"I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. Sign up for notifications from Insider! They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Topics Explainers Politics US Evergreen US Explainers YOU MIGHT LIKE Updates? Thats not to say no one has tried. Georgias voter suppression bill is an assault on our democracy, Republicans in 48 states have introduced 389 bills, Tracking regulatory changes in the Biden era. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. Where Is Election Day a Holiday? - Ms. Magazine Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. Would Making Election Day a Federal Holiday Boost U.S. Voter Turnout Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Sunday. Should election day in the United States be made a national holiday So, workers having a day off to vote wouldn't be a disruption to the economy, or anything a citizen of our country could deny would be worthwhile and smart thing to do. 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. 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. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. Is Election Day a national holiday? These people think it should be 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. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. 4. [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. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a 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. [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. Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. Whether accurate or not, elected officials likely think that making it easier to vote would advantage one party at the expense of the other party.. 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). Should election day be made a national holiday? 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Lessons in How to Hold Elections", "GE2015: First time Polling Day falls on a Friday, but not first time polls held on a weekday", "180/2014 Z.z. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. 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. 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. ELECTION DAY - November 7, 2023 - National Today Instead, lawmakers could simply move nearby Veterans Day to Election Day, emphasizing that voting is both a service to the country and a celebration of the rights and freedoms for which our servicemembers fight. Twenty-seven of the 36 member countries, hold their elections on the weekend. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? Here Are Some Pros and Cons 26K views, 1.2K likes, 65 loves, 454 comments, 23 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Citizen TV Kenya: #FridayNight Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. The name change required at least 50% voter participation, and opponents to the name change advocated not voting at all rather than voting against the measure. Election Day National Holiday - Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. This year, Election . Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. 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." The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. 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. 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%. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. "Voting is a fundamental right,. First Sunday of July until 2018. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. Election Day in the United States - Time and Date By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. 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. By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Corrections? By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider But some think it should be. 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. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. 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. 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. And in Australia, there is a fine. [9], Former Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review, Beau C. Tremitiere, JD, stated, The demands of school and work schedules keep millions of Americans, especially those with children or long commutes, from ever getting to their polling stations The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. [10] A holiday would allow more citizens volunteer at polling places or drive the elderly to vote, and make a difference in states where long lines at the polls keep voters waiting for hours. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Of the nonvoters surveyed by the US Census Bureau about the 2008 presidential election, the 2012 presidential election, and numerous other elections, the most commonly cited reason for not voting was being too busy or having conflicting work schedules. 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. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Lists national days around the world by country or date. If so, how? Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. 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. Omissions? Make election day a national holiday : r/WhitePeopleTwitter - reddit In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? From 2021, the first Sunday of June. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. 2020, Virginia. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. Granderson: Why aren't Democrats making election day a state holiday It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. Here are the four things I found interesting about this once as I mapped it out: 1) Yes, most of the world was shaped by colonialism. Because Saturday and Sunday are Sabbath days for devout Jews and Christians, elections would probably have to be held over the two-day period creating a need for more poll workers and a process for securing ballots overnight, Victoria Shineman, a University of Pittsburgh political science professor, wrote in The Washington Post. History of Election Day [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. Why or why not? Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. 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. 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. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. ProCon.org. Obama Expresses Support For Making Election Day A National Holiday - 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. Countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico also showed high voter turnout rates by having holidays. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. There are some exceptions; as Wednesday was not covered by the available dates, the Netherlands holds elections on Thursday, while Denmark holds elections on Sunday. Why are other countries better at conducting elections than we are? Voting Around the World - Home | CultureReady Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. 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! Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. Establishing Election Day as a holiday, taken together with the pending federal voting rights reforms, would go a long way towards stabilizing democracy and ensuring basic democratic rights. I'll look into this some more and may change it on the map. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . 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. Patriotic Holidays | National Archives Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . 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. It worked. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. 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. A Pew Research Center analysis finds that 27 of the 36 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development hold their national elections on the weekend, . 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. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. 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. National Days around the world | Office Holidays Younger generations are also more likely to participate in political discussions online, which shows that a move towards digitizing the political and voting processes may not be too far off. In 2018, a Pewstudy found that 65% of Americans favored making Election Day a national holiday. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. I think, to the best of my knowledge, it's something like $20. All rights reserved. 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. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Homepage | Morningside Center for [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. 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. Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Human and Civil Rights, is working to increase voter participation and decrease voter disenfranchisement. CBS News reporter covering climate change and energy. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Election day should be a national holiday. Which type of claim is this 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. 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. This article was published more than10 years ago. the Tuesday that occurs within November 2 to November 8.
Johnson Funeral Home Grottoes Obituaries,
Fred Taylor 40 Yard Dash Time,
Articles C