ATLANTA — With Republican-led efforts to restrict access to the ballot box in state legislatures sweeping across the country, a recent poll found that overwhelming majorities of voters “expect companies to speak out on voting rights, would look favorably on companies that support those rights, and would consider buying a product or using a service from a company that voiced opposition to restrictive voting laws.”
The poll specifically found that “by a margin of more than two to one, voters agreed that ‘companies can no longer afford to stay silent while states work to make it harder for people to vote.’” Additionally, the polling found that more than eight in ten Americans “would be more favorable towards a company if they supported policies to make it easier for Americans to vote and register to vote” — a number which includes more than seven in ten Republicans.
The poll makes clear that – while Republican elected officials in Georgia and across the country chastise members of the business community taking a stand against voter suppression, the American people hold a very different view.
Forbes: Companies That Back Voting Rights Receive Broad Public Support In New Poll
By Edward Segal
April 22, 2021
- The poll found overwhelming majorities of registered voters across the U.S. expect companies to speak out on voting rights, would look favorably on companies that support those rights, and would consider buying a product or using a service from a company that voiced opposition to restrictive voting laws.
- The poll found that 82% of Americans would be more favorable towards a company if they supported policies to make it easier for Americans to vote and register to vote. This included more than seven in ten Republicans (72% more favorable) and nine in ten Democrats (92%).
- Six in ten (61%) Americans would consider buying a product or using a service from a company that spoke out against restrictive voting laws.
- By a margin of more than two to one, voters agreed that “companies can no longer afford to stay silent while states work to make it harder for people to vote” (68% agree/32% disagree), including a third of voters who strongly agreed (36%).
- Across partisan lines, majorities of voters agreed that “companies should stand against efforts that prevent their employees from exercising their fundamental right to vote” (78% agreed 22% disagreed).
- 94% of voters agreed that “making sure all eligible Americans can vote is not a Republican or Democratic issue, it is an American issue.”