About David Moon

Welcome! I'm Delegate David Moon, Majority Leader of the Maryland House and member of the Judiciary, Rules & Joint Audit Committees.

I was born in Takoma Park and raised in Montgomery County, but my wife Melinda and I chose to settle here because of the vibrant, diverse & active community.

Outside of elected office, I work as a policy attorney & advocacy consultant for progressive organizations. But I also previously taught political science for UMBC, worked as a campaign manager for numerous Democrats and wrote an acclaimed Maryland politics blog.

Indeed, I've spent my entire career working on political and policy advocacy for social justice causes, but these labels don't tell the full story. You can read about my various public interest projects below.

My Past Advocacy & Work

* Organizational affiliations listed for identification purposes only

Maryland Juice, Founding Editor :

I previously managed a Maryland politics blog with a decidedly activist bent. We promoted the spread of inside political information to the public, with an eye toward advancing social & economic justice and much ignored civil liberties issues. In 2013, we were named one of America's top state-based political blogs by The Washington Post . In 2012, we were rated the #2 best Maryland politics blog by Baltimore Sun readers.

UMBC, Political Science Instructor (2018-2020) :

Over three semesters, I taught students at the Universities of Shady Grove (USG) about state legislative research & development using recent case studies and primary source materials from Maryland policy debates. USG brings programs from around the state (like UMBC Political Science courses) to Montgomery County, to allow our community college transfer students to finish earning four-year degrees locally.

Democracy Summer PAC, National Director (2018) :

I served as national director to help expand Rep. Jamie Raskin's organization dedicated to training the next generation of progressive campaigners. We recruited students from multiple states and taught them how to make change through political campaigns and grassroots organizing. The students went on to volunteer for multiple candidates in hotly contested Congressional districts throughout the nation.

Communities for Transit, Executive Director (2013) :

I helped launch a Montgomery County transit education organization to advance environmentally sensible transit alternatives to more highways and sprawl. Communities for Transit was an early effort to educate the public on the proposed Bus Rapit Transit (BRT) system for Montgomery County, Maryland. County officials sought to create a BRT network connecting many major corridors to provide fast, efficient, and sustainable transportation options for residents and our workforce. The first BRT line is now open on Route 29 in my District: RidetheFLASH.com

Demand Progress, Advisor, Program Director & Researcher (2011-2021) :

I serve as an advisor to a progressive, civil liberties organization co-founded by the late Internet activist Aaron Swartz & former Rhode Island Rep. David Segal. I previously produced mass mobilization campaigns and strategic advocacy plans for Demand Progress to help grow the organization from 300,000 to over 1.5 million members. We helped organize one of the largest online protests in history during the fight against SOPA/PIPA censorship legislation & co-edited a book about the effort called "Hacking Politics." Demand Progress today protects free speech & civil rights, and challenges corporate & government abuse. The organization has played a key role in organizing battles against NSA surveillance and to protect Net Neutrality. Most recently I helped Demand Progress research public-interest government personnel for the incoming Executive Branch.

CASA de Maryland, Voter Registration & GOTV Director (2012) :

In the critical 2012 Presidential election cycle, I managed a voter registration and mobilization campaign for CASA de Maryland that brought thousands of new voters into the political process in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties and mobilized thousands more Latino voters in the state. This nonpartisan voter registration effort took place with the backdrop of marriage equality and the Dream Act on the ballot in one of the state's most consequential election years.

Maryland Democratic Party, Montgomery County GOTV Director (2010) :

I served as the Montgomery County GOTV Director for the Democratic Party's Statewide Coordinated Campaign. With former GOP Governor Bob Ehrlich seeking a return to the Governor's mansion, I helped mobilize voters around the re-election of the state's Democratic ticket, including Governor Martin O'Malley and Senator Barbara Mikulski.

Purple Line NOW!, Campaign Director (2008) :

In 2008, Maryland held public hearings on a proposed light rail project called the "Purple Line," so I took on the job of campaign director at Purple Line NOW!. Facing a very mixed public conversation, we launched efforts to mobilize transit and environmental supporters to speak out about the benefits of the project. In coalition with numerous local organizations, we successfully created a groundswell of grassroots support for sustainable transportation in the wake of the divisive ICC debate.

FairVote, Chief Operating Officer (2004-2009) :

I previously served as COO of FairVote, a national electoral reform organization headquartered in Takoma Park, Maryland. During my time there, we helped grow the early seeds of reforms like Ranked Choice Voting, National Popular Vote, Automatic Voter Registration, 16-Year-Old Pre-Registration and more. My job was to help produce public education campaigns and legal briefs on issues relating to fair representation and voter disenfranchisement. I also served as a campaign consultant, project manager, and team leader for numerous reform projects and ballot initiatives to create a more representative democracy in a variety of communities.

Jamie Raskin, Campaign Manager (2005-2006) :

In his very first election for public office, I managed law professor Jamie Raskin's campaign for the Maryland State Senate. We helped build massive public visibility for his agenda and vision throughout Silver Spring and Takoma Park, resulting in a 2 to 1 victory over a three-decade incumbent.

District 18 Democratic Team & Hans Riemer for Council (2010) :

In 2010, I managed the re-election efforts of the District 18 Democrats' state legislative team. My efforts centered around defending one of the most diverse delegations in Maryland, including the only openly-gay State Senator Rich Madaleno, Montgomery County's only African American Delegate Al Carr, the county's only Latina Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez, and one of the county's youngest lawmakers Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher. That cycle I also split my time helping Hans Riemer win his first race for Montgomery County Council, after he successfully led youth outreach for Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Councilmember Nancy Navarro, Chief of Staff & Aide (2009-2010) :

I worked back-to-back special elections, two years in a row to try and help Board of Education member Nancy Navarro get elected to the County Council. Both races were low-turnout squeakers, with the second (victorious) race heading into absentee canvasses before it could be called. Afterwards I served as interim Chief of Staff to help setup Navarro's County Council office. I was pleased to work with her on building a progressive policy agenda that included passing a bill granting county contractors same-sex partner benefits a full three years ahead of the passage of marriage equality.

I attended college at Tufts University and law school at American University. During this time, I interned at and volunteered for organizations ranging from the ACLU and Midatlantic Innocence Project , to the National Organization for Women Legal Defense & Education Fund and Students Against the Death Penalty .