The American footwear company Foot Locker announced Friday that it intends to turn its stores into voter registration sites starting September 22 for the upcoming US election in November, according to a CBS news report.
All of Foot Locker's 2,000 stores will become active voter registration sites, including Kids Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Champs Sports and Footaction locations. The stores will house a kiosk area with a special website for visitors to check their voter registration status, sign up to vote and for election reminders. The initiative, according to Foot Locker, is aimed at more than 4 million young Americans who became eligible to vote, targeting the demographic group of 18-to-24-year-old customers
Foot Locker CEO Richard Johnson said the project is being done in coordination with the nonprofit Rock the Vote, as an effort to "educate and amplify the voices of today's youth."
Other private companies have also sought to use their facilities as polling stations or voter registration sites, including the NBA's Houston Rockets arena the Toyota Center, and Arrowhead Stadium, the homefield of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, in addition to numerous smaller businesses offering their locations.
In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down many locations of entertainment, private companies have their support to facilitate voting in the US election.
CBS noted that voter registration among American youth has risen in many US states, citing a poll from Tufts University.