You Go, Wal-Mart

Daniel Gross makes a great point about Wal-Mart's Great Registration Drive of 06:

It is disproportionately African-American. African-Americans are about 11 percent of the American population and vote overwhelmingly for Democrats. According to this CNN exit poll, they went for Kerry by an 88-11 margin in 2004. But African-Americans constitute nearly 17 percent of Wal-Mart's employees and 18 percent of sales workers. Encouraging more middle- and lower-income African-Americans to vote in states like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi would almost certainly be a net positive for Democratic candidates.

We know, as well, that women tend to vote disproportionately for Democrats. In 2004, according to CNN, women (and working women) voted for Kerry by a 51-48 margin. Women are substantially overrepresented in Wal-Mart's workforce. About 60 percent of all employees are women. And three-quarters of its sales workers are female—a higher proportion than at other retailers. All things being equal, more women voting will boost Democratic candidates.

Finally, Wal-Mart's workforce is disproportionately composed of lower-income workers. Barbara Ehrenreich says Wal-Mart's mean wage is $9.68 an hour, which comes out to about $20,000 a year on a full-time basis. In 2004, again according to CNN, those with incomes under $15,000 voted for John Kerry by a 63-36 margin, and those with incomes in the $15,000-$30,000 range voted for Kerry by a 57-42 margin. More lower-income Americans, many of whom are women and African-American, voting would benefit Democratic candidates.

There are Democratic groups. Wal-Mart may think that employees are aching to defend their employer at the polls, but low wages, poor health care, 24-hour availability, and a preference for part time work may not leave Wal-Mart's "associates" quite so enamored with their employer. While you often hear Wal-Mart and its defenders brag that nine kajillion workers apply per open position, there's a difference between unskilled workers needing jobs and unskilled workers liking their jobs, or thinking they're being compensated fairly and generously. And Wal-Mart's turnover rate -- about 40-50 percent of their workforce -- is among the highest in the retail industry, evidence that folks aren't quite adoring their work conditions. Costco, by contrast, reports a turnover rate of half that.