Get Out the Vote for Companies: How to Get Started and Best Practices
Invariant hosted its 13th Dialogue for Change: “Get Out the Vote for Companies: How to Get Started and Best Practices,” which focuses on how companies can support nonpartisan civic engagement for employees, customers, and communities.
Invariant’s Rebecca Christopher moderated the conversation with expert panelists Sylvia Albert, Director of Voting and Elections at Common Cause; Carolyn DeWitt, President and Executive Director of Rock the Vote; Alex Niemczewski, CEO of BallotReady; and Kenny Thompson Jr., Vice President of External Affairs at PepsiCo.
Watch the conversation here:
Here are the four key takeaways:
1. All eyes are on companies. Increasingly, consumers want to support brands standing up for what they believe in, and it is easier than ever to find out companies’ employee policies, investments, and initiatives. Younger consumers are especially interested in brands’ values, how they are expressed, and the ways social issues are addressed.
2. Voter education is a best practice. While registering voters is essential, creating a climate where people want to register is arguably more important. Easy first steps companies can take to increase voter turnout include educating voters about why voting is important, when to register or change their registration, and who is eligible to vote. Voter education can focus on issues key to a brand’s values and connect the dots between values and voting or could focus exclusively on the process. Giving people information about voting avoids creating a polarizing or partisan space.
3. Start simple — any time. Voter engagement programs are flexible and customizable, and no matter what your experience level, customer, or resources, there are many opportunities. Experts recommended starting with educational efforts and then gradually extending into registration and get out the vote efforts. Although the earlier your voter engagement program launches the better, there is almost no cutoff point — there is no window your company needs to worry about missing.
4. Modify existing tools. Reliable, third-party tools mean no one has to start from scratch, and these tools can be modified to suit any brand’s needs. Online tools that register or remind people to vote can seem like a risk as digital privacy becomes an increasingly urgent concern for companies that handle personal identifiable information (PII). However, third-party tools give you the option of running a robust program without retaining registrants’ information.
BallotReady, Common Cause, Rock the Vote, and Invariant can all help you start, grow, or sustain a voter engagement program.
BallotReady: partnerships@ballotready.org
Common Cause: CauseNet@commoncause.org
Rock the Vote: Chris@rockthevote.org
Invariant: Christopher@invariantgr.com
You can read Invariant’s previous Dialogue for Change recaps and recommendations here.
