A key step to ensuring the business voice is heard is voting. People fail to vote for a lot of reasons – a lack of awareness, apathy, confusion, or the belief that “my vote won’t make a difference.” No matter how well we educate and motivate our employees and colleagues to vote, it’s important to remember that our work won’t count unless everyone is registered. It takes inspiration plus registration to increase voter participation. There are millions of eligible unregistered voters and many are your employees and colleagues.

Oregon recently passed the nation’s first opt-out voter registration system (known as the “Motor Voter” system). This program will eventually result in all registered drivers over the age of 18 being registered to vote, unless they proactively opt out. But because Motor Voter registers voters when they renew their driver’s license, and the law doesn’t take effect until next January, it won’t have much of an impact in the 2016 elections. That’s why we need your help in encouraging your employees and colleagues to become registered voters.

This week, Associated Oregon Industries (AOI) and the Oregon Prosperity Project will be participating in Employee Voter Registration Week (EVRW) and providing resources that employers can use to help your employees get registered. Our belief is that, when our employees vote, the business community’s voice is heard.

We are providing you with access to our Employees Vote Toolkit resources and outreach content to distribute to your employees and colleagues in conjunction with this initiative. Getting involved in this effort is as easy as notifying your employees about the 2015 EVRW initiative and encouraging them to register to vote.

Remember, the people who work for you – and with you – vote. Because the cornerstone of our system is a government of the people, increased voter participation can and will improve how the system performs for each of us. By encouraging your employees and co-workers to register to vote, we can have a significant outcome on Oregon and national elections.

AOI 2015 Policy Forums Around the State

The AOI Policy Team will be visiting communities around the state this fall to provide an update on legislative matters and AOI activities and to dialogue with members of the business community about ways to support economic growth and create jobs.  These will be breakfast or lunch meetings at no charge to attendees.  Click here to find out when they will be in your area and to register.