Voting: Arkansas

This Voting policy applies to employees in Arkansas under Ark. Code Ann. 7-1-102, which includes election-related rules and penalties, and it sets a clear process for requesting unpaid time off to vote when someone's work schedule does not allow sufficient time during polling hours. It also helps your organization support civic participation while keeping coverage predictable by having employees coordinate timing with their supervisor in advance.

The History Behind Voting Policies in Arkansas

Voting leave policies came into being because Election Day isn't a mandated day off, and sometimes employees need to vote and be at work at the same time. Arkansas regulates parts of this through its election laws, which is why employers often document a clear approach under Voting Leave. Arkansas Code section 7-1-102 makes it a crime to interfere with a qualified elector's right to vote, including through intimidation, threats, or coercion, and it also addresses conduct that can distort access to the ballot.

That criminal-law framework matters at work because supervisors control schedules, attendance expectations, and day-to-day pressure. Arkansas does not have a broad, standalone statute that requires paid time off to vote, but the interference and intimidation prohibitions still create real risk if a manager "discourages" voting by making it hard to leave, docking time in a punitive way, or commenting in ways that land as pressure. Employers started writing voting policies as a practical guideline.

Federal law also pushed employers toward clearer rules. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and later amendments focused on access and discrimination, and it changed how many organizations talked about elections at work, especially for employees who faced barriers to voting. Add modern operations like 24/7 staffing, multi-site scheduling, and tighter timekeeping systems, and a short, consistent voting leave policy became the easiest way to keep the workplace in compliance.

Which Law is the Voting Policy Meant to Comply With?

If you create and distribute a Voting Policy for your Arkansas-based employees, it is in an effort to comply with Arkansas's Ark. Code Ann. § 7-1-102.

How to Write an Arkansas-Specific Voting Policy

• Start with "why" and introduce the concept by encouraging employees to vote and affirming support for their right to do so.
• State the expectation that employees should try to vote outside working time when possible.
• Allow unpaid time off to vote when an employee's work schedule does not provide enough time during polling hours.
• Limit voting time off to eligible voters.
• Require employees to coordinate the timing of voting time off with their supervisor.

When to Include this Policy in Your Employee Handbook

The law does not require you to publish a policy or issue a specific notice. That said, you still have to comply with the requirements that apply to you as an employer. 

This is a "depends on your workplace" policy. Include it if you offer the benefit, operate in a setting where this comes up, have a state-specific rule that differs from your national approach, or you've had issues in this area before. If you already have a clear all-employee policy that covers the same ground (and it meets Arkansas's requirements), you may not need a separate policy here. 

Other Considerations

The law applies to Arkansas employers who have at least 1 employee in the US.

Exceptions

None.