Three executives from leading cryptocurrency mining companies in the United States have come together to launch a nonprofit organization aimed at educating voters on Bitcoin (BTC). Jayson Browder, the senior vice president of government affairs at Marathon Digital Holdings, along with executives from Riot Platforms and CleanSpark, have formed the board members of the Bitcoin Voter Project.
The group has been registered as a 501(c)(4) organization in the United States, distinguishing it from a political action committee (PAC) as it cannot primarily support one candidate or political party. The launch of the voting project followed a meeting between representatives from Marathon, CleanSpark, TeraWulf, and Riot with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed a desire for all remaining Bitcoin mining to be done in the USA.
According to Browder, the Bitcoin Voter Project has been in the works for a while and was intended to launch before the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. The organization is described as nonpartisan and aims to reach out to voters who may not be familiar with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The project has approximately $5 million available for research and voter education, with plans to eventually support candidates who back digital assets.
Unlike other crypto-focused PACs that have endorsed specific candidates or legislation, the Bitcoin Voter Project’s website currently does not list any such endorsements. Browder emphasized that their approach is focused on educating and engaging potential voters before influencing political elections.
While it is unlikely that single-issue crypto voters will make up a significant portion of the electorate in 2024, the potential influence of these voters in swing states with winner-take-all Electoral College systems could impact the outcome of the election. Several crypto advocacy groups, including the Chamber of Digital Commerce and the Texas Blockchain Council, have expressed support for the Bitcoin Voter Project.
As the 2024 election approaches, President Biden and Trump are scheduled to debate each other on June 27, marking their first face-to-face meeting since the 2020 election. Other potential presidential candidates for voters to consider include Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Libertarian Chase Oliver.
The emergence of crypto voters as a disruptive force in the upcoming election has been noted by industry experts, with the Bitcoin Voter Project poised to continue engaging and educating voters on the importance of digital assets in the political landscape.