iHeartRadio Communities - John Sykes (iHeartRadio), Mike Ward (Democracy Works)

• John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. Sykes discussed the iHeartMedia Why I’m Voting campaign along with the aid of musicians, athletes, cultural influencers and others to share what matters to them the most in the upcoming election season. Listeners will also submit reasons for voting. Why I’m Voting will run across all of iHeartMedia platforms and markets through election day, Tuesday November 3, 2020. Listeners can submit their own 20 second or less audio or video message at iheartradio.com/vote.

• Mike Ward, VP Voter Engagement at Democracy Works. Democracy Works is a team of software developers, public policy wonks, and civic organizers building the tools needed to upgrade the infrastructure of our democracy. Ward discussed their vision of making voting a simple, seamless experience for all Americans so that no one misses an election. Ward talked about how and why they are building the tools needed in 2020 to upgrade the infrastructure of our systems to improve the voting experience for voters and election officials alike. He discussed some specific challenges to voting in 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic.