HeadCount
HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that registers voters at concerts, festivals, sports events, and cultural gatherings by partnering with artists, labels, sports leagues, and brands, supported by a 100,000-volunteer network and a free online voter registration platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HeadCount does
HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in New York. It registers voters at concerts, music festivals, sports games, Pride events, college campuses, and community gatherings, with a stated focus on engaging young Americans (Gen Z and Millennials) through the cultural moments they already inhabit. The organization supplements its in-person field operations with a nationwide network of nearly 100,000 volunteers who receive free event access in exchange for voter registration outreach. HeadCount maintains a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and a 20-year track record, reporting over 1.7 million new voters registered and more than 10 million voting actions driven since inception.
The operational platform consists of a web-based voter registration and verification tool at headcount.org, a state-by-state rules and deadlines database covering all 50 states and Washington D.C., an absentee ballot request flow, and the HelloVote SMS-based voter registration technology originally launched in 2016 with iCitizen. The Good to Vote campaign, active since 2020, is a sweepstakes-based verification system in which fans check registration status to enter exclusive experience giveaways from artist partners; this campaign has driven over 4 million actions. Specialized sub-brands include Vote With Pride (LGBTQIA+ voter resources), Vote HBCU (HBCU campus engagement with Xceleader), and the merged 'I am a voter.' initiative (combined in May 2024). All services are free to end users and the organization explicitly does not confer any benefit for registering to vote or voting.
HeadCount is funded by individual donations, corporate giving, and brand partnership revenue. Partnerships span A-list artists (Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Dead & Company), major record labels (Atlantic Records), sports leagues (MLB, Monumental Sports), festival promoters (C3 Presents, Another Planet Entertainment), and purpose-driven brands (Ben & Jerry's, Levi's, Tony's Chocolonely, Spotify, VEVO). The organization is led by Executive Director Lucille Wenegieme, who succeeded founder Andy Bernstein in September 2023, with a paid staff of 11-50 supported by the volunteer squad.
HeadCount firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HeadCount
- Legal name
- Head Count Inc.
- Website
- https://headcount.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that registers voters at concerts, festivals, sports events, and cultural gatherings by partnering with artists, labels, sports leagues, and brands, supported by a 100,000-volunteer network and a free online voter registration platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where HeadCount is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HeadCount business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: HeadCount is funded by individual and corporate donations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization with EIN 77-0626772. All donations are tax-deductible. They maintain a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator.
- Partnership Funding: Brand partnerships and collaborations provide funding and resources. Partners like Ben & Jerry's, Levi's, Tony's Chocolonely, and others support voter registration efforts through co-marketing campaigns.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
HeadCount product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, nonpartisan voter registration and civic engagement services. It operates a digital voter registration platform enabling online registration, registration status verification, and absentee ballot requests, while deploying a national volunteer network at concerts, festivals, sports events, and community gatherings to drive young voter participation. Supporting offerings include community-specific initiatives such as Vote with Pride, Vote HBCU, and the Good to Vote sweepstakes campaign.
Product overview
HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit voter registration organization that operates primarily through a web-based voter registration platform and in-person volunteer operations at live events. The core offering consists of online voter registration tools, registration verification, and absentee ballot request functionality. Supporting products include the Good to Vote sweepstakes campaign, the merged I am a voter brand, and specialized initiatives like Vote with Pride (LGBTQ+ engagement) and Vote HBCU (college campus outreach). The organization supplements its digital services with a nationwide volunteer program that deploys trained volunteers at concerts, festivals, and community events. All services are nonpartisan and do not endorse any political party or candidates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- I am a voter. A voter engagement initiative merged into HeadCount in 2024
Products and services
- Voter Registration Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1.7 million new voters registered since 2004
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use HeadCount
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
HeadCount technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HeadCount partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Olivia RodrigoflagshipPop star Olivia Rodrigo launched a voter registration sweepstakes tied to her Daisy Chain Fields music festival as political activism against the Trump administration. The sweepstakes, run in partnership with nonprofit HeadCount, offers all-expenses-paid trips to the August 29 festival in Irvine, California, contingent on checking or updating voter registration status.
- Major League Baseball (MLB)coreOfficial MLB partnership to register fans to vote at games across MLB stadiums. HeadCount hosts voter registration events at baseball games throughout the season.
- Sabrina CarpenterflagshipSabrina Carpenter partnership registered 27,000 voters on tour. Her 2025 partnership generated 30,000 civic actions in 12 hours, making it one of HeadCount's most successful artist activations.
- Broadway VotescoreBroadway Votes and HeadCount launched voter engagement sweepstakes for Broadway fans, extending the voter registration model to theater.
- Ariana Grandeflagship'Wicked' contest partnership where Ariana Grande teamed with HeadCount for voter registration contest - fans could win exclusive experiences by checking their voter registration status.
- Lyft & LimecoreLyft and Lime again gave voters free rides to polling locations, partnering with HeadCount for the transportation-to-vote initiative.
- I am a voter.flagshipCelebrity-backed nonprofits I Am a Voter and HeadCount merged ahead of the 2024 election, combining their civic engagement platforms and celebrity networks.
- Dead & CompanyflagshipLong-term partnership including Participation Row at Dead & Company concerts, charity guitar auctions raising $2+ million for HeadCount and related charities. Dead & Company's San Francisco concerts raised $2.2 million for charity.
- Harry StylesflagshipHarry Styles partnered with HeadCount for free trip to 'Harryween' concert for voters. This partnership helped register over 54,000 new voters ahead of the 2022 midterm elections - one of the largest single-artist voter registration drives.
- LizzocoreLizzo announced partnership with HeadCount for upcoming tour to encourage fans to vote in the 2022 midterm elections.
- KehlanicoreKehlani partnered with HeadCount to encourage fans to vote in upcoming midterm elections through a Paris giveaway contest.
- Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Washington Capitals, Wizards, Mystics)coreMulti-year partnership where Capitals, Wizards & Mystics raise awareness for voter registration throughout the season at Capital One Arena. Drove thousands of civic actions and registered hundreds to vote.
- Billie EilishflagshipBillie Eilish partnered with HeadCount for 'Use Their Voice' campaign encouraging fans to register to vote during the 2022 midterm elections.
- Save The Vote!coreCountry-wide campaign to support voting rights amid battles against voting restrictions. Artists including Bobby Weir, Billy Strings, Amy Lee, Incubus participated in giveaway series.
- David DobrikflagshipYouTuber David Dobrik gave away Teslas to followers to encourage voter registration, driving one of the largest voter registration drives ever through the Good to Vote campaign.
- Global CitizencoreGlobal Citizen and HeadCount teamed up and enlisted Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Usher, DJ Khaled, Billy Porter for the 'Just Vote' voter registration campaign in fall 2020.
- Jim Jamescore'The Future Is Voting' Tour - Jim James and HeadCount collaborated on a tour stopping in college towns in electoral swing states to register young voters.
- Atlantic RecordscoreAtlantic Records launched a cross-roster voter registration initiative with HeadCount, encouraging all signed artists to promote voter registration on tour.
- Ben & Jerry'scoreBen & Jerry's partners with HeadCount for democracy-focused campaigns including #VoteLocal Baker's Dozen Photo Booth activations at events.
- Levi'scoreLevi's partners with HeadCount for brand activations that tie denim retailer presence to voter registration at music events.
- Tony's ChocolonelycoreTony's Chocolonely partners with HeadCount for purpose-driven campaigns aligned with the chocolate company's mission around social justice.
- SpotifycoreSpotify partners with HeadCount for voter registration campaigns including the 'Play Your Part' voter turnout initiative targeting millennials and Gen Z users.
- VEVOcoreVEVO partnered with HeadCount to promote voter registration, leveraging music video platform reach for civic engagement.
- VoteRiderscorePartnership with VoteRiders to help LGBTQIA+ voters update their identification to match their identity before registering to vote under their legal name.
- XceleadercoreVote HBCU initiative - HeadCount x Xceleader partnership to drive voter registration at Historically Black Colleges and Universities with 2024 Impact Report showing results.
- C3 PresentscoreC3 Presents (festival promoter behind Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo) partners with HeadCount for voter registration at major festival events.
- Another Planet EntertainmentcoreAPE partners with HeadCount for voter registration at Outside Lands festival and other Bay Area music events.
- NockminorNock Tequila y Mezcal announces Civic Cocktail Series across NYC bars with HeadCount voter registration partnership (July 2026).
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights8 records
HeadCount competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vote.org: Digital-first voter registration and voter information nonprofit offering online registration tools, deadline reminders, and ballot lookup. Comparable in mission and end-user services (registration verification, absentee ballot requests) but competes via pure digital rather than live-event channels.
- DoSomething.org: Youth-focused nonprofit driving social action campaigns including voter registration. Comparable in targeting Gen Z/Millennials with cause-driven engagement, with overlapping brand-partnership and digital activation mechanics.
- NextGen America: Nonprofit mobilizing young voters on climate, immigration, and democracy issues. Comparable in young-voter focus and large-scale field operations, though more issue-advocacy oriented than strictly nonpartisan.
- Rock the Vote: Long-standing nonpartisan voter registration and civic engagement nonprofit founded in 1990. Most direct peer to HeadCount; both use music and pop culture channels to register young voters, though Rock the Vote leans more digital/celebrity PSAs and HeadCount leans on live events.
- When We All Vote: Michelle Obama-co-founded nonpartisan voter registration nonprofit launched in 2018. Directly comparable to HeadCount in mission, target audience (young voters), and celebrity-driven activation model; competes for the same donors and artist partners.
- Fair Fight: Voter registration and election protection organization founded by Stacey Abrams. Comparable in voter registration and civic engagement scope with celebrity and high-profile backing, though more partisan-aligned than HeadCount.
- League of Women Voters: Historic nonpartisan civic organization providing voter registration, voter guides, and election information. Comparable mission and voter-information resources, but operates through chapters and an older volunteer base rather than music/culture channels.
Emerging players
- NAACP National Voter Fund: Civic engagement arm of the NAACP focused on Black voter mobilization. Comparable to HeadCount's Vote HBCU initiative in targeting Black voters and HBCU campuses, with substantial overlapping donor and corporate-partnership pools.
- Global Citizen: Nonprofit using music and live events to drive action on global poverty and civic issues, including a 'Just Vote' partnership with HeadCount. Comparable in live-event, celebrity-driven activation model and youth audience.
- Democracy Works (TurboVote): Nonprofit behind TurboVote and other voter information tools used by college campuses. Overlaps with HeadCount's college-campus voter registration mission (Vote HBCU) and provides comparable digital voter-registration infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HeadCount social profiles
Digital presenceHeadCount financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HeadCount leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
HeadCount subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
HeadCount funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HeadCount M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HeadCount
What does HeadCount do?
HeadCount is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, nonpartisan voter registration and civic engagement services. It operates a digital voter registration platform enabling online registration, registration status verification, and absentee ballot requests, while deploying a national volunteer network at concerts, festivals, sports events, and community gatherings to drive young voter participation. Supporting offerings include community-specific initiatives such as Vote with Pride, Vote HBCU, and the Good to Vote sweepstakes campaign.
Is HeadCount a public or private company?
HeadCount is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HeadCount founded?
HeadCount was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is HeadCount based?
HeadCount is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does HeadCount make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are partnership Funding.
Who are HeadCount's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vote.org, DoSomething.org, NextGen America, Rock the Vote, When We All Vote, Fair Fight and League of Women Voters. Emerging players are NAACP National Voter Fund, Global Citizen and Democracy Works (TurboVote).
Does HeadCount have an API?
No public API is recorded for HeadCount.