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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces Leave Option for City of Atlanta Employees to Serve as Election Poll Workers

Staff Report

Monday, October 5th, 2020

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an Executive Order authorizing up to 8 hours of leave for City of Atlanta employees to serve as poll workers for the November 3, 2020 General Election and Special Election and the January 5, 2021 General Election Run-off.

“While the City of Atlanta is not responsible for administering elections, we are committed to doing all we can to the diminish the challenges voters experienced during the General Primary in June,” said Mayor Bottoms. “This Order provides an opportunity for City employees to participate in helping to protect the constitutional right to vote during one of the most historic elections of our lifetime.”

In August, Mayor Bottoms issued Executive and Administrative Orders to expand access to the polls and make it easier for Atlanta residents and employees to vote in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details on the authorized actions of today’s Executive Order are as follows:

SECTION 1.

  1. That City of Atlanta employees shall be entitled to a leave of absence of not more than eight (8) hours to serve as a poll worker for the November 3, 2020, General Election and Special Election.

  2. Employees shall be permitted to utilize the 8 hours allotted by this Section on the date of the General Election, November 3, 2020, or on any one date during the Early Voting period scheduled for the General Election, (October 12, 2020 through October 30, 2020), on which Early Voting is scheduled to occur.

  3. A leave of absence pursuant to this Section shall be granted in accordance with the procedures applicable to annual leave set forth in Section 114-415 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, and upon satisfactory evidence that their application to serve as a poll worker has been approved by the elections office of the employee’s county of residence.

SECTION 2.

  1. That City of Atlanta employees shall be entitled to a leave of absence of not more than eight (8) hours to serve as a poll worker for the January 5, 2021 General Election Run-off for Federal Offices. 

  1. Employees shall be permitted to utilize the 8 hours allotted by this Section on the date of the General Election Run-off for Federal Offices, January 5, 2021, or on any one date during the Early Voting period scheduled for the January 5, 2021, General Election Run-off for Federal Offices, (December 14, 2020 through December 31, 2020), on which Early Voting is scheduled to occur.

  2. A leave of absence pursuant to this Section shall be granted in accordance with the procedures applicable to annual leave set forth in Section 114-415 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, and upon satisfactory evidence that their application to serve as a poll worker has been approved by the elections office of the employee’s county of residence.

SECTION 3.

  1. That the number of hours City employees are permitted to take off with pay to vote in the November 3, 2020 General Election and Special Election, pursuant to Section 114-419(a) of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, shall be increased from two hours to four hours.

  2. Employees shall be permitted to utilize the four hours allotted by this Section on the date of the General Election, November 3, 2020, or on any date during the Early Voting period scheduled for the General Election, (October 12, 2020 through October 30, 2020), on which Early Voting is scheduled to occur.

  3. The employee's supervisor may specify the hours which may be used for voting as provided in this Order.

SECTION 4.

  1. That the number of hours City employees are permitted to take off with pay to vote in the January 5, 2021 General Election Run-off for Federal Offices, pursuant to Section 114-419(a) of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, shall be increased from two hours to four hours.

  2. Employees shall be permitted to utilize the four hours allotted by this Section on the date of the General Election Run-off for Federal Offices, January 5, 2021, or on any date during the Early Voting period scheduled for the January 5, 2021 General Election Run-off for Federal Offices, (December 14, 2020 through December 31, 2020), on which Early Voting is scheduled to occur.

  3. The employee's supervisor may specify the hours which may be used for voting as provided in this Order.