Cleveland makes Election Day a holiday for many city employees

Cleveland is giving many city employees a half day off on Election Day.

The City Council on Monday night passed legislation requested by Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration to make Election Day an official city holiday. Many employees can take four hours off on this day.

Non-union workers, who make up about a quarter of Cleveland’s 7,300 employees, are immediately eligible for the holiday. City Hall must negotiate the benefit into collective bargaining agreements for unionized employees. As with any holiday, certain essential city employees – such as police officers – may still be scheduled to work.

The administration is also considering closing City Hall on the afternoon of Nov. 5, according to Austin Davis, the mayor’s senior policy adviser. Davis said the new leave policy is intended to highlight the importance of Election Day.

“The idea is to not just allow people to vote, although that is a big part of it, but to draw attention to the election itself, the cornerstone of our democracy,” he said.

Erika Anthony, who runs the nonpartisan nonprofit Cleveland Votes, said she hopes other workplaces follow suit. Cleveland’s city government was the 14th largest employer in Northeast Ohio last year, according to a list maintained by Crain’s Cleveland Business.

“When our local government, our city government, not only makes a promise but also enshrines it in law, I think that sets a really good tone for the community as a whole,” she said.

This day doesn’t just have to be about voting, Anthony said. Employees could, for example, use their free time as poll workers.

Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, who worked with the administration on the idea, said at a Finance Committee hearing Monday that she hopes the city’s move gets attention.

The city is “taking the lead by saying we want to empower our employees and make sure they have every possible access to the ballot box,” she said.

A busy schedule is a major reason for not voting

According to a U.S. Census Bureau report released this year, scheduling conflicts were the main reason registered voters were absent on Election Day. The poll found that 26.5% of registered non-voters cited “too crowded/conflicting schedule” as a reason for not voting in the 2022 midterm elections.

Other cities and states have already given workers time off to vote, Davis said. Sandusky replaced Columbus Day with Election Day as a paid holiday in 2019. Indianapolis includes primary and general election days on its list of municipal holidays.

City Hall shared information about voting and voter registration this year as part of an initiative called “Land the Vote.” Cleveland employees don’t just live in the city. Many also live in the suburbs – and would therefore vote.

Although Cleveland workers could take Election Day off, they are not required to vote.

“This legislation should in no way be construed to require employees to vote at all or in any particular manner,” Human Resources Director Matthew Cole wrote in a letter to Council President Blaine Griffin supporting the legislation’s passage demanded.