Voting Questions and Answers
As the May 6 primary elections for North Carolina approach, many staff may have questions about policies related to voting. Below are a couple answers to frequently asked questions:
When can I vote?
Registered voters have many options to cast their ballots. Early voting is taking place in Durham, Wake, Orange and surrounding counties through Saturday, May 3. On May 6, voters
have the opportunity to vote at the polling place assigned to them by the Board of Elections during extended hours from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Can I take time off to vote?
According to Duke policy, staff who are registered voters and unable to vote outside of regular work hours can take up to two hours of unpaid time to vote. University staff can use
vacation and Health System staff can use the Short-Term Bank to cover those two hours. This time off will be scheduled by a supervisor at either the beginning or the end of the work period
or at other times more advantageous to the maintenance of a department's or unit's work schedule.
Can I campaign during work time for my candidate(s) of choice?
Campaigning for political candidates at work would be considered solicitation and fall under Duke's non-solicitation policy, which prohibits soliciting for any outside activity or organization
during work time unless the solicitation is approved by Duke. Duke defines solicitation as including verbal or written communication, raffle tickets, for-sale merchandise, e-mail distributions,
circulars, handbills, or other kinds of literature.
Any posting or distribution of non-work related materials should be limited to non-work areas during non-work times. Non-work times include break periods, meal times, or other specified periods during the workday when staff are not expected to be performing their work tasks.
For more information about these and other policies, please visit the Human Resources Policy Manual.
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