Arizona: Defending Election Officials

Arizona business leaders have been actively supporting election officials amid rising threats and challenges. Leadership Now Arizona published an open letter signed by 65+ business leaders, issued a statement condemning lynching threats made toward Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, and published an op-ed in the Arizona Republic defending the state's election officials.

Most recently, Leadership Now Arizona issued a statement responding to a federal subpoena seeking 2020 election records from the Arizona State Senate — noting that Arizona's 2020 election has been audited, litigated, reviewed, and certified multiple times, each reaching the same conclusion: the results were legitimate. The statement warned that efforts to revive debunked claims about past elections threaten to undermine public confidence in the systems that safeguard our democracy.

Leadership Now Arizona continues to speak out against election denialism and disinformation, support election officials who work under intense scrutiny and threats to their safety, and defend the legitimacy of certified election results.

Wisconsin: Driving Voter Participation and Employer Engagement

Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy has engaged fellow business leaders and the public through a civic engagement plan focused on encouraging businesses to give employees paid time off to vote and serve as poll workers. The group held press conferences with the mayors of Milwaukee and Green Bay, led bipartisan roundtable discussions with the Milwaukee Election Commissioner and mayors from Appleton, Green Bay, and De Pere, and worked closely with the Greater Milwaukee Chamber to strengthen business community participation in the democratic process.

The group has also spoken out extensively in the press in support of accessible elections, publishing a series of op-eds in the state's most widely read newspapers — including in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Wisconsin Business Leaders For Democracy’s civic engagement toolkit helps employers maximize voter participation, with communication templates and corporate voting programs designed to be adopted by companies of any size.

Amicus Briefs for Voting Access & Election Integrity

In Wisconsin, business leaders filed an amicus brief in support of Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe, appointed by the bipartisan WIsconsin Elections Commission after state legislators attempted to remove her from office. The brief emphasized the need for impartial election administration ahead of the 2024 election. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ann Peacock ultimately ruled in Wolfe's favor, clearing her to remain in her role.

In New York, Leadership Now filed an amicus brief with the New York’s high court to uphold Vote By Mail legislation, arguing that the Early Mail Voter Act is not only constitutional but enhances democracy by increasing voter participation and adapting to the modern workplace — a direct concern for the business community seeking to maximize employee civic engagement without disrupting operations. The New York Court of Appeals upheld the law.

Mobilizing Business Leaders on Election Risk

In addition to state chapter efforts, Leadership Now has expanded engagement in key swing states like Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Notable events included:

• Philadelphia: Over 100 business leaders gathered for a discussion with Rich Lesser, Chairman of Boston Consulting Group, and Shannon Williams, Senior Vice President of Advocacy at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, on Pennsylvania's election landscape and the challenges election administrators faced.
• Houston: Former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger joined over 55 business leaders to discuss their role in defending democracy.
• California, Ohio, and Georgia: Leadership Now hosted regional women-focused events on the 2024 election, ways to get involved, and long-term strategies for protecting democracy.
• Leadership Now held virtual briefings with Robert Rubin, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director of General Catalyst, focused on economic risks and election impacts.

Leadership Now provides executives with data-driven analyses on election and political risk frameworks and how to navigate them.

Leadership Now proactively makes the case that protecting democracy is essential to economic strength and political stability — amplified in major outlets including the Financial Times, Fortune, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.

Federal Candidate Pledge to Respect Elections

Ahead of the 2024 election, Leadership Now enlisted business leaders to sign onto a federal candidates pledge supporting free, fair and accessible elections. The pledge called on candidates to comply with election laws, respect every eligible voter's right to vote free from interference, support the safety of election officials and poll workers, make claims of irregularities in accordance with law, accept certified election outcomes, and support the peaceful transition of power.

The pledge gained traction as a model for how business leaders can set clear expectations for democratic norms.

Notable signatories included:

• Paul Tagliabue — NFL Commissioner (1989–2006)
• John Pepper — Former Chairman and CEO, Procter & Gamble
• Robert L. Crandall — Former Chairman and CEO, American Airlines
• Reid Hoffman — Co-Founder, LinkedIn
• Emma Bloomberg — CEO, Murmuration
• Jeni Britton — Founder, Jeni's Ice Creams
• Eric Johnson — CEO, SurveyMonkey