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Tory Burch has joined a number of designers and retailers including Bode, Nordstrom, and Old Navy in an effort to help get people to the polls on November 3. After declaring that she will be closing all of her stores and offices on election day, last night the designer announced on Twitter and Instagram that her company will be giving a paid day off to any U.S. employee who volunteers as a poll worker. She tagged the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission and captioned her Instagram post with: “This November, the U.S. faces a severe shortage of poll workers—essential volunteers who staff polling sites on Election Day, issuing ballots to registered voters, monitoring voting equipment, explaining how to vote or counting votes.” She added, “This, coupled with reduced numbers of people allowed inside the polls because of COVID, will result in incredibly long lines and threaten citizens’ ability to exercise their right to vote on November 3rd.”
Indeed, the upcoming election is a dire one that is severely threatened by voter suppression and the fact that the majority of typical poll center volunteers are older and may not be able to risk working during the pandemic. Burch has always been outspoken when it comes to voting rights and politics in general, but she acknowledges that this moment in our history is unlike any other. Speaking to Vogue over email this morning, Burch explained that “sustaining our democracy requires hands-on, active participation, and the lack of poll workers potentially puts the voting process at risk.” She also notes that for her personally, “as a businesswoman and a citizen, it is important to me to do what I can to help provide solutions.” Burch also believes that it is not only crucial for the rest of the fashion industry to get involved and help provide the resources for Americans to get out and vote in November, but for all businesses. “I do think giving people time off to vote and offering employees the opportunity to be poll workers is something the fashion industry can get behind,” she says. “But I really think it should be about all industries, as we’re all in this together.”