Election Day in the United States is the annual day for general elections of federal public officials.It is statutorily set by the U.S. government as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November", i.e. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed H.R. Theyare still considerably higher than in the United States, which typically sees about 65% on average turn out to vote for major elections. What we're proposing isn't that every Election Day becomes a national holiday, just the presidential election, which only takes place once every four years. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. It worked. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. 14, 2019, BBC, "Singapore Election: Governing Party Secure Decisive Win, bbc.com, Sep. 12, 2015, Holly Jackson, "It's Time to Make Election Day a Holiday in Law and Spirit," washingtonpost.com, Oct. 22, 2018, BCP Associates, "India Elections 2019 - Declaration of Paid Holiday on Polling Day, bcpassociates.com, Apr. While countries like Belgium, Sweden, and Turkey saw more than 80% of their estimated voting-age population cast votes in recent elections, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population. According to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Australia adopted compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout there dropped to less than 60 percent in 1922. But some think it should be. List two to three ways. Some countries, including Belgium and Turkey, see such high voter turnout mainly because of their compulsory voting laws. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. Will the party listen to them on the issues? While some states have made Election Day a civic holiday (though it primarily applies to public workers) and most have laws that require companies to give employees some time off to vote, none of the legislative efforts to enact these changes on a national level have been successful. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. Sometimes, specific ballot measures can influence voter turnout: in the UK, the Brexit vote resulted in a 72% turnout, slightly higher than the average of 69%. [23], Annie McDonald, Editor of the Berkeley Public Policy Journal, noted that the workers who are least likely to get paid holidays are those who already have less of a voice in the political process: Americans working in retail, hospitality, and service jobs, for example, would most likely not receive the benefit of a paid holiday to vote. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. For other uses, see. ", "National Electoral Code Article 53 and 148", Report of the 2014 National Lawyers Guild Bolivian Election Observation Delegation, Voting hours for elections in EU Member States, "The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark", Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, "India Elects 2019: The World's Largest Election, Explained", "Six Nations match at the centre of row over election date - Independent.ie", "With full term possible, Netanyahu may outlast Ben-Gurion (and Obama)", Confessionalism and Electoral Reform in Lebanon, "Voters reminded not to reveal voting intention at Sunday's polling", "Malaysia's election on a Wednesday favors PM, opposition says", "Elections in Mexico and the US: Comparisons and contrasts", "Law on Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament", "Election Days General Elections 1853-2011", "The main features of the Norwegian electoral system", "Tribunal Electoral de Panam convoca a elecciones generales de 2024", "Peru Can Give U.S. Skip Navigation We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. The bill has no cosponsors, but the concept was supported by every 2020 Democratic candidate for president, excluding Mike Bloomberg and now-nominee Joe Biden. [6] Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. "With the variety of challenges that election officials face, [making Election Day a holiday] is well down on the list of those things that need to be addressed," Becker said. Explain your answers. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. It's a reminder of turmoil of the last century a very short span in historical terms and how deeply its events influence the world today. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. Countries outpacing the U.S. include the U.K, Mexico and Canada. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. The U.S. lags scores of other countries in election participation, ranking 26th out of 32 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the Pew Research Center. by country by date 4. As Congress continues to grapple with voting rights legislation this week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has used his considerable influence as the Senates key swing vote to set the terms of the debate. Modern life operates around the clock. Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Britain, after all, developed its political institutions pretty gradually, so there was no real "Bastille Day" moment that defines the modern nation. Thats not to say no one has tried. Election Day is the day for general elections of public officials in the U.S. [ 18][ 19] Con 1 [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. In the 2016 presidential election, 14% of registered voters cited being too busy or having a conflicting schedule as the main reason they didnt cast their ballots, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. And I think on Election Day we should have a national holiday which says, 'you don't have to rush to vote.' National and Festival Holiday Act, which is applicable to all establishments in the country, irrespective of under which law it is formed it is mandatory to grant leave on following 3 days, i.e. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. So when faced with choices like having to take unpaid time off work to vote, waking at the wee hours of the morning to vote so that they're not late to work, standing in hours-long lines with everyone else who waited until after the workday to cast their ballot, or simply not voting at all, many choose the latter. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . To paraphrase one of the commenters on the Reddit thread, is certainly is ironic that the British empire that is indirectly responsible for so many of the world's independence days has no real national day of its own. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. Election Day is a US State Holiday observed on several states on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every even-numbered year. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. Stay up to date with what you want to know. "Election Day as a national holiday would mean things like perhaps reduced schedules for public transportation, schools being closed, hourly workers perhaps being incentivized to work more with time and a half. the Tuesday that occurs within November 2 to November 8. However, for the most part, most countries vote in person at the voting booth, and while countries may alter the length of election periods andthe equipment used in voting from election to election, it still tends to have many of the same features. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Consider, for example, the national days of France and Germany: the former marks the French revolution, in 1789, and the latter marks the German reunification in 1990. Traditionally elections are held over two days, starting on a Friday afternoon and ending the following Saturday afternoon. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. ", ProCon.org. (And in case youre curious, November was chosen as the month for similar reasons: It was after fall harvest was over but before the cold winter weather set in.). And there is no better way to secure democracy than to ensure that everyone has not only the right to vote, but also the meaningful opportunity to cast their ballots. So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. Updated: 7:01 AM EST November 2, 2020 ATLANTA For many Americans, voting on Election Day is a tradition, and some wonder why it's not a national holiday. 20, 2018, Annie McDonald, "Ensuring Access to Election Day for All, bppj.berkely.edu, Nov. 6, 2018, Suzanne Lucas, "No, Election Day Should Not Be a Federal Holiday, inc.com, Oct. 24, 2016, Kenneth Quinnell, "Know Your Rights: State Laws on Employee Time off to Vote, aflicio.org, Nov. 5, 2016, Osita Nwanevu, "Maybe Making Election Day a National Holiday Wouldnt Really Work, slate.com, Nov. 3, 2016, Abigail Hess, "A Record 44% of US Employers Will Give Their Workers Paid Time off to Vote This Year, cnbc.com, Oct. 31, 2018, Make Time to Vote, homepage, maketimetovote.org (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), Rose Marcario, "Time to Vote, patagonia.com, Sep. 24, 2018, Danielle Root and Liz Kennedy, "Increasing Voter Participation in America, americanprogress.org, July 11, 2018, Kelly Born, "Increasing Voter Turnout: What, If Anything, Can Be Done?, ssir.org, Apr. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. Over 60 court cases reviewed the evidence and judgesappointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents alikereached the same conclusion: there was no compelling evidence of fraud. Twenty-seven of the 36 member countries, hold their elections on the weekend. Rather, federal elections are held on the third Monday of October, every four years . Voter turnout in the U.S. is generally quite low, trailing behind that of other developed democracies around the world, according to another Pew study. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Roughly 138 million Americans voted in the 2016 presidential election, just 61.4% of the 214,109,360 million who were registered to vote, according to The U.S. Election Assistance Commission. A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. In 2018, the general election was held on Wednesday. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. According to the Pew Research Center, of the thirty-six nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is one of nine that votes on a week day, and one of seven that doesn't designate election day a national holiday. Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . Corrections? Operated 24:7 through the week. In Switzerland, only one canton (or member state) requires voting; it is voluntary all other cantons of the country. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Estonia is the only country to fully adopt online voting, but other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Norway, have looked into pursuing it as an option in the future. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Lists national days around the world by country or date. According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 1. [2] Sundays were for rest and worship, and on Wednesdays farmers typically sold their crops at the market, making Tuesdays the best day of the week. Indigenous Peoples Day is a local and state holiday in some parts of the country usually held on Columbus Day that celebrates the cultures of Native Americans. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. History of Election Day 2. And it will, in turn, help strengthen the idea that businesses can and will come together for a worthy common purpose: protecting our democracy by empowering all American workers to be good citizens. [30], Solutions such as automatic voter registration, same-day registration, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, restoring voting rights to former felons, improved civics education, and voter outreach would all improve voter participation more reliably than a national holiday. [8], Among registered voters in the 2016 US presidential election, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule was the third-highest reason cited for not voting, accounting for 14% of registered voters who did not cast a vote (about 2.7 million people). 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. [26] Creating laws in all states that let people vote before or after work would be more effective than a national holiday, which would quickly be viewed as just another day off to enjoy. Politicians, most recently House Democrats in 2019, have also floated the idea of turning a weekday Election Day into a federal holiday, but to no avail. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. In many countries, general elections are always held on a Saturday or Sunday, to enable as many voters as possible to participate; while in other countries elections are always held on a weekday. There are many ways to boost voter turnout expanding early voting, automatically registering voters, and improving civic education programs . Should Election Day be a national holiday? Elections to the European Parliament take place over a period of four days (i.e., Thursday through to Sunday), according to the election days of the EU members states (as listed above). 2. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. But it is not a federal holiday. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. Elections Project, which is close to the complete voter . Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates, Election Day in the United States has occurred on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November ever since President John Tyler signed an 1845 law establishing a specific voting day for the entire country. Runoffs take place on the last Sunday of the same October. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. Tuesday is Election Day, but only in some parts of the country will voters get the day off to cast their ballots. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? But while experts say such a scheme is unlikely to fly in the US, making it easier for people to vote would appear to be a step in the right direction. Making Election Day a holiday would not necessarily involve adding a new holiday, which employers might resistparticularly following the addition of Juneteenth as a national holiday last week. Some businesses may close, but their hourly paid employees will either have to use a PTO day or not get paid.. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. He thinks the increased options afforded by early and mail-in voting could be undermined by making Election Day a holiday, creating "a solution in search of a problem.". Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. But while . There is a "need to make voting more accessible, to make it more of a civic duty, to make sure that people don't have to choose between their job and their ability to cast the ballot are issues that are more prominent today than ever before," she told CBS News. "Election Day really definitely does need to be a holiday," she said, adding, "We need to be able to have everybody feel like they have a great stake in it.". 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. as well as other partner offers and accept our. In a number of states, polling places have been closed in minority neighborhoods, which has created long lines and tremendous inconvenience for affected votersinconvenience with a cost, especially for those paid hourly wages. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. To look through the stats for voter turnout for other countries, you can visit the website for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and explore the data. "And we actually have more options than ever before.". Especially given that 65% of Americans support making election day a national holiday and 43% of voters already live in one of the 19 states with some form of voting holiday. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 But these days, Tuesdays are actually quite inconvenient for many Americans, particularly those who cant take time off work to cast their ballots a problem that disproportionately affects Black, Latino and lower-income voters. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. It was created in 1992,. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket.
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