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DB12:060
May 23, 2012

Contact: Shannan Velayas
(916) 653-6575

Employers and Employees:
Law Allows Time Off to Vote on Election Day

SACRAMENTO - To ensure all voters can get to the polls on June 5, California law provides employees up to two hours off to vote if they do not have enough time to do so during non-work hours.

"State law recognizes that work schedules are less flexible for some voters," said Secretary Bowen, California's chief elections official. "To ensure that all voters can participate in the democratic process on June 5, workers have the right to take some time off from work to cast their ballots."

California Elections Code section 14000 allows workers up to two hours off, without a loss of pay, to vote if they do not have enough time to do so in their non-work hours. The law requires workers to give their employers two working days’ notice before the election if they will need to take time off to vote.

Polling places will be open between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Every California employer is required to post in a visible location a notice informing employees of their rights at least 10 days before an election. The Secretary of State offers these free, print-ready notices in English and Spanish at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/time-off-to-vote.htm.

For more information on registering to vote, visit www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm. Keep up with the latest California election news and trivia by following @CASOSvote on Twitter. To sign up for ballot measure updates via email, RSS feed or Twitter, go to www.sos.ca.gov/multimedia.

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