Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90 percent voter turnout, compared to the United States, where average voter turnout in presidential elections since 1965 has been only 54%. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day when St. Paul converted our whole country to Catholicism in AD 60. [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). In 1845, when Congress established a national election day, it had to be a Tuesday because farmers went to church on Sunday, went to market on Wednesday, and may have needed a day, Monday, to get to their polling place, Gil Troy an American presidential historian and McGill University professor told HuffPost. For other uses, see. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. 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. We're familiar with how voting works in the U.S.when we vote, how we vote, who we vote forbut do you know what voting is like in other countries around the world? Even among the nine weekday voting countries, South Korea's and Israel's voters take a day off work on the day of the election to ensure higher electoral participation. Countries outpacing the U.S. include the U.K, Mexico and Canada. Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. This year, Election . Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? For example, Australia typically has a turnout in the 90 percent or more range, and other nations such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico achieve very high turnout via universal voting and time off for voting. Election dates are determined by the General Elections Commission (Indonesian: Typically on a Friday, but precise date set by, Municipal, provincial, and regional elections take place on a Sunday, as do elections for the. 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. [10][11]] 5 Reasons Election Day Should Be a National Holiday - Global Citizen #FridayNight | #FridayNight | By Citizen TV Kenya - Facebook 11 July (Tuesday): Celebration of the Golden Spurs (Day of the Flemish Community) - celebrates the victory of the count of Flanders and the borough militia against the king of France outside Courtrai. 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. Argentina has instated compulsory voting laws, but only sees about 76% voter turnout. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. Should election day in the United States be made a national 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. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Vote.org has called on Amazon, Disney, McDonald's and others to offer paid time off for employees to vote and or work the polls. Other countries may only require it of certain people, and otherwise make it voluntary for others. 1. 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. 0:58. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . Why Election Day Should Be A National Holiday In America Could that ever happen in the U.S.? On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Make Election Day a national holiday - Brookings Mr. CHRISTENSEN: One of the biggest countries that uses compulsory voting is Australia. Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. So, focusing voting efforts to one day doesn't do enough to accommodate everyone, Becker argues. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. 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. [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. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Homepage | Morningside Center for Countries like France, Germany, and India all recognize Election Day as a national holiday or hold elections on the weekend in order to increase voter turnout. 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. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Why are other countries better at conducting elections than we are? ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. In some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the day. Japan formally celebrates the anniversary of an ancient mythical emperor, although the holiday is mostly ignored today, due in part to its connections with Japan's ugly imperial history. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. In 2005, the American Bar Association looked at a few different methods of voting: in 1989 in Namibia, voters marked an X on ballots using ink on their fingers; in Bulgaria, rather than marking a ballot, voters pick from any number of sheets of paper representing specific political parties and puts it in a ballot box; and in Ireland, "they designate their top three candidates by numbering them 1, 2, and 3." Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. It would also blunt the impact of many of these baldly anti-democratic movesopening the doors to the house as Republicans attempt to shut the windows. Sunday: first Sunday of February for the President, Vice-President, and Legislative Assembly; second Sunday of February for municipal elections. Image 2. [1], Over time, voting rights expanded from only white, male landowners age 21 and older to include women and people of color, as well as citizens age 18 and up, resulting in a dramatic increase in the voting-eligible population and a shift in voter demographics. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? 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. For starters, the United States is rather unique in that it schedules its election day on a weekday, let alone a Tuesday. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . 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. Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. As of mid-May Republicans in 48 states have introduced 389 bills that would reduce the hours polls are open; forbid people from eating or drinking while waiting in line to vote; close voter registration on Sundays, when Black churches traditionally have organized their members to register and vote; repeal no excuse absentee voting; and create a long list of other barriers to voting. List two to three ways. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. 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. 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. Is Election Day a Holiday in Your State? | RepresentUs 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.". Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. It would take an act of Congress to make Election Day a national holiday, and there is currently a bill proposing to designate "Democracy Day" as a national election holiday before a special committee. 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. ", Obama: "Absolutely. Election day should be a national holiday. Which type of claim is this "I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. 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. 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. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. Yet, few of us, especially those who have worked on Capitol Hill, harbor . 4. Is Election Day a federal holiday? | The US Sun 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. Managing Editor Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. 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. The founding fathers at first only granted white, male property owners the right to vote, so the expansion of voting rights has taken some time. ProCon.org. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. According to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Australia adopted compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout there dropped to less than 60 percent in 1922. Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. Presidential and semipresidential systems, Constituencies: districting and apportionment. Make Election Day a National Holiday | YIP Institute Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. [31] Same-day registration boosts turnout by 5%, and universal implementation of it would have added as many as 4.8 million voters in the 2016 election, according to Danielle Root, JD, and Liz Kennedy, JD, from the Center for American Progress. Is Election Day a federal holiday? More people would vote if they had more time to cast their ballots Furthermore, celebrating our democracy publicly would send the message that we value each others citizenship as much as we value honoring past presidents. [13], Donald Green, PhD, Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, found that nonpartisan community parties celebrating Election Day in 2005, 2006, and 2016 increased voter participation between 2.6 percentage points and about 4 percentage points. Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." In Australia, all citizens of age to vote are required, and if they fail to do so, they face fines. The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday for federal elections, meaning non-essential federal employees would get a paid day off. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Make election day a national holiday : r/WhitePeopleTwitter - reddit "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. Election Day should be a 'day off,' U.S. President Joe Biden says For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . But this arrangement began to raise concerns as travel and communication improved in the 19th century: Results from states that voted earlier could sway the outcome in states that voted later. [4][5], The United States currently has 10 national holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. Theyare still considerably higher than in the United States, which typically sees about 65% on average turn out to vote for major elections. National Days around the world | Office Holidays Virginia joined these states in April this year. 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. All federal elections take place the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Most others are not so recent, but still not so old: Taiwan's, for example, goes back to a 1911 uprising. [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. ", ProCon.org. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. In 2018, the general election was held on Wednesday. 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. 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. On U.S. Election Day, A Look At How Others Vote : NPR Additionally, many of these individuals rely on school days as childcare for their children. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In the United States, it varies from state to state and even county to county, so the idea that one entire country might use the same voting method is actually pretty unique to Americans! It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. 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. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. What if Election Day were a holiday? - USA TODAY Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president.
Northwood Dominic Cummings, Articles C