Austin Tech Alliance’s mission is to promote civic engagement in Austin’s tech sector, and one of the ways we do that is by encouraging folks employed in tech to get registered and turn out to vote during each and every election.
The need is there. After all, many tech employees in Austin are young, recently relocated, or not registered to vote. Plus, some in tech might not feel fully informed about issues that will appear before them on Election Day.
This combination helps contribute to Texas consistently ranking at or near the bottom in the nation in voter turnout. ATA wants to help change that, but we need need to know where we’re starting from.
So what is the voter turnout rate for employees in Austin’s tech ecosystem?
ATA’s trying to figure that out — and we’re putting out an open call looking for an organization or individual who can help us figure it out.
Here’s what we need
We’re looking for turnout rates from previous general and primary elections — ideally 2016 and 2014 — for Austin residents who work in the tech sector.
It might sound easy, but there are some obvious obstacles in the way: there’s no centralized database of who works in tech, nor is there a universal definition of what is a tech company. Likewise, public voting data is based on where someone lives, not where they work.
Here’s why we’re asking
The tech sector has a unique opportunity to improve voter turnout rates through TechVotes, a nonpartisan, Austin Tech Alliance initiative aimed at instilling a culture of civic engagement in Austin’s tech sector.
TechVotes is powered by ATA and volunteers from the tech community who are working to support the democratic process and increase participation in local, state, and national elections.
We work with ATA member companies to register their employees to vote; provide access to nonpartisan voting resources developed by TechVotes and other community partners; and make it as easy as possible for folks in Austin’s tech sector to have their voices heard at the ballot box.
By knowing past turnout rates, we can measure our progress and iterate to find what works best.
So help us figure out where we’re starting from: what is the voter turnout rate for folks employed in Austin’s tech sector?
Got an idea?
Give us a shout at info@austintech.org.