[31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Modern life operates around the clock. Roughly 138 million Americans voted in the 2016 presidential election, just 61.4% of the 214,109,360 million who were registered to vote, according to The U.S. Election Assistance Commission. 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. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons to making Election Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. Elections Held on Tuesdays?, britannica.com (accessed Sep. 30, 2019), Evan Andrews, "Election 1010: Why Do We Vote on a Tuesday in November?, history.com, Aug. 31, 2018, Grace Panetta and Olivia Reaney, "Today Is National Voter Registration Day. Meanwhile, in Macedonia this past September, voters chose to stay away from the polls because of the proposed name change for the country. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. 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. 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. 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. Will the party listen to them on the issues? 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. But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. Portugal celebrates the 1580 death of celebrated national poet Luis de Camoes, Spain celebrates Columbus Day (yes, the holiday is a little controversial there as well, although not as much as in the U.S.), the Netherlands celebrates the queen's birthday but it still use her mother's birthday for the date and, in Greenland, the celebrate the longest day of the year. Traditionally on weekends. 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. 0:00. CBS News reporter covering climate change and energy. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. 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. November 7, 2023. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 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. 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. 22 June 1986, 29 October 1989, 6 June 1993, 3 March 1996, 12 March 2000, 14 March 2004, 9 March 2008, 20 November 2011, 20 December 2015, 26 June 2016. Last modified on October 1, 2020. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? 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. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. 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%. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Patriotic Holidays | National Archives Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. Sunday. 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. Why Election Day is on a Tuesday in November in the U.S. | Pew Research This . 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. 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. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after November 1st. 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. 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. Thats not to say no one has tried. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. 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. Maybe Making Election Day a National Holiday Wouldn't Really Work 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. Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . 4. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. Is Election Day a Federal Holiday? - NBC Chicago 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. Make Election Day a National Holiday | YIP Institute 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. A large Democratic voting rights bill that would have made Election Day a national holiday collapsed in the Senate this year when two senators refused to join their own party in changing. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. But some think it should be. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished voting. Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. "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. In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. For starters, the United States is rather unique in that it schedules its election day on a weekday, let alone a Tuesday. 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. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Not all of these marked the end of colonialism (for example, Austria's signifies the withdrawal of foreign militaries after World War II and the declaration of neutrality) but the vast majority do. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Sweden came second with 82.6%. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. 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. "I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. Stay up to date with what you want to know. 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. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. 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. Election day is a national holiday. Corrections? Should Election Day Be a Holiday? Here Are Some Pros and Cons The U.S. lags scores of other countries in election participation, ranking 26th out of 32 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the Pew. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Is Election Day a national holiday? These people think it should be 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. The U.S. lags scores of other countries in election participation, ranking 26th out of 32 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the Pew Research Center. Obama Expresses Support For Making Election Day A National Holiday Election Practices in Other Countries That America Could Learn From 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. Should Election Day be a national holiday? 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. 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. Granderson: Why aren't Democrats making election day a state holiday 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. Change often comes slowly, subtly. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Battleground Tracker: Tight race in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Lindsey Graham appears before Georgia grand jury, House Jan. 6 committee is having conversations with Justice Department, Georgia grand jury investigating Trump wants testimony from Giuliani, Graham, Trump election interference grand jury to hear from Raffensperger, DHS IG says Wolf changed intel report on Russian interference in 2020. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? 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. 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). It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. [10][11]] At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. 2. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. Newsela | Should Election Day become a national holiday? 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those . Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. [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. Why are other countries better at conducting elections than we are? This is why election day is not a holiday in Canada - blogTO It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. 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. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. 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. 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. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. 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. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. It worked. Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. [16]. https://www.britannica.com/question/Should-election-day-be-made-a-national-holiday. Election Day is the day for general elections of public officials in the U.S. Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. Operated 24:7 through the week. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. Make Election Day a national holiday - Brookings Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. A surprising map of the worlds national holidays (only two countries have no national day), Belarus sentences Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in jail, This is Bidens chance to press Scholz on Germanys rearmament, Why Russia and Ukraine are fighting over Bakhmut. 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,". [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. National Days around the world | Office Holidays Countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico also showed high voter turnout rates by having holidays. Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. Last Tuesday was election day in the United States, and this year we voted in the midterm elections. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. 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. 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. To paraphrase one of the commenters on the Reddit thread, is certainly is ironic that the British empire that is indirectly responsible for so many of the world's independence days has no real national day of its own. 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. 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! This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. TOP QUESTION Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. 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. 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. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. 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. 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. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. 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. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. Should election day be made a national holiday? | Britannica "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.". In the US, Election Day is not a national holiday. 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. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. 26K views, 1.2K likes, 65 loves, 454 comments, 23 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Citizen TV Kenya: #FridayNight Other politicians, businesses, and advocacy groups have voiced their approval of celebrating Election Day as a national holiday. 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. But these days, Tuesdays are actually quite inconvenient for many Americans, particularly those who cant take time off work to cast their ballots a problem that disproportionately affects Black, Latino and lower-income voters. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. With Juneteenth now a national holiday, could Election Day and According to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Australia adopted compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout there dropped to less than 60 percent in 1922. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. 3. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. [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. And. OK, so why Tuesday? Is Election Day a Federal Holiday? - Newsweek 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.. 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. Common reasons for a certain day are the date on which a state or country achieved its independence, or the date of the country's patron saint day. Should Election Day in the U.S. be a national holiday? ELECTION DAY - November 7, 2023 - National Today A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. 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. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM Election Day is observed on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, taking place on November 7 this year. 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.