Election Day 2020 is only 50 days away and I believe that CEOs play an important role in filling the leadership void that our government has created. Your employees are worried about healthcare, eduction, immigration, workplace safety, fair wages/equality, and the handling of the pandemic. All of these are on the ballot and we have an opportunity to take a stand.
This should be a call to action for us all... an opportunity to make change. Here are some specific actions that you can take to personally make a difference and I hope that we all can collectively make a difference personally and within our companies.
Most importantly (and do this now!): make sure you are registered to vote, have a plan to get your ballot, and know how to submit it securely. Start here to find out if you are registered to vote, request a ballot or find your voting location: https://www.whenweallvote.org/
Make a plan for how you will get your vote counted and then please make sure that everyone you know has a voting plan in place.
Beyond that, please consider some other ways in which you and your employees can have an impact:
send notes to all of your friends (particularly those in swing states) to make sure they are registered and are planning to vote
ask friends and neighbors if they need help in getting their ballots to a drop off location
reach out to churches, nursing homes, community groups, hospitals asking if they need help with voting (dropping off registration forms, bring ballots to drop off, transporting voters, etc)
volunteer to work at a polling place on Election Day (especially needed in swing states!)
give people time off to vote
send texts and emails and calls to other voters.
put signs out on your front lawn
show up to protests and community gatherings (or sending support to those who do) [wear a mask, of course!]
ask local campaigns what volunteer help they need
send pizza to campaign workers and people in voting lines
donate to important campaigns that can make a difference (even a couple dollars can have a big impact). We can help with where to donate if you need info.
Most importantly, make sure you and everyone you know VOTES and does so early enough so it counts. THIS IS THE ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME.
If you need more help or information, don’t hesitate to ask. Thank you in advance for helping to make a difference.