When WeWork hosted a voter registration drive earlier this summer in New York, Julissa Contreras noticed how excited people were to participate.
“Our members were really happy to see us there,” says Contreras, a community manager at WeWork Harlem. “It showed that we’re not just about what they do at work. We’re part of the neighborhood, part of the community.”
That pilot program, held earlier in the summer, took place in 20 WeWork locations. It was so successful that this week WeWork is rolling out a voter registration drive at close to 150 locations across the country.
The campaign is in celebration of National Voter Registration Day, which falls on Sept. 25. It’s a partnership with two national organizations that focus on the importance of voting, When We All Vote (a WeWork member) and Nonprofit VOTE.
WeWork is also teaming up with Meetup, its platform to allow people to schedule in-person events. Meetup organizers across the country will devote a few minutes this week to talk about the importance of voting.
From Sept. 24-28, electronic voter registration hubs will be installed in all WeWork locations in the U.S. They will allow people in those buildings to register online, check their registration status, or find out what steps they need to take to become a registered voter.
Designated buildings in cities across the country will serve as public hubs where the general public can stop by and register to vote. Public hubs will include New York’s WeWork 110 Wall St, Chicago’s WeWork River North, Cambridge’s WeWork Mass Ave, Philadelphia’s WeWork Walnut St, Seattle’s WeWork Denny Triangle, Portland’s WeWork 920 SW 6th, San Francisco’s WeWork Civic Center and WeWork Soma, and WeWork 80 M St in Washington, D.C., along with locations in Austin.
According to Nonprofit VOTE, just under 37 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot in the last midterm election—the lowest turnout since World War II. More than 21 percent of eligible voters are not even registered.
Maria Elena Garcia, a special projects manager with VoteRunLead, volunteered at the voter registration effort at WeWork Harlem this year. Her organization, which trains women to run for public office, is based at that WeWork location.
“I went door to door, meeting people and letting them know about the program,” she says. “It was a great way to reach out to people from other organizations.”
On National Voter Registration Day, Garcia says she will will staff a table at WeWork 110 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.
Contreras says that along with registering WeWork members, she hopes to show visitors that WeWork Harlem is all about community.
“I think it says a lot about us as an organization,” says Contreras. “It shows we try to commit to our community as much as they commit to us.”
Public voter registrations hubs
Austin
Partnering with Austin Tech Alliance
Where: Select WeWork buildings
Cambridge
Partnering with MassVote
Where: WeWork Mass Ave
When: Sept. 25, 2:30-6; Sept. 26, 4-6; Sept. 27, noon-2; and Sept. 28, 4-6
Chicago
Partnering with BallotReady
Where: WeWork River North
When: September 24-27, 9-5
New York
Partnering with VoteRunLead and League of Women Voters
Where: WeWork 110 Wall Street
When: September 26 and 27, 9-5
Philadelphia
Partnering with Disability Rights of Pennsylvania
Where: WeWork Walnut St
When: September 24, 10-2
Portland
Partnering with Bus Project
Where: WeWork 920 SW 6th
When: September 26 and 27, 9-10 and 4-5:30
San Francisco
Partnering with APRI
Where: WeWork Civic Center and WeWork Soma
When: September 24 and 25, 9-5
Seattle
Partnering with King County Elections
Where: WeWork Denny Triangle
When: September 26 and 27, 9-11 and 3-5
Washington, D.C.
Partnering with Inspire USA
Where: WeWork 80 M St
When: September 24, 26, and 27, 9-5
Photos by Frank Mullaney