These US companies want to boost voter turnout, give employees time to vote
With the 2018 midterm elections less than a month away, dozens of major U.S. companies are backing a nonpartisan effort to boost voter turnout.
Companies participating in the initiative, dubbed “Time to Vote,” have committed to taking steps to make it easier for their employees to show up at the polls. Proposed measures include a meeting-free day during the elections, paid time off for employees interested in voting and instructions for mail-in ballots, according to the initiative’s website.
“Voter participation has been as low as 36 percent in recent years — too often because of life and work obligations,” the initiative’s website says. “That’s why CEOs from companies across the country are coming together in a nonpartisan effort to make sure all of our employees have time to vote. Together, we hope to achieve greater participation in the upcoming elections.”
About 140 companies have committed to the “Time to Vote” movement. Some major participants include Walmart, Levi Strauss, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lyft and PayPal.
About 44 percent of U.S. companies plan to give workers time off to vote, according to a Society for Human Resources Management survey cited by Bloomberg.
Roughly 60 percent of eligible U.S. voters cast a ballot in the 2016 presidential election, according to government data. Voter turnout was roughly 36 percent in 2014, according to Time to Vote.
“People have fought and died for the right to vote in America and as business leaders we have a role to play in helping our employees participate in the democratic process,” said Levi Strauss & Co. President and CEO Chip Bergh. “This campaign isn’t about any particular party or candidate or issue – it’s about encouraging more people to vote without having to make the hard choice between going to work and going to the polls.”
A full list of companies participating in the initiative can be viewed here.