A Democratic bill with 17 Democratic cosponsors · See all 17 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Time Off to Vote Act" requires employers to provide workers with at least 2 consecutive hours of paid leave to vote in Federal elections. This leave can be used to vote in person, return a mail-in ballot, or perform other voting-related activities. Employers have the right to choose the specific hours the leave is taken, including directing employees toward early voting periods. The law prohibits employers from interfering with this right or retaliating against employees who use it. The Secretary of Labor is granted investigative authority to enforce these provisions. Violators may face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Does this protect the right to vote?
The bill guarantees paid time off for employees to participate in Federal elections.
- Scored +7
Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice?
Providing paid leave makes the practical process of casting a ballot easier for workers.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Paid leave ensures that workers who cannot afford to lose wages can still participate in voting.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Guaranteed Voting Time: Employees will receive a minimum of 2 consecutive hours of paid leave to vote, return mail ballots, or engage in other voting activities during Federal elections (Section 2(a)).
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Protection of Benefits: Taking this leave cannot result in the loss of any employment benefits that an employee earned before taking the leave (Section 2(c)).
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Worker Protections: The law prohibits employers from discriminating against, interfering with, or retaliating against employees who exercise their right to take leave to vote (Section 2(d)).
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Enhanced State/Local Rights: This Act does not replace state or local laws that already provide more beneficial voting leave terms to employees (Section 2(h)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Employer Control Over Timing: Employers have the right to specify the exact hours an employee takes their leave, which could include requiring them to use an early voting period instead of Election Day (Section 2(b)).
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Restrictions on Leave Use: Employers are not required to include lunch breaks or other break periods within the 2-hour leave period (Section 2(b)).
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Financial Burden on Employers: Employers that violate the Act may be subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation (Section 2(f)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Paid leave ensures that workers who cannot afford to lose wages can still participate in voting. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The mandate provides guaranteed paid time for voting activities without loss of benefits. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Providing specific leave windows can aid those who need more structured time for voting activities. Would union members be better off under this? — The act expands worker rights and provides protections against employer interference.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice? — Providing paid leave makes the practical process of casting a ballot easier for workers. Does this protect the right to vote? — The bill guarantees paid time off for employees to participate in Federal elections.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make elections run better? — The bill facilitates voter participation through mandated employer-provided leave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The act provides legal protections against employer retaliation for exercising voting leave rights.
- 7/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 17 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts