Vote.org, The Nation's Leading Voter Engagement Platform, Sets Goal to Recruit 1,000 Companies to Give Paid Time Off to Vote

OAKLAND, Calif., July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vote.org, the nation's largest digital voter engagement platform,  has set a goal to recruit 1,000 companies to provide paid time off to vote for their employees through the organization's Electionday.org (EDO) pledge and platform. Twitter,  Blue Apron and Group Nine Media, owners of NowThis and Thrillist,  are among the latest companies to make the commitment to provide paid time off to vote and to share critical information about voting company-wide.

The EDO campaign asks participating companies of all sizes, to adopt or amend their paid time off policies to ensure workers who wish to vote early, vote by mail, or vote on Election Day have the time and information to do so. As of this date, Vote.org has recruited over 500 companies in its mission to remove barriers to obstacles to voting, which has taken on increasing importance as COVID-19 continues to ravage communities and voter challenges persist in primaries across the country, especially for Black and Brown people, communities of color and populations vulnerable to the disease.

"No one should have to choose between their paycheck and their right to vote. As we've seen too many times in too many states this election cycle, millions of Americans still wrestle with this trade-off," said Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey. "We're recruiting 1000 corporate entities and business leaders to become Electionday.org partners and by doing so, make a clear commitment to expanding voter participation by giving their workers paid time off to vote. This is one of the ways companies can help grow and protect our democracy."

Vote.org  has registered one million voters, helped one million voters request absentee ballots, and another two million voters check their status in the first six months of 2020. Recent primary elections showed that states are struggling to keep up with voter enthusiasm. By reaching 1,000 companies, Vote.org hopes to build on voter enthusiasm and ensure that companies honor their role in our democracy and racial justice.

Companies like Twitter, Blue Apron, ICM Partners, Group Nine Media, the owners of properties like NowThis and Thrillist, as well as Cava have joined the campaign, and plan to share voter information and tools to organize their workforce. Many of the 500+ Electionday.org companies will participate in planned Vote.org organizing days in the next month to help their workforce and customers get ready to vote this November.

The companies had this to say about their ElectionDay.org commitment:

"At Twitter we believe it's critical that everyone around the world has the ability to participate in elections - especially our own employees," said Twitter public policy director Bridget Coyne. "For years, we have encouraged our workforce to take time to vote and give back to their community through days of service. We believe that making Election Day an official, paid, company holiday globally will reinforce a community and culture of civic participation at Twitter."

 "There is no better way to fight for change in this country than to exercise your right to vote," said Group Nine Media CEO Ben Lerer. "We have made Election Day an official, paid, company holiday this year and encourage all of our employees to take the day off, vote, and to make a difference."

Ensuring that employees have the information they need in order to participate, including how to register, what voting methods are available to them, and up-to-date polling details, is proof of a company's stated commitment to removing obstacles to voting for more workers. Companies and workers interested in making the pledge should visit Electionday.org to sign up. Voters interested in COVID-19-related polling information, which helps voters navigate the electoral process safely in the midst of a pandemic, can visit Vote.org.

About Vote.org:

Vote.org is the only Black-led voter engagement organization in the digital civic space. The organization has had a banner year in 2020, registering over one million voters, assisting close to one million voters request vote-by-mail ballots, and helping more than two million voters check their voter status. With over 30 million visits to the website, nine million voter verifications, and four million vote-by-mail requests processed, Vote.org represents the largest voter engagement digital platform in the nation.

SOURCE Vote.org