On April 19, 2021, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert sent the following letter to U.S. Senators in all states where Patagonia has retail stores or operations.
On behalf of Patagonia, a company with employees in your state and that cares deeply about our country and the health of our democracy, I urge you to swiftly pass the For the People Act (H.R. 1) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA).
These bills would implement commonsense practices to make our democracy more open, fair and inclusive.
The For the People Act would expand automatic voter registration, expand same-day and online voter registration for federal elections, require two weeks of early voting for federal elections, and ban partisan gerrymandering and discriminatory voter purges that affect our employees.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would complement H.R. 1 and restore necessary safeguards by updating the coverage formula of the Voting Rights Act to prevent voting discrimination, as well as establish a more transparent and accountable system for states to report election law changes. More importantly, VRAA would ensure voters have equal and unfettered access to the democratic process.
Currently, Patagonia closes its US stores, offices and warehouses on federal election days, gives employees a paid day off to vote and provides employees up to five days of paid time off to serve as poll workers. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act would be particularly helpful to a company like ours because we have employees in states throughout the country, and these bills would standardize procedures nationwide and help us more efficiently communicate with our workforce about their rights to vote.
The right to vote is fundamental to who we are as a people and as a nation. Last year, nearly two-thirds of eligible voters cast a ballot in the 2020 general election. As part of a nationwide effort, two thousand CEOs came together in a business-led nonpartisan initiative called Time To Vote. Regardless of party affiliation, collectively we sent a clear message to our employees that voting was important, and we were making time for them to participate and exercise their right to vote. We were proud of that decision and stood united behind ensuring every eligible American had an equitable means of having their voice heard by casting a ballot.
We are deeply concerned, however, that state lawmakers are not committed to preserving the right to vote. Republican and Democratic state and local election officials from every state confirmed there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election. In fact, in every county across the country, there were safe, secure and fair elections. And yet, in 47 state houses across the country, more than 360 bills have been introduced that would weaken our democracy and make it more difficult for Americans to vote.
I applaud the House for confronting these challenges and supporting our democracy by passing the VRAA and H.R. 1, and I urge the Senate to follow suit. The late Representative John Lewis wrote, “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
I urge you to carry on the legacy of Representative Lewis and support the passage of these bills.
Sincerely,
Ryan Gellert
CEO, Patagonia
cc:
Senate Leader Schumer, New York
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
Senator Dianne Feinstein, California
Senator Alex Padilla, California
Senator Michael Bennet, Colorado
Senator John Hickenlooper, Colorado
Senator Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
Senator Christopher Murphy, Connecticut
Senator Jon Ossoff, Georgia
Senator Raphael Warnock, Georgia
Senator Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
Senator Brian Schatz, Hawaii
Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
Senator Richard Durbin, Illinois
Senator Susan Collins, Maine
Senator Angus King, Maine
Senator Edward Markey, Massachusetts
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts
Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
Senator Tina Smith, Minnesota
Senator Steve Daines, Montana
Senator Jon Tester, Montana
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada
Senator Jacky Rosen, Nevada
Senator Jeff Merkley, Oregon
Senator Ron Wyden
Senator Robert Casey Jr, Pennsylvania
Senator Patrick Toomey, Pennsylvania
Senator Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
Senator Bill Hagerty, Tennessee
Senator John Cornyn, Texas
Senator Ted Cruz, Texas
Senator Mike Lee, Utah
Senator Mitt Romney, Utah
Senator Tim Kaine, Virginia
Senator Mark Warner, Virginia
Senator Maria Cantwell, Washington
Senator Patty Murray, Washington