By Rob Stott

Election night is a year and a half away, but with presidential hopefuls already hitting the campaign trail, now’s as good a time as any for associations to ramp up their advocacy efforts.

The 2016 presidential election is still 17 months away, but that hasn’t slowed down the work some associations are already doing to get their message in front of the early entrants into the race for the White House.

Take, for instance, the American Gaming Association, which launched its “Gaming Votes” initiative back in February. AGA President and CEO Geoff Freeman sent a letter to candidates last week urging them to get familiar with his industry. “With nine in ten American voters approving of gaming, your presence in casinos and gaming supplier facilities will only boost, not hurt, your chances of securing more votes—not just in Nevada, but nationwide,” he wrote.

The group will also host events in key swing states throughout the country over the summer, starting with Iowa on Monday, and it unveiled a series of videos intended to show the impact of the gaming industry on the American economy.

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