To the U.S. Congress:
We write to you as business leaders who care deeply about our employees, communities, and this great nation. We believe businesses have a responsibility to their employees to ensure they can vote safely and without undue obstacles. This is why we support the For the People Act—one of the most significant pieces of legislation to strengthen our democracy since the Civil Rights era.
This year, in state houses across the country, more than 360 bills in 47 states have been introduced to put up barriers to silence our fellow Americans’ voices, especially the voices of Black, Brown, young, disabled, and working class voters. We can all agree a healthy democracy and vibrant economy depends on participation in our election system free from discriminatory practices. These bills work in stark contrast to our interests, and make it more difficult for Americans to have a say in key decisions from healthcare to the economy by limiting our ability to register to vote and cast a ballot early or by mail. Voting is a fundamental right in our country, and it is up to our elected officials to protect it.
Some of these undemocratic measures have already become law, with others surely to follow. And that’s why we must rally behind the For the People Act, and other bills protecting our democracy like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Let’s be very clear—this is not a partisan issue. The For the People Act is not about choosing one party or one issue over another, it is about common sense reforms that protect and expand our democracy, and put the power in the hands of the people. It is about reaffirming our founding principle that we can chart our own course as a nation.
The For the People Act would override many of the abusive state laws that make it harder for millions to cast their ballots, and set national standards for free and fair elections. Among its provisions, the bill would:
Expand automatic voter registration;
Expand same-day and online voter registration for federal elections;
Allow for pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds;
Require two weeks of early voting for federal elections;
Make Election Day a national holiday;
Restore the right to vote for people with felony convictions, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities;
Strengthen federal criminal penalties for those who misinform and intimidate people at the polls;
Restore transparency and accountability in our government by creating stronger ethics and disclosure standards for elected officials once they are in office;
Overhaul our campaign finance system to give ordinary Americans a greater voice in the political process and a more diverse group of people the opportunity to run; and
Ban partisan gerrymandering and discriminatory voter purges.
We call upon our colleagues in corporate America to join us in taking a nonpartisan stand for a democracy that is inclusive of all Americans, and we stand united with the American people to reimagine democracy for all. We applaud the House for passing the For the People Act, and urge the Senate to follow suit and do its part to protect our democracy. Together, we can ensure our employees and communities can safely and freely cast their ballots so every voice is heard and our elections reflect the will of the people.
Respectfully,
&pizza
Adasina Social Capital Company
Amalgamated Bank
Ashby & Graff Real Estate
ATTN
Avocado Green Brands
Bad Robot Productions
Ben & Jerry's
Black Economic Alliance
Blue Ridge Produce
C. Wolfe Software Engineering
Capricorn Investment Group
Centercorp Retail Properties
Chance Art Company
Clare V.
ClassPass
Climate First Bank
Climate Positive Consulting
coasap
Collaborative Solutions
Countable
Eighty2degrees Design Studio
Evergreen Sustainability, LLC
Flixbus
Florida for Good, LLC
FundX Investment Group
Funsize, Corp.
Greater Good Strategy Company
Gryphon Solutions, LLC
HigherRing
ICM
JLFG Communications
Justworks
Kangaroo Coffee
Legacy Vacation Resorts
Lime
LimeRed Company
Lingraphica
Manale Realty
Mediocre Creative
MeetUp
Montanya Distillers
Morris Recruiting and Consulting Company
MPOWERD
Namu Baru Inc.
Narrative Food
National Hockey League
Natural Investments Company
New Leaf BioFuel
NJ Sustainable Business Council
Our Place
Ovonni Ventures
Patagonia
Public Good
Regenerative Rising
Richer Poorer
Ripley Rader
Rosebud Agency
Salt Palm Development
Shockwave Medical Inc.
Signet Strategic Wealth Management
Social Goods
SunnySide Social Media, LLC
Symphony Advantage Inc.
The Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
The Capital Good Fund
The Skimm
Tierra Vista
Tony's Chocolonely
Transcend, The Fearless Company
Transformative Wealth Management, LLC
Trillium Asset Management
Tumblr
Upworthy
Venner Consulting
Vulintus, Inc.
Walk Your Talk Productions
Workforce & Organizational Research Center
Youth To The People