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Voter Turnout Business Leadership Politics

Top associations forge ‘Voting Maven’ to boost ad industry turnout for midterms

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By Audrey Kemp, LA Reporter

September 14, 2022 | 4 min read

The non-partisan group aims to raise awareness about the November 8 midterm elections in the media, marketing and advertising industries.

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Increasing voter turnout for the 2022 midterms is Voting Maven’s first goal / Credit: Adobe Stock

The balance of political power in the US is currently at stake. ‘Voting Maven,’ a non-partisan group dedicated to increasing voter turnout, today announced the launch of its platform to promote change, participation and civic action in the media and marketing industries.

The group – composed of members of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), Horizon Media, Advertising Week, Publicis Media, American Advertising Federation (AAF), She Runs It, American Advertising Federation and more – aims to strengthen democracy by activating and increasing voter turnout within their workforce for the midterm elections and beyond.

“The vitality and health of our country and our democracy requires that we all get involved in the most democratic process there is – voting in a free and open election,” Carryl Pierre-Drews, chief marketing officer of IAB, said in a statement. “IAB and its over 700 member companies represent all facets of the digital media and marketing ecosystem, especially the next generation of leaders who should be encouraged to express themselves through the voting process. IAB supports Voting Maven and encourages all of our member companies to support this initiative. Our future depends on it.”

Voters will have to make many critical choices on November 8. One-third of states have a US Senate race on the ballot, all 435 members of the US House are up for re-election, half of the country’s governors, secretaries of state and attorneys general are up for re-election and nearly all states have critical state legislative and local offices to vote on. “Media and advertising strongly influence our country’s electoral processes, and democracy is good for our business,” Voting Maven chair Ashley Swartz said in a statement. “With a younger and more female workforce that is historically underrepresented in elections, particularly midterms, we have an obligation to encourage and enable our colleagues to support democracy by making it easier for them to participate in the process as engaged, informed, active voters.”

Voting Maven’s partners have pledged to rally their workforce into voting through various channels, including internal and social, as well as educate them about the platform’s available resources, such as polling locations, early voting rules, ballot information and voter registration. “It is time to recognize that we all have a responsibility to have a voice in the way our lives are led and to elevate our voice through voting,” Bob Liodice, chief executive of ANA, said in a statement. “That’s the way we register our opinions of how we are going to improve this country. We want to debate, question and challenge each other, but we won’t go to the voting booths. That has to change, and we need to start in our own industry.”

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