Are you entitled to time off when it comes to voting? This question pops up every election cycle. The answer is multilayered and might not always seem consistent. This is because each state mandates a different set of voting guidelines. These guidelines often include the following: do you receive time off for voting, how much time are you allowed, and is that time paid or unpaid.
Federal law does not require employers to give employees time off to vote. However, most states do have voting laws to provide employees an opportunity to vote during their workday. Thirty states mandate that employees receive time off to vote, and many of these states require that time is paid.
There could be a legitimate reason why a state does not offer time off to vote in some cases. Such is the case in Oregon and many similar states with a vote-by-mail system for their elections.
Review the list below to review your state’s guidelines for “time off voting requirements”.
Time Off For Voting – By State
| State | Time Off to Vote? | Time Allowed to Vote | Paid/Unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | One hour | Unpaid |
| Alaska | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | Paid |
| Arizona | Yes | Three hours | Paid |
| Arkansas | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | Unpaid |
| California | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Colorado | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Connecticut | No | N/A | N/A |
| Deleware | No | N/A | N/A |
| District of Columbia | No | N/A | N/A |
| Florida | No | N/A | N/A |
| Georgia | Yes | Two hours | Unpaid |
| Hawaii | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Idaho | No | N/A | N/A |
| Illinois | Yes | Two hours | Unpaid |
| Indiana | No | N/A | N/A |
| Iowa | Yes | Three hours | Unpaid |
| Kansas | Yes | Two hours | Unpaid |
| Kentucky | Yes | Four hours | Unpaid |
| Louisiana | No | N/A | N/A |
| Maine | No | N/A | N/A |
| Maryland | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Massachusetts | Yes | First two hours after polls open | Unpaid |
| Michigan | No | N/A | N/A |
| Minnesota | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | Paid |
| Mississippi | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | N/A |
| Missouri | Yes | Three hours | Paid |
| Montana | No | N/A | N/A |
| Nebraska | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Nevada | Yes | One to three hours | Paid |
| New Hampshire | No | N/A | N/A |
| New Jersey | No | N/A | N/A |
| New Mexico | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| New York | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| North Carolina | No | N/A | N/A |
| North Dakota | No | N/A | N/A |
| Ohio | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | Paid for salaried employees and unpaid for hourly, commissioned, or piecework employees |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Oregon | No | N/A | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | No | N/A | N/A |
| Rhode Island | No | N/A | N/A |
| South Carolina | No | N/A | N/A |
| South Dakota | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Tennessee | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Texas | Yes | As long as it reasonably takes to vote | Paid |
| Utah | Yes | Two hours | Paid |
| Vermont | No | N/A | N/A |
| Virginia | No | N/A | N/A |
| Washington | No | N/A | N/A |
| West Virginia | Yes | Three hours | Paid |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Three hours | Unpaid |
| Wyoming | Yes | One hour | Paid |
