ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order on Thursday morning, authorizing leave for city employees to serve as poll workers for the November election and runoff election.
It's a move former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, applauded.
“While the City of Atlanta is not responsible for administering elections, we are committed to doing all we can to the diminish the challenges voters experienced during the General Primary in June,” Bottoms said in a release. “This Order provides an opportunity for City employees to participate in helping to protect the constitutional right to vote during one of the most historic elections of our lifetime.”
The order allows workers up to eight hours of leave to volunteer as poll workers during early voting, on Election Day, or during the federal election run-off.
After the mayor's announcement, Obama tweeted in support of the executive action, writing, "Thank you, Mayor @KeishaBottoms! This is such a critical step for making sure elections in Atlanta can run safely and securely. Mayors and local leaders have the power to step up and do this across the country, and I hope they do."
In addition, Bottoms' order provides up to four hours of leave for city employees to vote during either early voting, on Election Day, and during early voting ahead of the federal election run-off.
Bottoms issued similar orders in order to provide expanded access for city employees during the August election runoff.
Early voting begins in Georgia on Oct. 12.