSE GROUP OF POLL WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2017.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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