Use Your Voice During Elections: Tips for Employees and Organizations

Previously in this series centered around voting as a way to engage in your community, we covered how employers can support their employees to vote, as well as to listen and learn about the candidates and issues during election season. 

As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, we’re diving into ways that you can use your corporation’s voice during elections, as well as encourage employees to use their voices, throughout the election season.

According to Points of Light’s research on the state of Civic Engagement in the United States, 40% of respondents said they posted or shared content on a social media platform, making their voices heard. There’s no doubt that your employees will likely be posting their individual opinions on the issues and candidates this year.

But as companies are often limited in what they can publicly support, what are some other ways – outside of social media – that you can make your corporate voice heard, and encourage your workforce to make theirs heard, too?

Appoint Democracy Champions

One way to ensure that messaging is consistent across the organization is to appoint a “democracy champion” – or a task force of multiple team members, depending on the size of your organization – to spread the word about the upcoming election.  Provide them with tools and goals and connect them to your Government Affairs team for training and counsel. 

Not only will this model provide a leadership development opportunity, it will help you plan for local and state elections, and stay abreast of legislative proposals that might impact the communities in which your company operates. Make sure these champions understand this is a nonpartisan role meant to lift up the power of the vote, educate and inform fellow colleagues. Be consistent with messaging, and be clear on when these champions can make commitments on behalf of the company.

Voice Perspectives on Crucial Legislation

Encourage employees to engage individually in civic action by voicing perspectives on hot topics, especially legislation that could impact your workforce. Not only can you use your corporate voice to thoughtfully voice the company stance on these issues, but you can encourage your employees to contact their representatives to advocate for the causes they care about.

“Gen Z and millennial workers are looking for more than just a paycheck – they want to work for an employer that provides ways for them to use their voice and strengthen communities through the democratic process. ”

– Katy Elder, vice president, Business Innovation, Points of Light

Partner With Voter Advocacy Organizations

One of the most powerful ways for your employees to use their voices, especially if you’re being mindful of maintaining a nonpartisan stance at your company, is to advocate for election turnout. Partner with voter advocacy organizations like Vote Forward to write letters or make phone calls to registered voters. Vote Forward has seen over 245,000 volunteers write 27.4 million letters since 2018, educating people on how to show up to the polls on Election Day, how to vote by mail and where to check their voter registration status.

A great place to start learning about the power of voice is in our Civic Life Today issue on Voice. This digital magazine shares first-hand accounts from contributors who are using their own voices to change conversations, and provides tools and resources for you to learn more and take action.

Don’t miss our first two posts in this four-part series that cover ways to activate around voting and listening and learning. Our fourth and final piece covers how you can encourage employees to volunteer this election season, from helping with transportation in the community to staffing the polls.