Welcome to The American Fifth Estate! Our name is a reference to the Five Estates of Government. The Fifth representing the role of The People as more than just passive voters.

We believe that, as citizens of the United States of America, our role in our government should go beyond voting. We should have a real say in what laws are proposed, discussed, and brought to the ballot.

Every citizen in the U.S. has the right to propose a law. Not every politician wants them to.

In 26 states, Americans can propose laws they want to see on the ballot. Every two years, we get to vote on these Ballot Measures if they qualify. Our platform helps make this process easier by offering a space to propose, discuss, and fundraise for citizen-led ballot measures, putting solutions in the hands of the people instead of relying on unpredictable politicians.

Every citizen has the power to influence policy, and today, with AI tools and access to vast amounts of information, shaping policy has never been more accessible. 

We envision a future where government is more responsive to the priorities of our citizens. Through collective support and active promotion of our own ballot measures, we can create the change we seek, from local community needs to broader policy goals.

The Fifth Estate is our platform to unite knowledge and resources, giving citizens the power to advance homegrown initiatives at the state level. By focusing on ballot measures, we can create impactful and targeted policy solutions.

Our Mission

The American Fifth Estate is a member-driven organization built to put lawmaking tools directly in the hands of everyday people. We help Americans research, write, fund, and pass state-level ballot measures, turning frustration into action, and ideas into enforceable laws.

We don’t just talk about change. We structure it, build it, and deliver it.

What We Do

• Proposal Support:  We help members develop, refine, and document citizen-driven law proposals that meet legal standards for ballot qualification.

• Research Access:  We provide open-source research guides and peer-reviewed evidence so that every proposal is informed and verifiable.

• Campaign Infrastructure:  We offer pathways for collective fundraising, public voting prioritization, media amplification, and campaign field operations.

• Legal and Policy Expertise:  Our teams work alongside members to ensure proposals are practical, defensible, and ready for implementation.

Membership: Your Rights and Role

Becoming a member of the Fifth Estate means you’re not just supporting ideas, you are driving decisions.

As a member, you have:

• Proposal Rights:  Every member can submit ballot initiative ideas for public review and discussion.

• Voting Rights:  Members vote to prioritize which proposals move forward to fundraising, drafting, and ballot qualification as Ballot Projects.

• Funding Direction:  You choose which projects your contributions support, ensuring your dollars go exactly where you intend.

• Project Oversight:  Vote on who manages the projects you fund and help shape how they operate.

• Full Transparency Access:  All budgets, allocations, and campaign reports are accessible to members. No hidden costs, no backroom deals.

⠀ 

Membership starts at $6 per month per project, empowering you to fund the causes you believe in without gatekeepers.

Our Vision

We imagine a future where communities lead policy, not politicians.

Here, voters are not limited to picking candidates every two or four years.  Instead, they propose, fund, and pass the laws they want, using the rights guaranteed under their state constitutions.

This is structured, people-powered lawmaking built on local control, constitutional authority, and direct accountability.

The Fourth Estate sparks conversation.

The Fifth Estate drives change.