The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club is partnering with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office on a series of initiatives to drive voter awareness and participation in the upcoming August and November elections. The organization also announced it will be declaring August 4 and November 3, 2020 company-wide paid days off to ensure all staff members can vote, volunteer as election workers and rally others to do the same.
“Our organization is committed to promoting informed participation in the electoral process,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “We are pleased to partner with the Department of State on its efforts to register and enroll eligible voters for this year’s elections, and to provide our employees with the day off on election day to ensure they are able to get to the polls and make their voices heard.”
In partnership with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey, the Detroit Pistons will act on the following initiatives to grow civic engagement and inspire voter participation in the coming elections:
- Partner with the Detroit City Clerk’s office and MDOS to designate Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center as a voting “Satellite Center” for the upcoming November 3 election – enabling people to register and vote on site
- Coordinate Pistons employee volunteer program to work the polls in concert with the Detroit City Clerk’s office for both the August 4 and November 3 elections
- Partner with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office on a series of PSA videos utilizing Pistons players, coaches and personalities aimed at voter education, applying to vote by mail and “how to” videos to ensure ballots are filled out correctly and returned properly to be counted
- Build a voter registration page into the Pistons.com website the integrates directly with the Michigan Bureau of Elections so that individuals can register to vote online and submit their application to vote by mail.
- Host live voter registration and education events with non-partisan community organizations featuring information on how to register, vote, complete and return voting ballots
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson lauded the Pistons efforts to assist with voter participation and awareness for the upcoming elections and stressed the importance every individual has in making their voice heard.
“The Detroit Pistons are tremendous civic leaders and I am proud to partner with them to ensure more citizens are educated voters and active participants in our democracy,” Secretary Benson said. “As we’ve worked with them over the past few weeks to develop this robust and comprehensive partnership, it’s become clear that the Pistons’ commitment to ensuring our elections are accessible to all is a reflection of their dedication to their fans and the entire Michigan community.”
Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey appreciates the opportunity to utilize the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center as a voting center for the November 3 election. She also noted the need for volunteers to work at polling sites on Election Day.
“The Detroit Piston organization has deep roots in our community, supporting programs and initiatives that fundamentally make a difference in the lives our residents,” said Clerk Winfrey. “This is an organization that consistently, demonstrates positive corporate values, and acts as a role model for our children. I am excited about forging a long-term partnership with the Pistons organization, to raise voter awareness and participation in the democratic process.”
Uniting the community has long been a priority for the organization. The new program is one of the actionable items our players, staff and employees will execute in utilizing our platform to bring change, bridge divides and address issues that continue to divide our country.
