Time to Vote is reigniting its 2018 efforts, building on its past results and working to engage even more employers in the lead-up to the all-too-critical 2020 election — and it’s looking for more businesses to join the cause.
As wunderkind climate activist Greta Thunberg prepared to sail back to
Europe in November, after a months-long,
action-packed
visit to the US, her parting words to us could be summed up in one word:
“Vote.”
“Even if the politics needed doesn’t exist today, we still need to use our
voices to make sure that the people in power are focused on the right things,”
she
said.
“Because this is a democracy; and in a democracy, people are the ones who run
the country. I know it doesn’t seem that way, but if enough people were to
decide they have had enough, then that could change everything. So, don’t
underestimate that power.”
Voter turnout in the US has been low for decades; the need for more and better
engagement of the electorate was never more obvious as after the intensely
polarizing 2016 presidential election, in which a mere 55 percent participated.
Powerful, purposeful media messaging made a big difference in voter
turnout
in the recent European elections; so, what will engage US voters?
Having time off work is one thing that could help: Unlike in many other
countries, where voting is mandatory — and elections take place on Sundays, for
example, so as not to conflict with traditional work schedules — one of the most
common reasons people give for not voting in the US is that they’re too busy
with the demands of work and life. To address this barrier and increase voter
participation, a diverse group of companies, spearheaded by Patagonia,
came
together
in the summer of 2018 to launch the non-partisan Time to
Vote (TTV) coalition — committing to ensure
that their employees’ work schedules allowed them time to vote in that year's
midterm elections.
Corporate political responsibility: Lessons learned in 2024 and support for 2025 and beyond
Since 2021, the SB community has explored what it means for companies to use their political influence responsibly in an increasingly polarized world. What have we learned? Join us for an interactive "community café" to dive into this — as well as the Erb Institute's new CPR Decision Tool & Executive Conversation Guide and related case studies — Monday, Oct. 14, at SB'24 San Diego.
And it seemed to have helped: More than half of US eligible voters cast a ballot
in the November 2018 midterms — which represents the highest turnout
rate
for a midterm election in four decades, according to the Pew Research
Center.
This year, Time to Vote has reignited its efforts, building on its past results
and working to engage even more employers in the lead-up to the all-too-critical
2020 election — and it’s looking for more businesses to join the cause.
Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario says:
“Our democracy simply works better when people go vote. Demonstrating your
company’s commitment to voting reinforces the idea that American businesses can
protect our democracy. I have been heartened to see business leaders from every
corner of the country and across a range of industries prioritizing the health
of our democracy, and I look forward to seeing this movement grow.”
The coalition — which is now 350+ companies strong and counting — says its aim
is to increase voter participation by enlisting CEOs who inspire and empower a
culture of voting, by ensuring their employees have a work schedule that allows
them to vote; its goal for 2020 is to grow participation to include more than
1,000 companies.
"Voting is the bedrock of a healthy democracy and a critical form of civic
participation,” Mike Masserman, Head of Social Impact at TTV member
Lyft, told Sustainable Brands. “It's exciting to see so many companies
who are committed to ensuring their employees can take the time they need to
vote on or before Election Day, and Lyft is proud to be part of this growing
movement."
As Sarah Bonk, founder of Business for America, which is recruiting
additional companies to join the coalition, told Sustainable Brands: “More and
more, purpose-driven companies are recognizing that that they cannot achieve
their ESG goals when our democracy is not functioning well or delivering
solutions to voters. As a result, businesses are looking for nonpartisan ways to
support the health of democracy while staying away from left-right politics.
“Encouraging their employees and communities to participate more fully in our
elections by joining Time to Vote is a simple way any company can support the
health of our democracy.”
When asked why some companies may be reluctant to participate, Bonk explained:
“Some companies are afraid of appearing partisan, both to the public and to
lawmakers who could retaliate. Although Time to Vote was started by Patagonia —
a company at the vanguard of corporate political
activism
— the effort was joined by Walmart in 2018, helping to demonstrate that
voter participation never needs to be a partisan issue.
“As more companies join Time to Vote, participation is quickly going to become
an expectation," Bonk asserts. "There will soon be a risk in not
participating
and not proactively supporting your employees’ civic engagement.”
Published Jan 27, 2020 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET
Sustainable Brands Staff
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