In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. Should Election Day be a national holiday? Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? 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. Delaware Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Montana New Jersey New York Ohio Puerto Rico Virginia West Virginia While Tuesdays have been custom for elections in the United States, Sunday is the day of. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. Whether election day in the United States should be made a national holiday is debated. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. In the 2016 presidential election, 14% of registered voters cited being too busy or having a conflicting schedule as the main reason they didnt cast their ballots, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. Office Holidays provides calendars with dates and information on public holidays and bank holidays in key countries around the world. Image 2. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. What if Election Day were a holiday? - USA TODAY TOP QUESTION ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. 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. 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. 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. Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. 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. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM Its hard to say. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. 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. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. Lists national days around the world by country or date. / CBS News. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. "Election day should be a national holiday" is a claim of policy because we are discussing a policy which searches a solution for the presented argument. 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. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. 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. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. There's nothing that would stop voters here from treating a Democracy Day like just another day off.". This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. In the US, Election Day is not a national holiday. 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. 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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Is Election Day a federal holiday? If you make election day a federal holiday, youll have all the people who work in these types of jobs still having to work, being inundated with customers who have the day off and they wont have child care because the schools will be closed, Suzanne Lucas, who previously worked in human resources, wrote in a piece for Inc.com. 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. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. 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. 1. Election Day is observed on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, taking place on November 7 this year. 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. Obama Expresses Support For Making Election Day A National Holiday [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. However, some countries, or regions within a country, which hold elections on a weekday declare election day a public holiday. 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. Holidays, law.cornell.edu (accessed Sep. 30, 2019), Matthew Haag, "Mitch McConnell Calls Push to Make Election Day a Holiday a Democratic Power Grab," nytimes.com, Jan. 31, 2019, Drew DeSilver, "U.S. Trails Most Developed Countries in Voter Turnout, pewresearch.org, May 21, 2018, Gustavo Lpez and Antonio Flores, "Dislike of Candidates or Campaign Issues Was Most Common Reason for Not Voting in 2016, pewresearch.org, June 1, 2017, Beau C. Tremitiere, "Election Day Should Be a National Holiday, cnbc.com, July 5, 2016, York Dispatch Editorial Board, "Editorial: On Voting, GOP Takes a Holiday from its Senses, yorkdispatch.com, Feb. 1, 2019, Tacey Rychter, "How Compulsory Voting Works: Australians Explain," nytimes.com, Nov. 5, 2018, Archon Fung and Jane Mansbridge, "Lets Vote, Party and Celebrate American Democracy on a New Holiday Called Citizen Day, usatoday.com, Oct. 26, 2018, Thomas MacMillan, "This Might Be the Best Idea for Turning out More Voters in U.S. Elections, nymag.com, July 8, 2017, Drew Desilver, "Weekday Elections Set the U.S. apart from Many Other Advanced Democracies, pewresearch.org, Nov. 6, 2018, Kathy Frankovic, "St. Patricks Day Not So Popular - Americans Would Rather Election Day a Holiday, today.yougov.com, Mar. However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. [31]. National Holiday Act in India - Laws for Festival, Public Holidays President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. [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. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. 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. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. [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. Should election day in the United States be made a national holiday Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. And in Australia, there is a fine. What other improvements could be made to voting and Election Day? It's Time to Make Election Day a National Holiday (Once - HuffPost 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation.Many countries commemorate their independence from a colonial empire.. Not all countries mark independence as a national holiday. But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. In Australia, all citizens of age to vote are required, and if they fail to do so, they face fines. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 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. [23], Annie McDonald, Editor of the Berkeley Public Policy Journal, noted that the workers who are least likely to get paid holidays are those who already have less of a voice in the political process: Americans working in retail, hospitality, and service jobs, for example, would most likely not receive the benefit of a paid holiday to vote. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. ", Obama: "Absolutely. "And we actually have more options than ever before.". 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. In some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the day. 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. [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. 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. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. Estonia is the only country to fully adopt online voting, but other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Norway, have looked into pursuing it as an option in the future. Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. 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. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". Election Day should be a national holiday - The GW Hatchet Is Election Day a federal holiday? Here's what is open, closed Tuesday Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Change often comes slowly, subtly. A surprising map of the world's national holidays (only two countries "With the variety of challenges that election officials face, [making Election Day a holiday] is well down on the list of those things that need to be addressed," Becker said. [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. John M. Cunningham, "Why Are U.S. And. Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off Countries which permit absentee ballots, early ballots or postal votes to be cast by mail before the election avoid the problem altogether by enabling voters to vote on a day that is more convenient to them. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. That's true, although the separate "National Day of Commemoration" occurs on the anniversary of the truce ending the Irish war of independence. "[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. [8][15] A holiday for elections sidesteps the issue of a weekend election, which could conflict with religious obligations. 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 . Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Homepage | Morningside Center for 0:58. In 2007, the country held the world's first general Internet election. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? Here Are Some Pros and Cons 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. Some businesses may close, but their hourly paid employees will either have to use a PTO day or not get paid.. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. 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. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Even among the nine weekday voting countries, South Korea's and Israel's voters take a day off work on the day of the election to ensure higher electoral participation. Yet, few of us, especially those who have worked on Capitol Hill, harbor . Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. 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. 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. 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. There is a simple and straightforward solution: make Election Day a national holiday so that people have the time and freedom to vote without taking time off from work. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. With Juneteenth now a national holiday, could Election Day and South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. 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.
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