The headline from the Montana newspaper sounded dire,
"Project Vote Smart lays off 6, considers closing". The article focused on the layoffs and the hard feelings towards founder and President (and, Arizonan) Richard Kimball. The truth, according to a couple of boardmembers, is that the nationally-known organization is "rebuilding" and pointing to the 2016 election - when new projects will make sense of the entire galaxy of political information and make it easier than ever for voters to know where candidates stand on issues important to them.
Vote Smart has been an award-winning organization that for more than 25 years has collected information on candidates, office-holders, initiatives, and assembles it in ways that can help voters make informed choices when they complete their ballots. It has been a tremendous resource.
Arizona's Politics spoke with two boardmembers, including SecretaryTreasurer Susan Brandes. They both indicated that the board had reached consensus on the
need to lay off several persons, and that Kimball would be the one to handle the unpleasant
task asap.
Kimball, a former Arizona State lawmaker and Corporation Commissioner, who
began Project Vote Smart in 1988 shortly after losing the senatorial campaign to John McCain (to replace Barry Goldwater), currently resides in Tucson and went to the Vote Smart
ranch/headquarters in a Montana wilderness to meet with the staff.
Four people - including the long time IT Director - had recently left for
different reasons. After laying off 4 more (in the research department and the lodge manager), five more upset
staffmembers left and two were fired for cause. Both boardmembers stated that the laid off staff received
$600 stipends to get back to civilization/home.
Brandes notes that the organization is in "dire straits", and that the
recession and the refocusing by some large foundations from "voter information" to
other "good government" priorities. Indeed a review of the 501(c)(3)
organization's IRS filings (officially known as the Center for Indeendence in Politics) does indicate that annual revenues had decreased 33% between 2008 and 2012 from approximately $1.5M to $1.0M (two year averages). (
The most recent 990 IRS filing is at the bottom of this article.)
"We could either struggle along now... or we can rebuild and have (new Political Galaxy and other social media projects) ready for 2016," said Brandes. The Political Galaxy project, according to
Vote Smart's website, was to have been up and running by last month.
Both boardmembers expressed understanding of the staff's angry reaction, but note that the "money just isn't there" to maintain the staffing levels.
Brandes emphasized that they "are focused on keeping current databases current" and have shifted remaining staff to ensure that voters can continue to find fresh information for the 2014 elections. The other boardmember noted that the staff level is currently 26, and that it is "normally at 42" at this point in an election cycle. (Vote Smart does have three different positions currently advertised on its website.)
The board also decided to put the 50-acre property near Philipsburg, Montana on the market - partly in order to determine its value, and partly because they are coming to the conclusion that it may be better to have the organization housed near a university (as they previously did).
We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.
