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Citizens Election Research Center Mission Mission Mission

The Citizens Election Research Center (CERC) is a project of the Election Integrity Network and was established to research, expose, thwart, and ultimately stop the activities of the progressive and biased US Alliance for Election Excellence (USAEE). The "Alliance" is a project of the Center For Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) that seeks to influence election administration and impact election results. A team of citizen researchers, working with experienced researcher and CERC director, Ned Jones, will monitor and report the activities of the USAEE with emphasis on key states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin

    Our States

    Priority States States States

    Initially, the Citizens Election Research Center work will be focused on the activities of the US Alliance For Election Excellence in four states, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin.

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    Links to supporting media and materials

    Oct, Tue, 2024
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Coached Madison Clerk On ‘Combating Election Misinformation’

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: City clerk in major swing state Wisconsin received training from a “Zuckbucks” group on “combating election misinformation”

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) funneled hundreds of millions of dollars from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to public election agencies in 2020, favoring left-leaning areas in key swing states and boosting Democrat turnout. The group launched the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence in 2022 to coordinate with other leftist groups and “systematically influence every aspect of election administration in target offices,” as revealed in an Honest Elections Project report.

    The office of Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl has a history of involvement with both CTCL and the Alliance. After participating in a CTCL training aimed at “combating” so-called “election misinformation,” Witzel-Behl continued to participate in the group’s “misinformation” programming in the months leading up to the 2024 election, emails obtained by The Federalist in a Freedom of Information Act request suggest. Meanwhile, Witzel-Behl’s office recently sent out more than 2,200 duplicate ballots to residents last month.

    Witzel-Behl “previously participated in [the group’s] Combating Election Misinformation training,” according to a June 11 email from Andrea Abbate, a CTCL associate director and communications manager. Sophie Lehman, a CTCL associate director, also sent the clerk an email on July 10 promoting an upcoming webinar on “Combating Election Misinformation.”

    Visit External Page

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    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    Emails_ ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Coached WI Clerk On ‘Misinformation’ – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Wisconsin
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Coached Madison Clerk On ‘Combating Election Misinformation’

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: City clerk in major swing state Wisconsin received training from a “Zuckbucks” group on “combating election misinformation”

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) funneled hundreds of millions of dollars from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to public election agencies in 2020, favoring left-leaning areas in key swing states and boosting Democrat turnout. The group launched the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence in 2022 to coordinate with other leftist groups and “systematically influence every aspect of election administration in target offices,” as revealed in an Honest Elections Project report.

    The office of Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl has a history of involvement with both CTCL and the Alliance. After participating in a CTCL training aimed at “combating” so-called “election misinformation,” Witzel-Behl continued to participate in the group’s “misinformation” programming in the months leading up to the 2024 election, emails obtained by The Federalist in a Freedom of Information Act request suggest. Meanwhile, Witzel-Behl’s office recently sent out more than 2,200 duplicate ballots to residents last month.

    Witzel-Behl “previously participated in [the group’s] Combating Election Misinformation training,” according to a June 11 email from Andrea Abbate, a CTCL associate director and communications manager. Sophie Lehman, a CTCL associate director, also sent the clerk an email on July 10 promoting an upcoming webinar on “Combating Election Misinformation.”

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    Emails_ ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Coached WI Clerk On ‘Misinformation’ – Reader ModeDownload
    Sep, Tue, 2024
    The Nevada Globe – Article: Douglas County Awarded $50,000 Grant From Mark Zuckerberg’s Nonprofit For Election Security

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The republican stronghold of Douglas County has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life 

    The republican stronghold of Douglas County has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) for election support and security needs ahead of the general election in November. After CTCL donated and directed ~$400 million in “Zuckerbucks” into the 2020 election to support county election offices in primarily blue districts, 28 legislatures have banned the practice of taking nonprofit money to run elections.

    The grant was uncovered through an open-records request submitted by Silver State Times. According to the report, Douglas County Grants Administrator Debbie Swickard applied for the grant on August 19, stating:

    “As a rural County with limited funding a grant award will help us fill the gaps to purchase needed items for security. Being pro-active to mitigate any possible threat we would like to purchase transport carts for mail ballots and bullet proof glass for our election public counter. We are also in need for tables and shelving systems for our processing facility as well as tables for our vote centers. We are extremely grateful for any funding to help us maintain fair and safe elections for Douglas County.”

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    Douglas County Awarded $50,000 Grant From Mark Zuckerberg’s NonProfit For Election Security – Nevada Globe – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Nevada
    The Nevada Globe – Article: Douglas County Awarded $50,000 Grant From Mark Zuckerberg’s Nonprofit For Election Security

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The republican stronghold of Douglas County has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life 

    The republican stronghold of Douglas County has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) for election support and security needs ahead of the general election in November. After CTCL donated and directed ~$400 million in “Zuckerbucks” into the 2020 election to support county election offices in primarily blue districts, 28 legislatures have banned the practice of taking nonprofit money to run elections.

    The grant was uncovered through an open-records request submitted by Silver State Times. According to the report, Douglas County Grants Administrator Debbie Swickard applied for the grant on August 19, stating:

    “As a rural County with limited funding a grant award will help us fill the gaps to purchase needed items for security. Being pro-active to mitigate any possible threat we would like to purchase transport carts for mail ballots and bullet proof glass for our election public counter. We are also in need for tables and shelving systems for our processing facility as well as tables for our vote centers. We are extremely grateful for any funding to help us maintain fair and safe elections for Douglas County.”

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    Douglas County Awarded $50,000 Grant From Mark Zuckerberg’s NonProfit For Election Security – Nevada Globe – Reader ModeDownload
    Sep, Thu, 2024
    Restoration News – Article: Zuck Bucks Live Again in Nevada, Just in Time to Help Kamala’s Failing Campaign

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: Once again, Democrats are showing why our country must ban private funding for elections—and they’re using a Republican clerk to prove it

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL)—the infamous group behind the 2020 “Zuck bucks” wave of private election grants that boosted Democratic turnout in key states—is at it again, this time with a new grant in Nevada, according to documents obtained by the Coalition Opposing Government Secrecy (COGS), a St. Louis-based government transparency watchdog.

    This time, however, it was made possible by a Republican clerk known for castigating her constituents as lying “Kool-Aid drinkers.”

    On Aug. 19, CTCL awarded $50,000 to Douglas County, Nevada, for “planning and operationalizing reliable and secure election administration . . . in 2024.” In return, CTCL’s grant application requires Douglas County to surrender information on its election operations, including a post-election report due by Jan. 31, 2025.

    This language mirrors grants provided to thousands of county election offices in 2020 from CTCL, which received $350 million from billionaire mega-donor Mark Zuckerberg ostensibly to “fortify” the election amidst COVID-19. In fact, it helped juice Democratic turnout in key swing states, enough to oust President Trump from the White House, as analysis (including my own in early 2021) has demonstrated over and again.

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    BREAKING_ Zuck Bucks Live Again in Nevada, Just in Time to Help Kamala’s Failing Campaign – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Nevada
    Restoration News – Article: Zuck Bucks Live Again in Nevada, Just in Time to Help Kamala’s Failing Campaign

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: Once again, Democrats are showing why our country must ban private funding for elections—and they’re using a Republican clerk to prove it

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL)—the infamous group behind the 2020 “Zuck bucks” wave of private election grants that boosted Democratic turnout in key states—is at it again, this time with a new grant in Nevada, according to documents obtained by the Coalition Opposing Government Secrecy (COGS), a St. Louis-based government transparency watchdog.

    This time, however, it was made possible by a Republican clerk known for castigating her constituents as lying “Kool-Aid drinkers.”

    On Aug. 19, CTCL awarded $50,000 to Douglas County, Nevada, for “planning and operationalizing reliable and secure election administration . . . in 2024.” In return, CTCL’s grant application requires Douglas County to surrender information on its election operations, including a post-election report due by Jan. 31, 2025.

    This language mirrors grants provided to thousands of county election offices in 2020 from CTCL, which received $350 million from billionaire mega-donor Mark Zuckerberg ostensibly to “fortify” the election amidst COVID-19. In fact, it helped juice Democratic turnout in key swing states, enough to oust President Trump from the White House, as analysis (including my own in early 2021) has demonstrated over and again.

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    BREAKING_ Zuck Bucks Live Again in Nevada, Just in Time to Help Kamala’s Failing Campaign – Reader ModeDownload
    Sep, Tue, 2024
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Acts As A Shadow Legislature In Rural America

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: Applications for the new round of CTCL grants opened in August. The organization has approved election funding in these jurisdictions.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which funneled millions in “Zuckbucks” to local election agencies in 2020 through grants favoring Democrat areas, recently announced another round of grants to “rural and nonmetro” election offices ahead of November. The leftist group has awarded grants to at least 11 jurisdictions so far, cultivating relationships with election officials while effectively taking on the legislature’s job of appropriating funds for elections.

    Applications for the new round of CTCL grants opened Aug. 2, and the organization has so far approved election funding in at least the following jurisdictions: Colorado (San Juan County); Massachusetts (Orange); Maine (Belgrade, Caribou, Farmington, and West Paris); Minnesota (Nobles County); Nevada (White Pine County); New Hampshire (Meredith and Plymouth); and Vermont (Washington).

    Many of these election officials expressed the need for funding and infrastructure, and CTCL has effectively taken on the role of a shadow legislature, granting money to fill the perceived needs of election officials. Doing so allows the group, which was responsible for election meddling to benefit Democrats in 2020, to curry favor with those officials.

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Acting As Shadow Legislature In Rural America – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Documents
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Acts As A Shadow Legislature In Rural America

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: Applications for the new round of CTCL grants opened in August. The organization has approved election funding in these jurisdictions.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which funneled millions in “Zuckbucks” to local election agencies in 2020 through grants favoring Democrat areas, recently announced another round of grants to “rural and nonmetro” election offices ahead of November. The leftist group has awarded grants to at least 11 jurisdictions so far, cultivating relationships with election officials while effectively taking on the legislature’s job of appropriating funds for elections.

    Applications for the new round of CTCL grants opened Aug. 2, and the organization has so far approved election funding in at least the following jurisdictions: Colorado (San Juan County); Massachusetts (Orange); Maine (Belgrade, Caribou, Farmington, and West Paris); Minnesota (Nobles County); Nevada (White Pine County); New Hampshire (Meredith and Plymouth); and Vermont (Washington).

    Many of these election officials expressed the need for funding and infrastructure, and CTCL has effectively taken on the role of a shadow legislature, granting money to fill the perceived needs of election officials. Doing so allows the group, which was responsible for election meddling to benefit Democrats in 2020, to curry favor with those officials.

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Acting As Shadow Legislature In Rural America – Reader ModeDownload
    Aug, Tue, 2024
    The Federalist – Article: Here We Go Again: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Announces Plans To Dump More Cash Into Election Offices

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which influenced the 2020 election with “Zuckbucks,” announced another round of grants before November.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), which increased Democratic turnout in 2020 by shuttling “Zuckbucks” to public election offices, will be issuing another round of grants to rural areas ahead of November’s election.

    “This program will help eligible rural and nonmetro election offices modernize outdated voting technology, improve access to voting for rural voters, seniors, and veterans, and make much-needed infrastructure updates to enhance election security and make voting smoother,” said CTCL Director Tiana Epps-Johnson in a press release obtained by The Federalist.

    Rural officials can apply for grants beginning today, the release said. It is unclear how much money CTCL is planning to distribute to local election offices before the election. 

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Group To Dump More Cash Into Election Offices – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Documents
    The Federalist – Article: Here We Go Again: ‘Zuckbucks’ Group Announces Plans To Dump More Cash Into Election Offices

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which influenced the 2020 election with “Zuckbucks,” announced another round of grants before November.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), which increased Democratic turnout in 2020 by shuttling “Zuckbucks” to public election offices, will be issuing another round of grants to rural areas ahead of November’s election.

    “This program will help eligible rural and nonmetro election offices modernize outdated voting technology, improve access to voting for rural voters, seniors, and veterans, and make much-needed infrastructure updates to enhance election security and make voting smoother,” said CTCL Director Tiana Epps-Johnson in a press release obtained by The Federalist.

    Rural officials can apply for grants beginning today, the release said. It is unclear how much money CTCL is planning to distribute to local election offices before the election. 

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Group To Dump More Cash Into Election Offices – Reader ModeDownload
    Aug, Tue, 2024
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Org Promotes $6 Million Election Grant From Left-Wing Dark Money Group

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The Institute for Responsive Government is offering officials $6 million in election grants, promoted by CTCL.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which funneled millions in “Zuckbucks” to election officials in 2020, is promoting a $6 million election grant program from a left-wing dark money group with which it shares close ties.

    “We wanted you to be aware that the Institute for Responsive Government (IRG) launched A More Responsive Government 2024 Grant Program, a new, nonpartisan $6 million grant program that aims to support local election offices,” said an Aug. 21 CTCL email obtained by The Federalist.

    The email, apparently directed to election officials, noted the funding is “not a CTCL grant program.” CTCL funneled $328 million from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to public election agencies in 2020, using “Zuckbucks” to target areas with likely left-leaning voting blocs and boost Democratic turnout. 

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Org Promotes $6M Dark Money Election Grant – Reader ModeDownload
    Jody Weierholt Jody Weierholt
    Documents
    The Federalist – Article: ‘Zuckbucks’ Org Promotes $6 Million Election Grant From Left-Wing Dark Money Group

    Note: the link(s) on this page may send you to another site’s page that may/may not still be present depending on age of the post.

    Article: The Institute for Responsive Government is offering officials $6 million in election grants, promoted by CTCL.

    The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which funneled millions in “Zuckbucks” to election officials in 2020, is promoting a $6 million election grant program from a left-wing dark money group with which it shares close ties.

    “We wanted you to be aware that the Institute for Responsive Government (IRG) launched A More Responsive Government 2024 Grant Program, a new, nonpartisan $6 million grant program that aims to support local election offices,” said an Aug. 21 CTCL email obtained by The Federalist.

    The email, apparently directed to election officials, noted the funding is “not a CTCL grant program.” CTCL funneled $328 million from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to public election agencies in 2020, using “Zuckbucks” to target areas with likely left-leaning voting blocs and boost Democratic turnout. 

    Visit External Page

    Or download the .pdf below.

    Warning: The article is neither owned nor written by the Citizens Election Research Center. The provided .pdf is only for the purposes of ease of viewing.

    ‘Zuckbucks’ Org Promotes $6M Dark Money Election Grant – Reader ModeDownload