Nonpartisan, business-led effort aims to increase voter participation.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Feb. 19, 2020) — A coalition of U.S. companies representing more than 2 million workers has come together for a nonpartisan movement called Time to Vote. The goal is to increase voter participation in the Nov. 3, 2020 general election.
There is no shortage of hurdles to voting, but no one should have to choose between earning a paycheck and casting a ballot. Time to Vote companies have an important role in supporting their employees’ ability to make sure they are registered to vote and have time to study their ballots and perform their civic duty.
By joining Time to Vote, CEOs and business owners commit to making accommodations for workers that help enable them to vote, such as paid time off on Election Day, making Election Day a day without meetings or providing resources for mail-in ballots and early voting. Time to Vote is nonpartisan and there is no cost for companies to join.
To date, 383 companies employing workers in every state in the country have signed up for Time to Vote. Time to Vote members include Best Buy, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Farmers Insurance, Gap Inc., Glossier Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kaiser Permanente, Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, PayPal, Patagonia, REI Co-op, Target, VF Corporation, Walmart, Warby Parker and hundreds more.
“When the business community comes together to take a stand on issues that affect all Americans, it sends a powerful message,” said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, a leading nonpartisan voice on voting rights and elections. “Ultimately, a culture shift will meaningfully boost voter participation, and business leaders can help drive that shift.”
The Time to Vote movement began ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, when 411 companies representing all 50 states and a variety of industries joined. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 53% of eligible voters cast ballots. This was the highest turnout for a U.S. midterm in four decades. But 53% is not enough.
This year, the Time to Vote movement aims to more than double in size and again contribute to an increase in voter participation. Even with local election offices offering a variety of ways for citizens to vote, including mail-in ballots and early voting, time to vote and taking the time to learn what’s on the ballot can still be an issue for many American workers.
Businesses interested in joining Time to Vote can visit maketimetovote.org.
To see the list of Time to Vote companies, click here.