Democracy Works

In 2010, Sean Flaxman, a graduate student living away from home, missed several elections because of a lack of information. Inspired by this experience, he joined forces with classmate Kathryn Peters to build TurboVote, an innovative reminder system designed to increase voter access and improve election turnout. Two years later, Democracy Works was founded as a startup civic-engagement technology organization. In the years since, Democracy Works has grown from a two-person operation to a team of dozens of employees, and it has emerged as a leading nonpartisan institution sculpting the future of the American voting experience.

In partnership with universities, nonprofit organizations, and brands, Democracy Works provides user-friendly tools for voters, vital support for election officials, and comprehensive data for elections. Through the use of TurboVote and Ballot Scout (the latter of which helps voters and election officials locate ballots in the USPS system), Democracy Works has significantly and positively impacted the voting process, supporting 3,500-plus elections in 2023 and sending more than 54 million election notifications in 2022. The organization's work is guided by a singular vision: Strengthening civic engagement in American democracy is a nonpartisan issue that we all benefit from.