Time Off to Vote
K.S.A. 25-418 — up to two consecutive hours while the polls are open, without loss of pay
On election day, a voter may be away from work for up to two consecutive hours while the polls are open, with no penalty and no deduction from pay.
Who handles this in Kansas: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Kansas directory.
- If the polls are open for less than two consecutive hours before or after work, the leave is only what brings that total to two hours.
- The employer may choose the time, but not during the regular lunch period.
- Intentionally obstructing an employee's voting, or penalizing them for it, is a class A misdemeanor.
Sources for this section (1)
- K.S.A. 25-418 — Leave allowance for employees to vote; obstruction of voting privilege, penalty
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kansas attorney.