The Wake County Board of Commissioners enacted a new policy to allow employees to take paid leave to work at poll stations and vote. | Photo Courtesy of Wake County
The Wake County Board of Commissioners enacted a new policy to allow employees to take paid leave to work at poll stations and vote. | Photo Courtesy of Wake County
Wake County employees can now take paid leave to work at polling locations and vote, county policymakers said.
"The right to vote is one of the most important rights we have as Americans," Wake County Commissioner Matt Calabria said in a county press release on Aug. 18. "With this change, we are not only removing a barrier to voting, but we are encouraging civic engagement when we need it most."
This decision came after the elections board realized the need for poll station workers, the commissioners said in the release. Many who signed up decided not to work polling locations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy will allow county employees to instead work at the polls.
In addition to this new paid leave, county employees can already use paid leave to attend school events with their children, volunteer at schools and volunteer at nonprofits, the commissioners said in the release.
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