Seattle-based Nordstrom has launched a nationwide non-partisan voter participation initiative: Make Your Voice Heard. It aims to educate and make it easy for employees and customers to “make their voice heard”.  The initiative is organised in partnership with nonprofits When We All Vote and the National Urban League to help increase participation in upcoming elections, through virtual learning series, curbside voter registration and online resources related to the 2020 Census and voter registration, among others.

Saks Fifth Avenue has launched “Register to Vote at Saks” campaign at its NYC flagship store and online, in partnership with nonpartisan organizations HeadCount and Vote.org. Window displays call upon the community to take action and vote, and special booths inside the store will allow for customers to register to vote, complete absentee ballot applications and check their registration status.

Both Nordstrom and Saks are making election day (3 November) a paid holiday for employees and will arrange schedules of employees from stores and operations centers -which remain open- to make sure everyone can vote.

Other retailers, such as Walmart, Pantagonia or Levi’s, are making arrangements to ensure their employees get to the polls.

Saks Fifth Avenue Launches “Register to Vote at Saks”

Nordstrom Unveils Make Your Voice Heard - A Commitment to Voter Education and Participation

In parallel, Saks CEO Mark Metrick mentioned being ‘cautiously optimistic’ for fall, citing the relaunch of ww.saks.com and advanced clienteling effort. The last set of known figures for SFA is from Q3 2019, which showed a -1.7% sales decrease year on year.

WWD: Saks Fifth Avenue’s CEO On What’s Ahead