As the time to vote draws near, find out if Election Day is a holiday in your state—and how to get time off to vote
Which States Have Election Day as a Holiday?
Published on Oct. 31, 2024
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that the presidential election is right around the corner. But while the significance of the day isn’t lost on most Americans, many of us are a little unclear: Is Election Day a holiday, and does that mean we get the day off to vote?
Turns out, that depends on where you live. A handful of states have designated this particular day as an official holiday. Of course, this being America, not every state follows the same approach on Election Day. In fact, in some parts of the country, employers must allow their workers to take time off to vote, sometimes with pay, while in other areas, employees get time off to visit the polls but don’t get pay with the benefit.
As you gear up to cast your ballot, make sure you’re aware of your state’s Election Day rules. Still wondering, Is Election Day a holiday in my neck of the woods? Read on to find out.
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Is Election Day a federal holiday?
As far as political questions go, this one is easy: No—Election Day is not a federal holiday the way Independence Day (July 4) or Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) are.
Federal holidays are a long tradition in this country, beginning in 1870 when Congress announced four of them, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. The most recent federal holiday, enacted in 2021, is Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is celebrated on June 19.
In which states is Election Day a holiday?
While Election Day isn’t a federal holiday, it is a state holiday … in some places. In those parts of the country, most state employees—including people who work in government, the treasury, public education and the court system, along with many other offices—have the day off with pay. States with this holiday often close their schools on Election Day, but banks are typically open, and mail is delivered as usual (unlike on federal holidays).
Here are the 13 states that have declared Election Day a holiday:
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Which states allow time off to vote?
If you don’t work at a qualifying job in a state that considers Election Day a holiday, or if you live in a state where Election Day isn’t a holiday, you may still get time off to vote for the next U.S. president. In fact, the majority of states in this country (28 of them, plus the District of Columbia) give their employees some time during the workday to cast votes. And most require that employees are paid during that time. North Dakota is the 29th state to enact an Election Day law, but it simply states that businesses are encouraged (not required) to give their worker bees time off to vote.
The states where voting leave is granted are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How much time will you have to wait in line and cast your vote? Most employers give workers between one and three hours for voting, but check with your boss.
How can you vote if you don’t have the day off?
Everyone deserves to vote—even astronauts in space do it! If you don’t have the day off, early voting is your friend. It’s already in full swing nearly everywhere. The states that don’t have early voting in place are New Hampshire, Alabama and Mississippi.
And while it’s likely too late to request a mail-in ballot, every state in the union allows for this option, though a handful (mostly in the South) require that you provide an eligible reason to vote by mail. A quick way to see what your state offers in terms of both mail-in ballots and early voting is to visit Vote 411.
The bottom line: “Is Election Day a holiday?” is an important question, but perhaps more relevant is this: What’s my company’s Election Day policy? Voting experts urge all working registered voters to check with their employers regarding the policy in place when it comes to voting leave during work hours. In some cases, what your boss offers might be better than what’s available at the state level.
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Sources:
- WVTM: “Here are the states where employers must give you time off to vote”
- U.S. Vote Foundation: “2024 Early Voting Dates in Your State”
