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Culture > News

Do You Get Paid Time Off To Vote? What College Students Should Know

Starr Washington

Voting is a fundamental right, but for college students juggling school, work, and life, finding time to cast a ballot can be tricky. Are you wondering if you can get paid time off (aka PTO) to vote, or if you’ll need to squeeze it in during a lunch break? Trust me, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, the United States has no federal law securing time off for all employees. Instead, each state sets its own laws on this matter, meaning some will give you paid time off, while others leave you navigating it on your own.

Knowing your voting rights is key to being as politically active as possible. However, since the rules vary across states, whether you get paid time off to vote depends on where you live. Some states guarantee PTO, others only offer unpaid time, and a few states don’t require any time off at all. 

So, if your work schedule overlaps with the time when you need to get to your polling location and vote, knowing the specific rules for your state is essential so you don’t miss out on doing your civic duty — or mess up at work. Employers won’t always inform you about your voting rights, so it’s up to you to stay informed and take action ahead of Nov 5.

Here’s a breakdown of what each state allows. For more information, you should check with your state’s board of elections office.

States That Provide Paid Time Off To Vote

  1. Alaska (no time limit)
  2. Arizona (3 hours)
  3. California (2 hours)
  4. Colorado (2 hours)
  5. District of Columbia (2 hours)
  6. Hawaii (2 hours)
  7. Illinois (2 hours)
  8. Iowa (3 hours)
  9. Kansas (2 hours)
  10. Maryland (2 hours)
  11. Minnesota (no time limit)
  12. Missouri (3 hours)
  13. Nebraska (2 hours)
  14. Nevada (between 1-3 hours)
  15. New Mexico (2 hours)
  16. New York (2 hours)
  17. Oklahoma (2 hours)
  18. South Dakota (2 hours)
  19. Tennessee (3 hours)
  20. Texas (no time limit)
  21. Utah (2 hours)
  22. West Virginia (3 hours)
  23. Wyoming (1 hour)

States That Provide Unpaid Time Off To Vote

  1. ​​Alabama (1 hour)
  2. Arkansas (up to employer)
  3. Georgia (2 hours)
  4. Kentucky (a “reasonable” amount of time)
  5. Massachusetts (2 hours)
  6. Ohio (a “reasonable” amount of time)
  7. Wisconsin (3 hours)

States That Don’t Provide Any Time Off To Vote

  1. Connecticut
  2. Delaware
  3. Florida
  4. Idaho
  5. Indiana
  6. Louisiana
  7. Maine
  8. Michigan
  9. Mississippi
  10. Montana
  11. New Hampshire
  12. New Jersey
  13. North Carolina
  14. North Dakota
  15. Oregon
  16. Pennsylvania
  17. Rhode Island
  18. South Carolina
  19. Vermont
  20. Virginia
  21. Washington

We all know voting is crucial, but figuring out if you can take time off work to do it shouldn’t be a mystery. Whether your state has paid, unpaid, or no time off at all, it’s essential to know where you stand. By staying ahead of the game, you can make sure your vote gets counted — without scrambling to fit it into your busy day. 

Bestie, do you *actually* know how to vote? We’ve got everything you need to make sure you’re fully prepared for Nov. 5. Visit HowToActuallyVote.com for a step-by-step guide to making your voting plan.

Starr Washington

San Francisco '25

Starr Washington is a Her Campus national writer, contributing to the lifestyle vertical, she also serves as the President of the Her Campus chapter at her university. In her final year at San Francisco State University, she is completing her degree in Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) with a minor in Africana Studies. Starr is dedicated to showcasing her blackness in her professional work and is always rooting for black creatives, particularly in film, literature, and travel. In addition to her writing, Starr is the director of her university’s multicultural center, where she organizes and supports annual events and celebrations for both the campus and the Bay Area community. She was a speaker at the San Francisco State University Black Studies Origins and Legacy Commemoration, where she had the honor of sitting alongside the founders of the nation's first Black Student Union. Starr teaches a course she developed called “Intro to Black Love” within SFSU’s experimental college program. In her rare free time, Starr enjoys chipping away at her TBR list (she is a spicy romance girly), writing fiction, and spending time with her music enthusiast partner and their three-year-old German Shepherd. She is a Scorpio from Michigan.