Business Leaders Should Focus on Safe and Secure Options

Election Day is less than a month away, and safe and secure elections are not only important to our democracy but also to our economy. Unfortunately, increasing efforts at the government level seek to disrupt elections or ignore the will of the voters. Business owners, large and small, can play a role in ensuring that elections remain free and fair, while taking concrete steps to protect democracy.

After the turmoil of the 2020 election, some business leaders took action, but not enough. Congress passed legislation to amend the Elections Act, raising the opposition threshold from one member of each chamber to 20%, making it more difficult to raise objections which are unfounded and interfere with the certification process. But this isn’t just what’s happening in Washington, DC

At the state level, some leaders are pushing for laws and policies that could undermine the outcome of the election. Many state and local leaders complicate what should be a straightforward process and can turn off voters.

Perhaps the most alarming example is from Georgia. The state Board of Elections recently issued a law requiring counties to count ballots cast at polling places on Election Day to ensure that the numbers are the same as those counted by the machines. This unnecessary step can cause significant delays in reporting results, promoting mistrust of the process.

Georgia law also allows a single member of a county election board to delay the approval of a county election by calling for an investigation, which could affect the total number of votes for the state. This worries business owners. A survey of more than 500 small business owners found that 76% were worried that this would cause political instability. Furthermore, 77% are concerned that such changes could lead to conflicts over electoral certification, leading to political and economic instability.

“Voting is a fundamental right of American citizens. “The strength of our nation’s democracy and the stability of America’s economy depend on free and fair elections,” said Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, an organization of more than 200 CEOs of leading companies. America.

Political uncertainty is bad for business. The US is currently considered a low-risk investment, allowing entrepreneurs to borrow money at low interest rates and finance infrastructure projects. However, Fitch Ratings recently lowered the US credit rating from AAA to AA+, and Moody’s lowered its outlook due to “continuing political polarization.” If uncertainty continues, these credit ratings could drop further, raising interest rates and making it harder to start and grow businesses.

According to me Harvard Communication Projectbusinesses face a number of risks from election-related uncertainty, including: increased stress, disruption, and disharmony among workers, impact on productivity and morale, political violence and civil unrest which threatens the safety of employees and customers, Damage to property and disruption of operations due to civil unrest. , cyber attacks that disrupt infrastructure, communications and financial systems, supply chain disruptions, market volatility, and potential disruption of financial markets.

What Business Owners Can Do

Business owners don’t have to stay silent – they can take steps to support safe and secure options, and lead social dialogue in their companies.

1. Promote Community Engagement: Business owners can make it easier for their employees to vote by offering paid time off to vote and work at the polls.
2. Support Democratic Rule and Secure Elections: Business leaders can take a public and private stand for voting rights by providing employees with key information to counter misinformation about voter protection. For example, voter fraud is rampant, and mail-in voting has been proven safe and reliable by decades of data.
3. Raise Awareness of the Dangers of Political Instability: Stable governments and institutions are important for business success and there is an interest in business owners and leaders to alert people if they see efforts in their community that could cause instability.

Resources for Business Leaders

If you are a business owner, you also don’t have to start from scratch. There are many organizations dedicated to helping business leaders protect democracy and promote civic engagement. This is where you can find help and additional resources.

1. Leadership Project Now: The Leadership Now project focuses on protecting democracy by connecting with business leaders and coordinating private sector support.
2. The Civic Alliance: Civic Alliance helps businesses empower their employees to get involved in the community.
3. Business Forward Foundation: Business Forward helps companies manage public policy and engage in public affairs, providing information and tools to align business practices with democratic values.
4. The Business & Democracy Initiative: This project focuses on the intersection of business success and democracy, advocating for stable governance and institutions to reduce political risks that undermine economic growth.

“It may take time to finalize election results, and we encourage all Americans to respect the procedures set forth in federal and state laws for election results and orderly reporting,” Bolton said.

Business owners have the power to lead by example. Gallup’s trust survey consistently finds small businesses to be the most trusted institutions in the country. As Election Day approaches, businesses can use this trust to ensure stable and fair elections, preserving democracy and its core values.