AP16:112
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2016
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Secretary Padilla and Starbucks Announce Partnership to Promote Voter Registration
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla is partnering with Starbucks to promote voter registration at their nearly 2,000 company-owned stores throughout California. Posters will now be on display at Starbucks stores to remind customers that the voter registration deadline is October 24.
“The voter registration deadline is fast approaching,” Secretary of State Padilla said today. “Registering to vote online is as quick and easy. If you register to vote or update your registration online through RegisterToVote.ca.gov, you’ll be done in few minutes and your coffee will still be nice and warm. If we want to break records with voter participation we need to partner with businesses and do greater outreach,” Padilla added.
The partnership with Starbucks is a prime example of the Secretary's outreach efforts to California businesses through the Democracy at Work program. The program provides companies the opportunity to partner with the Secretary of State’s office to encourage greater civic participation by their customers, employees, and members.
The approximately 1,960 company-owned Starbucks retail stores in California will install a “Coffee and Democracy” poster featuring California’s October 24 voter registration deadline and a link to the Secretary of State’s online voter registration website—RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
“It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. Starbucks intention is nonpartisan and it is simple: by helping increase voter registration and participation, we believe more people will have an opportunity to make their voices count,” said John Kelly, Starbucks Senior Vice President, Global Responsibility, Community, and Public Policy.
To launch this partnership, Secretary Padilla worked a shift preparing coffee and serving customers with baristas at a North Hollywood Starbucks. Secretary of State staff was on hand to register customers to vote.
“I thank Starbucks for their partnership and commitment to help engage more Californians in our democracy,” Padilla added.
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