(COLUMBUS) - An Ohio state senator is proposing to make Election Day a state holiday, aiming to boost voter participation and reduce work-related barriers to casting a ballot.
Sen. Kent Smith, a Democrat from Euclid, has introduced Senate Bill 335, which would designate the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as "Democracy Day." Smith says the change would help voters who struggle to reach the polls because of job schedules.
If approved, Ohio state employees -- including public school staff and court workers -- would receive the day off. Private employers would not be required to close but could choose to offer time off voluntarily.
Smith says the proposal comes amid recent changes to Ohio election law, including a new requirement that absentee ballots be received by county election boards by the time polls close on Election Day, eliminating a previous grace period.
Fourteen states currently recognize Election Day as a holiday, according to national data, and several others require employers to provide paid time off for voting. Ohio law already requires employers to allow a "reasonable amount of time" for voting, but Election Day is not officially recognized as a holiday.
Ohio's average voter turnout over the past two decades has been above the national average. Smith says making Election Day a holiday could further strengthen civic engagement and serve as a learning opportunity for students.
The bill has four Democratic co-sponsors and is awaiting committee assignment and its first hearing.