Democracy North Carolina’s research has found that economies with committed citizens, who vote and participate in government, are healthier more stable economies that support a higher quality of life for all. Bring these advantages to your workforce by motivating your employees to take part in democracy.

 

There are a number of proactive steps companies can take to encourage their employees to participate in elections or take part in government, including activities that are nonpartisan and do not disrupt the work day.

 

Suggested Activities

Many companies take an active role in educating employees on issues important to democracy or encouraging their workforce to vote. Democracy North Carolina can help with these efforts. In the past, we have provided companies with payroll inserts on the $3 tax check-off for North Carolina’s public campaign financing fund, helped employees organize voter registration drives and provided advice on how to motivate employees to vote, including brochures on alternative voting options such as Same Day Registration & Voting.
 
In addition, some companies choose to make a tax-deductible contribution to Democracy North Carolina or sponsor an internship in our annual training program for young adults called Democracy Summer. This program puts promising undergraduates with the potential to become civic leaders on the frontline of democracy in various communities across the state, where they work as paid organizers engaging in a variety of grassroots activities. Learn more about Democracy Summer here.

 

Election Time Activities

A company seeking to instill a commitment to community service and a sense of civic responsibility in its employees can help promote voting by:

• Providing on-site voter registration forms. Simply obtain voter registration forms and instructions from your local board of elections or call us at 919-286-6000 for more information about mounting a registration drive at your workplace. This effort can be as simple as providing forms in break rooms or human resource departments, along with the address of where employees should send the forms. Remember that all forms must be postmarked or turned into the Board of Elections at least 25 days before the election. 
• Let your employees know they can register and vote early, at Early Voting sites, from 19 to 3 days before any Primary or General Election. Because early voting times include Saturdays (and Sundays, in some counties), this is a great way for busy employees to find the time to vote.
• Asking employees to fill out a commitment card, which are signed pledges to vote. You can download a sheet with several commitment cards, which you can then reproduce. These cards are small and fit easily into most payroll mailings.

 

If you are interested in talking to Democracy NC about how we can help your company with its citizen or voter education goals, or if you are interested in supporting our work, please contact our Development Director, Molly Beacham, at 919-286-6000, Ext. 12 or email her at mollybeacham@democracy-nc.org.