The 2026 midterms are well underway, and a familiar pattern is emerging: Turnout remains doggedly low. Most recently, just 21% of eligible voters participated in North Dakota’s primary election, while West Virginia reported similarly low turnout despite increased early voting participation. New York City is another somber case study.
Even with growing concern about the health of American democracy, the gap between passion and action persists. Various barriers to the polls, such as restrictive registration deadlines, transportation challenges, and demanding work schedules widen this gap. A whopping 31% of eligible voters aged 18-29 did not vote in 2024 because they were too busy, ran into conflicts or commitments, or lacked information.
Equitable access to voting is not just a democracy issue; it is a labor issue, too. Young Americans increasingly expect employers to prioritize civic and social responsibility. Nearly 80% of Americans aged 18 to 44 are “more likely to work for a company that promotes democracy.” Time off for voting, participatory decision-making, and access to civic education resources are key ways that companies currently seek to promote democracy. As schedules compress and employees spend about 90,000 hours – roughly one-third of their adult lives – at work, time off to vote has emerged as the most impactful of these measures.
The overwhelming majority of American businesses do not afford employees paid time off to cast their ballot, despite state laws requiring it. Some progress has been made in recent years, with companies joining the Time to Vote movement, but momentum has stalled significantly while implementation remains scattered at best. The lack of time off to vote leaves everyday Americans with the choice between participating in democracy or getting a full paycheck – a choice that is antithetical to the inalienable rights we hold dear as a citizenry.
College students will soon make up the largest portion of the U.S. labor force, with undergraduate enrollment almost tripling over the past 50 years. Soon after graduating, students will take on entry-level positions at various corporations around the country, giving their all to advance in their careers. In an effort to prove themselves, new hires are often reluctant to take time off – reducing voter turnout even more among younger generations.
At the same time, rising costs of living and the growth of unstable, contract-based employment are forcing many Americans – especially recent college graduates – to work longer hours or hold multiple jobs. With multi-job employment at its highest rate since 1999, it is exceedingly difficult for working Americans to find breathing room in jam-packed schedules.
From corporate action to nonprofit involvement, we all have a role to play in making time off to vote a guarantee. The first step is recognizing the glaring problem of low voter turnout, which is confirmed by poll after poll. The second is collective action.
Every Vote Counts, a student-led, nonpartisan organization, is currently working on a coordinated Time Off to Vote (TOTV) movement. We call for student body leaders to sign on to an open letter, petitioning leading U.S. companies to grant employees at least two hours of paid time off to vote on Election Day. The letter has nearly 100 signatures representing more than one million students from community colleges to public and private universities, rural institutions, liberal arts colleges, Ivy League universities, HBCUs, and HSIs (Hispanic-Serving Institutions).
Our obstacles can be overcome. Two hours of paid time off on Election Day is not too much to ask, given that Americans are expected to work 40 hours per week, and often more.
Young Americans are entering the workforce at a critical moment for U.S. democracy. The next generation should be empowered to remain an engaged citizenry for decades to come. On college campuses, student leaders connect their support to the long history of voting rights struggles, noting that generations of Americans fought to expand access to the ballot and that these hard-won rights should be protected and strengthened rather than restricted.
The war is not yet won. Young adults feel less engaged in the U.S. political system than their predecessors, and the ramifications may be long-lasting.
If corporate America is serious about protecting our democracy, inaction is unacceptable. Every Vote Counts will send our letter to over 175 companies that currently do not have an internal TOTV policy.
In the end, only corporate leadership can change internal policies and get with the times. But the future of the American workforce is making its voice heard loud and clear: We demand time off to engage in the decisions that will shape our future. Our democratic experiment only works if all are empowered to participate.
If corporate America wishes to recruit on college campuses and elsewhere, it is time to act in good faith and walk the walk on civic engagement. All of America depends on it.
