Home › Tools › Time off to vote by state
Direct answer: No federal law gives you time off to vote, but 28 states and D.C. require it as of Oct. 18, 2026, usually 1 to 3 hours, often only if the polls aren't open long enough outside your shift, and in 21 of them it's paid. Tennessee: up to 3 paid hours. Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, isn't a federal holiday.
By the numbers: Voting leave laws for 50 states + DC read from state statutes Oct. 18, 2026: 28 states + DC require time off to vote, 21 with pay; 19 states have no law found. Source: VaultRubric from state statutes
“ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, November 3, 2026” — D.C. Board of Elections, 2026 time-off-to-vote notice
Updated 2026-10-18
Yes, up to 3 hours with no pay cut, if you apply to your employer before noon the day before the election. It doesn't apply if your shift starts 3+ hours after the polls open or ends 3+ hours before they close, and your employer may pick the hours (Tenn. Code § 2-1-106).
No. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 is not on the federal holiday list (OPM lists Columbus Day Oct. 12, then Veterans Day Nov. 11). Many states require employers to allow time off to vote instead.
As of Oct. 18, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, plus D.C. California and New York pay the first 2 hours; Oklahoma pays upon proof of voting. Others, such as Georgia, Alabama and Wisconsin, require time off but not pay.
Yes. An employer can't refuse to let you go vote on Election Day or during early voting, or dock your pay for it, unless the polls are open 2 consecutive hours outside your working hours (Tex. Elec. Code § 276.004).
In most states with a law, yes — the employer may set the hours. Some limits: Colorado and Utah must grant the start or end of your shift if you ask; Illinois must allow the 2 hours during work if your shift nearly covers poll hours; D.C. may require you to vote early.
We found no state law requiring time off to vote in Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington. North Dakota only encourages it, Connecticut's law expired June 30, 2024, and Hawaii's was repealed.
Voting leave rules read from each state's statute or official state page (28 states + DC with a law, ND policy, CT expired, HI repealed), OPM federal holiday list and D.C. BOE 2026 notice; checked Oct. 18, 2026.
As of Oct. 18, 2026 · read from state statutes · 50 states + DC · for the Nov. 3, 2026 election
No federal law gives you time off to vote — 28 states and D.C. do. Most give 1 to 3 hours, and many only if the polls aren't open long enough before or after your shift. In 21 of them the time is paid. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 and is not a federal holiday.
The math:
Sources: Time-off check · State laws (every row) · Election Day facts
A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.
Pick your state, your shift on Election Day, and your polling place's hours.
Read on Oct. 18, 2026 from each state's statute or official state page (linked in each row). 28 states and D.C. require employers to allow time off to vote; in 21 of them it's paid (at least partly). North Dakota only encourages it; Connecticut's law expired June 30, 2024; Hawaii's was repealed; for the other 19 states we found no state voting-leave law. Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee and New Mexico rows were read from a Justia copy of the statute because the official code sites are LexisNexis-hosted or didn't load for us — confirm with the state. Puerto Rico and the territories are not covered.
| State | Time off | Paid? | When | Conditions | Notice | Employer picks time? | Law | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Up to 1 hour | Pay not required by the law | Election day (primaries and elections) | Not available if your shift starts 2+ hours after the polls open or ends 1+ hour before they close | Reasonable notice | Yes | Ala. Code § 17-1-5 · Not stated in this section | statute |
| Alaska | Time off to vote (no hour limit set) | Paid | Election day | Not required if you have 2 consecutive hours to vote before or after your shift | Not stated | Not stated | AS 15.56.100 · A violation | statute |
| Arizona | Enough to give you 3 consecutive hours to vote | Paid | Election day (primary or general) | Only if you have less than 3 consecutive hours between the polls opening and your shift, or between your shift and the polls closing | Before election day | Yes | A.R.S. § 16-402 · Class 2 misdemeanor | statute |
| Arkansas | No set hours — your employer must schedule your work so you can vote | Pay not required by the law | Election days | — | Not stated | Employer sets your schedule | Ark. Code § 7-1-102 · Fine of $25 to $250 | statute (Justia copy) |
| California | Enough time to vote; up to 2 hours paid | First 2 hours paid | Statewide elections | Only if you don't have sufficient time outside working hours to vote (the law sets no hour number) | At least 2 working days, if you know by the 3rd working day before | Start or end of your shift (whichever gives the most voting time and least time off), unless you agree otherwise | Cal. Elec. Code §§ 14000–14001 · Employer must post a notice 10+ days before | statute statute |
| Colorado | Up to 2 hours | Paid | Any day voter service and polling centers are open (changed in 2026; before, election day only) | Employer may deny it if you have 3+ consecutive hours off while the polls are open that day · Colorado mails a ballot to every voter; this leave is for voting in person. | Before the day you want the leave | Yes, but at the start or end of your shift if you ask | C.R.S. § 1-7-102 (as amended by HB26-1113) · No penalty or pay deduction | 2026 law state page |
| Connecticut | Expired June 30, 2024 | — | — | Connecticut's 2-hour unpaid voting leave law ran only from June 23, 2021 to June 30, 2024. | — | — | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-57y (ran June 23, 2021 – June 30, 2024) | statute |
| Delaware | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| District of Columbia | At least 2 hours | Paid | In-person voting, incl. early voting (employer may require early voting) | Only for time you'd be scheduled to work · Also covers D.C. workers who vote in another state's election. 2026 D.C. early voting: Oct. 26 – Nov. 1. | A reasonable time in advance (if your employer requires it) | Yes (incl. early voting or start/end of shift) | D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a · Unlawful to deny or retaliate; employer must post a notice | statute state page |
| Florida | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Georgia | Up to 2 hours | Pay not required by the law | Election day or an advance (early) in-person voting day | None since July 1, 2023 (the old free-time exception was deleted) · Some older county pages still describe the pre-2023 exception. | Reasonable notice | Yes | O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404 · Not stated in this section | statute (Justia copy) |
| Hawaii | Repealed | — | — | Hawaii's voting-leave section is listed as repealed in the official statutes; Hawaii votes by mail. | — | — | HRS §§ 11-93 to 11-95 repealed | statute |
| Idaho | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Illinois | 2 hours | Paid | Election day (general, special, or with propositions) | Employer may pick the 2 hours, but must allow them during work hours if your shift starts less than 2 hours after the polls open and ends less than 2 hours before they close | Before election day | Yes (with that limit) | 10 ILCS 5/17-15 · No penalty, including a reduction in pay | statute |
| Indiana | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Iowa | Enough to give you 2 consecutive hours to vote | Paid | Election day | Only if you don't have 2 consecutive free hours while the polls are open | In writing, before election day | Yes (employer designates) | Iowa Code § 49.109 · No penalty or pay deduction | statute |
| Kansas | Up to 2 consecutive hours (counting your free time while polls are open) | Paid | Election day | If the polls are open less than 2 hours before or after your work, only enough time to make 2 hours | Not stated | Yes, but not during your regular lunch period | K.S.A. 25-418 · Class A misdemeanor | statute |
| Kentucky | A reasonable time, at least 4 hours | Pay not required by the law | Election day, or the day you go to the county clerk to apply for or cast an absentee (early in-person) ballot | — · Kentucky polls open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. | Before the day you vote | Yes | KRS 118.035 · You may be disciplined if you take it and don't vote (when nothing stopped you) | statute |
| Louisiana | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Maine | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Maryland | Up to 2 hours | Paid | Election day | Only if you don't have 2 continuous off-duty hours while the polls are open · You must give your employer proof you voted or tried to (State Board form). | Not stated | Not stated | Md. Election Law § 10-315 · Not stated in this section | statute |
| Massachusetts | The first 2 hours after the polls open | Pay not required by the law | Election day | Only in manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishments | You must apply for it | No — it's the first 2 hours | M.G.L. c. 149, § 178 · Not stated in this section | statute |
| Michigan | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Minnesota | The time needed to go to your polling place, vote and return | Paid | Election day, or during in-person early voting | — | Not stated | Not stated | Minn. Stat. § 204C.04 · Misdemeanor | statute |
| Mississippi | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Missouri | 3 hours | Paid | Election day | Not if you have 3 successive hours off while the polls are open · Pay is protected if you vote. | Before election day | Yes (any 3 hours while polls are open) | RSMo § 115.639 · Class four election offense | statute |
| Montana | No state law found | — | — | Montana's election code bars employer political pressure (MCA 13-35-226) but sets no voting leave. | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | statute |
| Nebraska | Enough to give you 2 consecutive hours to vote | Paid | Election day | Only if you don't have 2 consecutive free hours while the polls are open | Before or on election day | Yes | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-922 · Not stated in this section | statute |
| Nevada | 1 hour (polling place 2 miles away or less), 2 hours (2–10 miles), 3 hours (over 10 miles) | Paid | Election day | Only if it's impracticable to vote before or after work | Before election day | Yes | NRS 293.463 · Misdemeanor | statute |
| New Hampshire | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| New Jersey | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| New Mexico | 2 hours | Pay not required by the law | Election day (also tribal elections for enrolled members) | Not if your workday begins more than 2 hours after the polls open or ends more than 3 hours before they close | Not stated | Yes | NMSA § 1-12-42 · Misdemeanor, $50–$100 fine | statute (Justia copy) |
| New York | Enough time to vote; up to 2 hours paid | First 2 hours paid | Any day you may vote, at any election | Not if you have 4 consecutive hours before or after your shift while the polls are open | 2 to 10 working days before election day | Start or end of your shift, as your employer designates (unless you agree otherwise) | N.Y. Election Law § 3-110 · Employer must post a notice 10+ working days before | statute |
| North Carolina | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| North Dakota | Encouraged, not required | — | — | Employers are encouraged, not required, to give time off to vote. | — | — | N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-02.1 (state policy; not a requirement) | statute |
| Ohio | A reasonable amount of time (no hours set) | Pay not required by the law | Election day | — | Not stated | Not stated | Ohio Rev. Code § 3599.06 · Employer may not fire or threaten you for it; fine of $50 to $500 | statute |
| Oklahoma | 2 hours (more if you're far from your polling place) | Paid (with proof of voting) | Election day or an in-person absentee (early) voting day | Not if your workday begins 3+ hours after the polls open or ends 3+ hours before they close · Pay is protected upon proof of voting. | At least 3 days before (oral or written) | Yes (days and hours) | 26 O.S. § 7-101 · Civil penalty of $50 to $100 | statute state page |
| Oregon | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Pennsylvania | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Rhode Island | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| South Carolina | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| South Dakota | 2 consecutive hours | Paid | Election day (incl. primaries) | Only if you don't have 2 consecutive free hours while the polls are open | Not stated | Yes | SDCL § 12-3-5 · Class 2 misdemeanor | statute |
| Tennessee | Up to 3 hours | Paid | Election day (polls in your county of residence) | Not if your shift begins 3+ hours after the polls open or ends 3+ hours before they close · Tennessee's state HR page applies the same 3-hour rule to state employees. | Before noon the day before the election | Yes | Tenn. Code § 2-1-106 · No penalty or reduction in pay | statute (Justia copy) state page |
| Texas | Time to go vote (no hour limit set) | Paid | Election day or while early voting is in progress | Not if the polls are open 2 consecutive hours outside your working hours | Not stated | Not stated | Tex. Elec. Code § 276.004 · Class C misdemeanor | statute |
| Utah | Up to 2 hours | Paid | Election day | Not if you have 3+ hours off while the polls are open | Before election day | Yes, but must grant start or end of shift if you ask | Utah Code § 20A-3a-105 · Class B misdemeanor | statute |
| Vermont | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Virginia | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| Washington | No state law found | — | — | — | — | — | No state law requiring time off to vote found | — |
| West Virginia | Up to 3 hours, if necessary | Paid | Election day | If you have 3+ free hours while polls are open and don't vote in that time, your pay can be docked | In writing, at least 3 days before | Essential and continuous-operation employers may schedule voting times | W. Va. Code § 3-1-42 · Not stated in this section | statute |
| Wisconsin | Up to 3 successive hours | Unpaid (employer may deduct) | Election day (polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) | — · Unpaid: your employer may deduct the time. | Before election day | Yes | Wis. Stat. § 6.76 · Only a deduction for time lost is allowed | statute |
| Wyoming | 1 hour (not counting meal hours) | Paid | Primary, general, or congressional-vacancy special election day | Not if you have 3+ consecutive non-working hours while the polls are open · Pay is protected only if you actually vote. Text from the Wyoming Secretary of State's 2026 Election Code booklet. | Not stated | Yes (at the employer's convenience) | Wyo. Stat. § 22-2-111 · Not stated in this section | state page |
How we built this: we read each state's voting-leave statute (or an official state page) on Oct. 18, 2026, saved a copy with a checksum, and our build checks that every rule's quoted words appear in that saved text (140 quotes). The check compares your shift with the poll hours you enter, applies your state's free-time test (for example 2 or 3 consecutive hours before or after your shift), and runs in your browser with the same rules as our server-side test.
Facts, not legal advice. Some laws cover only certain elections, workers or workplaces, and a few have exceptions not shown here. Union contracts and employer policies can give more. Confirm with your state election office or labor department.
Yes, up to 3 hours with no pay cut, if you apply to your employer before noon the day before the election. It doesn't apply if your shift starts 3+ hours after the polls open or ends 3+ hours before they close, and your employer may pick the hours (Tenn. Code § 2-1-106).
No. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 is not on the federal holiday list (OPM lists Columbus Day Oct. 12, then Veterans Day Nov. 11). Many states require employers to allow time off to vote instead.
As of Oct. 18, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, plus D.C. California and New York pay the first 2 hours; Oklahoma pays upon proof of voting. Others, such as Georgia, Alabama and Wisconsin, require time off but not pay.
Yes. An employer can't refuse to let you go vote on Election Day or during early voting, or dock your pay for it, unless the polls are open 2 consecutive hours outside your working hours (Tex. Elec. Code § 276.004).
In most states with a law, yes — the employer may set the hours. Some limits: Colorado and Utah must grant the start or end of your shift if you ask; Illinois must allow the 2 hours during work if your shift nearly covers poll hours; D.C. may require you to vote early.
We found no state law requiring time off to vote in Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington. North Dakota only encourages it, Connecticut's law expired June 30, 2024, and Hawaii's was repealed.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.
Was this calculator helpful?
We save only this page, your answer and the time. Nothing you typed.
We email you when top savings rates or our picks change. Email only. We send one email first so you can confirm; every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
Free tools need no account, SSN, or address. Most calculators run in your browser; a few send the numbers you enter to our server to do the math.