Tuesday is Election Day, but only in some parts of the country will voters get the day off to cast their ballots. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. Election Day is already a holiday for state employees in more than a dozen states including Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Rather than make it a national holiday where inevitably people will still have to work, change election day to election week. Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. 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. It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." 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. Election day is a national holiday. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. People literally cannot get to the polling booth because it may close at 7 o'clock and they're working later. It would give people time to vote. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? The outliers are a tiny minority, and only two countries have no formal national day at all. 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. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. To make Election Day a national holiday, it would take an act of Congress, and so far, no bills proposing such action have passed. 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. Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after November 1st. Updates? And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. We're familiar with how voting works in the U.S.when we vote, how we vote, who we vote forbut do you know what voting is like in other countries around the world? The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. The Evolution of American Voting Rights in 242 Years Shows How Far Weve Come -- and How Far We Still Have to Go, businessinsider.com, Sep. 24, 2019, University of Houston Digital History, "Agriculture, digitalhistory.uh.edu (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), USDA, "Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy, ers.usda.gov, Sep. 20, 2019, Legal Information Institute, "5 U.S. Code 6103. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Sign up for notifications from Insider! However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue . Omissions? 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). Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. [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. 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. 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. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. [24] Holidays usually mean more work hours for retail workers, because stores run promotions and sales. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. Last Tuesday was election day in the United States, and this year we voted in the midterm elections. 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Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. 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. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. In 2018, a Pewstudy found that 65% of Americans favored making Election Day a national holiday. It worked. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. 1. After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. 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. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. Theyare still considerably higher than in the United States, which typically sees about 65% on average turn out to vote for major elections. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. Operated 24:7 through the week. 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. 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. October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. Making the presidential election a national holiday is another way to get people to the polls. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. 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. 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. 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. Its hard to say. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. If so, how? Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. 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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. 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. Election Day is a US State Holiday observed on several states on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every even-numbered year. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. November 7, 2023. Election Day is the day for general elections of public officials in the U.S. As a holiday, that means several millions of people would have the day off from work or school, making it way . 2. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. All rights reserved. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. 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. 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. While the majority of US states have voter leave laws that guarantee certain employees a modicum of time off to vote, no federal law currently mandates that employees get time off to cast their ballots. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. He thinks the increased options afforded by early and mail-in voting could be undermined by making Election Day a holiday, creating "a solution in search of a problem.". Will the party listen to them on the issues? Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. 0:00. In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. For other uses, see. 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. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. 2020, Virginia. Canada's turnout is about the same as the United States', with an average of 68%, and though one canton in Switzerland has a compulsory voting law, for the country as a whole turnout is around 49%, one of the lowest rates in OECD countries. 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. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. 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. As you can see, the world is mostly divided between countries that celebrate a national independence day and countries that celebrate a national unification or revolution day. - Zkon o podmienkach vkonu volebnh", "The Effectiveness of Early Voting A Case Study of the Republic of Korea", "Ley Orgnica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Rgimen Electoral General", "Elections in Venezuela and Pennsylvania: Lessons in Democracy? In some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the day. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. While young people are generally less likely to vote, they are more motivated by the issue of freedom of speech than older generations. Explain your answers. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. as well as other partner offers and accept our. List two to three ways. According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. 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. [31]. [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. TOP QUESTION Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. 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. Monday in early September. Sunday. 3. Countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico also showed high voter turnout rates by having holidays. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. 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. It would also blunt the impact of many of these baldly anti-democratic movesopening the doors to the house as Republicans attempt to shut the windows. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Early voting for the midterms varies by state. 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. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions which Americans see not only as propping up their democracy but perpetuating its legitimacy, he said. 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. 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. Until 2009, elections were held over several consecutive Sundays. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". 2. 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. Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? 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. [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. 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. I think, to the best of my knowledge, it's something like $20. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 26K views, 1.2K likes, 65 loves, 454 comments, 23 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Citizen TV Kenya: #FridayNight Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. 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. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Other countries may only require it of certain people, and otherwise make it voluntary for others. 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. Think about it. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. However, for the most part, most countries vote in person at the voting booth, and while countries may alter the length of election periods andthe equipment used in voting from election to election, it still tends to have many of the same features. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. 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. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. Concentrating voters into a single day risks congesting polling places, even more so than some already are. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. "[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. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. / CBS News. 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. Virginia joined these states in April this year. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages.