Click to view the secular values voter campaigns in other states. 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation over this patriotic holiday is announcing to the nation that there are 75 million nonreligious adult Americans who want religion out of government — and are voting that way.

“We’re putting public candidates and officials on notice that secular voters are here, that WE are the true ‘values voters’ and that it’s time that our secular viewpoint be respected and represented,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

The campaign includes a renowned Native American composer, the founder of Black Nonbelievers, the founders of Hispanic American Freethinkers, nonreligious students and what FFRF calls “just ordinary, everyday atheists, agnostics and humanists who believe in the all-American ideal of true religious freedom.”

FFRF, a national state/church watchdog with more than 36,000 members, is running newspaper ads and complementary billboard messaging in time for the July 4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Constitution Day, Sept. 17. View all ads.

FFRF’s full-page print advertisement, featuring a different state representative (or couple) in each state, is running in more than 20 dailies on Sunday, July 3 — most in capital cities plus some larger metropolitan areas like Portland, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Brent Michael Davids, a celebrated Mohican composer identified as an atheist, is featured in FFRF’s New York Times ad saying he “trusts in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution.”

“The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification,” he adds. 

Davids lists compelling secular voter demands, such as keeping religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry.

“Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” he urges.

“It’s appropriate that our national campaign be represented by a Native American,” comments Dan Barker, FFRF co-president and himself a member of the Lenni Lenape/Delaware Tribe. “Christian invaders usurped the continent under Manifest Destiny and today we are facing grave inroads by Christian nationalists wanting once again to install a theocracy.”

The ad campaign is particularly timely given that the U.S. Supreme Court, at the behest of religiously motivated court challenges, has overturned Roe v. Wade, which is already shuttering clinics in about a dozen states and endangering access in many more. Gaylor notes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Gaylor called alarming the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion and eviscerate individual rights. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard.”

To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.

A world-renowned composer and member of the Stockbridge Munsee Community is appearing on a full-size billboard proclaiming “I’m an Atheist and I Vote,” on the corner of Park Street and Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, Wis. The billboard will be up for one month.

Brent Michael Davids is representing the state of Wisconsin in a national secular voter campaign launched by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, in this critical election year.

FFRF notes that Davids is one of 75 million nonreligious Americans who want Congress, state legislatures, public officials and courts to listen to “secular values voters” by keeping religion out of government and social policy — and that includes on the question of abortion rights.

Davids, pictured in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol, will also be featured in a full-page ad headlined “I’m Secular and I Vote,” not only running in the Capital Times on Wed., June 29, and the Wisconsin State Journal on Sunday, July 3, but in The New York Times on July 3.

Davids, a longtime FFRF member, is an internationally celebrated composer whose music features elements of Native American Indigenous music with Western techniques. He lives on the reservation for Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians in northwestern Wisconsin.

FFRF is running the billboards and newspaper ads in time for the July 4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

“We think it is very appropriate that our national campaign be represented by a Native American,” says Dan Barker, FFRF co-president and himself a member of the Lenni Lenape/Delaware Tribe. “Christian invaders usurped the country under Manifest Destiny and today we are facing grave inroads by Christian nationalists wanting once again to install a theocracy on this continent.”

 “In this campaign, we’re putting public candidates and officials on notice that secular voters are here, that WE are the true ‘values voters’ and that it’s time that our secular viewpoint be heard and represented,” Barker adds.

In the ad, Davids notes, “The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification!”

Saying he “trusts in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution,” Davids lists a compelling number of secular voter demands: As a secular American, he wants to keep religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry. “Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” he emphasizes.

The ad campaign is particularly timely given that the U.S. Supreme Court, at the behest of religiously motivated court challenges, has overturned Roe v. Wade, which just shuttered Wisconsin’s four abortion clincs. Gaylor notes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Barker called the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion, as well as the likely banning of abortion in more than half the states, alarming. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation serves as the largest association of freethinkers in North America, with more than 36,000 members including 1,600 in Wisconsin, and works as a state/church watchdog to safeguard the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.

A 14x48-foot billboard featuring a Virginia couple proudly proclaiming “We’re Atheists and We Vote” has just gone up at I-95 and 1401 Commerce Road, Richmond, Va., as part of a national multimedia secular voter campaign launched by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in this critical election year.

The couple, David Tamayo and Hypatia Alexandria, are co-founders of Hispanic American Freethinkers. They will also be featured in a full-page ad, pictured in front of the state Capitol, that will run on Sunday, July 3, in the Richmond News. The ad identifies David as a “husband, father, Hispanic, CIO, Virginian . . . and Atheist” and Hypatia as “a mother, grad student, Virginian . . . and an Atheist.”

FFRF points out that the couple, who live in Sterling, Va., are two of 75 million nonreligious Americans who want Congress, state legislatures, public officials and courts to listen to “secular values voters” by keeping religion out of government and social policy — and that includes on the urgent question of abortion rights.

In the newspaper ads, they note: “The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification!”

Hypatia is a Ph.D. student in Planning, Governance and Globalization at Virginia Tech. She works with the Hispanic community in housing and equity issues. She currently serves as a member of the Loudoun County Housing Advisory Board; the Virginia Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Land Surveyors; the Access for All, and the Citizen Advisory Committee of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

David is president of Hispanic American Freethinkers, which is the first and only national Latino 501(c)(3) educational organization of its kind. He was vice president of the Reason Rally 2016, former host of the TV Show “Road to Reason — A Skeptic’s Guide to the 21st Century,” founding Board Director of Camp Quest — Chesapeake, and host of Contrapuntos podcast. He is Chief Information Officer for a large aerospace engineering company in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from George Washington University, and a Master’s in Management in Information Technology from University of Virginia. David joined the FFRF Executive Board as a director at large in the fall of 2020.

Saying they “trust in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution,” the couple lists a compelling number of secular voter demands: To keep religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry. “Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” they emphasize.

FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor explains, “FFRF is putting public candidates and officials on notice that the nonreligious now represent nearly a third of all adult Americans. We are the true ‘values voters’ and it’s critical that our secular viewpoint be heard and represented.”

FFRF is running the billboards and newspaper ads in time for the July 3-4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

The campaign is particularly timely coming on the heels of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Gaylor observes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Gaylor called the Supreme Court’s ruling against abortion rights “an alarming wake up call,” and part of the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion at the expense of individual liberties. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard and why it’s essential to keep religious dogma out of our laws.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation serves as the nation’s largest association of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics), with more than 36,000 members, including almost 800 in Virginia, and works as a state/church watchdog to safeguard the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.

A Humanist Air Force veteran and 55-year volunteer firefighter will be featured in a “secular values voter” campaign in Vermont, appearing in full-page ads in the Times Argus and Rutland Herald over the weekend of July 2.

Grant “Chip” Taylor will be featured in a full-page ad headlined “I’m Secular and I Vote,” in which he is pictured in front of his state Capitol. The ad is part of a national multimedia secular voter campaign launched by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in this critical election year.

FFRF points out that Taylor is one of 75 million nonreligious Americans who want Congress, state legislatures, public officials and courts to listen to “secular values voters” by keeping religion out of government and social policy — and that includes on the urgent question of abortion rights.

“Yes,” says Taylor, “I WAS in a foxhole, but only during Officer Training School.” Taylor was in military service as a commissioned officer during the Vietnam War.

After receiving a Master's in political science, he worked in human resources, then did radiological protection for State Emergency Management. He’s been a volunteer firefighter for 55 years on four fire departments and served as chief on two of them. He’s also served on his local school board, on a local health center and various other small volunteer projects.

“Fortunately paid and volunteer service does not require church membership,” he quips.

Taylor notes: “The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification!”

The 2020 Census on Religion by PRRI actually shows that the percentage of religiously affiliated in Washington County, Vt., is much higher than the national average at 44 percent.

Adds FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, “FFRF is putting public candidates and officials on notice that the nonreligious now represent nearly a third of all adult Americans. We are the true ‘values voters’ and it’s critical that our secular viewpoint be heard and represented.”

Saying he “trusts in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution,” Taylor lists a compelling number of secular voter demands: To keep religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry. “Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” he emphasizes.

FFRF is running the billboards and newspaper ads in time for the July 3-4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

The campaign is particularly timely coming on the heels of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Gaylor observes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Gaylor called the Supreme Court’s ruling against abortion rights “an alarming wake up call,” and part of the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion at the expense of individual liberties. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard and why it’s essential to keep religious dogma out of our laws.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation serves as the largest association of freethinkers in North America, with more than 36,000 members including about 100 in Vermont, and works as a state/church watchdog to safeguard the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.

A local couple proudly proclaiming “We’re Atheist and We Vote” will be appearing on six prominent kiosks in downtown Philadelphia as part of a national multimedia secular voter campaign launched by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in this critical election year.

The kiosks will be up by the end of the week. (For locations, scroll to the end.)

Margaret Downey and Tom Schottmiller are representing the state of Pennsylvania in FFRF’s campaign, and will also appear in a full-page ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer running on Sunday, July 3, in which they are pictured in front of Independence Hall. The ad identifies them as “proud Pennsylvanians, married 48 years, parents, grandparents, advocates of science, reason, critical thinking, and happily Atheist.”

Downey is a well known atheist activist who even rated a shoutout in Dan Brown’s novel Origin, which mentioned her as “a powerhouse intellectual.” She is founder of the Freethought Society, has been a state/church plaintiff and brought human rights complaints against Boy Scouts of America for discriminating against atheist boys and families. She is currently president of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association, working with Rep. Jamie Raskin to erect a monument to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C. Schottmiller, a retired corporate vice president, is his wife’s biggest booster. They both serve on FFRF’s board as state representatives.

FFRF points out that the couple are two of 75 million nonreligious Americans who want Congress, state legislatures, public officials and courts to listen to “secular values voters” by keeping religion out of government and social policy — and that includes on the urgent question of abortion rights.

In the print ad, Margaret and Tom note: “The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification!”

FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor adds, “FFRF is putting public candidates and officials on notice that the nonreligious now represent nearly a third of all adult Americans. We are the true ‘values voters’ and it’s critical that our secular viewpoint be heard and represented.”

Saying they “trust in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution,” the couple list a compelling number of secular voter demands: To keep religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry. “Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” they emphasize.

FFRF is running the billboards and newspaper ads in time for the July 3-4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

The campaign is particularly timely coming on the heels of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Gaylor observes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Gaylor called the Supreme Court’s ruling against abortion rights “an alarming wake up call,” and part of the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion at the expense of individual liberties. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard and why it’s essential to keep religious dogma out of our laws.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation serves as the largest association of freethinkers in North America, with more than 36,000 members including more than 1,100 in Pennsylvania, and works as a state/church watchdog to safeguard the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.

Locations of kiosks:

• 8th Street: Chestnut & Market, facing north
• Chestnut Street: 7th and 8th St facing west
• 8th Street: Locust & Walnut, inside building facing east
• 7th Street: Chestnut & Market, inside building facing west
• 7th Street: Chestnut & Market, inside building facing east
• 8th Street: Chestnut & Market, facing north

A retired Portlander — mother, grandmother, hiker and kayaker — is featured on a full-size billboard at NE Portland Highway near Simpson Street proclaiming “I’m an Atheist and I vote.” The billboard will be up by the end of the week for a month.

Cheryl Kolbe is not only representing Oregon in a national secular voter campaign launched by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in this critical election year, but is representative of almost half of Multnomah County citizens in having no religion. Forty-eight percent of Multnomah County residents identify as a “None.”

Kolbe will also be featured in a full-page ad headlined “I’m Secular and I Vote,” running in the Oregonian on Sunday, July 3, which pictures her in front of the state Capitol in Salem.

She is one of 75 million nonreligious Americans who want Congress, state legislatures, public officials and courts to listen to “secular values voters” by keeping religion out of government and social policy — and that includes on the question of abortion rights.

In the print ad, Kolbe notes, “The ‘Nones’ (those of us unaffiliated with religion) are now 29 percent of the U.S. population. We are the largest ‘denomination’ by religious identification!” Among Americans under 30, 36 percent identify as religiously unaffiliated.

“We’re putting public candidates and officials on notice that secular voters are here, that WE are the true ‘values voters’ and that it’s time that our secular viewpoint be heard and represented,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.

Saying she “trusts in reason, science and America’s secular Constitution,” Kolbe lists a compelling number of secular voter demands: As a secular American, she wants to keep religion out of government and social policy, out of public schools, and out of bedrooms, personal lives and health care decisions — including when or whether to have children, and whom to love or marry. “Use my tax dollars only for evidence-based, not faith-based, purposes,” she emphasizes.

Kolbe, who retired from Portland Community College in 2004 as Student Systems Support Manager, enjoys the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. “I share my love of the outdoors in my role as volunteer naturalist for Nature Conservancy,” she says, and adds that her two daughters and two granddaughters “continually enrich my life.” She serves on FFRF’s Executive Board and headed the former Portland FFRF chapter, where she oversaw adoption of an ordinance adding atheist and freethinker to protected classes shielded from discrimination in Portland.

FFRF is running the billboards and newspaper ads in time for the July 4 weekend in about half of the United States, with the rest appearing around Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

The ad campaign is particularly timely given that the U.S. Supreme Court, at the behest of religiously motivated court challenges, has just overturned Roe v. Wade. Gaylor notes that 98.8 percent of FFRF’s membership supports Roe, which is consistent with a YouGov analysis showing that atheists, at 91 percent overall, are the most likely to identify as pro-choice.

Gaylor called the Supreme Court trend to privilege religion, as well as the likely banning of abortion in more than half the states, alarming. “That’s why our secular voices must be heard.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation serves as the largest association of freethinkers in North America, with more than 36,000 members including more than more than 1,650 in Oregon, and works as a state/church watchdog to safeguard the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. To learn more, visit: ffrf.org.