Our Mission
Democracy North Carolina is a nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to increase voter participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics and achieve a government that is truly of the people, for the people and by the people.
Our Vision for NC
We envision a government that is truly “of the people, for the people and by the people,” where barriers to vote or serve in public office are removed. We want people to have confidence in their political system and feel ownership of their government, and we want elected officials to represent and respect the diversity and interests of the people they were elected to serve.
Core Values
We promote respect for people’s fundamental equality and right to self-determination. We provide tools to help people take ownership of their government and win on issues that advance the common good. We believe in telling the truth and taking responsibility for our actions.
What does this mean to you?
Our mission touches the lives of all North Carolina citizens in many different ways.
- By advocating for Voter-Owned Elections, we make sure your elected officials are accountable to you, rather than to big money donors. In doing so, we protect the policies of our state from being distorted by special interests and make it possible for people without wealth to serve in public office.
- By promoting secure voting improvements like Early Voting and Same Day Registration, we make it easier for you to cast your ballot.
- Our focus on stronger ethics and more transparent campaign finance disclosure encourages honest leaders and reduces government fraud.
- Our emphasis on leadership training means more people will have the skills to participate in the decisions affecting their communities.
- We also offer you training and resources to help you become an active citizen.
Visit our Take Action section for information on what you can do to help further our basic mission or for information on becoming a Democracy Advocate.
Of, for and by the people
In the most widely accepted version of the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln uttered a phrase that became the basis for Democracy NC’s slogan:
“…this government, of the people, for the people,
by the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”
It is thought that Lincoln gained inspiration for this phrase from two sources: abolitionist minister Theodore Parker, who publicly stated, “Democracy is direct self-government, over all the people, for all the people, by all the people;” and Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster, who, in 1830, described the Federal Government before the United States Senate as "made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people." Regardless of who originated the phrase, the fundamental concept of a government that is tied to the common interests of the people underpins all of the work we do.
