Since its founding in 1972, making democracy work has been central to Clean Water Action's mission and strategy. The cornerstone of this strategic focus is holding elected officials accountable to voters. A crucial problem underlying many pollution problems, we believe, is an imbalance of political power that distorts our political system and hampers good policy.

Guided by this belief, Clean Water Action builds grassroots strength in key states and communities to change politics and environmental policy in states, local communities and Washington, DC. We run muscular and effective grassroots campaigns to defeat anti-environment candidates, and support candidates who are committed to protecting our waters, our health, and our future. Our door-to-door campaigns educate the public and promote grassroots power while training the next generation of environmental leaders.

The 2008 elections provide an opportunity to shape America's environmental future on crucial issues of protecting our waters, fighting global warming and making our communities safer.

The mid-term 2006 elections saw Clean Water Action making tremendous strides in electing a greener Congress and building a strong environmental majority at the federal level and in state capitols throughout the nation. Clean Water Action waged and won major 2006 campaign efforts in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Virginia and Texas. Clean Water Action's campaign outreach program talked to more than 2.2 million voters at the door in 2006 about our endorsed candidates and turned out more than 500,000 voters in key races across the country.