FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. COMPANIES LAUNCH NEW “TIME TO VOTE” CAMPAIGN
Nonpartisan, business-led effort aims to increase voter participation on Election Day
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (September 24, 2018) – Companies across the United States are supporting the Time to Vote campaign, a nonpartisan effort led by CEOs, aimed at increasing voter participation. Collectively, CEOs from across the country and from a variety of industries are concerned about voter participation and have committed to encouraging their employees to vote in the upcoming elections.
The U.S. has one of the lowest voter participation rates in the developed world, recently as low as 36 percent, and one of the most common reasons that people give for not voting is that they are too busy, or have work and life demands that prevent them from voting. To change this paradigm, a diverse coalition of companies including Kaiser Permanente, Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia, PayPal, Tyson Foods and Walmart are coming together, starting with the November elections, to increase voter turnout.
The Time to Vote campaign also aims to increase awareness about the steps employers can take to allow time for their employees to vote. The companies joining this campaign are committed to increasing voter participation through programs such as paid time off, a day without meetings and resources for mail-in ballots and early voting. And all of them care about their workforces and supporting democracy.
If your company is interested in joining the Time to Vote campaign, visit MakeTimeToVote.org.
Contacts
Amber McCasland: AMcCasland@levi.com
Corley Kenna: Corley.Kenna@patagonia.com
As of distribution of this press release, approximately 140 companies are part of this coalition. Please find press contacts and quotes for some of them below. For a complete list of participating companies, please visit MakeTimeToVote.org.
Quotes and Other Contacts
“Our democracy needs strong participation to stay vibrant and healthy,” said Eric Dayton, CEO of Askov Finlayson. “At a time when fewer people are voting than ever, businesses have a vital role to play by empowering our employees to exercise their fundamental right to vote in the upcoming election.”
Press Contact: press@askovfinlayson.com
“Beautycounter is proud to give our teams the day off to participate in democracy and head to the polls,” said Gregg Renfrew, Founder & CEO, Beautycounter. “Business leaders can play an important role in making it easy for American workers to vote for elected officials that best represent their values. The time is now for us to engage in the democratic process in a meaningful way. As a company dedicated to non-partisan advocacy, we couldn’t find a better way to support our mission than to join the Time to Vote initiative.”
Press Contact: Meaghan Curcio, meaghan.curcio@beautycounter.com
“At Deckers, we believe in doing business in a way that keeps us engaged and makes a positive impact on the world around us,” said Dave Powers, CEO of Deckers Brands. “But that isn’t just a business philosophy – it’s something that extends to each and every employee. We encourage everyone at Deckers to make their voices heard and positively impact our community and environment.”
Press Contact: Michelle Apodaca, mapodaca@deckers.com
“DICK’S Sporting Goods is proud to join the Time to Vote campaign,” said Ed Stack, Chairman & CEO, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We are happy to provide flexibility for our teammates to make voting easier and more convenient. We encourage everyone at DICK’S to take the time to register and visit the polls.”
Press Contact: Jennifer Moreau, press@dcsg.com
“I believe that each of us can be a catalyst for change,” said Eileen Fisher, Founder and President of EILEEN FISHER, Inc. “When we exercise our right to vote, we can have a profound impact. As the founder of a values-based company, I want to encourage every employee - across our entire organization – to exercise their right to create change. Any opportunity that allows us to make a difference in our communities is of vital importance.”
Press Contact: Marie Larson, mlarson@eileenfisher.com
“We have long believed that employers should make it possible for their employees to vote,” said Charlie and Carolyn Kimbell, Owners of Elevation Clothing. “It is a civic duty of the voter and a corporate responsibility of the employer.”
Press Contact: charlie@elevationclothing.com
“Too many prospective voters face legitimate hurdles in exercising the most necessary and fundamental right of voting,” said Ian Golden, CEO of Finger Lakes Running. “Paired with an apathy, or cynicism as to the impact that one vote can have, we have one of the lowest voter turnout rates among comparable and developed nations. We're long overdue for a greater number of voters to exercise their right to make their voices heard, for politicians to empower and not disenfranchise prospective voters, and for we as employers to do our parts in making that happen. I'm thankful to be a part of this necessary endeavor.”
Press Contact: iangolden@gmail.com
“I know from firsthand jousting with so many of my colleagues that our people are truly passionate about politics – on both sides of the aisle,” said John Saunders, president and CEO FleishmanHillard. “However, during a full-out, typically hectic PR consultancy day it can be too easy to neglect to vote. So we are saying: Stop. Time out. Go vote - it’s too important not to.”
Press Contact: Chelsey Watts, chelsey.watts@fleishman.com
“Voting is crucial to participating in the future of our country and helping to enact change, whether it’s to protect our planet or our own healthy lifestyles,” says Kara Goldin, Founder and CEO of hint, Inc. “This November, it’s important to have your voice heard, please vote wherever you are, it matters.”
Press Contact: Anne Breza, anne@drinkhint.com
“To create healthier communities, we must build more engaged communities — and this includes encouraging as many Americans as possible to exercise their right to vote,” said Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson. “Voting is a privilege of living in America, and we are proud to join other major employers to ensure our position on exercising your right to vote is encouraged and supported.”
Press Contact: John Nelson, john.e.nelson@kp.org
“As a proud immigrant and son of a Holocaust survivor, I deeply value our vibrant democracy, which cannot be taken for granted and requires our active participation,” said Daniel Lubetzky, Founder & CEO of KIND Healthy Snacks. “KIND is proud to join other businesses in the Time to Vote campaign, as exercising our right to vote is one important way to build stronger communities.”
Press Contact: Dana Rosenberg, drosenberg@kindsnacks.com
“The purest expression of any person's freedom occurs in the voting booth - it is our collective moral duty as CEOs to accommodate every citizen in pursuing that privilege,” said Todd Carmichael, CEO of La Colombe.
Press Contact: Kathryn O’Connor, kathryn.oconnor@lacolombe.net
"Lyft takes our civic responsibility seriously, which is why we are providing free and discounted rides to the polls on election day,” said John Zimmer, Co-Founder and President of Lyft. “Last election, it is estimated that 15 million registered citizens did not vote because of transportation issues. We're thrilled to be a part of the Time to Vote movement, to help community members exercise their rights through initiatives like in-office voter registration, and voter education on early voting and vote by mail."
Press Contact: Kate Margolis, press@lyft.com
“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.”
Press Contact: Amber McCasland, AMcCasland@levi.com
“Every election is an important one, and democracy dies without engagement,” said New Belgium Brewing CEO, Steve Fechheimer. “As business leaders, we aspire to foster engagement within our workplaces, and we have the power to enable engagement in our democracy as well. We raise our glasses to the organizations that have joined the campaign and to all those considering taking action.”
Press Contact: Jesse Claeys, jclaeys@newbelgium.com
"Our democracy simply works better when people go vote," said Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario. "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."
Press Contact: Corley Kenna, corley.kenna@patagonia.com
“It is not fair, it is lazy, it is undemocratic and cowardly to sit on the sidelines and complain and whine about the sorry state of affairs our politics are in and the attacks on our environment and our deficits and our wars and dysfunctional politicians and NOT VOTE!” said Vinny McClelland, CEO of The Mountaineer.
Press Contact: vinny@mountaineer.com
“It’s powerful to see companies coming together in support of voter participation,” said Arne Arens, The North Face Brand president. “We feel responsible for creating opportunities for our people to vote, and we encourage them to actively engage in civic life. We’re proud to be a part of Time to Vote, and continue to advocate for all Americans to make their voice heard.”
Press Contact: Eric Raymond, eric_raymond@vfc.com
"No matter your core beliefs, voting this midterm will have major implications in our communities, with our environment, and to the landscape of outdoor recreation areas,” said Bryan Wolf, owner of Roads Rivers and Trails. “So for those of you on the fence about voting, we want to be the positive voice that tells you, your vote matters!"
Press Contact: Bryan Wolf, rrt@roadsriversandtrails.com
"At sweetgreen, we know that when we act together, we can make a change and it takes only one small change influence the world,” said sweetgreen Co-Founder and CEO Jonathan Neman. “That's why we're proud to be a part of the Time to Vote campaign and encourage each and every person at sweetgreen, and across the country, to make their voice heard and to vote."
Press Contact: Maude Michel, maude.michel@sweetgreen.com
“The opportunity to vote is one of our most powerful forms of expression, and a necessary part of a thriving democracy,” said Patrick Spence, CEO Sonos. “As employers, it is our duty to society to empower those who work for us to use their voices at the polls. Sonos is proud to be part of this important initiative.”
Press Contact: Laura Morarity, pr@sonos.com
Additional Press Contacts
First Lite: Ryan Callaghan, ryan@firstlite.com
VF Corporation: Scott Deitz, Scott_deitz@vfc.com