Believe it or not, Election Day is almost here. Less than a month from now, on November 3rd, Americans who haven’t voted early or by mail-in ballot will go to the polls and vote for the leaders of their choice, along with a variety of state and local referendums and initiatives.

As the world’s largest cannabis company, we are hyper-aware of the fact that this year’s election is an especially critical opportunity to make our voices heard on the issue of cannabis legalization and take some strategic steps forward towards accomplishing it at the federal level, a task that I truly believe is on the horizon for our country.

To be specific, on the ballots this year, there are five states that will be voting on cannabis legalization measures: Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota, residents will vote on adult-use legalization, and South Dakota and Mississippi residents will make their voices heard on medical cannabis legalization.

While I sincerely believe that voting in every election is each citizen’s responsibility and the basic cornerstone of our democracy, this one comes at a pivotal moment for the future of our industry and frankly, our country.

At Curaleaf, we take our responsibility as an industry leader seriously. That’s why we are partnering with the national voter registration non-profit organization Headcount to promote participation in our democracy. Curaleaf will be serving as an official corporate sponsor of their Cannabis Voter Project, which informs, registers, and turns out voters interested in cannabis policy.

Launched in 2018, the Cannabis Voter Project seeks to create an informed and active voting bloc within the cannabis community—something I believe we all must work together to develop, especially as the destigmatization and normalization of medicinal and adult-use use of cannabis continues to gain steam across the U.S.

The great news is that there are many helpful resources out there for voters interested in the future of cannabis legislative policy. Here are just a few:

• If you haven’t done so already, be sure to register to vote! You can do this is just a few quick minutes: https://www.cannabisvoter.info/register-to-vote/
• It’s important to know your state-specific information on deadlines and the voting process, as voting requirements vary from state-to-state, as do requirements for voter identification. This is a good place to start: https://www.vote.org
• To learn more about how you can vote by mail, vote early, or vote on Election Day—visit Headcount’s Hub for Voter Info: https://www.headcount.org/state/

Curaleaf is proud to promote civic engagement across our organization as a values-driven organization. We are encouraging all of our leadership and team members to take part in the electoral process across the country and exercise their right and privilege to vote on Election Day—whether that means doing so before work, after work, or taking paid time off to cast their votes.

Abraham Lincoln famously stated that “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision.” I couldn’t agree more. Truly words to remember. We at Curaleaf encourage each and every one of you to get out there in the upcoming weeks and make your voices heard, not only for the future of cannabis, but for our country.

See you at the polls!

Happy Voting, Joe Bayern