Polls and vote centers in California are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. For many people that's enough time to vote before or after work. For those it isn't, state law guarantees time off.
Who qualifies
According to the California Secretary of State, a voter who does not have enough time outside working hours to vote may take off enough working time to vote. Up to two hours of that time must be paid. The leave is taken at the beginning or end of the regular shift, whichever leaves the most free time for voting and the least time off work, unless the employer and employee agree otherwise.
Giving notice
Employers can require advance notice. Under Elections Code section 14000, an employee who knows by the third working day before the election that they will need time off must tell the employer at least two working days before Election Day, according to the employment law firm CDF Labor Law.
The workplace poster
Employers must post a notice of these rights at least 10 days before a statewide election, either where employees can see it at work or at the entrance to the workplace. For Nov. 3, that deadline was Saturday, Oct. 24. The Secretary of State publishes the notice in many languages for employers to print.
Other protections
CDF notes that the rules also cover public agencies, and that state law separately bars an employer from requiring workers to bring their vote-by-mail ballot to work. Voters who want to avoid the issue entirely can still drop off a mail ballot at any drop box or vote center through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.
More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.