Congresswoman Nikema Williams Demands Trump Administration Reverse Policy Blocking Federal Workers from Voting Leave
WASHINGTON D.C. – Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) led a letter, with 39 of her Congressional colleagues, to President Donald Trump condemning his Administration’s reported policy change prohibiting federal employees from using paid administrative leave to vote or serve as non-partisan poll workers. The move appears to be part of Executive Order 14248, signed March 25, 2025, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.”
In the letter, Congresswoman Nikema Williams expressed deep concern over reports that federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, have already begun notifying employees that they may no longer take administrative leave for civic duties directly related to the electoral process.
Congresswoman Nikema Williams wrote:
“It is deeply troubling that your Administration does not view civic engagement and voter participation to be an inherently good thing. We firmly believe that no eligible voter in this country should be discouraged from voting. Instead their right to be heard in their community should be actively facilitated. A person’s right to cast a ballot should not be dependent on what job they have nor the whims of their employer. We condemn your attempts to deny your own employees their voice.”
The Congresswoman stressed that limiting access to time off for voting disproportionately affects caregivers and working families, and in practice, discourages the very in-person voting the Trump Administration claims to support. She noted that by removing leave to vote, the policy ironically pushes more people toward vote-by-mail options—an approach Trump has consistently criticized.
The letter also highlights potential legal conflicts with state laws that guarantee employees time off to vote or designate Election Day as a state holiday. States such as Virginia, California, Maryland, and Texas—home to large populations of federal workers—could see this policy as federal overreach in violation of worker protection statutes.
Congresswoman Nikema Williams is demanding the Administration clarify whether it will issue guidance to employees in the 29 states and D.C. that require time off to vote, and whether it will affirm compliance with those laws.
Key Questions to President Donald Trump:
- Will your Administration issue guidance reaffirming federal employee rights under state voting leave laws?
- If not, on what legal basis does your Administration justify ignoring these state-level protections?
Members concluded the letter:
“We strongly urge you to reverse this policy. If you elect to keep this suppressive policy in place, we demand that you inform federal workers of their rights under the applicable state and local laws where they work.”
Read the full letter here.