Whether election day in the United States should be made a national holiday is debated. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. Operated 24:7 through the week. 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. So, focusing voting efforts to one day doesn't do enough to accommodate everyone, Becker argues. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. 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. Whether accurate or not, elected officials likely think that making it easier to vote would advantage one party traditionally it is believed to help the Democrats at the expense of the other party, the GOP, said Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. A surprising map of the worlds national holidays (only two countries have no national day), Belarus sentences Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in jail, This is Bidens chance to press Scholz on Germanys rearmament, Why Russia and Ukraine are fighting over Bakhmut. Sunday: first Sunday of February for the President, Vice-President, and Legislative Assembly; second Sunday of February for municipal elections. All 435 representatives were up for re-election, as well as a third ofsenators, and countless elections for governors, mayors, state legislators, and local government across the country. Additionally, many of these individuals rely on school days as childcare for their children. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Should election day be made a national holiday? To combat these efforts, lawmakers nationally have introduced HR1 (the John Lewis Act) and S1, which would enact a number of important provisions: improve ballot access, create nonpartisan redistricting commissions to reduce gerrymandering, provide automatic voter registration when people turn 18, allow at least 15 days of early voting,mandate that presidential candidates disclosure their federal tax returns, and require greater disclosure of so-called dark money campaign contributions. 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. History of Election Day So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. Countries which permit absentee ballots, early ballots or postal votes to be cast by mail before the election avoid the problem altogether by enabling voters to vote on a day that is more convenient to them. Omissions? US voter turnout trails most developed countries. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. ", ProCon.org. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Defense lawyers in Idaho killings case want gag order kept, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son. I think, to the best of my knowledge, it's something like $20. "We already know how to make voting convenient to voters that's by offering them options, like making an election season rather than election day," he said. 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. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. This is partially due to the influence of Protestantism, which historically set restrictions on activities other than church-going during the Sabbath (usually considered as falling on a Sunday). If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? 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. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Washington's Birthday Memorial Day Flag Day Independence Day Constitution Day Election Day Veterans Day Bill of Rights Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place on third Monday of January each year, near the time of Dr. King's birthday on January 15th. The answer dates back to 1845, when Congress passed a law declaring that federal elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. And so while it's very understandable that people are trying to find ways to make it more convenient for people to vote, it's very likely that Election Day as a national holiday would actually hurt the voters who most need more options," Becker said. Disclaimer: Dates and Events correct at time of printing but may change without our knowledge. By comparison,. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. And she thinks corporate America has been leading the way, pointing out several businesses, including Walmart and Coca-Cola, that have announced paid time off and other accommodations to make voting easier for employees on November 3. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. Canada's turnout is about the same as the United States', with an average of 68%, and though one canton in Switzerland has a compulsory voting law, for the country as a whole turnout is around 49%, one of the lowest rates in OECD countries. Election Day is observed on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, taking place on November 7 this year. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. Last modified on October 1, 2020. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. as well as other partner offers and accept our. For other uses, see. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. 12, 2019, Ceylan Pumphrey, "Do Businesses Have to Give Federal Holidays Like Presidents Day Off?, blogs.findlaw.com, Feb. 14, 2018, Department of Labor, "Holiday Pay, dol.gov (accessed Sep. 23, 2019), Peggy Emch, "Is Holiday Pay Required by Law?, timesheets.com, 2013, Fast Casual, "Study: Why Hourly Workers Forced to Work Multiple Jobs, fastcasual.com, Apr. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. 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). Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. If so, how? Early voting for the midterms varies by state. [26] Caravanas are joyful, noisy parades of cars festooned with flags and other decorations that stream through Puerto Ricos streets ahead of an election and are credited with the islands over 80% voter turnout. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. 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. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. 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. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. Should Election Day be a national holiday? As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Image 2. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after November 1st. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Sweden came second with 82.6%. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. 0:58. In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016, Dan Corey, editor-in-chief of Rutgers University's official student newspaper, The Daily Targum, asked Obama about what could be done to reverse the US's low voter turnout: The Daily Targum: "You have pointed out many times that voter turnout in the United States is very low, especially compared to other developed nations. Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. Take, for example, Bhutan, which every celebrates the anniversary of Ugyen Wangchuck's 1907 election as the nation's first hereditary king (yes, you read that correctly), but not its 1949 independence. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. While young people are generally less likely to vote, they are more motivated by the issue of freedom of speech than older generations. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday. The correct answer is B. Advertisement Advertisement marberman marberman 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 The outliers are a tiny minority, and only two countries have no formal national day at all. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. 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. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. All federal elections take place the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. Experts told CBS News that it's no coincidence this is occurring in a year when Americans have more time and more ways to vote than ever before. 0:00. 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. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote.