Something’s really troubling the staff at Starbucks. It’s not the spelling of patrons’ names, or the fact that people still say small when they mean tall. What the staff at Starbucks are really worried about is lackluster voter turnout in the US.



To help with “increasing voter registration and participation across America”, Starbucks is urging its US employees to register to vote, according to a letter from CEO Howard Schultz. The letter has been sent to the company’s 150,000 US employees.

According to the letter, the idea came from a Starbucks shift supervisor called Fred Verillo. Back in February, Verillo told Schultz that he thought making people aware of the importance to vote would a “phenomenal” way to help elevate citizenship in the US.

“It does not matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat or an independent. Our intention is nonpartisan, and it is simple: by helping to increase voter registration and participation, we believe more people will have an opportunity to make their voices count,” wrote Schultz. “And it’s not just about who will be the next occupant of the White House. More Americans should participate in all elections, even those for city councils and school boards.”



According to him, Starbucks “will not stop there” and will soon have more initiatives focused on civic engagement and community service.

To help staff register to vote, Starbucks is partnering with TurboVote; staff will be able to register using a computer or a mobile device. Starbucks also said that if staff need registration or absentee ballots sent to them, it will cover the costs of the mailings.

Schultz pointed out that this is not the first time Starbucks has been involved in politics.

“In 2008 we raised awareness of Election Day with customers in our stores. In 2012, we celebrated National Voter Registration Day by providing our partners a way to register using a digital tool,” he said. “But given that fewer than 60% of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2012 national elections, helping to increase voter turnout at the local and national level seems another meaningful way to use our scale for good. So, we will.”

In 2013, Starbucks also launched a petition urging the US government to “come together” and reopen the US government after it had shut down for more than two weeks.

However not all of Starbucks’ forays into US politics have been voluntary.

Last year, when Starbucks introduced new plain red cups for its seasonal holiday beverages, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump accused it of waging a war on Christmas and even suggested a boycott of the coffee chain.

“I have one of the most successful Starbucks, in Trump Tower. Maybe we should boycott Starbucks? I don’t know. Seriously, I don’t care. That’s the end of that lease, but who cares?” Trump told a crowd in Springfield, Illinois, in November. “If I become president, we’re all going to be saying ‘merry Christmas’ again, that I can tell you.”

Fortunately for Starbucks, the “red cup fiasco” had little impact on its 2015 sales, and the coffee giant reported better-than-expected sales growth during its holiday quarter.