Politics
Politics

Kemp signs bill for time off during early voting and more election audits

Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed into law Senate Bill 129, which gives voters up to two hours off to cast their ballots during early voting. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed into law Senate Bill 129, which gives voters up to two hours off to cast their ballots during early voting. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)
By Mark Niesse
May 5, 2023

Workers in Georgia can take up to two hours off to cast a ballot during early voting, under a bill Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Thursday. The law also requires more frequent audits of election results.

The new law expands on an existing statute that guarantees two hours of unpaid voting time for workers on Election Day.

“This bill would further empower Georgians to participate in one of the most important civic duties,” said state Sen. Rick Williams, a Republican from Milledgeville and the sponsor of Senate Bill 129.

ExploreLive: Georgia bill tracker 2023

Workers seeking time off will have to notify their employer in advance, and then the employer will decide on a time when workers can be absent.

In addition, the measure calls for audits of at least one statewide contest after primary, runoff and special elections. Currently, a race is only audited after general elections every two years.

About the Author

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

Follow Mark Niesse on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, was banned from entering the Georgia House on March 14. House Speaker Jon Burns said the senator made "vile" remarks against David Ralston on the day the late speaker was being honored. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: TNS

Firebrand state senator running for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat

State Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, announced plans to seek the 14th District seat, although it wasn't clear whether he will run in a special election or in November.

Raffensperger sues to scrap fundraising laws he says favor Jones in governor’s race

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is challenging Georgia election laws he says give his Republican rival an advantage as they campaign for governor.

State lawmaker charged with unemployment fraud

Authorities say State Rep. Sharon Henderson, while a candidate for the Georgia House in 2020, applied for federal pandemic unemployment benefits under false pretenses.

The Latest

Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, was banned from entering the Georgia House on March 14. House Speaker Jon Burns said the senator made "vile" remarks against David Ralston on the day the late speaker was being honored. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: TNS

Firebrand state senator running for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat

Raffensperger sues to scrap fundraising laws he says favor Jones in governor’s race

Who will replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress?

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

When ICE takes breadwinners, it takes a toll on families ... and on the economy

For immigrant families, brushes with ICE can result in financial precarity that could have implications for the broader economy.

‘I’m a bad kid,’ he told himself. How Georgia’s special ed program failed one child.

Parents find that it's easy to get into the GNETS program, but in some districts, difficult to leave.

‘A lot of blame, but not enough action’: Atlanta leaders lack path to fix jail

Stakeholders across Atlanta and Fulton County grapple with a complex web of issues that contribute to overcrowding, crumbling structure.