In addition to its toll on public health and our economy, the COVID-19 pandemic also threatens to disenfranchise voters and cause widespread chaos on Election Day. Most states’ election systems will be strained beyond capacity due to:
- Massive increases in absentee voters combined with high voter turnout
- Shortage of poll workers, polling facilities, and PPE due to health concerns
- Insufficient resources for mail-in ballot processing and safe in-person polls
- Misinformation about the reliability of voting by mail
What if these shortfalls are not addressed? Can we afford the national turmoil of an election where voters and public officials don’t trust the results?
Let’s not find out.
The business community can make a difference by contributing personnel, facilities, and resources to ensure the 2020 election is safe, secure, and accessible to all.
Visit operationvotesafe.org »
Are you interested in getting your business involved? Fill out our interest form and we'll be in touch.
Business for America (BFA), as part of the nonpartisan VoteSafe coalition, is mobilizing a national network of civic-minded businesses to assist election administrators and nonpartisan GOTV organizations in their communities and across the country. Businesses will be invited to support elections by providing:
- Employee volunteers. Poll workers, poll observers, and ballot counting operations.
- Equipment and supplies. Safety supplies like PPE and hand sanitizer, equipment like envelope stuffers and ballot drop boxes, and office supplies like pens.
- Facilities and logistics. Polling places in empty offices or warehouses, fleet vehicles for ballot pickup, ballot dropboxes on company property.
- Communications. Voter guides, social media content, public service announcements.
Thanks to our partners, we made an impact in 24 states and the District of Columbia: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
What are companies doing?
Companies offered direct assistance to state and local election officials:
- Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises donated 20 ballot drop boxes in Georgia
- Coca-Cola provided beverages in a number of states and created an ad campaign to encourage early voting
- Andersen Windows & Doors contributed more than 30,000 face shields in six states
- REI, the 18+ million outdoor recreation member co-op, supported a platform that connects PPE providers to those who need PPE for poll workers and voters
- Seventh Generation, a sustainable household cleaning products company, provided hand sanitizer to support voting among Native Americans residing on tribal lands in multiple states
- Patagonia donated thousands of face masks
- Healthy home cleaning products company ECOS sent disinfecting spray to election officials
- Clif Bar provided snacks for poll workers
- Sportswear company New Balance sent 24,000 face masks to four states
- Organic bedding company Avocado Green Mattress donated 15,000 masks to California
- And more!
Other companies are helping to get out the vote and supporting poll workers in their communities.
- Coca Cola enlisted employees in Georgia and other states to support GOTV efforts
- Eyewear company Warby Parker helped get out the vote in a number of African-American communities in the South
- Sweetgreen offered lunches for poll workers as part of their Bowls to the Polls campaign
- Personal transportation company Lime will provide free access to their scooters in multiple states on Election Day
- Mobility Works, specializing in handicapped accessible vans, will make 200 vans available on Election Day for $1.00 to people wishing to transport wheelchair bound people to the polls
- Global consulting firm Kearney developed the Operation Vote Safe Action Map to help publicize and fulfill election officials’ needs
Operation Vote Safe is active in the states highlighted, either through working directly with state and local election officials or partnering with nonprofit, nonpartisan GOTV organizations.
