A contentious dispute between the current and former leadership of Vote.org is intensifying. Debra Cleaver, the nonprofit’s founder, has filed complaints with four states’ attorneys general, alleging that the high-profile voter registration group has defrauded donors and engaged in financial mismanagement. Cleaver claims that the organization exaggerated its voter registration targets and misused charitable funds for the personal benefit of its current CEO, Andrea Hailey.
The allegations stem from Cleaver’s wrongful termination lawsuit in 2019 and have prompted a new threat of litigation from Vote.org, which accuses her of a ‘sustained and vindictive campaign rooted in misinformation.’ Vote.org’s counsel, Vanessa Avery, has dismissed the claims as ‘categorically false.’ In the 28-page complaint, Cleaver alleges that the group initially aimed to register 6 million voters but increased the target to 8 million to avoid the ‘symbolism of 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust.’ She claims that the goal was not to register voters but to ‘stay afloat, attract donor attention, and retain relevance through the illusion of scale.’ Vote.org ultimately registered 2.2 million voters in the 2024 cycle, far below its own target.
The complaint also highlights concerns about the misuse of donor money for CEO Hailey’s personal travel, with expenses for ‘travel conferences and meetings’ jumping to over $275,000 in 2023. It also points to a significant increase in legal fees, from $89,000 in 2019 to $600,000 in 2023, as the organization faced lawsuits from Cleaver and another employee. The complaint claims that Vote.org has also allegedly paid for private security for Hailey despite Cleaver’s assertion that staff have not received any threats against her. Vote.org disputes these claims, stating that Hailey did receive threats.
In response, Avery called Cleaver’s actions a ‘sustained and vindictive campaign rooted in misinformation’ and announced plans to file a defamation claim. She defended the organization’s voter registration targets, stating that ‘successful organizations set ambitious goals.’ Cleaver, however, expressed concern over the organization’s ‘financial, governance, and ethical lapses’ over five years. The states’ attorneys general are reviewing the complaint, though responses from some have not been received.
Meanwhile, Vote.org remains one of the country’s largest nonpartisan voter registration organizations, but recent scrutiny over internal management and financial practices has brought it under public and institutional review. The ongoing legal battle reflects the broader challenges facing nonprofits in balancing transparency, accountability, and public trust in the political landscape.