APCO Worldwide Commits to “Day On” for U.S. Election Days, Joins “Time to Vote” Initiative
September 10, 2020
Washington – September 10, 2020: With the 2020 U.S. elections projected to be one of the most historically significant political moments in recent American history, APCO Worldwide commits to nonpartisan actions throughout the election season to advance informed, purposeful civic participation during and beyond election years by encouraging voter registration, providing impartial informational resources, amplifying the voices of APCO staff and turning Nov. 3 into a “Day On” for employees to not only cast their ballots, but continue to advocate for progress beyond Election Day, Kelly Williamson, president, North America, announced today.
“With the office of President of the United States and 470 seats in the U.S. Congress—35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats—being contested, November 3, 2020 will be a momentous day for the United States, with important consequences for federal, state and local offices across the country,” Williamson said. “It is a chance to exercise our civic duty and to be a part of something greater than ourselves—keeping our democracy resilient.”
APCO is also a signatory of “Time to Vote”—a nonpartisan, business-led initiative to help ensure employees across America don’t have to choose between voting and earning a paycheck. “All employees in North America will be able to take the day off on Election Day every two years and I encourage my colleagues to make it a ‘Day On’—to ensure that we can all exercise our Constitutional rights as an American and fulfill our civic duties,” Williamson said.
“As I started my professional career as a high school civics teacher—helping students become more engaged and educated about core civic responsibilities—advancing universal suffrage and active civic participation have been lifelong passions for me,” APCO Founder and Executive Chairman Margery Kraus said. “As communicators, we engage stakeholders every day, and our practices should be extended to our colleagues—giving them ample time and opportunities to engage and participate in this exercise of democracy. A resilient democracy relies on participation by all.”
APCO also launched its “adVOcaTE” campaign, consisting of internal and external education and engagement efforts designed to help APCO employees prepare to cast purposeful votes, share their voices and continue their efforts fighting for what they believe in, during and beyond election year.
The campaign encourages eligible APCO employees—and their friends, family, acquaintances and connections—to register to vote, and will seek to be a trusted, credible, nonpartisan resource for information about voting and volunteering in the age of COVID-19. Election Day should be a chance for all to take part in America’s democracy—a chance to be politically involved, to stay informed of the issues and to advocate for what we believe, individually and collectively, is right.
adVOcaTE will also provide a forum for APCO employees to share their stories, explore what it means to be a voting citizen in America, reflect on why they are voting and encourage one another to be civically involved in local, state and federal governments beyond Election Day and year—always being an adVOcaTE. To be an adVOcaTE means being there for something—always.
Day On and adVOcaTE build on APCO’s deep heritage of nonpartisan efforts to enfranchise voters and eliminate barriers that prevent people from deciding their future, including its work with WWE’s Smackdown Your Vote and MTV’s Rock the Vote. For more than 35 years, APCO has been a trusted bi-partisan advisor and partner to private, public and nonprofit clients as they try to identify and manage new and emerging issues, challenges and opportunities around the world. Founded by Kraus as a single-person operation in 1984, APCO has grown to a global advisory and advocacy communications consultancy with offices in more than 30 markets and experience working in more than 80 markets globally, providing in-depth advice, perceptive guidance and creative approaches for its clients.
