Published on January 4, 2024, 4:50 am

In a recent bid to bolster voter participation, the Biden administration has designated paid administrative leave for federal employees to volunteer as poll workers. This move is viewed by many as a direct strategy to secure backing from what is perceived to be a primarily Democrat supportive workforce.

Records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that this policy also compels federal agencies to provide four hours of leave for voting purposes. The policy communication originated from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

The federal government, being the largest employer nationwide with over 2.1 million civilian staff members, sees this as an opportunity to act as a model employer, fostering civic responsibility within its massive workforce.

The administrative leave policy grants up to four hours per election event at all governmental levels, empowering employees with time off either on election day or for early voting—whichever suits their convenience. In addition, it also allows for an additional four hours per year of administrative leave for non-partisan poll work or observation activities,

Linked closely with this new development was President Joe Biden’s signing, back in 2021, of Executive Order 14019 which puts pressure on federal agencies towards encouraging voter participation efforts. This includes initiatives such as Homeland Security registering voters during naturalization events and Education Department drives promoting high school and collegiate level engagement.

Nevertheless, these initiatives have not been without controversy and raised some Republican eyebrows anxious about a potential transgression into areas like the Hatch Act which forbids political activities using Federal resources or time.

While there are arguments that suggest federal employees spread across the country do not lean towards one specific political direction alone, donations from political action committees representing federal workers seem to overwhelmingly favour Democratic candidates.

Concerns over violations of non-partisan principles like those in the Hatch Act form part of this discussion too. Consequently, there may be scrutiny into actions where agency employees are directly informed how certain benefits may impact things like localized Maryland elections.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures but it remains to be seen if these approaches align with the principles of fairness, objectivity, and legal boundaries that should underscore the conduct of real news and trusted news sources. One can only hope that the quest to foster stronger democratic participation doesn’t compromise our collective Christian worldview nurtured over generations.