Welcome to the Wednesday, Sept. 9, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. 28 states require that employers give employees time off to vote
2. Mowers wins Republican primary in New Hampshire's 1st District
3. Mississippi commission selects final state flag design for voters to decide Nov. 3

28 states require that employers give employees time off to vote

Within states, policies vary as to whether time off to vote must be paid and how much notice employees must give to their employers to qualify. 

Generally, this requirement says that an employee is entitled to time off when their required work hours overlap with the time that polls are open in that state. Here is a sampling of what the law specifies in three randomly-selected states:

• Georgia: Employees are entitled to up to two hours of unpaid leave if reasonable notice is given to the employer. However, “[If] the hours of work of such employee commence at least two hours after the opening of the polls or end at least two hours prior to the closing of the polls, then the time off for voting as provided for in this Code section shall not be available.”
   
• Nebraska: Employees are entitled to receive up to two hours of paid leave on Election Day. This time off is required only if the employee "does not have two consecutive hours in the period between the time of the opening and closing of the polls during which he or she is not required to be present at work for an employer."
   
• New York: Employees are entitled to up to two hours of paid leave on Election Day provided they give two working days’ notice to their employer. The law also says, "If an employee has four consecutive hours either between the opening of the polls and the beginning of his or her working shift, or between the end of his or her working shift and the closing of the polls, he or she shall be deemed to have sufficient time outside his or her working hours within which to vote."

Of the 28 states that require employers to give employees time off to vote, 19 voted for Donald Trump (R) in the 2016 presidential election and nine voted for Hillary Clinton (D).

Does the law in your state require that employees receive time off to vote? What additional requirements are there? Check out our map below and click on the link below for more information. And to learn more about the requirements and deadlines for voting in your state, head to our “Voting in 2020” page.

Learn more

       

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Mowers wins Republican primary in New Hampshire's 1st District 

Republican primary in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District

Matt Mowers won the five-candidate Republican primary in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District. With 38% of precincts reporting, Mowers had received 61% of the vote and Matt Mayberry was second with 27%. 

Mowers has worked as the Executive Director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, an official in the 2016 Trump presidential campaign, and a Senior White House Advisor in the State Department. He received endorsements from President Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). 

Incumbent Chris Pappas (D) was first elected in 2018, defeating Eddie Edwards (R) 54% to 45%. Pappas is seeking re-election and was unopposed in the Democratic primary. The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate the general election as Likely Democratic. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball rates it as Lean Democratic. The 1st District changed partisan control five times between 2006 and 2016.

New Hampshire’s Democratic gubernatorial primary

The Democratic primary for New Hampshire’s governor’s race remained uncalled as of 12:30 am ET Wednesday morning. With 83% of precincts reporting, Dan Feltes was leading Andru Volinsky, 52% to 48%. Feltes is the state Senate Majority Leader and Volinsky serves on the New Hampshire Executive Council.

Feltes was endorsed by End Citizens United, Let America Vote, and the Voter Protection Project, while Volinsky was endorsed by the Sierra Club, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Blue America.

New Hampshire is one of two states—along with neighboring Vermont—where the governor’s term in office is two years rather than four. Incumbent Chris Sununu (R) was first elected in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018, defeating Molly Kelly (D), 53% to 46%. Before Sununu was elected, Democrats had held the office since 2005. 

The Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball rate the gubernatorial general election as Likely Republican. Inside Elections rates the race as Lean Republican.​​​​

Mississippi commission selects final state flag design for voters to decide Nov. 3

The Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag unanimously selected the winning design— named the In God We Trust Flag—on September 2. Mississippi voters will decide a constitutional amendment adopting it as the new state flag November 3. 

Designers will make minor changes to the design before it is finalized, including bolding the words “In God We Trust.”

Residents will vote either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to adopt the design as the new state flag. If voters reject the new design, the Commission will reconvene, design another flag, and allow voters to approve or reject it at a special election in November 2021. 

After the killing of George Floyd on May 25, protests against racism and the debate about Confederate flags and statues resurfaced. Mississippi enacted legislation on June 30 removing the official status of the previous state flag which contained the Confederate battle cross. Mississippi had been the only state with a flag containing the Confederate battle cross. 

The legislation established a nine-member commission to redesign the flag and provided that "the new design for the Mississippi State Flag shall honor the past while embracing the promise of the future." Proposed flags could not include the Confederate battle flag and had to include the words "In God We Trust." The commission received around 3,000 flag submissions and selected the final design after narrowing down the choices and a period of public comment in August.

Do you know your state’s flag? Check out our page displaying the flags of all 50 states here!

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