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Home / Washington Business - July/August 2004 / 2004 ELECTION LINKS: Business Community Needs to Get-Out-The-Vote |
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2004 ELECTION LINKS: Business Community Needs to Get-Out-The-Vote |
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Written On: July/August 2004 |
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Written By: Alexis Nepomuceno |
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More than ever, private employers throughout Washington state need to band together and vote in the November 2004 elections. Issues directly affecting job providers, such as regulatory reform, workers’ compensation and taxes are determined by the people elected each year.
AWB has increased its political involvement in legislative races, but it is up to each individual business to be proactive and get employees, family and friends to the polls. Here is an overview of some key steps each organization can take to make a cumulative impact in 2004.
Educate Employees
It is vital for business owners and managers to encourage employees to make a difference by registering to vote and then vote on November 2. In a 2000 pre-election poll by the US Chamber of Commerce, nearly 80 percent of voters said that they wished to hear more from their employers about the issues and the candidates. This is a great opportunity for the business community to educate employees, vendors and other relationships. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean telling employees how to vote, rather, educating them on how candidates stand on issues that can affect the well-being of the company.
Employees must understand that your business’ bottom line directly affects their bottom lines. A poor business climate means less job security, lower wages and higher costs for everyone.
AWB has put together a helpful Voters Guide to help educate members about elections and issues. Go to www.votejobs.org.
Voter Registration
Becoming well-informed is important, but becoming registered to vote is vital. According to the US Census Bureau, 60 percent of the citizen population voted in 2000, while 70 percent of the total citizen population was registered. Just imagine how much of an impact 10 percent more voters could have made to the outcome. There are numerous ways to register:
1) Online — Potential voters can request a voter registration form to be sent to their homes. The Washington Secretary of State has an online form that can be utilized: www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/register_mail.aspx
2) County Auditors — If preferred, people can go to their County Auditor’s elections department to register in person. For a list of County Auditor’s offices, go to:
www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/auditors.aspx
3) Organize a voter registration drive — Work with local community and political groups who may want to conduct a registration drive at your site.
4) Driver’s License — The state passed a “motor voter” law in 1990, so when Washington residents renew or apply for driver’s licenses they can register as well.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also put together a Web site that allows users to register to vote, request absentee ballots, and provide information regarding policy decisions on individuals for upcoming federal elections. The site makes it easy to select a candidate best suited to represent you and the business community. Go to www.voteforbusiness.com.
Getting Out To Vote!
Getting employees and associates out to vote is the last and most important piece to this grassroots effort. Job providers can significantly increase the chances of their people voting if the employer provides easy access to the polls. Here are some ideas:
1) Provide employees with paid time off to vote.
2) If feasible, organize carpools or arrange commuting options to take employees to the polls. This effort must be co-sponsored with and conducted by a non-partisan, tax exempt organization, such as the local chambers of commerce.
3) Place posters reminding personnel about key election dates, and even make the November 2 election day an event of sorts. This emphasizes the importance of the day and will help encourage people to go out and vote.
4) Prominently place specially-marked mail boxes reminding people to mail their absentee ballots.
5) Absentee reminders. Registered voters can request an absentee ballot as early as 90 days before an election. This request must be made to the County Auditor, not the Secretary of State.
For more helpful tips on organizing a Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) effort, check out:
www.localvictory.com/Articles/get_out_the_vote.html
www.localvictory.com/Articles/get_out_vote_two.html
Key Dates to Remember
August 14
Primary Voter Registration Deadline
September 14
Primary Election
October 2
General Election Voter Registration Deadline
November 2
General Election
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