WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, on the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse joined U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and 15 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Time Off to Vote Act, legislation that would require employers—upon the request of the employee—to provide at least two consecutive hours of paid leave in order to vote in federal elections.
This allotted time can be used to vote at a polling place, return a mail-in ballot, or take time for other voting-related activities, such as curing a ballot or driving someone to the polls.
There is currently no federal law establishing voting leave. State laws have created a patchwork of leave requirements that can vary significantly from state to state. The Time Off to Vote Act would standardize voting leave during federal elections for all fifty states.
“Voting is a fundamental right and every eligible voter in this country deserves to be able to participate in our democracy,”said Senator Hirono. “As we continue working to protect voting rights, this legislation will help to expand voter participation, particularly in underrepresented communities. I’m proud to lead my colleagues in introducing the Time Off to Vote Act, to empower eligible voters and ensure they can make their voices heard.”
“Voting is a civic responsibility and Congress should work on a bipartisan basis to ensure every eligible voter can reach the ballot box and cast their vote,” said Senator Reed, who has previously introduced legislation that would expand federal Election Day to include the first full weekend in November. Reed says expanding Election Day to multiple days would help get more people to the polls.
“Exercising the right to vote is a tenet of a strong democracy,” said Whitehouse. “As voting rights continue to come under attack, I’m glad to support this commonsense legislation to help ensure no American has to choose between missing time at work and having their voice heard at the ballot box.”
According to a poll by Ipsos, about 10 percent of eligible voters cited being unable to take off from work as the reason they did not vote. The Census Bureau’s 2022 Congressional Election Voting Report found that 9.9 million Americans cited conflicting schedules as their reason for not voting. The Time Off to Vote Act would help to address this issue by providing eligible voters with an allotted period of time to vote and ensuring that taking this time off from work will not affect their benefits.
In addition to Senators Hirono, Reed, and Whitehouse, this legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA).
The Time Off to Vote Act is endorsed by: AFL-CIO; American Civil Liberties Union; American Federation of Teachers; American Postal Workers Union (APWU); Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote); Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs; Blinded Veterans Association; Brennan Center for Justice; Coalition for the People’s Agenda; Common Cause; Communication Workers of America (CWA); Demos; Disability Victory; Diverse Elders Coalition; FairVote Action; GALEO Impact Fund; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia); Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; League of Conservation Voters; League of Women Voters of the United States; Let America Vote/End Citizens United Action Fund; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities; National Association of Letter Carriers; National Disability Institute; National Hispanic Council on Aging; National Postal Mail Handlers Union; New Disabled South; Patent Office Professional Association (POPA); Progressive Turnout Project; Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU); Southern Poverty Law Center; Stand Up America; The Arc of the United States; Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE; United Auto Workers Union (UAW); United Spinal Association; and Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA).
Currently, about half of U.S. states have state laws to mandate varying degrees of workers paid or unpaid time off to vote. Rhode Island is among states that don’t have specific time off for voting laws. Regardless of state laws, individual businesses may also opt to provide workers paid time off to vote.
The full text of the legislation can be found here here.
