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Power mapping supports organizers in understanding the stakeholders within their campaign. This resource offers step by step instructions and tips for power mapping your campaign.

Legal Defense Fund’s holistic initiative is building Black political power at a critical moment for American democracy. As the nation’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice, protecting the right to vote has been a core part of LDF’s work since its founding in 1940. And, for just as long, a holistic approach to voting rights advocacy has been intrinsic to making this happen. The Black Voters on the Rise program continues to champion this multifaceted approach – and serves as the foundation for carrying this work into the future, with an emphasis on empowering the next generation of Black voters to make their voices heard, especially amid a critical election season. Black Voters on the Rise will continue to invest in deep partnerships in seven focus states and, alongside these partners, will support the development of nonpartisan resources that support the long-term work of building Black political power. This support includes creating infrastructure and building on-the-ground capacity that advances Black people’s interests and achieves the promises of America’s multiracial democracy.

Make sure voters are ready to cast their ballots. This resource includes ways for voters to do the following: confirm your registration status or register to vote; how to vote as a student; see what’s on your ballot; request an absentee ballot; find tips for researching candidates and ballot measures; exercise your voting rights. This resource also includes voter info for “target states” that include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.

Voter registration is a prerequisite to political participation. Throughout American history, organizations have served to directly counter efforts to suppress Black political power. Before casting a ballot on Election Day, voters must register to vote with their local election officials. Nonpartisan voter registration groups play a key role in ensuring that this happens – and their work is especially important for Black communities. This resource examines the past and present role of nonpartisan voter registration organizations in Black communities and look ahead to the work they will engage in during election season and beyond.

The majority of voters say that Elon Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration makes them feel more negatively about Trump; climate/environment remains Democrats’ top issue strength over Republicans in voter trust. Most voters have unfavorable attitudes about Musk (38% favorable / 56% unfavorable). Voters also tend to strongly dislike him, with 46% saying that they feel “very” unfavorably about him. By a 56%-21% margin, voters find it more concerning that “Republicans are attempting to cut Social Security and Medicaid, eliminate the Department of Education, and ban abortion nationwide” (56%) than that “the Project 2025 agenda is being implemented” (21%). By a 46%-29% margin, voters find it more concerning that “Republicans are attempting to cut Social Security and Medicaid, eliminate the Department of Education, and ban abortion nationwide” (46%) than that “Elon Musk is being given too much power and is recklessly cutting critical programs” (29%). By a 46%-27% margin, voters find it more concerning that “Elon Musk is being given too much power and is recklessly cutting critical programs” (46%) than that “the Project 2025 agenda is being implemented” (27%).

Most Americans say that their energy bills are higher now than they were a year ago, and there is widespread confusion and dissatisfaction around utilities. Utility bills remain a major cost of living concern, as three in five Americans (62%) say that their electrical and/or gas bill has increased compared to a year ago. Further, around three-quarters (73%) are concerned that their electrical and/or gas bill will increase this year. Most Americans are familiar with their local utilities, but few know much about how their utility sources its energy or how it’s regulated. Around seven in ten (69%) say that they’re at least “somewhat” familiar with their local power and/or gas utilities, though only around half (47%) are at least “somewhat” familiar with how their local utilities source their energy. Just 12% say that they’re “very” familiar with the energy sources that their utility uses. Additionally, less than half of Americans (39%) are familiar with the state or local regulatory agency that oversees their local power or gas utilities.

Most voters say that the U.S. is already feeling the effects of climate change, and two-thirds expect their area to be impacted. 56% of voters recognize that the U.S. has already started experiencing the effects of climate change, and only 15% believe that the U.S. won’t be impacted in the future. An additional 10% expect that the U.S. will start feeling the effects of climate change in the next 5-10 years, and an additional 12% expect that the U.S. will feel the effects 10+ years from now. Only 15% of voters believe that the U.S. will not experience the effects of climate change on any timeframe. Majorities of Democrats (72%) and independents (58%) agree that the U.S. is being impacted by climate change right now, as do a plurality of Republicans (39%). And while less than half of Republicans say that the U.S. is currently being impacted, only around one-quarter of Republicans (27%) say that the country won’t be impacted in the future. The large majority of voters expect that their own area will be impacted by climate change. Around two-thirds of voters (68%), including large majorities of Democrats (85%) and independents (73%) as well as half of Republicans (50%), believe that climate change will at least “somewhat” affect their own area.

Confidence in Trump to handle energy issues has dropped sharply, as many blame him for rising energy costs; voters are deeply troubled when they hear about his anti-environmental actions so far. 74% of voters are concerned about the Trump administration getting rid of rules that would have protected drinking water from “forever chemicals”. 73% of voters are concerned about the Trump administration stopping holding corporate polluters accountable for harming the environment and people’s health and coaching them on how to avoid clean air rules. 71% of voters are concerned about the Trump administration eliminating a record number of clean air and water protections and rolling back rules that were already reducing pollution from power plants and vehicles. 71% of voters are concerned about the Trump administration ending programs to improve people’s health in communities with high levels of pollution that can cause asthma, heart problems, and other illnesses.

Men are more interested in, and more familiar with, EVs than women. 71% of Americans express some level of interest in buying or leasing an electric-only vehicle: 14% would “definitely” buy or lease one if they were to get a vehicle today, 22% would “seriously consider” one, and 35% “might” consider one. However, there were demographic and gender differences in the responses. males (43%) are more likely than females (31%) to say they would get an electric-only vehicle if they were to buy or lease a vehicle today.

60% of Americans say that the 2024 election results had no impact on their interest in getting an EV. Among electric vehicle owners, 82% want their next vehicle to be an electric vehicle. Among non-electric vehicle owners, 47% would consider an EV for their next vehicle. Cost to buy is the primary factor preventing people from choosing an electric vehicle—48% of people say that cost is a barrier. Cost savings on gas is the main reason for choosing an electric vehicle—52% of EV owners say so, and 60% of non-EV owners say that would be their primary motivation. 50% would choose an electric vehicle without any incentive to lower EV prices.