As we near Election Day next Tuesday, Forbes detailed everything you need to know about casting your ballot on or before November 5. While exact dates, times and policies will vary from state-to-state, we compiled a list of options to vote, even if you work on Tuesday, ranging from early voting to receiving paid time-off to vote.
Have you made your voting plan yet? With one week left until this year’s presidential election, most states have now opened up early polling sites, and about 43 million people have already cast their vote, according to CNN.
But if you’re looking at your calendar and find yourself working during Election Day, your employer could be legally required to give you time to vote. Indeed, the Census Bureau found that the most common reason Americans did not vote in the 2022 midterm elections (26.5% of registered voters) was because they were too busy with conflicting work or school schedules.
Whether legally required or not, some companies have already given their employees time off—make sure to ask your HR department about what the policies are at your company! Patagonia, for example, is not only giving its employees time off to vote, but it is closing all of its stores today, October 29, to encourage workers to vote early and volunteer.
So what are your options? We break them down below:
Voting Early All in all, 47 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam allow voters to cast their ballots early, with early polling sites opening anywhere from 10 to 46 days before Election Day, as is the case in Minnesota.
Employers, however, are not required to give you time off for early voting in all states where it’s available. In Georgia, Washington, D.C. and Kentucky, employees are entitled to take up to four hours of leave (two hours in Oklahoma) to either vote, apply for absentee voting or “execute” an absentee ballot.
Voting By Mail If you foresee that taking time off work to vote will be a problem, 39 states and Washington, D.C. allow all voters to use mail-in ballots. The deadline for mailing these varies by state, but as courts continue to rule on which final votes count, it’s safe to say the earlier the better.
The remaining 11 states require voters to have eligible reasons to vote by mail, ranging from being out of the county on election day to being an election or poll worker. Again, these reasons vary by state.
Voting Before or After Work Depending on which state, county and precinct you live in, your polling place could be open before the start of a traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday. The earliest polls open in certain precincts in Vermont at 5 a.m., though most early openings are at 6 a.m. nationwide.
After-work voting might be trickier in some states, but as long as you’re in line by the time the polls close you’ll still be allowed to vote in all states, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Voting During Work Hours If you can’t vote before November 5 and will be working during poll hours, employers in 28 states and Washington, D.C. are required by state law to give their employees time off during the workday to vote.
Twenty-one of them provide paid time off and allot, on average, two hours for employees to make it to the polls, vote and return to work. In seven of the states where time off is required by law, however, employees are not paid during their voting time. |
