---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404. Affording employees time off to vote.
collection: code
id: 21-2-404
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-404
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-404.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-404/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=868a5c43_0#page=453
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ELECTIONS / ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES GENERALLY / PREPARATION FOR AND CONDUCT OF PRIMARIES AND ELECTIONS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404. Affording employees time off to vote.

Each employee in this state shall, upon reasonable notice to his or her employer, be permitted by his or her employer to take any necessary time off from his or her employment to vote in any municipal, county, state, or federal political party primary or election for which such employee is qualified and registered to vote either on one of the days that are designated for advance in-person voting or on the day on which such primary or election is held; provided, however, that such necessary time off shall not exceed two hours. The employer may specify the hours during which the employee may absent himself or herself as provided in this Code section.

## History

Ga. L. 1964, p. 253, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 206, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 32, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 34, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 1; Ga. L. 2023, p. 614, § 3/SB 129, effective July 1, 2023.

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, in the first sentence, inserted “either on one of the days that are designated for advance in-person voting or” following “registered to vote” and deleted “; and provided, further, that, if the hours of work of such employee commence at least two hours after the opening of the polls or end at least two hours prior to the closing of the polls, then the time off for voting as provided for in this Code section shall not be available”.

## Cross References

Allowing of excused absences to students to enable them to register or vote, § 20-2-310.