I was 14 when the Democratic convention in my hometown of Chicago erupted into violence. It was a tough year. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, and kids not much older than me were passionately protesting the Vietnam War. The son of a veteran, I was frustrated that I was too young to participate; yet this debate impacted my life and my country. Would I be sent to war? Would my friends?
I remember feeling proud as I cast my first vote in Chicago in the 1972 presidential election – President Richard Nixon versus Senator George McGovern. Finally, I could participate. There was so much at stake. There still is.
Unfortunately, nearly half of Americans opted out of voting in the 2012 presidential election, according to a recent Pew Research Center report.
When we asked our Edelman U.S. employees what keeps them from getting to the polls, most cited time as the No. 1 barrier. Even with flexible time off to vote, it’s still difficult for our people to juggle work, polls, childcare and other responsibilities.
Russell Dubner, president and CEO of Edelman U.S., and his U.S. Executive team decided there was an obvious fix for that: delay opening all of our 14 U.S. offices until 11:30am on Election Day.
A late opening on Election Day guarantees our teams ample time to vote during work hours and before their work day starts. In the weeks leading up to the election, Edelman will also facilitate voter registration events at our offices with a little friendly cross-office competition for some added fun.
The message to our teams is clear: On Election Day, voting is the first job of the day. As an independent firm, we are fortunate that we can make these decisions for our people, and I’m proud that Edelman will join Starbucks*, WeWork*, Casper, Tory Burch and The Skimm who have all announced efforts to make it easier for their employees to get out and vote.
We hope other companies will do the same and join the #TimeOffToVote movement.
We know that voter registration is only part of the battle. In 2014, the U.S. Census found that 28 percent of registered voters who didn’t make it to the polls said they were too busy or had conflicting work schedules.
Millennials, which comprise 69 percent of Edelman’s U.S. workforce, are increasingly more reliable voters – with nearly half voting in 2012, compared to just 40 percent in years past. While voting among millennials is on the rise, it is not enough to ensure this next generation gets to shape its own future.
The recent Brexit vote should serve as a warning. 75 percent of British voters aged 18 to 24 voted to remain, but high turnout among older voters overshadowed the youth vote. The British millennials, only 36 percent of whom turned out to vote, are now wishing for a do over.
We can’t, nor should we try, to influence who our employees vote for, but facilitating their involvement in civic action is better for business, better for our people and better for our government institutions.
That’s why voting will be the first job of the day for Edelman’s 3,000 U.S. employees on November 8.
Join us.
Richard Edelman is president and CEO.
*Edelman client