Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. With those options early in-person voting and more voter awareness on how to vote by mail voter turnout appears to be trending upward. 2. 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. Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. 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. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday.
What if Election Day were a holiday? - USA TODAY Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Maybe Making Election Day a National Holiday Wouldn't Really Work Other countries may only require it of certain people, and otherwise make it voluntary for others. Consider this: Even if Election Day were moved to a weekend or turned into a national holiday, retail and service industry employees would still need to work. Update: Some readers think that Ireland should also be considered an outlier, as St. Patrick's Day is often considered its primary "national day" and is not really an independence or revolution day. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. 26K views, 1.2K likes, 65 loves, 454 comments, 23 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Citizen TV Kenya: #FridayNight But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier.
Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC [33], Henry Farber, PhD, Hughes-Rogers Professor of Economics at Princeton University, conducted an analysis of states that made Election Day a holiday for state employees. Stay up to date with what you want to know. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. Why or why not? This article was published more than10 years ago. After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. "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 or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. 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. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 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.
Newsela | Should Election Day become a national holiday? Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. For example, in Ecuador, only literate citizens between 18 and 65 are required to vote; those over 65 or who are not literateare not required.
National Days around the world | Office Holidays Managing Editor Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. the Tuesday that occurs within November 2 to November 8. "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. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. But in many other countries, the government automatically registers voters and holds elections on days that are weekend days or national holidays. Rather than make it a national holiday where inevitably people will still have to work, change election day to election week. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. The correct answer is B. Advertisement Advertisement marberman marberman
Is Election Day a federal holiday? Here's what is open, closed Tuesday Not only would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout among Americans, which is something that politicians and citizens in general complain about often, but it . Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. But while . Arizona, for example, allows employees who do not have three consecutive hours before or after work when the polls are open to take paid time off to vote at the start or end of their work days. Maybe that could give us some hint as to the frequent foreign sensitivities and accusations, right or wrong, about Western foreign policy echoing old colonial practices. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, 2020 North Macedonian parliamentary election, "THE ELECTORAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA.
Election results only announced for 1 of Nigeria's 36 states 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!
Would Making Election Day a Federal Holiday Boost U.S. Voter Turnout And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. The number of early votes cast before Election Day 2020, as of Nov. 1, neared the 100 million mark according to data aggregated by the U.S. No: Too Inconvenient, Early-Voting Options Ample, orlandosentinel.com, Nov. 5, 2018, Henry Farber, "Increasing Voter Turnout: Is Democracy Day the Answer?, princeton.edu, Feb. 2009, Sarah Issenberg, "The Mystery of the Puerto Rico Voter, slate.com, Jan. 27, 2012, Paul LeBlanc, "Virginia Governor Makes Election Day a Holiday and Expands Early Voting,". And the empire has been pretty consistently breaking apart over the last half century Scotland is maybe next so it's not like there is a national unification to celebrate. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions which Americans see not only as propping up their democracy but perpetuating its legitimacy, he said. 1. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Omissions? Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. About 54 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the 2012 presidential contest between Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, according to the Pew Research Center. NOW WATCH: Arianna Huffingtons advice to Hillary Clinton, the majority of US states have voter leave laws, You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list, voted during the 2016 presidential election, experts say such a scheme is unlikely to fly in the US, The evolution of American voting rights in 242 years shows how far we've come and how far we still have to go, In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016. 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. In Thailand, one of the very few countries outside of Europe that was never formally colonized, the king's birthday is celebrated (don't insult him or you might go to jail, per the lese majeste laws). So, focusing voting efforts to one day doesn't do enough to accommodate everyone, Becker argues. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. 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. That too is a reminder as to how new many of the ideas from that century, such as full enfranchisement and national self-determination, really are. Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. Theyare still considerably higher than in the United States, which typically sees about 65% on average turn out to vote for major elections. Explain your answer. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. If so, how? Virginia joined these states in April this year. Election Day - Tuesday, Nov. 8 - is a special day, with voters casting ballots across the country. https://www.britannica.com/question/Should-election-day-be-made-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. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Pew also found that certain issues motivate voters more than others: "health care, poverty and education are the top motivators for political engagement." In India, for example, a polling place is required within two kilometers (about a mile) of every single person in the country of 1.4 billion. In 2018, the general election was held on Wednesday. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. All federal elections take place the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. 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. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. 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). The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. 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.
A surprising map of the world's national holidays (only two countries While young people are generally less likely to vote, they are more motivated by the issue of freedom of speech than older generations.
Election Day in the United States - Time and Date 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.