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Record numbers of voters turned out for the 2004 presidential election - 15 million, or 1 in 7 according to exit polling. New voters and young voters were registered and mobilized. Yet the nation's voter turnout rate still hovers around 60%, which is far too low for a true national representation at the polls. The irregularities of the 2000 election in Florida demonstrated clearly that every vote really does matter…and that we cannot rely on our system to count every vote in a fair and equitable manner. It is simply not enough to get out the vote every four years. For a truly engaged electorate, we must:

• build long-term capacity among the groups who achieved such impressive voter turnouts in 2004;

• continue to eradicate the multitude of barriers prohibiting so many Americans from voting; and

• ensure that voting is meaningful for all voters, and that each vote is counted. Today we have that opportunity.

There was record funding for this work in 2004. It is our challenge to maintain that level of support to keep new voters engaged in the political process, reach out to the nonvoting population, and address systemic barriers to participation. Instead of waiting for the next presidential election, we need to approach this effort as a "constant campaign" that engages citizens and builds electoral power in every election, whether it is for a municipal ballot initiative, state assembly, or U.S. Senate.

Our Voter Action Initiative goal is simple and clear: equitable citizenship. Our democracy must reflect the needs and interests of all its citizens.