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. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . He concluded that having an election holiday, by itself, is not an effective strategy to increase voter turnout. [34], Automatic voter registration, by contrast, could register an additional 22 million people and create 7.9 million new voters nationwide within a year. 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. 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. 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. 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. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. 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. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. ", Obama: "Absolutely. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. This article was published more than10 years ago. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. This . Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. 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. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". And even a number of the blue countries, such as Australia and Canada, are actually the product of colonialism. - Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor, - Gil Troy, American presidential historian, 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, Joaquin Corbalan / EyeEm via Getty Images, as travel and communication improved in the 19th century, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, substantially increase the cost of running elections, move that would make it easier for Americans to vote, The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits. "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. 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. ProCon.org. Image 2. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. Sign up for notifications from Insider! CBS News reporter covering climate change and energy. [15] A survey showed that US adults would rather have a federal holiday on Election Day than on Christmas Eve, the Friday after Thanksgiving, or St. Patricks day. Will the party listen to them on the issues? Interestingly, 27 of the 36 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (made up largely of advanced democracies) conduct their national elections on the weekend. 2. I think, to the best of my knowledge, it's something like $20. [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. First Sunday of October. Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. / CBS News. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. The bill would also effectively revive Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires states with a history of voter discrimination have all changes to their election laws approved by the federal government, updating the law in response to the Supreme Courts 2013 holding in Shelby County v. Holder. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. Most of these 19 states' policies only cover general elections, though. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. 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.However, some countries, or regions within a country, which hold elections on a weekday declare election day a public holiday. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 The outliers are a tiny minority, and only two countries have no formal national day at all. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? 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. Issues also arise when a persons polling place is far from their workplace or when there are long lines to vote during peak times like in the morning before work or in the evening after work. 3. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. Lists national days around the world by country or date. Updates? 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. An additional day off school would prove to be problematic for individuals who may not have other readily accessible forms of childcare. [24], People who have already suffered significant disenfranchisement, such as women and people of color, are more likely to be working those low-income jobs that wouldnt get the time off to vote even on a national holiday. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. Usually Wednesday. "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. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. Presidential and semipresidential systems, Constituencies: districting and apportionment. Modern life operates around the clock. [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. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Battleground Tracker: Tight race in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Lindsey Graham appears before Georgia grand jury, House Jan. 6 committee is having conversations with Justice Department, Georgia grand jury investigating Trump wants testimony from Giuliani, Graham, Trump election interference grand jury to hear from Raffensperger, DHS IG says Wolf changed intel report on Russian interference in 2020. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. In the 2016 presidential election, 60% of the eligible voting population vast a vote; this year, a staggering 47.5%participated in the midterms, compared to 37% in 2014 and 41% in 2010, the years of other midterm elections. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a holiday. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Should Election Day be a national holiday? The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. And. 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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. OK, so why Tuesday? [36]. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. Other politicians, businesses, and advocacy groups have voiced their approval of celebrating Election Day as a national holiday. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/election-day-national-holiday-top-3-pros-and-cons/, potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day, election day should not be a national holiday. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. 3. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. [8][15] A holiday for elections sidesteps the issue of a weekend election, which could conflict with religious obligations. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. It worked. While no state has proposed reinstating the literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses that effectively ended the burst of African-American franchise during Reconstruction, todays efforts to disenfranchise minority voters are similarly unsubtle. It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. Explain your answers. 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.
