ATLANTA — Georgia elections are coming up fast, and people are quickly running out of time and options to cast their ballots.
With many Peach State voters working 40-hour work weeks in a traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., it can be hard to find time to make it to the polls. And many are wondering if the state offers time off to vote in elections.
THE QUESTION
Are Georgians afforded time off to vote in local, state and federal elections?
THE SOURCES
- Secretary of State's Office
- Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 21-2-404)
- Personnel Board Rule 478-1-.16
- Department of Administrative Services
THE ANSWER
Yes, Georgia voters are permitted time off to vote in all elections, but some requirements exist.
WHAT WE FOUND
Peach State voters are permitted to take two hours off to vote in any election that "they’re qualified to vote in," Mike Hassinger with the Georgia Secretary of State's Office said, and added that employees must give reasonable notice.
This is according to the code section OCGA 21-2-404. That code says that the only people who qualify are those with no other time to vote because of their work schedule. And time off for voting is not required to be paid; that is entirely up to the employer.
"The amount of paid administrative leave for voting that may be granted to an employee depends on the employee's work schedule and the polling hours," the Department of Administrative Services said online. "In Georgia, usually polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day."
Aside from those rules, employers are allowed to say when their own voters take time off to avoid disrupting the workplace. Their department also lists typical shifts that may or may not qualify for voting time off.
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