Rent-to-own industry urged to vote
| Paul Davis’ RTO store will serve as Super Tuesday polling location. |
When Paul Davis opens one of his Nations Rent-To-Own stores January 5, he will be serving more than his customers.
He’ll be serving the democratic process as well.
That’s because Davis’ Moreno Valley store will serve as one of thousands of “Super Tuesday” polling locations across 24 states that will hold Democratic and Republican primary elections that could prove pivotal in selecting each party’s candidate for president of the United States.
Davis, who requires his employees to vote, says the opportunity is one that improves the image of rent-to-own and promotes name recognition among people who may have never set foot in a rent-to-own store.
“This is absolutely good exposure” Davis said. “That’s why we have our stores as polling locations. It’s consumer-wise and gives us the opportunity to dispel any negative perception of rent-to-own and lets people know we are politically active. I’d like to see more rent-to-owns become polling places.”
Davis also uses the opportunity to emphasize the importance of the rent-to-own community remaining involved in politics and voting in every election regardless.
“Even if you don’t like the choices, every vote counts,” Davis said, “and if you don’t vote you don’t have a voice."
And by all counts, this Super Tuesday will be the largest single day primary in U.S. history.
Voters in states from California to New York will head to polls or caucuses Tuesday with more than 2,000 Democratic delegates at stake. For Democratic front runners Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama, that represents 52% of all delegates who will attend the nominating convention later this year according to the Wall Street Journal.
Republican front runners Senator John McCain and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will be vying for around 1,000 delegates, or around 43 percent of total Republican delegates up for grabs.
Gary Romine, a self-described political activist and owner of nine “Show-Me Rent-To-Own” stores in Misouri, agrees with Davis, calling for members of the rent-to-own community to live up to their Democratic obligations and vote.
“Bottom line is you can’t complain or argue a point without taking the basic steps to educate yourself and do what’s necessary to make the changes,” says Romine, a former APRO Board President. “You can’t complain about it later, you only have credibility on the issues after you take time to read about the issues and vote."
Both Missouri and California are states in play on Super Tuesday.