Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . 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. 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. But it is not a federal holiday. 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. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. 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." Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. 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 designateelection day a national holiday. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. Countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico also showed high voter turnout rates by having holidays. I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. 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. [6] Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM "And we actually have more options than ever before.". Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. In Switzerland, only one canton (or member state) requires voting; it is voluntary all other cantons of the country. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. 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. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. [2] Sundays were for rest and worship, and on Wednesdays farmers typically sold their crops at the market, making Tuesdays the best day of the week. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. 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. There is a "need to make voting more accessible, to make it more of a civic duty, to make sure that people don't have to choose between their job and their ability to cast the ballot are issues that are more prominent today than ever before," she told CBS News. The United States is out of step with the rest of the world: elections are held on weekends in 27 of the 36 OECD countries. So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. Elections are federal holidays in Singapore, which, when combined with mandatory voting, resulted in a voter turnout of 93.6% for the 2015 election of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. [1] The decision was made taking into account farmers, a large portion of the voting constituency at the time, who would not have been able to travel to polling places in winter months or during planting or harvest times. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. 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. This . House Democrats introduced their first piece of legislation in the new Congress this week, an anti-corruption bill that proposes making Election Day a federal holiday and encourages . Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? 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. ", "National Electoral Code Article 53 and 148", Report of the 2014 National Lawyers Guild Bolivian Election Observation Delegation, Voting hours for elections in EU Member States, "The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark", Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, "India Elects 2019: The World's Largest Election, Explained", "Six Nations match at the centre of row over election date - Independent.ie", "With full term possible, Netanyahu may outlast Ben-Gurion (and Obama)", Confessionalism and Electoral Reform in Lebanon, "Voters reminded not to reveal voting intention at Sunday's polling", "Malaysia's election on a Wednesday favors PM, opposition says", "Elections in Mexico and the US: Comparisons and contrasts", "Law on Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament", "Election Days General Elections 1853-2011", "The main features of the Norwegian electoral system", "Tribunal Electoral de Panam convoca a elecciones generales de 2024", "Peru Can Give U.S. Last modified on October 1, 2020. Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. 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. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. In a number of states, polling places have been closed in minority neighborhoods, which has created long lines and tremendous inconvenience for affected votersinconvenience with a cost, especially for those paid hourly wages. Managing Editor But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. Presented by:Defense Language and National Security Education Office, 60% of the eligible voting population vast a vote, looked at a few different methods of voting. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. 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. Four more states only provide time off for biennial, even-year elections: Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan and New Hampshire. [20][21][22] A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off for a national holiday. ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. [27], Companies including Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Farmers Insurance, Kaiser Permanente, Patagonia, and Walmart have joined Make Time to Vote campaign, which encourages employers to provide paid time off, schedule no meetings on Election Day, and give information on mail-in ballots and early voting. 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. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. By comparison,. 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. November 7, 2023. Stay up to date with what you want to know. But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. Sometimes, specific ballot measures can influence voter turnout: in the UK, the Brexit vote resulted in a 72% turnout, slightly higher than the average of 69%. For other uses, see. 3. 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. But some think it should be. The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. 1. Mr. CHRISTENSEN: One of the biggest countries that uses compulsory voting is Australia. This year, Election . Why Election Day is Held on a Tuesday in November in the U.S. A Boatload of Ballots: Midterm Voter Turnout Hit 50-Year High, Estonia's i-voting: more secure, more popular, Macedonia referendum: Low voter turnout puts country's name change at risk, What Voting and Elections Look Like Around the World, X Marks the Choice: Voting Methods around the World, Defense Language and National Security Education Office. [ 18][ 19] Con 1 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. In Australia, all citizens of age to vote are required, and if they fail to do so, they face fines. Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. 1. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. [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. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. Corrections? procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Compared to other developed countries, America's voter turnout rate is pretty sad. Explain your answers. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. 3. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. For rest of the festival holidays the declaration . Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. Will the party listen to them on the issues? 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. Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. These changes would send the message that voting is not a privilege to be bought with job security and time to spare, but rather an essential responsibility every person ought to undertake. Election Day - Tuesday, Nov. 8 - is a special day, with voters casting ballots across the country. 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. First Sunday of October. Election Day as a holiday is something that exists in other countries, but not in most places in the U.S. It's an issue that comes up a lot, but never really gets much serious public debate. The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. Topics Explainers Politics US Evergreen US Explainers YOU MIGHT LIKE 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. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Why or why not? These changes would send a strong rebuke to those who are attempting to scale back voting rights and make it more difficult for African-Americans and Latinos to vote. Twenty-seven of the 36 member countries, hold their elections on the weekend. It was created in 1992,. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. Without this simple step toward turning out as many Americans as possible to vote, any reform will be incomplete. Right now, federal elections are always held on Tuesdays, because farmers in the 1840s needed multiple days to get to the . It would give people time to vote. All rights reserved. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. 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. Such low voter turnout rates in the United States have various reasons why many Americans decide not to vote, but one main reason is not giving them time to vote and cast their ballots. 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. 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. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. While the Republican efforts are shrouded in their supposed desire to protect the integrity of elections, there is no evidence of significant voter fraud in recent elections, including presidential election in 2020. 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. 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. 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. When turnout is high, it becomes increasingly fruitless for politicians to play to their base in ways that allow a vocal minority to rule, which is how many American leaders currently operate. Skip Navigation There are many ways to boost voter turnout expanding early voting, automatically registering voters, and improving civic education programs . Think about that: In most of the world, the sense of national identity is shaped by the act of cutting, or in some cases violently throwing off, the chains of colonialism. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. 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. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . Yet, few of us, especially those who have worked on Capitol Hill, harbor . Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard Americans are working all the time. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. TOP QUESTION ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. 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. 3. 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. 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). This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates, Election Day in the United States has occurred on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November ever since President John Tyler signed an 1845 law establishing a specific voting day for the entire country. Tuesday is Election Day, but only in some parts of the country will voters get the day off to cast their ballots. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. Its hard to say. Politicians, most recently House Democrats in 2019, have also floated the idea of turning a weekday Election Day into a federal holiday, but to no avail. "Election Day really definitely does need to be a holiday," she said, adding, "We need to be able to have everybody feel like they have a great stake in it.". The correct answer is B. Advertisement Advertisement marberman marberman 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 in the US voted during the 2016 presidential election. Traditionally on weekends. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. 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. 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. It worked. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. 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. That's true, although the separate "National Day of Commemoration" occurs on the anniversary of the truce ending the Irish war of independence. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. Last Tuesday was election day in the United States, and this year we voted in the midterm elections. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. 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. [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. According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. [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. Sweden came second with 82.6%. Democratic rights are much easier to end than they are to restore, so the federal government must respond to the wave of voter suppression overtaking the states with decisive, expansive action. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: 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. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. All this despite the fact that these types of restrictions have typically been considered illegal under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires that elections be equally open to all people. Traditionally elections are held over two days, starting on a Friday afternoon and ending the following Saturday afternoon. 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). Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. Monday in early September. Other countries may only require it of certain people, and otherwise make it voluntary for others. Sunday: first Sunday of February for the President, Vice-President, and Legislative Assembly; second Sunday of February for municipal elections. Should election day be made a national holiday? 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. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Updated: 7:01 AM EST November 2, 2020 ATLANTA For many Americans, voting on Election Day is a tradition, and some wonder why it's not a national holiday. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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.. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. "[Early and at-home voting] helps prevent bottlenecks for election administrators because it 'flattens the curve' for when ballots are cast by large numbers of voters," Perez said. In fact, these voters may be more likely to have to work as a result of a federal election holiday, where they may have had time off previously on a random Tuesday in November. I'll look into this some more and may change it on the map. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons.
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