Media
For journalists, editors, and producers covering American democracy.
7% of voters choose 87% of Congress.
The Middle Majority Movement is a nonpartisan civic-coordination project building the infrastructure that empowers ordinary civic organizations — churches, unions, business associations, neighborhood groups — to act together in the primary elections that decide most of Congress. 2026 is the proof-of-concept year, with coordinated pilots in four to six congressional districts. The strategy requires no law change, no statewide office, and no party leadership. It works inside the existing rules of American elections.
For interviews, statements, and background briefings:
info@democracycounts.org We respond to press inquiries within 24 hours.
For advance briefings on pilot-district selection, early access to research releases, or one-on-one time with our founders, write to us with your outlet and beat. We maintain an early-tip list for reporters covering primary elections, civic engagement, and democratic reform.
Boilerplate
Three versions of the org description, in copy-paste-friendly form. Use whichever fits your word count.
One sentence: The Middle Majority Movement is a nonpartisan civic-coordination project that helps existing civic organizations act together in the primary elections that decide most of Congress.
One paragraph: The Middle Majority Movement (MMM) is a nonpartisan civic-coordination project built on a structural insight: gerrymandering protects incumbents in general elections but not in their own primaries, where turnout can be as low as five percent. The civic organizations already in every district — churches, unions, business associations, neighborhood groups, veterans posts — collectively have memberships that dwarf the margins by which most primaries are decided, but have never had a tool to act together. MMM is building that tool. 2026 is the proof-of-concept year, with coordinated pilots in four to six congressional districts.
Two paragraphs (long form): The Middle Majority Movement (MMM) is a nonpartisan civic-coordination project built on a structural insight: gerrymandering protects incumbents in general elections but not in their own primaries, where turnout can be as low as five percent. The civic organizations already in every district — churches, unions, business associations, neighborhood groups, veterans posts — collectively have memberships that dwarf the margins by which most primaries are decided, but have never had a tool to act together. MMM is building that tool. 2026 is the proof-of-concept year, with coordinated pilots in four to six congressional districts.
MMM operates through three legally distinct but coordinated entities: Democracy Counts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 that holds neutrality oversight; the Middle Majority Movement itself, the civic association organizing chapters and pilots; and Middle Majority Group, Inc., a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation that builds and operates the digital coordination platform. The structure allows philanthropic, civic, and commercial capital to fund the work simultaneously without allowing any one source to compromise neutrality. MMM was founded by Daniel Wolf — Harvard-trained attorney, Fulbright Fellow, founder of Democracy Counts and the Actual Vote election-audit platform.
7% of voters effectively choose 87% of Congress.
Derived from average primary turnout (5–15%) combined with the share of congressional districts effectively decided in the primary rather than the general election (~87%).
80%+ of congressional districts are "safe" for one party.
In such districts, one party reliably wins the general election.
Primary turnout averages 10–15%.
In some places, it's as low as 5%
A safe-district primary can be decided by ~5,000 votes.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won her first primary by 4,136 votes. An Iowa Republican primary was once decided by six.
4–6 pilot districts in 2026.
Selected from a 50-district analytical ranking based on Cook PVI, primary turnout gap, civic-organization density, and other structural factors. Pilot list available on request.
Three-entity structure.
Democracy Counts (501(c)(3), founded 2016, EIN 81-2822233), the Middle Majority Movement (civic association under Democracy Counts), Middle Majority Group, Inc. (Delaware Public Benefit Corporation).
Story Angles
Short pitches written from a reporter's perspective. Each one names what MMM can contribute and what beat it sits in.
The math of low-turnout primaries. In safe congressional districts, primaries can be decided by a few thousand votes — yet most reporting on Congress focuses on general elections that have already been decided. MMM can speak to the under-covered arithmetic of primary elections and why it's the most consequential and least understood mechanism in American politics today.
Gerrymandering reform without legislation. Most reform conversations focus on changing the rules. MMM is built on the observation that the rules can be worked around: coordinated majorities can defeat gerrymandered incumbents in their own primaries, no constitutional amendment required. Useful for coverage of democratic reform that doesn't depend on state legislatures or courts.
Civic organizations re-entering politics. Churches, unions, veterans posts, business associations, and neighborhood groups already have memberships large enough to swing primaries. MMM is reactivating that infrastructure for primary participation. Of interest to reporters covering civic life, religious organizing, labor, or the long-running story of institutional decline.
Inside a 2026 pilot district. MMM is running coordinated pilots in four to six congressional districts during the 2026 cycle. Reporters interested in field reporting can request access to chapter formation, civic-organization outreach, candidate-commitment work, and pilot operations as they unfold.
The cross-spectrum coalition. MMM is structured as a coalition across the political spectrum — registered Democrats, Republicans, Independents, churches across denominations, unions across sectors. Of interest to reporters covering nonpartisan or post-partisan civic experimentation.
The civic-tech angle. MMM is building a coordination platform designed from the ground up for the way civic organizations actually work — not a campaign tool, not a get-out-the-vote app, not a turnkey nonprofit CRM. Reporters covering civic tech, election tech, or platform design will find a substantively different model.