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SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of U.S. companies representing more than 2 million workers has come together for a nonpartisan movement called Time to Vote. The goal is to increase voter participation in the Nov. 3, 2020 general election.

There is no shortage of hurdles to voting, but no one should have to choose between earning a paycheck and casting a ballot. Time to Vote companies have an important role in supporting their employees' ability to make sure they are registered to vote and have time to study their ballots and perform their civic duty.

By joining Time to Vote, CEOs and business owners commit to making accommodations for workers that help enable them to vote, such as paid time off on Election Day, making Election Day a day without meetings or providing resources for mail-in ballots and early voting. Time to Vote is nonpartisan and there is no cost for companies to join.

To date, 383 companies employing workers in every state in the country have signed up for Time to Vote. Time to Vote members include Best Buy, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Farmers Insurance, Gap Inc., Glossier Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kaiser Permanente, Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, PayPal, Patagonia, REI Co-op, Target, VF Corporation, Walmart, Warby Parker and hundreds more.

"When the business community comes together to take a stand on issues that affect all Americans, it sends a powerful message," said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, a leading nonpartisan voice on voting rights and elections. "Ultimately, a culture shift will meaningfully boost voter participation, and business leaders can help drive that shift."

The Time to Vote movement began ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, when 411 companies representing all 50 states and a variety of industries joined. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 53% of eligible voters cast ballots. This was the highest turnout for a U.S. midterm in four decades. But 53% is not enough.

This year, the Time to Vote movement aims to more than double in size and again contribute to an increase in voter participation. Even with local election offices offering a variety of ways for citizens to vote, including mail-in ballots and early voting, time to vote and taking the time to learn what's on the ballot can still be an issue for many American workers.

Businesses interested in joining Time to Vote can visit maketimetovote.org.

To see the list of Time to Vote companies, click here.

Press Contacts
Corley Kenna, Patagonia: corley.kenna@patagonia.com
Kelly Mason, Levi Strauss & Co.: newsmediarequests@levi.com
Tiffany Peng, PayPal: tipeng@paypal.com
Alexandra Ringe, Brennan Center for Justice: ringea@brennan.law.nyu.edu

Below is a list of quotes from Time to Vote companies.
Arabella Advisors
"Arabella Advisors is deeply committed to civic engagement and participation, and since our founding 15 years ago, we have always given our employees the time they need to vote. This is informed by our service to the philanthropic community, our commitment to social justice and our fundamental belief in every individual having their voice be heard and their vote be counted." —Sampriti Ganguli, CEO, Arabella Advisors, Washington, DC

Avocado Green Brands
"At Avocado, we know our vision—a world united by sustainability and social responsibility—can only be furthered by action. We encourage our employees and our customers to vote for the change they want to see, and we'll do whatever we can to support that goal." —Mark Abrials, cofounder and CMO, Avocado Green Brands, Hoboken, NJ

Burton Snowboards
"Burton's values of social and environmental responsibility are woven throughout our company and culture. We strive to improve our impacts on the world across the business—including employment, operations, product sourcing and community engagement. However, our impacts are limited by the regulatory environments we face. Burton provides employees with the time and tools necessary to vote for their own values in order to effect systemic solutions to issues challenging people and our planet." —Jenn Swain, global senior sustainability manager, Burton Snowboards, Burlington, VT

by Humankind
"We've become addicted to the convenience of single-use plastic in our daily lives, and it's wreaking havoc on our planet. It's going to take leadership from elected officials, corporations and citizens to move toward a future without single-use plastic. It's our duty as citizens (and concerned consumers) to exercise our right to vote, and we as founders must empower our employees to take the time to vote in the upcoming election." —Joshua Goodman, cofounder and CMO, by Humankind, New York, NY

Clare V.
"The bedrock of our society is democracy and the sanctity of our democracy relies upon the expression of the individual by voting. In a time of extreme inequity, it is a moment when we are all truly equals—one person, one vote. As a business owner, I'm happy to encourage everyone in our community of Clare V. to do so." —Clare Vivier, founder + CEO, Clare V., Los Angeles, CA

Direct Agents
"From day one, Direct Agents team members are empowered to use their voices to collaborate, innovate and make an impact. But we don't believe this should be limited to the workspace. One of the most impactful ways you can use your voice is by voting, and that is why we are proud supporters of the Time to Vote movement." —Sara Martinez-Noriega, director of HR, Direct Agents, New York, NY

Farmers Insurance
"Farmers Insurance places a high value on our people's ability to exercise their civic duties and participate in the democratic process. We believe everyone at Farmers should feel empowered to make a difference in their communities across the country and should not have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting, which is why we give our employees up to two hours of paid time to vote." —Jeff Dailey, CEO, Farmers Insurance, Woodland Hills, CA

Gap Inc.
"One of the most important rights that Americans have is the right to vote. Getting more Americans to exercise that right is the best way we can support a strong and healthy democracy. At Gap Inc., we're proud to promote awareness campaigns to encourage our employees and customers to register and vote." —Stephanie Lester, senior director of government affairs, Gap Inc., San Francisco, CA

Ginger
"At Ginger, we work with people around the world who are experiencing stress and anxiety every day. In 2016, we saw over twice the utilization of our mental health services during the election and in the aftermath. As we head toward the next election, simply finding the time to get to the polls shouldn't have to create stress and anxiety. By reducing barriers to voting by giving the day off, companies have an incredible opportunity to help strengthen our democracy by enabling their employees to get to the polls." —Russell Glass, CEO, Ginger, San Francisco, CA

Glossier Inc.
"At Glossier, we believe deeply in the power of self-expression and personal choice. Voting is a powerful and important way to use your voice, and we will be encouraging and mobilizing the people in our community to make their voices heard in this election, starting with our team at Glossier." —Emily Weiss, founder and CEO, Glossier Inc., New York, NY

Guayakí Yerba Mate
"From day one, Guayakí has focused on leveraging the power of business to drive progressive change. We believe that every person matters and every action matters. Whether you vote with your dollar for products you believe in or vote at the ballot box, the actions we take ripple out with multiplying effects. That is why it is so important that our teams recognize their civic duty and we make the time to vote on election day." —Chris Mann, managing partner, Guayakí Yerba Mate, Sebastopol, CA

Hewlett Packard Enterprise
"Making sure that our team members have the time and information necessary to exercise their most fundamental rights as citizens is the right thing to do and consistent with our culture that promotes making an impact in our communities. We are proud to encourage participation and lend our individual voices to the democratic process." —Antonio Neri, CEO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, San Jose, CA

Johnson Controls
"There is nothing more sacred or important in our civic life than the right to vote and to have a voice in how our country is run. We believe our employees should have the support and encouragement to vote in all elections and that is why we are a proud supporter of Time to Vote." —George Oliver, CEO, Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, WI

La Colombe
"At La Colombe, we aspire to make the world better through every action we take. We've seen at home and around the world that one of the most important ways to effect change is by voting, and that is why we do everything we can to ensure that everyone at La Colombe has ample opportunity and support to vote on election day." —Todd Carmichael, cofounder and CEO, La Colombe, Philadelphia, PA

Participant Media
"Our name says it all. We fundamentally believe that everyone can participate in advancing our society and that everyone must be given equal opportunity to do so. We are proud to join Time to Vote in creating a platform for greater voter participation in this important election year." —David Linde, CEO, Participant Media, Beverly Hills, CA

Levi Strauss & Co.
"For a democracy to thrive, we must make our voices heard, and we do that through our vote. The very act of voting is a hard-won right, and as business leaders we have a responsibility to make sure that our workplace allows and encourages people to exercise that right. We are proud to recommit to the Time to Vote movement and ensure that all our employees have the time and support they need to do their civic duty." —Chip Bergh, president and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co., San Francisco, CA

Lyft
"Voting is the bedrock of a healthy democracy and a critical form of civic participation. It's exciting to see so many companies committed to ensuring their team members can take the time they need to vote on or before election day, and Lyft is proud to be part of this growing movement." —Emily Nishi, chief people officer, Lyft, San Francisco, CA

Patagonia
"There's an adage, 'the world is run by those who show up.' Only about 60 percent of Americans vote, despite billions of dollars spent trying to get people to the polls. Time to Vote CEOs have an ability to reach the largest voting bloc—eligible nonvoters—by ensuring their employees have the time they need to learn their ballot and cast their vote. No worker should have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting, and it is on all of us as responsible business leaders to contribute to the culture shift needed to increase voter participation in our elections. Let's all show up and vote this November." —Rose Marcario, CEO, Patagonia, Ventura, CA

PayPal
"I believe that the most important constituency for any company is its employees—and at PayPal we work to put our employees first. Time to Vote is a nonpartisan initiative through which companies like ours support the ability of their employees to participate freely in the electoral process. This is fundamental for our employees and for our democracy. As a founding member of the Time to Vote campaign, we are committed to ensuring that all our employees in the United States have the time and ability to participate in local and national elections." —Dan Schulman, president and CEO, PayPal, San Jose, CA

Ralph Lauren Corporation 
"Ralph has always been inspired by the dreams and imaginations of women and men around the world, and the idea that you can be whatever you want to be. This inspiration is reflected not only in our brands, but in how we operate our business and engage our teams. It is also part of the fabric of democracy, which is why we are proud to join the non-partisan Time to Vote initiative and encourage our employees to exercise their right to vote and have a voice by participating in city, state and federal elections." ­–Patrice Louvet, president & CEO, Ralph Lauren Corporation, New York, NY

REI Co-op
"The right to vote is one of our most important freedoms, and every election gives us an opportunity to cast our vote to influence the issues that matter most to us. If we want to shape our future in meaningful ways, like ensuring climate-positive policies and actions, it's important that we engage as citizens and show up to participate in every election. For us, that starts with our employees, which is why we're proud to join the Time to Vote coalition." —Ben Steele, executive vice president and chief customer officer, REI Co-op, Kent, WA

sweetgreen
"At sweetgreen, we believe small acts lead to big changes. That's why we're proud to be a part of the Time to Vote campaign. We want to encourage each and every person at sweetgreen, and across the country, to take one small act to have their voices heard and vote." —Jonathan Neman, CEO and cofounder, sweetgreen, Los Angeles, CA

The North Face
"The North Face was built on a love of the outdoors, and we have a responsibility to act as a leader on important environmental concerns. This election is imperative for addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time—the climate crisis—and we are proud to once again be part of the Time to Vote mission. We encourage everyone to take the time to become informed on the issues important to you, and prioritize making your voice heard so that future generations will be able to continue exploring." —Arne Arens, global brand president, The North Face, Denver, CO

Timberland
"Since 1992, Timberland has offered employees paid time to serve their communities, and we view voting as a vital element of that service. We support our employees in being informed voters by hosting town halls with candidates at our New Hampshire headquarters in advance of our first-in-the-nation primary. While we don't endorse particular candidates or parties, we support the democratic process and we admire Time to Vote's scaled efforts to do the same. We are proud to be a part of the Time to Vote movement with VF Corporation to enable our colleagues across the nation to embrace their right to vote." —Colleen Vien, sustainability director, Timberland, Stratham, NH

VF Corporation
"Across VF and our brands, we believe that strong democratic processes enhance society and individual lives, and that no one should have to forgo financial income to exercise their constitutional right to vote. We are proud to once again be part of the Time to Vote initiative and support this important movement to encourage US workers to engage in our democratic process and let their voices be heard." —Steve Rendle, chairman, president and CEO, VF Corporation, Denver, CO

SOURCE Time to Vote