Environmental Defense Fund Young Voter Initiative Recognized as a Political Game Changer by the Pluribus Project

(Washington D.C. - April 5, 2016) Today, the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Defend Our Future initiative, a campaign focused on mobilizing young people to change the politics around climate change, was named one of the Pluribus Project’s Political Game Changers. Defend Our Future was selected from more than 120 applicants for its proposal to examine the power of a pledge to vote in motivating people to participate in the political process. The Pluribus Project is a non-partisan initiative of the Aspen Institute dedicated to building the political power of the many.  

“We know that young people care most about taking action on climate change, but they are the least likely to vote. In order to change the politics around climate, we need more young people to vote,” said Alicia Prevost, Director of Defend Our Future. “Many studies have shown that by simply making a pledge or commitment to act increases the likelihood that person will take action. It sounds simple but we think applying it to political engagement could have a huge impact in 2016.” 

Defend Our Future first piloted its Pledge to Vote program in Colorado in 2014, and achieved an astounding ten percentage point increase in turnout for young voters in its program. The campaign plans to expand to four more states in 2016, and is currently underway in Pennsylvania, where it is encouraging young people to vote in the April 26th primary.

Elizabeth Thompson, Vice President of EDF Climate and Political Affairs said, “Millennials are going to be critically important in creating the political momentum we need for climate action. That’s why EDF and Defend Our Future have been focused on activating these younger voters.” 

Heather Smith, the former President of Rock the Vote and a senior advisor to the Pluribus Project said, “The projects in the Pluribus Portfolio present innovative opportunities to change the way the political game is won so it works more effectively for the many and not just the few.”

As part of the project, an Indiegogo campaign will be launched to allow contributions from the public. It is the Pluribus Project’s hope that this will provide an opportunity for the many to help restore the integrity of their system of representation. The Indiegogo campaign launches on April 5th and will last for 32 days.