National Voting Rights Institute

CONTACT:

27 School Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02108
617-224-3900
www.nvri.org

Stuart Comstock-Gay

DESCRIPTION:

Here is one: Since beneficiaries of a system are unlikely to reform it, incumbent politicians are unlikely (as experience shows) to enact campaign finance reform. If politics won't do it, philanthropy will find a way. This organization was formed in 1994 to pursue the litigation route to campaign finance reform.

NVRI argues that big-money donors exert disproportionate influence on the entire election process, in effect operating as a "wealth primary"--an unconstitutional barrier to equality of political participation by all citizens, subverting the principal of "one voter, one vote".

NVRI adduces, as legal precedents, Supreme Court decisions over 30 years that led to abolition of poll taxes, high candidacy-filing fees, and exclusionary white primaries.

Through litigation and public education, the Institute is attempting to redefine the campaign finance question as a basic voting rights issue. NVRI also serves as a leading force in the country for defending in court meaningful campaign reforms enacted through legislation or ballot initiative at the state and local levels.

Since this effort does not favor an individual political candidate, your donations are tax-deductible.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)