By Whitney Burdette
A new, non-partisan voter resource dedicated to educating and engaging America's retail industry has launched.
"Retail Means Votes" is a get-out-the-vote initiative of the National Retail Federation in conjunction with the West Virginia Retailers Association. The effort is designed to encourage West Virginia retailers to actively participate in this year's elections.
"WVRA understands the importance of having educated voters and recognized the NRF initiative ‘Retail Means Votes' for the value it presents our members," said Bridget Lambert, president of the West Virginia Retailers Association.
The initiative's website, www.retailmeansjobs.com/election, will include voter resources and tools such as candidate biographies, links to campaign websites and election-related news; a non-partisan voter guides that compare presidential and U.S Senate candidates' positions on the six retail priorities of health care, labor, sales tax fairness, swipe fees, tax reform and trade; a page dedicated to comparing West Virginia's U.S. Senate candidates; key vote tallies and suggested questions retailers and employees can pose to candidates during debates and other campaign events; and links to detailed information on the retail industry's economic impact on West Virginia.
"‘Retail Means Votes' seeks to increase the retail industry's presence and participation on the campaign trail," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "These resources will equip West Virginia retailers, employers and employees with a firm understanding of retail's top public policy priorities, be it combining micro-unions, fighting for sales tax fairness or reducing swipe fees, and help put the election into context so candidates and voters know where the retail industry stands."
