Matthew Lee

Civic participation in the United States has declined over time, with voter turnout lagging behind rates in many other democracies. Efforts to strengthen democracy in the U.S. have largely overlooked the role of the workplace, which Professor Lee’s research suggests can meaningfully influence employees’ participation in civic life. For example, twenty-one states—including Arizona, California, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas—require employers to provide paid time off to vote, but awareness and implementation of these laws remain uneven, and workplace practices vary greatly. Professor Lee will collaborate with employer coalitions, businesses, and civic organizations to develop and test nonpartisan employer practices to make it easier for employees to exercise their civic rights.