Core Values

WeVote Core Values

The WeVote movement is built to last. One of the ways we invest in our future is by making sure everyone, from new volunteers to our board, is aligned with our core values and culture. This is our statement of what we believe and our code of conduct regarding how we act as an organization.

WeVote is politically neutral.
The WeVote team’s purpose is to educate, not advocate. We provide tools to help organizations or individuals with political agendas to advocate for certain outcomes in an election, but we will not create limitations that favor one candidate or political party.

WeVote operates with deliberative transparency.
In all deliberations that do not involve the confidential information of other people or organizations, the core team will allow anyone (who is not in violation of these community rules) to contribute.

WeVote is inclusive.
We strive to support the learning, and welcome the input of anyone with access to the internet, regardless of citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, age, language spoken or political affiliation.

WeVote wants you to vote.
As a community, we question all legal or procedural limitations that hinder any citizen’s right to vote, and actively work against any form of politically motivated voter suppression. We encourage all citizens to vote in every election.

WeVote is not commercial.
WeVote will not charge voters for the use of any basic tools created by WeVote. WeVote reserves the right to charge for the use of advanced organizing tools as a way to supplement the donations that fund us. WeVote will never sell a voter's email address. Learn about our federal nonprofit status and meet our 501(c)(3) team and 501(c)(4) team.

WeVote is hate free.
Passion is good. Fighting for what you believe in is good. Sharing your opinions is good. Attacking other people online, behind their backs, or face-to-face is not good. Intimidation is not good. Being condescending when you don’t agree with someone is not good.

WeVote requires respect and honesty.
We believe in “right speech” — speak about others as if they are in the room with you. Content that is not factually correct may be removed. WeVote team members are expected to use their real names (a name you are known by in at least one of your communities). We care about each other, both personally and professionally. We act with integrity, we listen, we are compassionate and we are loyal to each other. Our honesty when interacting with each other (both intellectual and emotional) leads to strong relationships, and those relationships will give us the stamina we need to fulfill our mission.

WeVote encourages respectful and friendly competition of ideas.
If you think a different design will serve voters and democracy better, we encourage you to offer different designs or fork the code to offer alternative approaches. In order to make the biggest possible impact, we must be willing to listen to ideas for improvement on all levels of our organization, regardless of who is bringing forth the idea. Ignoring a better idea because it might bruise an individual's ego serves only the individual, not the movement.

WeVote embraces creativity and change.
The success of the WeVote mission demands that we embrace change and new ideas that may not always be comfortable at first. We must support creativity, and always be thinking of ways to improve processes, broaden perspectives, and be willing to change our opinions as we learn more over time. We cannot be afraid of making mistakes, or overly critical of other people's mistakes, because taking risks is how we grow and learn. No one working on WeVote should be shamed for taking a risk.

WeVote wants you to grow and learn.
We are actively challenging ourselves to become better people, contribute more, and to fully unlock all of our potential. We believe that perfection is not a destination, but something to strive for throughout life. No one alive is "done" growing and learning. WeVote actively supports this growth and learning.

WeVote is humble.
Everything we do is because of the inspiring work of those who came before us. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute in our own way, and we respect everyone else working to improve our democracy. We celebrate our individual and team successes, but not in a way that is arrogant or boastful.

Enforcement of core values
If at any time online conversation starts to be headed towards a violation of our core values, the list moderators reserve the right to moderate discussions and/or deny any particular post. When possible, the moderators will explain their actions. WeVote reserves the right to respectfully decline the assistance of volunteers who repeatedly violate these core values.

These core values may be updated, without prior notice, by the WeVote Volunteer Council, working in partnership with the WeVote Board. If you want to confidentially report any violations of this community agreement, or make suggestions for changes, please email communityrules@wevoteusa.org

Special thanks to Zappos for promoting many of these values, and offering publicly their Core Values.