In more than 20 states, employers must allow time off to vote.
Election Day might seem like a holiday for political junkies, many of whom may find themselves parked in front of cable news or hitting refresh on a live results tally all night on November 6. But it’s not actually a federal holiday, which means that for many people, just getting to work and to the polls in time is a struggle.
Voter turnout in the US is low compared to other developed countries, in part because of the many obstacles to voting, including the lack of automatic registration in most states. And schedule conflicts are one of the top reasons people give for not voting. In 2017, 14 percent of registered nonvoters said in a Pew survey that they skipped the 2016 presidential election because they were too busy or had conflicting work or school schedules.
Early voting is meant to help with some of these conflicts, in the 37 states that offer it. But you might also be eligible for paid time off from work to vote.
Like other voting rights in the US, it depends where you live. But more than 20 states require employers to allow paid time off, with some restrictions, and several more require employers to allow at least unpaid time off.
These laws are little known and often rarely enforced, according to Paula Brantner, the executive director of the advocacy group Workplace Fairness. “It’s a right without a remedy,” she said; the penalties for breaking these laws are small. (Big companies certainly aren’t emphasizing the possibility of paid time off in their get-out-the-vote publicity.) And a worker seeking to sue an employer might find it hard to determine damages.
So it’s on workers to know their rights and make time-off requests. Here are the laws for each of the 50 states, based on information collected by Workplace Fairness, along with the times the polls are open.
Note: Advance notice and/or proof of voting is sometimes required. If you already have a certain number of hours outside of work to vote, protections might not apply. (But employers can always grant time off anyway, so it probably doesn’t hurt to ask.)
- Alabama: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
One hour time off must be allowed, but only if your shift extends beyond 9 am to 6 pm during voting hours. “Reasonable notice” required.
- Alaska: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote.
- Arizona: Polls open 6 am to 7 pm
Up to three hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have three consecutive hours outside of work to vote. One day’s notice required.
- Arkansas: Polls open 7:30 am to 7:30 pm
Employers must schedule shifts to allow at least some time for workers to vote.
- California: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Up to two hours paid time off must be allowed at the beginning or end of your shift. Two business days’ advance notice required. Employers must post a notice of employees’ voting rights at least 10 days before a statewide election.
- Colorado: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm (voters also receive ballots by mail)
Up to two hours paid time off must be allowed, unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote. Notice prior to Election Day is required.
- Connecticut: Polls open 6 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Delaware: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- District of Columbia: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Florida: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Georgia: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm, except in Atlanta, where polling places remain open until 8 pm
Up to two hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required. Employers can choose the hours.
Up to two hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Employers cannot change your schedule because you request time off to vote. You must provide your employer a voting receipt if requested to be paid for the time off.
- Idaho: Polls open 8 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Illinois: Polls open 6 am to 7 pm
Two hours time off must be allowed for a general election. Employers can choose the hours. One day’s advance notice required.
- Indiana: Polls open 6 am to 6 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Iowa: Polls open 7 am to 9 pm
Up to three hours paid time must be allowed unless you already have three consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required before Election Day, in writing. Employers can choose the hours.
- Kansas: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Up to two hours paid time off unless you already have two consecutive hours free to vote. Employers can choose the hours but cannot require they be during a lunch break.
- Kentucky: Polls open 6 am to 6 pm
At least four hours time off must be allowed. Employers may decide what hours are taken. One day’s notice required.
- Louisiana: Polls open 6 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Maine: Polls open between 6 and 8 am in municipalities with a population of at least 500. In municipalities with a population of less than 500, polls can open between 6 and 10 am. Polls close at 8 pm.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Maryland: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Two hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote.
- Massachusetts: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Industrial and retail workers must be allowed to vote the first two hours polls are open. Advance notice is required.
- Michigan: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Minnesota: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm (municipalities with fewer than 500 registered voters can open polling places as late as 10 am, but most do not)
Paid time off to travel to a polling place, vote, and return to work must be allowed.
- Mississippi: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Missouri: Polls open 6 am to 7 pm
Three hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have three consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Notice before Election Day is required. Employers can choose the hours.
- Montana: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm. Some smaller polling places may open as late as noon.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Nebraska: Polls open 8 am to 8 pm in the Central time zone; 7 am to 7 pm in the Mountain time zone
Up to two hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required. Employers can choose the hours.
- Nevada: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
At least one hour paid time off must be allowed if you don’t have enough time to vote outside work. Amount of time off is based on distance to the polls. Notice is required prior to Election Day.
- New Hampshire: Voting can start between 6 and 11 am and end between 7 and 8 pm, depending on your municipality. Find out more here and here.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- New Jersey: Polls open 6 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- New Mexico: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Two hours paid time off must be allowed, unless you already have two hours outside of work before the polls open or three hours before they close.
- New York: Polls open 6 am to 9 pm
Two hours paid off must be allowed (and more unpaid time if needed) unless you already have four hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required no earlier than 10 days before the election, and no later than two days before. Employers must post notice of workers’ voting rights at least 10 days before an election.
- North Carolina: Polls open 6:30 am to 7:30 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- North Dakota: Voting can start between 7 am and noon and end between 7 and 8 pm, depending on your municipality. Find out more here and here.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Ohio: Polls open 6:30 am to 7:30 pm
“Reasonable” time off must be allowed.
- Oklahoma: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Two hours paid time off (or more depending on distance to polls) must be allowed unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote. One day’s notice required.
- Oregon: Oregon is a vote-by-mail state. Ballots must be turned in by 8 pm PT on Election Day.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Pennsylvania: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Rhode Island: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- South Carolina: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- South Dakota: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Two hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have two consecutive hours outside of work to vote. Employer may decide when hours are taken.
Up to three hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required by noon on the day before Election Day.
- Texas: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
Paid time off must be allowed, amount unspecified, unless you already have two hours outside of work to vote.
- Utah: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Two hours paid time off must be allowed, unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote. Notice is required before Election Day. Employers can choose the hours.
- Vermont: Polls open between 5 and 10 am, depending on the town. All polling places close at 7 pm. Find more information here.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- Virginia: Polls open 6 am to 7 pm
Employers do not have to give time off to vote. Absentee ballots are accepted for workers with less than two hours free outside of work or commuting.
- Washington: Washington is a vote-by-mail state. Ballots must be turned in by 8 pm PT on Election Day at a county elections department or a designated ballot drop box. Otherwise, they must be postmarked no later than Election Day.
Employers are not specifically required to give time off to vote.
- West Virginia: Polls open 6:30 am to 7:30 pm
Up to three hours paid time off must be allowed unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote. Three days’ notice is required. Certain employers may shift schedules but still must allow sufficient time off.
- Wisconsin: Polls open 7 am to 8 pm
Up to three hours time off must be allowed. Notice is required before Election Day. Employers can choose the hours.
- Wyoming: Polls open 7 am to 7 pm
One hour paid time off must be allowed, other than a meal break, unless you already have three hours outside of work to vote.
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