As we move ever closer to the U.S. presidential election, I’m reminded of the freedom to vote for whichever candidates and laws we feel will move our communities and the country forward, particularly as we navigate the uncharted territory of COVID-19. As Americans, it’s easy to take this right for granted. But we can’t lose sight of the sacrifices that many of our ancestors made to get us here today. Whether it was the Susan B. Anthony-led women's suffrage movement, or the civil rights movement of much of the 20th century which finally gave voting rights to all Black Americans, untold numbers of brave people paid dearly to give us the rights that many of us now take for granted.
At Emburse we believe voting is our civic duty, and as CEO, I’m passionate about ensuring that each of our U.S. team members feels empowered to take the time needed to vote in the upcoming election. As a company, we’re taking two important actions to encourage voting:
The first action is joining two important initiatives: Time to Vote, and A Day for Democracy. These two nonpartisan movements are led by the business community, to contribute to the culture shift needed to increase voter registration and participation in our country’s elections. I encourage other leaders to consider joining these movements.
Second, Emburse is giving all U.S.-based employees the day off on November 3. Knowing that many polling stations have hours-long lines, we want all of our U.S. employees to be able to take the time they need to vote, no matter how long it takes. I know that some of our team members have already cast their votes. I encourage these people to:
- Reach out to friends, family, neighbors, or members of their communities and remind them to vote.
- Assist those who may have challenges getting to a polling place, and offer a (safe) way for them to get there and cast their ballot.
- Sign up to be a poll worker, or volunteer for your preferred candidate to do some last minute get-out-the-vote texting, or helping staff phone banks.
While each of us can only cast a single ballot, collectively we have a huge impact on the way that our communities, cities, states, and even the country is run.
Please vote on November 3rd. It’s the most American thing that you can do.