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SALT LAKE CITY — Election Day is quickly approaching, and voter turnout is expected to be unprecedented this year. But the United States still falls short in voter turnout when compared to other countries with democracies.
In Utah, it's state law that a company excuse an employee from work for two hours at the beginning or end of a shift to vote if they don't already have three hours of their own time off when polls are open.
Salt Lake City-based Imzy is embracing that mandate and taking it a step further.
The social media site made its debut last week. Though startup is a busy time for any business, the boss at Imsy is letting the whole staff take Election Day off.
"We wanted our employees to exercise the right to vote, to participate in their democracy, and not worry about the work," said Max Green, the company's chief of staff.
Imzy is joining the ranks of a national movement called, "Take Off Election Day." So far, 326 companies nationwide have taken the pledge, two of which are in Utah.
"It's not good enough to just give someone two hours to fit voting into their work day and their life," Green said.
He's hoping other Utah companies feel the same way.
Some states such as Delaware, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York and Ohio, already have Election Day set aside as a civic holiday. Entire countries such as Austria, Belgium and Finland hold elections on weekends to help get as many voters as possible.
