State Laws on Taking Time Off Work to Vote

Employees are generally entitled to take time off work to vote. Most states prohibit employers from firing, disciplining, or otherwise taking action against an employee who takes time off work to cast a ballot. 

A number of states go further by requiring employers to give employees a certain number of hours of leave in order to get to the voting booth. Typically, employees are entitled to this time off only if they are unable, because of their work schedules or the distance they must travel to cast a ballot, to vote outside of work hours. Some states require employers to pay employees for this time; others don't. 

Some states that require voting leave allow employers to set reasonable requirements for using this type of time off. For example, an employer may require employees to give reasonable advance notice if they will need time off to vote, or to prove that they actually used the time off to vote (for example, by providing a ballot stub). 

Here are the basic rules for states that have voting leave laws; to learn more, contact your state's labor department:

Alabama: Employees may take necessary time off work to vote, up to one hour, unless they have two hours off after the polls open or one hour off before the polls close. Time off is unpaid.

Alaska: Employees may take time off to vote unless they have at least two consecutive hours off before or after work when the polls are open. Time off is paid.

Arizona: Employees may take time off to vote, such that their time off combined with their nonwork time will add up to three consecutive hours when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Arkansas: Employers must schedule employee work schedules on election date to enable employees to vote. 

California: Employees may take up to two hours at the start or end of their shift, unless they have sufficient time to vote during nonwork hours. Time off is paid. 

Colorado: Employees may take up to two hours off to vote; this time must be at the start or end of the employee's shift, if the employee requests it. Time off is not required if employees have three hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Georgia: Employees may take up to two hours off to vote, unless they have two hours before or after work when the polls are open. Time off is not paid. 

Hawaii: Employees may take up to two consecutive hours off to vote, not including meal or rest breaks, unless they have two consecutive hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Illinois: Employees may take up to two hours off work unless their shift begins at least two hours after the polls open or ends at least two hours before the polls close. Time off is paid. 

Iowa: Employees may take enough time off so that they have three hours off total to vote, when combined with their nonwork time. Time off is paid. 

Kansas: Employees may take enough time off so that they have two hours off total to vote, when combined with their nonwork time. Time off is paid. 

Kentucky: Employees may take up to four hours off to vote. Time off is not paid. 

Maryland: Employees may take up to two hours off to vote, unless they have two consecutive hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Massachusetts: Employees may take off the first two hours in which the polls are open (applies to employees in the manufacturing, mechanical, or retail industries only). Time off is not paid. 

Learn more about Family and Medical Leave.

Minnesota: Employees may take the time off necessary to get to the polling place, vote, and return to work. Time off is paid. 

Missouri: Employees may take up to three hours off to vote, unless they have three consecutive hours off work when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Nebraska: Employees may take enough time off so that they have two hours off total to vote, when combined with their nonwork time. Time off is paid. 

Nevada: If it is impractical for an employee to vote before or after work, the employee may take from one to three hours off, depending on how far it is to the polling place. Time off is paid. 

New Mexico: Employees may take up to two hours off work to vote, unless they begin work more than two hours after the polls open or end work more than three hours before the polls close. Time off is paid. 

New York: Employees may take enough time off to give them adequate time to vote, when combined with nonwork hours. Time off is not required if the employee has four consecutive hours off before or after work when the polls are open. Up to two hours off are paid. 

North Dakota: Employers are encouraged (but not required) to give employees time off to vote, if necessary. 

Ohio: Employees may take reasonable time off work to vote. Time off is paid. 

Oklahoma: Employees may take two hours off work to vote, unless the employee lives so far from the polling place that more time is needed. Time off is not required for employees who begin work at least three hours after the polls open or end work at least three hours before the polls close. Time off is paid. 

South Dakota: Employees may take two consecutive hours off work to vote, unless they have two consecutive hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Tennessee: Employees may take up to three hours off work to vote, unless they start work at least three hours after the polls open or end work at least three hours before the polls close. Time off is paid. 

Texas: Employees may take time off work to vote, unless they have two consecutive hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Utah: Employees may take two hours off to vote at the beginning or end of their shifts, unless they have three hours off work when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Washington: Employees may take up to two hours off work to vote, unless they have two hours off when the polls are open or sufficient time after learning their work schedule to file an absentee ballot. Time off is paid. 

West Virginia: Employees may take up to three hours off to vote, unless they have at least three hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Wisconsin: Employees may take up to three consecutive hours off to vote. Time off is not paid. 

Wyoming: Employees may take one hour off to vote, other than during a meal break, unless they have at least three consecutive hours off when the polls are open. Time off is paid. 

Learn more about Time Off For Vacation, Illness, and Civic Duty.