As someone who believes that the bedrock on which all other human rights and freedoms rest is the right to vote for and elect our leaders, one of the most rewarding parts of working at NationBuilder is getting to see firsthand our customers’ incredible impact in elections around the world. It’s not an exaggeration to say that in many cities, states, provinces, and even countries, entire elections depend on our software, with multiple competing candidates using our tools at the same time. It’s a point of pride for us, because one of NationBuilder’s most deeply held principles is that democracy only truly works when everyone – no matter their resources, background, or ideology – has the opportunity to make their case to the voting public.
That’s what makes this next year so exciting. 2024 will bring the most elections in the history of the human race, with presidential or parliamentary elections taking place in 50 countries (not even factoring in the European Union’s parliamentary election, covering its 27 member countries). All told, more than 2 billion people are expected to vote, making 2024 extraordinarily consequential for not only the political trajectory of countries as varied as India, Mexico, Taiwan, South Africa, and the United States, but also for the future of democracy itself.
We’re honored to play our part in this momentous year, with NationBuilder customers participating in more elections (in more places) than ever before. To give you a sense, here’s a breakdown of our customers’ electoral footprint:
- 2024 national elections: 16 countries / 462 million registered voters
- 2024 EU parliamentary elections: 17 countries / 245 million registered voters
- 2024 elections of any kind (including municipal and state/provincial): 29 countries / 682 million registered voters)
Keep in mind: those figures are as of December 2023, with many campaigns and parties still expected to ramp up activity in the months ahead. And they don’t even take into account the dozens of other countries where nonprofits, advocacy groups, and community organizations are using NationBuilder to make change in countless ways both small and large.
Our world faces unimaginable challenges in the years ahead. I don’t have the solutions to those challenges, but I do know this: the only way through to a better future will require human beings as a species to make difficult choices together. And the only way that will happen is if people believe that their voice matters, and that they can affect the outcome – whether by voting, organizing, giving their time and money to a cause, or running for office themselves.
Democracy is messy, complicated, imperfect, and more critical now than ever. It’s a privilege every day to get to play a part in enabling people all over the world to practice it. And as we start this new year, my challenge to you, whether you’re a NationBuilder customer, someone who’s thinking about running for office, or just somebody who cares about the future and doesn’t know where to start, is this:
Find your way of leading, whatever that looks like for you. Go vote. And make sure that in 2024, we leave democracy on Earth stronger and better off than we found it.
