Schauermann Thayer, in recognition of the importance of Election Day, is closing the firm and giving its employees the day off.  November 3 is thus a paid company holiday.

The hope is that this opportunity will provide our attorneys and staff the necessary time to get to the polls, cast their ballots, and/or volunteer—as they so choose (and to the extent they believe they can accomplish those important civic duties safely under the circumstances we face as a nation grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic).

Oprah Winfrey recently publicly issued the following challenge to other companies regarding making Election Day a paid holiday after doing so for her own company, which the Schauermann Thayer firm is rising to meet: “I challenge other companies to do the same because this might be the most important election of our lives. Together we can overcome all obstacles in order to exercise our right to vote.”

Are you registered to vote? Take some time today to check your registration status.

Find your status—

Washington: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/register.aspx

Oregon: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en

Some inspirational quotes we found, to better explain than we possibly could our core beliefs, regarding the importance of voting in our country:

“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.”

• Sharon Salzberg, New York Times Best-selling author

“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

• Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States

“This right to vote is the basic right without which all others are meaningless. It gives people, people as individuals, control over their own destinies.”

• Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States

“Democracy is not a spectator sport.”

• Marian Wright Edelman, American activist for children's rights

“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.”

• John Lewis, American statesman and civil-rights leader