Today, Burton Snowboards, the world’s leading snowboard company, announced its commitment to a healthy democracy. With our communities facing many converging crises and every level of government across America up for election – from school boards to the presidency – our biggest opportunity to fight for the future is to support voter participation. Burton is stepping up as a business to help ensure safe, trusted and accessible elections for all through November 3rd, 2020. To turn out the vote, Burton will close its U.S.-based headquarters and retail doors on Election Day and is providing resources to the outdoor community to join in the fight for change.
Your vote is your chance to create change. Rooted in the company’s civic responsibility work, Burton is committed to protecting people and our planet for the long-term. Climate change, systemic racism and social injustice, and the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our industry are linked. That’s why Burton is so invested in building a movement to the polls to elect responsible leaders.
No one should have to decide between earning a paycheck and exercising their right to vote. Â Since 2018, Burton has provided employees with paid time-off, flexible work schedules and the resources they need to participate in local, state and federal elections. Â The COVID-19 health pandemic has introduced new challenges for voters. On November 3rd, the company will close its U.S. office and retail doors to further reduce barriers for employees and signal the importance of voting to the broader community.
Burton’s election efforts extend beyond their own walls. In addition to prioritizing employees’ constitutional right to vote, Burton is also proud to partner with like-minded organizations on a wave of initiatives to encourage voter participation.
Since 2013, Burton has been working with Protect Our Winters (POW), a non-profit founded by snowboard legend Jeremy Jones that helps passionate outdoor people protect the places and lifestyles they love from climate change. With the Make A Plan to Vote tool, you can check your voter registration status, make sure your address is up-to-date, and skip the lines by requesting a mail-in ballot Burton is also connecting its community to voter education resources through a partnership with the ACLU.
In addition to this partnership, Burton is advocating alongside Business for America urging lawmakers to provide the funding and tools needed for all communities to access safe voting options. Voter turnout in the U.S. was one of the lowest of developed countries prior to COVID-19 and the pandemic continues to disrupt the primaries, disenfranchise voters, and damage trust in democracy. No one should have to risk their health in order to make their voice heard on Election Day.
As COVID-19 continues to impact Americans, elections officials are concerned that they may not have enough poll workers. Communities that don’t have enough poll workers will see longer lines at fewer polling places – making it harder for people to vote.Burton is encouraging employees, customers and the broader community to consider serving as a poll worker. It’s not too late to participate – learn more at Power the Polls.
It’s more important than ever to think about how you plan to vote in 2020. Register to vote, get educated on the candidates and join Burton in voting for change on Election Day, November 3, 2020. The future of our country depends on it.
ABOUT BURTON:
In 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards out of his Vermont barn and dedicated the rest of his life to snowboarding. Since its founding, Burton has played a pivotal role in growing snowboarding from a backyard hobby to a world-class sport by creating groundbreaking products, supporting a team of top snowboarders and pushing resorts to allow snowboarding. Today, Burton designs and manufactures industry-leading products for snowboarding and the outdoors. As a sustainability leader within the outdoor and winter sports industries, Burton is the world’s first snowboard company to become a certified B Corporation®. Privately held and owned by Donna Carpenter, Burton’s headquarters are in Burlington, Vermont with offices in Austria, Japan, Australia, Canada and China. For more information on Burton, head to www.burton.com and follow our line @burton on Instagram.
