Colleges should have already canceled Election Day classes. Presidential Election History. If you want to make Election Day a national holiday because you believe American workers should have more days off to hang out with their families or pound a few brewskis with their buds Im all in. 2. Promotion of new political ideas. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard Today, of course, holding the election on the first Tuesday of the month is deeply inconvenient for the vast majority of Americans, whether they work in an office, in food service, or on a farm, as they did in the olden days. Election Day Should Every Election Day Be A Federal Holiday? - Forbes One way to judge that: prioritized legislation. Explain your answer. If 118 million people did it in 2018 without a holiday, why do we need to shut down the post office and close the banks to get them to do it again? 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. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. If youre rushing to the polls to cast your vote to stop the forces of QAnon or because you seriously believe the same Republican Party that ended slavery wants to bring it back, please stay home. Election Day Its one of many sweeping changes she would like to see in stateelection law. As shown in this Fair Vote chart, turnout ebbs and flows in presidential cycles elections a big falloff from 1992 to 1996 (58.1% vs. 51.7%), then a steady rise through 2008 (61.6%) followed by another drop in 2012 (58.2%) and then a return to 60.1% in 2016. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. What other improvements could be made to voting and Election Day? 5. However, I feel like this is painting with a broad stroke. Postings about current events are fine, as long as there is a political science angle. Not me. ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. Twelve federal holidays are recognized each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. The three presidential elections held in the 1960s ranged from a high of 63.8% (JFK) to a low of 62.5% (Nixon). In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the Ralph Northam signed a bill on Sunday making Election Day a state holiday with the intention of making it easier for voters to cast their ballots in elections. Pros and Cons of making election day a national holiday Even some Democrats are saying that it could have unintended consequences. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. ", "While it is the purview of the states to set election rules, I will encourage them to make voting fair and easily accessible for all voters.". Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. Election Day could be made a federal holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? As the chart shows, presidential turnout corresponds with midterm turnout and in 2018, turnout skyrocketed from 36.7% four years previously to 49.6%. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. ], ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?,", ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday? It would only make it harder and more expensive for all candidates to have a fair shot at competing. But would such a change turn out the voters Democrats covet most? Its hard to say. 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. This past year, we were able to make it work through sports teams and other businesses that stepped up, gave their employees the day off, made it a holiday internally, says Benson. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. 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. WebProCon.org - Pros and Cons of Controversial Issues Kneeling during National Anthem US Presidents on Money PROS AND CONS OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES PROCON.ORG HEADLINES - Our Issues in the News Are DACA and the DREAM Act Good for America? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. Proponents of automatic voter registration say the policy removes barriers to registration for eligible voters, a step toward increasing voter participation. You have permission to edit this article. The question remains: is such a holiday good public policy? Her ideas include requiring a statewide risk-limiting audit of an elections results before the state certification,giving clerks more time ahead of Election Day to process ballots and banning open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling locations. 2020, Virginia. So who benefits if the U.S. move to a system where its adults have all of Tuesday to go to polls, if they so choose? National Election Day would make a 13th and it would only be observed once every four years and would help ensure voters could avoid the stresses of time constraints and other factors that hinder their ability to vote. For example, one may suggest, if we observe Election Day as a national holiday, then we will be unable to adequately staff and secure polling venues, or worse; it would negatively impact government spending. there are more pros than cons with regard to observing Election Day as a federal holiday. The measure contains an election-reform bushelful of liberal chestnuts same-day voter registration, provisional ballots, poll worker recruitment and training. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. For more information, please see our an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. [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. 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. CON. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Heres what the Senate Majority Leader had to say about the notion earlier this week: Just what America needs, another paid holiday and a bunch of government workers being paid to go out and work for I assume . And that enabled us to essentially fill our needs of staffing the elections. By registering through a routine and necessary transaction such as those at the DMV, voters wont have to worry about registration deadlines or application submissions. If you can draw a line between Donald Trump and President, your vote counts. Dont give the nation a day off, but do a better job of giving voters options for getting involved. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. The second Trump vote could reach those levels. 1. And the last thing that we want to do is not get someones ballot in because the postal service was closed down.. Useful for voters who are still indecisive. @TinaLBarton gave me some good insight that caused me to reconsider my bill that would have done just that. At the heart of the debate is voter turnout give more people the day off, more people will go out of their way to head to the polls. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. And who would get squeezed by the holiday? Georgia had the 12th-highest turnout in the country in 2018, with 57% participation. Pro/Con: Don't make Election Day a holiday; we don't need more But would such a change turn out the voters Democrats covet most? This article was published on October 1, 2020, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ProCon.org. While Barton isnt for or against making Election Day a holiday, one thing she is definitely on board with is getting more people to vote. John M. Cunningham, "Why Are U.S. It shouldnt all come down to just one day., Despite Olive Branch from Whitmer,GOPShowing No Interest in Cooperation in2021, A Michigan Reporters Harrowing Experience Inside Capitol DuringInsurrection, New Year Means New Democratic Majority on State SupremeCourt. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KSDK Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico receive high voter turnout due to universal voting and time off. Not useful if people have strong opinions. Thats not to say no one has tried. The turnout numbers prove voting isnt that hard. 12 . 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.. That nations turnout in 2017s national election was only 46%(you want to get the Swiss fired up, put a contentious idea in front of them a vote vote tojoin the EEA in 1992brought out 79%; the 2016 vote todeport foreign criminals, 63%). 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. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. Why or why not? The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. 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,". Election Day holiday: The bill would make Election Day a legal public holiday, making it easier for voters to get to the polls. 5 Reasons Election Day Should Be a National Holiday - Global 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. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. Please make a gift today. Last modified on April 13, 2020. Count me out. [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. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. Changing the laws and individual policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. All rights reserved. Dont believe me? Try lower-wage earners at restaurants and stores enterprises that would look to cash in if the working class got an extra day off. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. [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. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers. 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 work days. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-election-day-holiday. In addition, those who wish to cast their ballots have ample opportunity to do so. WebElection Day becoming a federal holiday will elevate voting to a democratic holiday. We would put in place automatic voter registration, same-day registration, extended voting days, Election Day as a National Holiday, and other reforms, including mandatory voting (vote or pay a moderate fine) as practiced in Australia, Belgium, and much of Latin America, with a None of the Above option that would trigger a new election if it wins. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. If not, youre out. However, it wasnt until recently that the idea gained any traction in Congress.
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