Newsweek: Old Navy Will Pay Employees To Work At The Polls, Joining Corporate America In Encouraging Workers to Vote
Sylvia Albert, the director of voting and elections at Common Cause, a watchdog group, said the main issue big companies need to tackle is not getting their employees to vote but to work the polls.
"The reality is that the government has been unable to really secure poll workers on a national scale," Albert said.
"People just don't think about it. They go to vote and there's the same person there that was there the last time they went to vote. But when you tell people, you being there can actually ensure that people in your community are able to vote a ballot that counts, that's an amazing gift," she added.
While there has been an increasing push to make Election Day a national holiday, Albert points out that it is not the end-all-be-all for a democracy. While it may be one step towards ending vote suppression, hourly workers would still need to clock in on holidays.
It will take a collective effort from citizens, companies and the government to encourage voters to shape the country's future and Albert thinks that companies are a crucial player.
"Corporate America has a gigantic stage and a lot of power. They could have a really positive effect if they step up," she said.