Participating in elections is one of the key freedoms of American life. Without civic engagement, the fabric of our democracy unravels and with it, what it means to be American. As we approach the 2020 election, it has become increasingly clear that corporations have a distinct responsibility to promote civic engagement.
Voting is integral to the success of democracy – yet in countries like the US, voting has dwindled to worrisome levels. In the last few years alone, trust in American democratic institutions has dropped exponentially, with only half of Americans viewing American democracy positively. Solving these issues won’t be easy: it will take the concentrated efforts of government actors, civil society, and the private sector to address these issues and increase voter engagement.
Businesses have a unique opportunity to play a bigger role in supporting a movement to renew and encourage civic participation in our political processes. Many of the private sector’s most powerful tools for solving these problems go beyond CSR portfolios to each company’s unique expertise in driving influence. Given that this election will shape the future of the nation, it is the responsibility of all industries to lend their core competencies to promote civic engagement, nationwide.
For these reasons, Handshake is proud to have joined the Civic Alliance. The Civic Alliance is a nonpartisan business coalition that strengthens our democracy by supporting safe, trusted, and accessible elections and inspires every American to participate in shaping our country’s future.
In addition to joining the Civic Alliance, here are some other great resources to help your company amplify voting:
- Vote Early Action Tips: A simple resource to help you effectively promote voting early — what it is and how to do it — to your employees and customers.
- Civic Alliance Quick Start Guide: A simple guide to help you navigate which messages to promote when, with tips to efficiently stand up a strong voter engagement campaign.
- The Healthy Voting Guide website helps voters in every state learn how to participate in healthy, secure, and safe ways this year, with advice from leading public health experts.
Each company today has unique values, yet we are united by shared beliefs when it comes to the preservation of our democracy. As business leaders, we are committed to strengthening our democracy by encouraging nonpartisan voter participation and access.
An active democracy is good for business and an engaged business community is good for democracy.
It is time to take decisive action to empower voters, build trust in our elections, and support our communities. These actions aren’t partisan or political. They’re patriotic.