50-State Surveys › Voting Leave Requirements by State
Voting Leave Requirements by State
Must an employer give an employee time off to vote, how much of that time must be paid, and what notice may the employer require?
51 of 51 jurisdictions verified
every entry statute-checked, oldest 2026-07-13
What this survey covers
Voting-leave statutes answer a narrower question than whether polls are open before or after work. They determine when an employee may interrupt scheduled work to cast a ballot, how much of that interruption is protected or paid, and what the employee or employer must do before election day.
This survey compares the private-sector state-law floor. It does not cover leave to work at the polls, campaign activity, voter registration, or a public agency's separate civil-service policy.
How to read the table
Start with the eligible-worker and election column, then apply the outside-work-hours test. In many states, leave is not automatic: the employee qualifies only if the poll schedule and work shift do not leave a specified continuous block of nonworking time. The duration and paid-status columns then show how much working time is available and which portion must be paid.
The remaining columns identify who chooses the leave window, employee notice and employer posting duties, and the consequences for denial, retaliation, or an unlawful wage deduction.
Patterns across all 51 jurisdictions
California uses an insufficient-time test for statewide elections. The voter may take enough working time to vote, but only two hours must be without loss of pay. Unless the parties agree otherwise, leave sits at the beginning or end of the shift, and the statute adds both a two-working-day employee notice rule and a ten-day employer posting duty.
New York makes a four-consecutive-hour block the safe window. A registered voter with less than that block may take enough working time to vote, with up to two paid hours. The employer ordinarily designates the beginning or end of the shift, employee notice must fall between two and ten working days before the election, and the posting stays up through poll closing.
Nevada uses a different architecture. When voting outside work is impracticable, the employer designates a paid window whose length depends on distance from work to the polling place: one, two, or three hours. The voter must request leave before election day, and denial or another violation is a misdemeanor.
The completed table shows that the most common mandate is conditional paid leave: the employee qualifies only when the work schedule does not leave a specified continuous block while polls are open. The safe window varies from two to four hours, and its structure matters. Tennessee, for example, tests three hours before the shift and three hours after it separately, while other states ask whether the employee has one continuous off-duty block anywhere in the polling period.
Several states use different architectures. Alaska and Minnesota authorize the time reasonably necessary without a fixed safe-window test. Kentucky guarantees at least four unpaid hours, West Virginia allows up to three paid hours, Nevada uses a distance-based one-, two-, or three-hour schedule, and Arkansas requires the employer to schedule work so employees can vote rather than stating a fixed leave bank. Georgia now reaches an authorized advance-voting day as well as election day.
A substantial minority has no general private-employer voting-leave mandate. That group includes Florida, Vermont, Montana, North Dakota, Indiana, Delaware, Idaho, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, South Carolina, Louisiana, Oregon, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; Connecticut's temporary provision expired in 2024. Some of these states still prohibit election coercion or intimidation, but that is not the same as requiring paid or unpaid time away from work.
Notice, scheduling control, posting, and enforcement vary independently from duration and pay. Employers commonly choose the leave window; California, Utah, and Colorado protect a requested shift edge in specified circumstances. Some statutes state no express remedy, while others impose civil fines, misdemeanors or felonies, and Colorado retains a corporate-charter forfeiture provision. A usable policy therefore has to match all eight dimensions rather than importing a generic "two paid hours" rule.
Get this answered for your state
This survey compares every state side by side. Ezel applies your state's law to your specific situation and answers with citations to the statutes.
Scroll sideways in the table to see all columns →
| State | Governing law | Eligible workers and elections | Outside-work-hours test | Time-off amount | Paid or unpaid | When leave is taken | Employee notice and employer posting | Protection and penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama verified 2026-07-13 | Ala. Code § 17-1-5 (Act 2006-545) |
Each employee in the state who is qualified and registered to vote, for any municipal, county, state, or federal party primary or election, on the day the primary or election is held (§ 17-1-5) |
No leave if the employee's work hours begin at least 2 hours after the polls open or end at least 1 hour before the polls close (§ 17-1-5) |
Necessary time off to vote, not to exceed one hour (§ 17-1-5) |
No pay requirement; § 17-1-5 is silent on wages, so the hour is unpaid unless the employer chooses otherwise |
Employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent (§ 17-1-5) |
Employee must give reasonable notice to the employer; § 17-1-5 imposes no employer-posting duty |
Section 17-1-5 states no express anti-retaliation provision and no civil, administrative, or criminal penalty for denial |
| Alaska verified 2026-07-13 | Alaska Stat. § 15.15.100 |
A qualified voter who lacks sufficient time outside working hours to vote at a state election (§ 15.15.100) |
Deemed to have sufficient time if 2 consecutive hours to vote either before the shift or after it while the polls are open (§ 15.15.100) |
As much working time as will enable voting; no fixed maximum stated (§ 15.15.100) |
Without loss of pay (§ 15.15.100) |
Statute is silent on who chooses the window or which part of the shift (§ 15.15.100) |
No employee-notice or employer-posting duty in § 15.15.100 |
The section grants the paid-time right but states no penalty, private remedy, or anti-retaliation clause of its own (§ 15.15.100) |
| Arizona verified 2026-07-13 | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-402 |
A person entitled to vote at a primary or general election held in Arizona, taking leave on election day (§ 16-402(A)); statute does not extend the right to special elections or a separate early-voting day |
Fewer than 3 consecutive hours between polls opening and shift start OR between shift end and polls closing; time on opposite sides of the shift is not combined (§ 16-402(A)) |
Enough time at the beginning or end of the shift so that working-time leave plus the adjacent outside-work polling time totals 3 consecutive hours (§ 16-402(A)) |
Fully paid: no deduction from the employee's usual salary or wages for qualifying leave (§ 16-402(A)) |
Leave is at the beginning or end of the shift; employer may specify the hours during which the employee is absent (§ 16-402(A)) |
Employee must apply before election day; § 16-402 states no fixed number of days, required form, or employer-posting duty (§ 16-402(A)) |
No penalty or wage reduction for qualifying leave; refusal, penalizing the employee, reducing wages, or another direct or indirect violation is a class 2 misdemeanor (§ 16-402(A)-(B)) |
| Arkansas verified 2026-07-13 | Ark. Code Ann. § 7-1-102 (Acts 1989, No. 545) |
Each employee of every employer in the state, on election days; no voter-registration or election-type gate stated (§ 7-1-102) |
No fixed threshold; the employer must schedule work hours so each employee has an opportunity to vote (§ 7-1-102) |
No fixed amount; a schedule accommodation giving an opportunity to vote, not a set number of hours (§ 7-1-102) |
N/A — the statute requires schedule accommodation, not a paid leave period; no wage-continuation provision (§ 7-1-102) |
Employer controls by scheduling work hours to leave a voting opportunity; statute sets no employee-chosen window (§ 7-1-102) |
N/A — statute imposes no employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
Employer that fails or refuses to comply is, on conviction, subject to a fine of $25 to $250 (§ 7-1-102) |
| California verified 2026-07-13 | Cal. Elec. Code §§ 14000-14002 |
A voter employed by a private employer or public agency who needs working time to vote at a statewide election (§§ 14000(a), 14002) |
Leave applies only when voter lacks sufficient time outside working hours to vote; statute sets no fixed safe-window hour count (§ 14000(a)) |
Enough working time that, combined with available outside-work time, enables voting; only first 2 hours carry statutory pay protection (§ 14000(a)-(b)) |
Up to 2 hours without loss of pay; statute does not require pay for additional voting time (§ 14000(a)-(b)) |
Beginning or end of regular shift, whichever creates most free voting time and least work absence, unless employer and employee mutually agree otherwise (§ 14000(b)) |
If need is known or reasonably known on third working day before election, employee gives at least 2 working days' notice. Employer posts § 14000 notice at least 10 days before every statewide election (§§ 14000(c), 14001) |
Statutory paid portion must be without loss of pay. §§ 14000-14002 state no separate anti-retaliation language, civil damages, administrative fine, or criminal penalty for denial or posting failure |
| Colorado verified 2026-07-13 | Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 1-7-102, 1-13-719, 1-13-111, as amended by 2026 Colo. HB 1113, § 43 |
An eligible elector entitled to vote at an election, on any day when voter service and polling centers are open (§ 1-7-102(1)) |
Employer may deny leave if the elector has 3 or more consecutive off-job hours while polls are open on the requested day (§ 1-7-102(2)) |
2 hours while voter service and polling centers are open (§ 1-7-102(1)) |
No salary or wage deduction; hourly employees receive their regular hourly wage for up to 2 hours (§ 1-7-102(1)) |
Employer specifies the hours, but must use the beginning or end of the shift if the employee requests (§ 1-7-102(1)) |
Employee must apply before the day for which leave is requested; no fixed earlier deadline, form, or posting duty (§ 1-7-102(1)) |
No discharge, penalty, or wage deduction; violations are a class 2 misdemeanor, and a corporation also forfeits its charter and business right (§§ 1-7-102, 1-13-719, 1-13-111) |
| Connecticut verified 2026-07-13 | No current voting-leave mandate; the temporary Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-57y granted leave only 'From June 23, 2021, to June 30, 2024' and has expired |
None currently; while in force, § 31-57y covered each employee for a state election, or each elector for specified federal and state special elections |
N/A — no current leave statute; the expired § 31-57y imposed no outside-work-hours test |
None currently; the expired § 31-57y had allowed up to two hours |
N/A — no current leave to pay; the expired § 31-57y leave was unpaid |
N/A — no current leave statute to schedule |
None currently; the expired § 31-57y required a request at least two working days before the election, with no employer-posting duty |
No current statutory voting-leave protection or penalty; the expired § 31-57y contained no penalty provision of its own |
| Delaware verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; nearest employer-election rule is 15 Del. C. § 5162 (with imputation rule § 5163) |
No statutory time-off right; § 5162 protects any qualified elector from employer coercion at any general, special, or municipal election |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; § 5162 lets an aggrieved elector recover $500 in a civil action from an employer that hinders, controls, coerces, or intimidates the elector's vote by bribery or threats of depriving employment; § 5163 imputes a corporate officer's acts to the corporation |
| District of Columbia verified 2026-07-13 | D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a |
Any employee eligible to vote; covers a District election under the elections subchapter, or, for non-District voters, the election run where the employee is eligible (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(1)) |
None; leave is on request, the only condition being that the employee would have been scheduled to work during the requested time (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(1)) |
At least 2 hours of paid leave to vote in person — a floor, not a cap (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(1)) |
Paid; no deduction from salary, wages, or accrued leave (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(1), (b)(3)) |
Employer may specify the hours, including requiring early-voting days or the beginning or end of working hours (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(2)(B)) |
Employer may require a reasonable-advance request; employer must post and maintain a conspicuous notice of these provisions (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(2)(A), (b)(5)) |
Unlawful to interfere with, restrain, or deny the leave, or to retaliate in any manner for taking it (§ 1-1001.07a(b)(4)) |
| Florida verified 2026-07-13 | Fla. Stat. § 104.081; no general private-employer voting-leave statute located |
No statutory leave eligibility; § 104.081 protects employees concerning voting or not voting for candidates or measures in state, county, or municipal elections |
None; Florida states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statute |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statute |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave employee notice or employer posting duty stated |
Employer may not discharge or threaten discharge based on voting or not voting for a covered candidate or measure; violation is a third-degree felony (§ 104.081) |
| Georgia verified 2026-07-13 | O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404 (amended by 2023 SB 129) |
Each employee qualified and registered to vote, for any municipal, county, state, or federal party primary or election, on an advance in-person voting day or on election day (§ 21-2-404) |
None; the 2023 amendment deleted the former exception for shifts beginning or ending well outside poll hours, so no shift-timing gate remains (§ 21-2-404) |
Necessary time off to vote, not to exceed two hours (§ 21-2-404) |
No pay requirement; § 21-2-404 is silent on wages, so the time is unpaid unless the employer chooses otherwise |
Employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent (§ 21-2-404) |
Employee must give reasonable notice to the employer; § 21-2-404 imposes no employer-posting duty |
Section 21-2-404 states no express anti-retaliation provision and no civil, administrative, or criminal penalty of its own for denial |
| Hawaii verified 2026-07-13 | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-95 |
Any voter, on election day (§ 11-95(a)) |
No right if the employee has 2 consecutive hours (excluding lunch/rest) off duty while the polls are open (§ 11-95(a)) |
Up to 2 hours, excluding lunch or rest periods, to allow 2 consecutive hours to vote (§ 11-95(a)) |
Paid — no penalty, no rescheduling of hours, no wage deduction; but the employer may deduct if the employee took the time and failed to vote (§ 11-95(a)) |
Statute does not designate the window; a voter's receipt is proof of voting (§ 11-95(a)) |
No employee-notice or employer-posting duty; a voter's receipt serves as proof of voting (§ 11-95(a)) |
Refusing the time, penalizing it, or deducting wages is punishable by a civil fine of $50 to $300 (§ 11-95(b)-(c)) |
| Idaho verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; nearest employer-election rule is Idaho Code § 18-2319 (penalty via § 18-2315) |
No statutory time-off right; § 18-2319 protects any elector from attempts to influence the vote, at any election |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; § 18-2319 makes it a crime to try to influence a voter's vote by threats, expressly including a threat of discharging from employment; § 18-2315 punishes such election offenses by a fine up to $1,000, up to 5 years' imprisonment, or both |
| Illinois verified 2026-07-13 | 10 ILCS 5/7-42(a), 17-15(a), 29-12, and 29-17 |
Eligible voter at general, special, or proposition election has statutory leave; eligible primary voter needs employer consent (10 ILCS 5/17-15(a), 7-42(a)) |
Working-time absence mandatory when shift begins <2 hours after polls open and ends <2 hours before polls close; otherwise employer may specify the 2-hour period (10 ILCS 5/17-15(a)) |
2 hours between poll opening and closing; primary leave is also 2 hours but requires employer consent (10 ILCS 5/17-15(a), 7-42(a)) |
No compensation reduction for covered general, special, or proposition-election absence; no pay protection stated for primary leave (10 ILCS 5/17-15(a), 7-42(a)) |
Employer specifies the hours; for covered nonprimary elections, must permit 2 working hours when both schedule-edge tests are met (10 ILCS 5/17-15(a), 7-42(a)) |
Apply before election day for general, special, or proposition-election leave; primary section states consent but no request deadline. No posting duty stated |
No refusal or penalty, including compensation reduction, for § 17-15 leave. Knowing Code violation is Class A misdemeanor; voting-right deprivation supports an action for redress (§§ 17-15(a), 29-12, 29-17) |
| Indiana verified 2026-07-13 | Ind. Code §§ 3-14-3-21, 3-14-3-21.5; no general private-employer voting-leave statute located |
No statutory leave eligibility; §§ 3-14-3-21 and -21.5 instead protect employees' political opinions/actions and individuals who vote or attempt to vote |
None; Indiana states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statutes |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statutes |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave request deadline or employer posting duty stated |
Specified threatening political messages in pay envelopes or at the workplace are a Level 6 felony (§ 3-14-3-21); knowingly or intentionally intimidating, threatening, or coercing an individual for voting or attempting to vote is a Level 6 felony (§ 3-14-3-21.5) |
| Iowa verified 2026-07-13 | Iowa Code §§ 49.109, 39A.5(1)(a)(1), (2) |
Any person entitled to vote at an election in Iowa who lacks the required off-duty polling window (§ 49.109) |
Leave applies if the employee does not have 2 consecutive hours while polls are open during which the employee is not required at work (§ 49.109) |
Enough work time so that the leave plus the employee's nonworking time totals 2 consecutive polling hours (§ 49.109) |
No deduction from regular salary or wages because of the absence (§ 49.109) |
Employer designates the leave period; it must combine with nonworking time to produce 2 consecutive hours while polls are open (§ 49.109) |
Employee must apply individually and in writing before the election date; no employer-posting duty stated (§ 49.109) |
No employee penalty or wage deduction; willful denial, penalty, or wage reduction is fourth-degree election misconduct, a simple misdemeanor (§§ 49.109, 39A.5) |
| Kansas verified 2026-07-13 | K.S.A. 25-418 |
Any person entitled to vote at an election conducted by a county election officer in Kansas, on election day (§ 25-418) |
The 2-hour entitlement is reduced by outside-work poll time: leave plus any period the polls are open before starting or after finishing work may not exceed 2 consecutive hours — so 2+ consecutive hours of open-poll time outside work means no leave (§ 25-418) |
Not more than 2 consecutive hours between the opening and closing of the polls, reduced by outside-work poll time (§ 25-418) |
Paid — no penalty and no deduction from usual salary or wages for the absence (§ 25-418) |
Employer may specify the particular time of day the employee takes the leave, except that specified time may not fall during the regular lunch period (§ 25-418) |
§ 25-418 states no employee-notice and no employer-posting duty |
Intentionally obstructing an employee's exercise of the voting privilege, or imposing a penalty on an employee for exercising it, is 'obstruction of voting privilege,' a class A misdemeanor; the penal provision applies to employers (§ 25-418; State v. Latsha) |
| Kentucky verified 2026-07-13 | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 118.035(2)-(3), implementing Ky. Const. § 148 |
Any person entitled to vote at any Kentucky election, for election-day voting or a county-clerk appearance to request an absentee-ballot application or execute an absentee ballot (§ 118.035(2)) |
None; entitlement is not conditioned on lacking a specified off-duty polling window (§ 118.035(2)) |
A reasonable time, but not less than 4 hours (§ 118.035(2)) |
Unpaid unless employer policy provides otherwise; statute bars a penalty but does not require salary or wage continuation (§ 118.035(2)-(3)) |
Election day while polls are open, or normal county-clerk business hours for the covered absentee-ballot task; employer may specify the hours (§ 118.035(2)) |
Employee must apply for leave before the applicable leave day; statute states no required form or employer-posting duty (§ 118.035(2)) |
No penalty for reasonable voting time if the employee votes; discipline is permitted if the employee fails to vote when circumstances did not prohibit voting. No separate voter-leave remedy or employer penalty is stated (§ 118.035(3)) |
| Louisiana verified 2026-07-13 | No general private-employer voting-leave statute located; related employer-coercion protections are La. R.S. 23:961-962 |
No statutory leave eligibility; § 23:961 protects employees of employers regularly employing 20 or more from specified political-control rules, and § 23:962 protects laborers against specified discharge and vote-control conduct |
None; Louisiana states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by §§ 23:961-962 |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under §§ 23:961-962 |
No statutory voting-leave window; § 23:962 instead prohibits specified attempts to control a laborer's suffrage or vote |
No voting-leave request deadline, required form, or employer-posting duty stated |
Section 23:961 bars specified political-participation restrictions and discharge threats, authorizes employee damages, and sets individual and entity criminal fines plus possible individual imprisonment; § 23:962 sets a $100-$500 fine and up to 1 year for specified discharge or vote-control conduct |
| Maine verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute and no employer-specific voter-coercion statute; nearest rule is the general election-interference crime, 21-A M.R.S. § 674 |
No statutory time-off right; § 674 protects any voter from interference or influence at the voting place, at any election |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right and no statute barring discharge or discipline over voting; the general election-interference crimes in § 674 make it a Class E crime to interfere with a voter attempting to cast a vote or to attempt to influence a voter in marking a ballot, but these reach voting-place conduct, not employer employment actions |
| Maryland verified 2026-07-13 | Md. Code, Election Law § 10-315 |
Employee who claims to be a Maryland registered voter, taking leave on election day to cast a ballot; applies to every employer in the State (§ 10-315(a)) |
Leave applies only if employee lacks 2 hours of continuous off-duty time while polls are open (§ 10-315(a)) |
Up to 2 hours away from work (§ 10-315(a)) |
Paid for the qualifying absence, up to 2 hours (§ 10-315(b)) |
During election day while voting is available; § 10-315 states no employer right to select a particular leave window |
No advance-request deadline or posting duty stated; employee must afterward furnish proof of voting or attempting to vote on the State Board's prescribed form (§ 10-315(c)) |
§ 10-315 requires permission and pay but states no separate anti-retaliation language, civil damages, administrative fine, or criminal penalty |
| Massachusetts verified 2026-07-13 | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, §§ 1, 178; pending S.2208 would replace § 178 |
A person entitled to vote at an election, but only while employed in a manufacturing, mechanical, or mercantile establishment (§ 178); those workplace categories are defined in § 1 |
None; current § 178 does not condition leave on whether the employee can vote outside working hours |
Leave of absence during the 2-hour period immediately after the polls open in the employee's voting precinct, ward, or town (§ 178) |
No statutory pay requirement; current § 178 grants leave but contains no wage-continuation or no-deduction language |
Fixed window: first 2 hours after polls open; § 178 states no employer right to choose another time |
Employee must apply for leave, but § 178 sets no advance deadline, required form, or employer-posting duty |
Employer may not employ or permit the qualifying employee to be employed during the requested statutory period; § 178 states no express retaliation rule, damages, fine, or criminal classification |
| Michigan verified 2026-07-13 | Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.931(1)(d); no general private-employer voting-leave statute located |
No statutory leave eligibility; coercion rule protects an employee's vote at an election (§ 168.931(1)(d)) |
None; Michigan states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statute |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statute |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave employee notice or employer posting duty stated |
No direct or indirect discharge or threatened discharge to influence employee's vote; violation is a misdemeanor (§ 168.931(1), (1)(d)) |
| Minnesota verified 2026-07-13 | Minn. Stat. § 204C.04 |
Every employee eligible to vote in a regularly scheduled election, specified federal or state vacancy election, constitutional-office nomination-vacancy election, or presidential nomination primary, on election day or during the § 203B.081 in-person early-voting period (§ 204C.04, subds. 1-2) |
None; the statute does not condition leave on the employee lacking a particular off-duty polling window (§ 204C.04, subd. 1) |
Time necessary to appear at the employee's polling place, cast a ballot, and return to work (§ 204C.04, subd. 1) |
Without penalty or deduction from salary or wages because of the absence (§ 204C.04, subd. 1) |
On the covered election day or during the statutory in-person early-voting period; no employer right to select or restrict the leave window is stated (§ 204C.04, subd. 1) |
No employee advance-notice, request-form, documentation, or employer-posting duty is stated (§ 204C.04) |
Employer or other person may not directly or indirectly refuse, abridge, or interfere with the right; violation is a misdemeanor prosecuted by the county attorney (§ 204C.04, subds. 1, 3) |
| Mississippi verified 2026-07-13 | No general voting-leave mandate; nearest provision is Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-871 (employer and employee election conduct), enforced through § 97-13-37 |
No statutory time-off right; § 23-15-871(1) protects any employee from employer coercion of the vote 'in any election' |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
No statutory amount; § 23-15-871(3) references only 'the necessary time to cast his or her vote' as an exception to a ban on employer-funded campaign leave, not an affirmative grant |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
Employer may not coerce an employee's vote, threaten discharge, or change wages because of it (§ 23-15-871(1)-(2)); a violation is a violation of § 97-13-37 and is referred to a district attorney for prosecution (§ 23-15-871(7)) |
| Missouri verified 2026-07-13 | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 115.639, 115.637 |
Any person entitled to vote at any election held in Missouri, taking leave on election day (§ 115.639.1) |
No leave if employee has 3 successive nonworking hours while polls are open (§ 115.639.1) |
3 hours while polls are open (§ 115.639.1) |
No wage deduction if the employee uses the leave and votes; pay protection is expressly conditioned on voting (§ 115.639.1) |
Employer may specify any 3-hour period between poll opening and closing (§ 115.639.1) |
Employee must request leave before election day; statute sets no earlier deadline, required form, or employer-posting duty (§ 115.639.1) |
If employee votes, no discharge, threatened discharge, penalty, discipline, or wage deduction. Employer violation is a class 4 election offense: misdemeanor, up to 1 year, $2,500 fine, or both (§§ 115.639, 115.637) |
| Montana verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; nearest employer-election rule is Mont. Code Ann. § 13-35-226 |
No statutory time-off right; § 13-35-226 restricts employer political pressure, not scheduling to vote |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; § 13-35-226 bars an employer from using pay envelopes or workplace placards with threats or promises to influence employees' political actions, enforced by civil action |
| Nebraska verified 2026-07-13 | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-922 |
Any registered voter, on election day (§ 32-922) |
No right if the voter already has 2 consecutive off-duty hours while the polls are open (§ 32-922) |
Enough time that, added to nonworking time, totals 2 consecutive hours while the polls are open (§ 32-922) |
Paid — no penalty and no deduction from salary or wages, if the voter applies for leave before or on election day (§ 32-922) |
The employer may specify the hours during which the employee is absent (§ 32-922) |
Voter must apply for the leave before or on election day to keep it penalty- and deduction-free; no employer-posting duty stated (§ 32-922) |
No penalty and no wage deduction for a qualifying, timely-requested absence; the section states no separate misdemeanor or civil remedy (§ 32-922) |
| Nevada verified 2026-07-13 | NRS 293.463 |
Any registered voter employed in Nevada, where it is impracticable to vote before or after the voter's hours of employment (§ 293.463(1)) |
Leave applies only if it is impracticable for the voter to vote before or after working hours (§ 293.463(1)) |
Sufficient time set by distance from work to the polling place: 2 miles or less = 1 hour; more than 2 but not more than 10 miles = 2 hours; more than 10 miles = 3 hours (§ 293.463(1)) |
Paid — no deduction from usual salary or wages for the absence (§ 293.463(2)) |
The employer designates the time of day at which the voter takes the leave (§ 293.463(1)) |
Employee must apply to the employer (or person authorized to grant leave) for the time off before the day of the election; § 293.463 states no employer-posting duty (§ 293.463(3)) |
The voter may not be discharged, disciplined, or penalized, and no wage deduction may be made, for the absence; an employer who denies the right or otherwise violates the section is guilty of a misdemeanor (§ 293.463(2), (4)) |
| New Hampshire verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; nearest election rule is RSA 659:40 |
No statutory time-off right; RSA 659:40 protects any person from coercion or intimidation to vote or refrain from voting, at any election |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; RSA 659:40 bars bribery, the use of force, violence, or any tactic of coercion or intimidation to induce or compel a person to vote or refrain from voting, and voter suppression; a violation is a class B felony |
| New Jersey verified 2026-07-13 | No general private-employer voting-leave statute; N.J.S.A. 19:34-27 bars employer coercion of an employee's vote. Pending 2026 bills S 417 / A 3286 would add paid leave |
No statutory time-off right; § 19:34-27 protects any employee from employer coercion 'at any election' |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
No statutory amount; New Jersey grants no voting time-off entitlement |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
Employer may not use or threaten force, violence, restraint, injury, damage, harm or loss, or use duress or improper influence, to compel or punish an employee's vote; a violation is a crime of the third degree (§ 19:34-27) |
| New Mexico verified 2026-07-13 | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 1-12-42 (last amended 2001) |
Any voter in employment, at any election day; also applies to elections of an Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo for an enrolled member qualified to vote (§ 1-12-42(A), (C)) |
No right if the workday begins more than 2 hours after polls open or ends more than 3 hours before polls close (§ 1-12-42(B)) |
Up to 2 hours on election day, taken between poll opening and closing (§ 1-12-42(A)) |
No express 'without loss of pay' clause; § 1-12-42(A) bars 'any penalty for such absence,' generally read to preclude docking pay for the protected two hours |
Employer may specify which hours within the poll-open-to-close window the voter takes off (§ 1-12-42(A)) |
N/A — statute imposes no employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
Voter not liable to any penalty for the absence; a person who refuses the right is guilty of a misdemeanor, fined $50 to $100 (§ 1-12-42(A), (D)) |
| New York verified 2026-07-13 | N.Y. Elec. Law § 3-110 |
Registered voter who lacks sufficient outside-work time on any day the voter may vote, at any election (§ 3-110(1)) |
4 consecutive hours before the shift after polls open, or after the shift before polls close, is sufficient; the two sides are not combined (§ 3-110(2)) |
Enough working time that, added to available outside-work voting time, enables voting; no more than 2 hours carry statutory pay protection (§ 3-110(1)-(2)) |
Up to 2 hours without loss of pay; statute does not require pay for additional qualifying time (§ 3-110(1)-(2)) |
Beginning or end of shift as employer designates, unless employer and employee mutually agree otherwise (§ 3-110(2)) |
Employee notice 2-10 working days before election. Employer posts notice at least 10 working days before every election through poll closing (§ 3-110(3)-(4)) |
Up to 2 qualifying hours must be without loss of pay; § 3-110 states no separate retaliation ban, civil remedy, administrative fine, or criminal classification |
| North Carolina verified 2026-07-13 | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-274(a)(7); no general private-employer voting-leave statute located |
No statutory leave eligibility; ballot-choice protection covers a legally qualified voter in connection with a North Carolina primary or election (§ 163-274(a)) |
None; North Carolina states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statute |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statute |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave employee notice or employer posting duty stated |
No discharge, threatened discharge, intimidation, or opposition based on covered ballot choice; violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor (§ 163-274(a)(7)) |
| North Dakota verified 2026-07-13 | N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1-01-02.1 (state-policy encouragement; no mandate) |
No enforceable right; the state encourages employers to let a qualified voter be absent to vote at statewide special, primary, or general elections (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
Encouragement is framed for when the employee's regular work schedule conflicts with voting while polls are open (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
None required; any program and its length are left to the employer (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
No pay required; the statute encourages absence, not paid absence (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
Left entirely to any voluntary employer program (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
No statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No enforceable right, penalty, or remedy; the provision is a policy encouragement only (§ 16.1-01-02.1) |
| Ohio verified 2026-07-13 | Ohio Rev. Code § 3599.06 |
An elector taking reasonable time to vote on election day; no election-type limitation stated (§ 3599.06) |
None stated; protection is not conditioned on a fixed number of polling hours outside work (§ 3599.06) |
A reasonable amount of time; no fixed hour limit or minimum stated (§ 3599.06) |
No mandatory voting-leave pay stated in § 3599.06 |
Election day; statute does not assign a specific window or say who schedules it (§ 3599.06) |
No advance employee notice, written request, proof, or employer posting requirement stated (§ 3599.06) |
No discharge or threatened discharge for taking reasonable voting time; no intimidation to control a vote. Violation fined $50-$500 (§ 3599.06) |
| Oklahoma verified 2026-07-13 | Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 7-101 |
A registered voter employed by a corporation, firm, association, or individual, on election day or a lawful in-person absentee-voting day (§ 7-101(A)(1)) |
No leave if work begins at least 3 hours after polls open or ends at least 3 hours before polls close; employer may change work hours to create either 3-hour window (§ 7-101(A)(3)) |
2 hours, or sufficient time to cast a ballot when distance from the voting place requires more than 2 hours (§ 7-101(A)(2)) |
No loss of compensation upon proof of voting; pay protection is expressly proof-dependent (§ 7-101(A)(4)) |
Employer may select the election or in-person absentee-voting day and the hours, notify employees of them, and change work hours to create a 3-hour off-duty window (§ 7-101(A)(3)) |
Employee must notify an employer representative orally or in writing at least 3 days before the election or in-person absentee-voting day; no employer-posting duty stated (§ 7-101(A)(3)) |
Upon proof of voting, no loss of compensation or other penalty; noncompliant employer faces a $50-$100 civil penalty (§ 7-101(A)(4), (B)) |
| Oregon verified 2026-07-13 | No general private-employer voting-leave statute located; related protections are Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 260.665, 260.995 |
No statutory employee-leave eligibility; § 260.665 protects any person against undue influence intended to induce voting, nonvoting, or voting in a particular manner |
None; Oregon states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statutes |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statutes |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave request deadline, required form, or private-employer posting duty stated |
Actual or threatened loss of employment is 'undue influence' and may not be used to induce voting, nonvoting, or a particular vote (§ 260.665(1)-(2)); where no other civil penalty applies, the Secretary of State or Attorney General may impose up to $1,000 per violation (§ 260.995(1)) |
| Pennsylvania verified 2026-07-13 | No general private-employer voting-leave statute; 25 P.S. § 3547 bars employer and other coercion of voters. Pending 2025 HB 619 would add employee voter leave |
No statutory time-off right; § 3547 protects any voter, including an employee, from coercion 'at any election' |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
No statutory amount; Pennsylvania grants no voting time-off entitlement |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
An employer may not use pay envelopes or workplace handbills carrying political threats — such as that a candidate's win or loss will cut wages or close the business — to influence employees' votes; a violation is a misdemeanor of the second degree (§ 3547(c)). The same section bars any person or corporation from using force, restraint, duress, or coercion against a voter (§ 3547(a)-(b)) |
| Rhode Island verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; nearest employer-election rules are R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-6 (with general § 17-23-5) |
No statutory time-off right; § 17-23-6 restricts employer political pressure near a general election, and § 17-23-5 protects any elector from threats or intimidation, at any election |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; § 17-23-6 makes it a felony for an employer, within 90 days of a general election, to use pay envelopes or workplace placards carrying threats (work stopping, the business closing, or wages being reduced) to influence employees' political actions; § 17-23-5 makes it a felony to use any threat or intimidation to influence an elector's vote |
| South Carolina verified 2026-07-13 | No general private-employer voting-leave statute located; related voter-protection crimes are S.C. Code §§ 7-25-70, 7-25-80 |
No statutory employee-leave eligibility; §§ 7-25-70 and 7-25-80 instead protect voters against candidate-directed threats and election-site intimidation |
None; South Carolina states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statutes |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statutes |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave request deadline, required form, or employer-posting duty stated |
No employment-specific leave protection; procuring a candidate vote by threat or intimidation is a misdemeanor carrying a $100-$500 fine, up to 3 years' imprisonment, or both (§ 7-25-70), while election-site threats, mistreatment, or abuse intended to control or intimidate suffrage are a felony carrying a discretionary fine, up to 10 years, or both (§ 7-25-80) |
| South Dakota verified 2026-07-13 | S.D. Codified Laws § 12-3-5 |
Any person entitled to vote at any election in the state, including a primary, on election day (§ 12-3-5) |
No right if the person has 2 consecutive hours while the polls are open when not required to be at work (§ 12-3-5) |
Up to 2 consecutive hours to be absent, between poll opening and closing (§ 12-3-5) |
Paid: no penalty and no deduction from usual salary or wages for the absence (§ 12-3-5) |
The employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent (§ 12-3-5) |
No employee-notice or employer-posting duty in § 12-3-5 |
An employer that refuses the time, penalizes it, reduces wages, or otherwise violates the section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor (§ 12-3-5) |
| Tennessee verified 2026-07-17 | Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-1-106 governs an employee’s election-day absence to cast the employee’s own ballot, including eligibility, the shift-based exception, a 3-hour maximum, pay protection, employer scheduling, and the request deadline |
Any person entitled to vote in an election held in Tennessee; absence is from any service or employment on election day to vote while polls are open in the employee’s county of residence (§ 2-1-106(a)) |
No leave if the shift begins 3 or more hours after polls open OR ends 3 or more hours before polls close. Each shift edge is tested separately; the statute does not combine shorter pre- and post-shift periods (§ 2-1-106(c)) |
A reasonable period necessary to vote while county polls are open, capped at 3 hours (§ 2-1-106(a)) |
Paid: a qualifying voter may not suffer a reduction in pay for the absence (§ 2-1-106(b)) |
Employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent (§ 2-1-106(d)) |
Employee must apply to the employer before 12:00 noon on the day before the election; § 2-1-106 imposes no employer posting duty (§ 2-1-106(d)) |
A voter absent in compliance with the section may not be subjected to any penalty or reduction in pay. Section 2-1-106 states no separate civil damages, agency claim, fine, or criminal penalty for a violation |
| Texas verified 2026-07-13 | Tex. Elec. Code § 276.004 |
A person under another person's authority in the scope of employment who attends polls to vote on election day or while early voting is in progress; no election-type limit stated (§ 276.004(a)) |
No statutory protection when polls are open for voting for 2 consecutive hours outside the voter's working hours (§ 276.004(b)) |
No fixed leave amount stated; employer may not knowingly refuse the qualifying absence needed to attend the polls (§ 276.004(a)(1)) |
Qualifying absence is protected from loss or reduction of wages or another employment benefit (§ 276.004(a)(2), (c)) |
Statute does not assign employer or employee a specific window and does not require beginning/end-of-shift leave; 2-hour outside-work exception controls (§ 276.004) |
No advance employee notice, written request, proof, or employer posting requirement stated in § 276.004 |
No knowing refusal of qualifying absence and no actual or threatened wage/benefit penalty for attending polls. Violation is a Class C misdemeanor (§ 276.004(a), (c)-(d)) |
| Utah verified 2026-07-13 | Utah Code § 20A-3a-105 |
Any voter employed by an employer, for leave on election day while polls are open (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(a)) |
No leave if the employee has 3 or more hours while polls are open during which the employee is not employed on the job; statute does not expressly say 'consecutive' (§ 20A-3a-105(2)) |
Not more than 2 hours while polls are open (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(a)) |
Employer may not deduct from the employee's usual salary or wages because of the absence (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(d)) |
Employer specifies the hours, but must grant a requested beginning-of-shift or end-of-shift placement (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(c)) |
Voter must apply for leave before election day; no required form, earlier deadline, or employer-posting duty stated (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(b)) |
No salary or wage deduction for the absence; an employer violation is a class B misdemeanor (§ 20A-3a-105(1)(d), (3)) |
| Vermont verified 2026-07-13 | No voting-leave statute; general voter-protection provision is 17 V.S.A. § 2017 |
No statutory time-off right; § 2017 protects any voter's choice at a local, primary, or general election from bribery, threats, or undue influence |
N/A — no leave statute, so no outside-work-hours test exists |
N/A — no statutory time off to vote |
N/A — no statutory voting leave to pay |
N/A — no statutory leave to schedule |
N/A — no statutory employee-notice or employer-posting duty |
No time-off right; attempting by bribery, threats, or undue influence to dictate or alter a voter's vote is punishable by a fine of up to $200 (§ 2017) |
| Virginia verified 2026-07-13 | Va. Code § 24.2-1005; no general private-employer voting-leave statute located |
No statutory leave eligibility; intimidation protection applies to any election and party nominee-selection method (§ 24.2-1005(A), (C)) |
None; Virginia states no general private-employer voting-leave entitlement |
None required by the located statute |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under the located statute |
No statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No voting-leave employee notice or employer posting duty stated |
No intimidation, threat, or coercion in giving a vote or to deter voting; Class 1 misdemeanor plus preventive civil action and discretionary prevailing-plaintiff attorney fee (§ 24.2-1005) |
| Washington verified 2026-07-13 | Former RCW 49.28.120 repealed by 2013 c. 11 § 94; current voter-coercion rule at RCW 29A.84.620 |
No current statutory leave eligibility; RCW 29A.84.620 protects any voter from menace, force, threats, or unlawful means used to hinder or deter voting |
None; Washington's former employer voting-time statute was repealed |
None required under current law |
No mandatory voting-leave pay under current law |
No current statutory voting-leave window or scheduling rule |
No current voting-leave employee notice or employer posting duty |
No current employment-absence protection; menace, force, threats, or unlawful means used to hinder or deter a voter is a Class C felony (RCW 29A.84.620) |
| West Virginia verified 2026-07-13 | W. Va. Code § 3-1-42 |
Any person entitled to vote who is employed by any person, company, or corporation, at any election held in the state on election day (§ 3-1-42) |
No outside-hours gate on the leave itself; but if the employee had 3+ hours of personal free time between the opening and closing of the polls and fails, neglects, or elects not to vote, the employer may deduct wages for the time actually absent (§ 3-1-42) |
A period of not more than 3 hours, if necessary, between the opening and closing of the polls (§ 3-1-42) |
Paid — no penalty or deduction from usual salary or wages for the absence, unless the had-3-free-hours-and-did-not-vote exception applies (§ 3-1-42) |
General timing follows the employee's need; in essential government, health, transportation, communication, and continuous-operation production works the employer may arrange a schedule of voting time off to avoid disruption, but must still allow each employee ample, convenient time to vote (§ 3-1-42) |
Employee must make written demand at least 3 days before election day; § 3-1-42 imposes no employer posting duty |
Protection is the guaranteed no-penalty, no-wage-deduction absence for a qualifying voter; § 3-1-42 states no separate fine or criminal penalty against an employer that refuses |
| Wisconsin verified 2026-07-13 | Wis. Stat. § 6.76 |
Any person entitled to vote at an election; applies to all employers, including state and local government (§ 6.76(1), (3)) |
None; § 6.76 does not condition leave on the employee's nonworking polling hours |
Up to 3 successive hours while polls are open (§ 6.76(1)) |
Unpaid at employer's option: deduction for time lost is permitted, but no other penalty may be imposed (§ 6.76(2)) |
Employer may designate the time of day for the absence while polls are open (§ 6.76(1)) |
Employee must notify employer before election day; no fixed earlier deadline, form, or posting duty stated (§ 6.76(1)) |
Employer may impose no penalty other than deducting pay for time lost; § 6.76 states no separate civil damages, fine, or criminal penalty (§ 6.76(2)) |
| Wyoming verified 2026-07-13 | Wyo. Stat. § 22-2-111 |
Any person entitled to vote at a primary, general, or special election to fill a U.S. House vacancy (§ 22-2-111(a)) |
No right if the employee has 3 or more consecutive nonworking hours while the polls are open (§ 22-2-111(b)) |
One hour, other than meal hours, between poll opening and closing (§ 22-2-111(a)) |
No loss of pay for the hour, but only if the elector actually casts a legal vote (§ 22-2-111(a)) |
The one hour is taken at the convenience of the employer (§ 22-2-111(a)) |
No employee-notice or employer-posting duty in § 22-2-111 |
The section grants the paid hour but names no penalty, misdemeanor, or civil remedy for a violation (§ 22-2-111) |
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