NO. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. “If you make election day a federal holiday, you’ll 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 won’t have child care because the schools will be closed,” Suzanne Lucas, who previously worked in human resources, wrote in a piece for Inc.com. Cleaver isn't even convinced that simply declaring Election Day a national holiday would make great strides to remedy America's low voter turnout. In the 2016 presidential election, 14% of registered voters cited “being too busy or having a conflicting schedule” as the main reason they didn’t cast their ballots, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. Federal law also provides for the declaration of other public holidays by the President of the United States.Generally the president will provide a reasoning behind the elevation of the day, and call on the people of the United States to observe the day … Year Date Day Holiday States; 2021: 2 Nov: Tue: General Election Day: LA, NJ & VA: 2022: 8 Nov: Tue: General Election Day: LA, NJ & VA: Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. A federal holiday is just a day when federal employees get a day off. Millions of Americans admit they didn't vote in the last presidential election because of busy schedules People still work on holidays, as other answers pointed out, so that solves very little in that regard. The territory of Puerto Rico also recognizes Election Day as a holiday. When people do not need to worry about going into work on Election Day, they are both more apt to vote and more informed about … Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Now, an argument can be made about implementing stricter guidelines from the Federal level down, … 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. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. As a US citizen, voting is one right. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. Making Election Day a holiday is not a new idea. November 7, 2018. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. Read full article. October 10, 2016, 7:00 AM. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. "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.". Biden Swears In Nearly 1,000 Federal … By … As such, the states, not the Federal government, make the decision about how their election is to be run, and if people get time off. "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. 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. Patrick’s day. CBS News reporter covering the environment. Each Memorial Day, we honor those who have given their lives to protect our rights, including the right to vote. Modern life operates around the clock. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. February 15, 2021 by A. H. Nishikawa . Critics say the antiquated law reduces voter turnout and penalizes hourly workers. (And in case you’re curious, November was chosen as the month for similar reasons: It was after fall harvest was over but before the cold winter weather set in.). In the late 1960s, Congress began debating the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which should have been named the Three-Day Weekend Bill, as it moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays. CristobalColon. That is why … AP/Elaine Thompson . As quickly as the new decade crept up on us, so are those federal holidays that fall in the beginning of the year. 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. Past efforts to make Election Day a holiday have failed. Election Day is a public holiday for citizens in only some states to elect their public officials into a variety of governmental offices. 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. Although declaring Election Day a federal holiday would not immediately threaten the sanctity of federalism, it would surely undermine it. Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Human and Civil Rights, is working to increase voter participation and decrease voter disenfranchisement. But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single “silver bullet” strategy can solve. With those options — early in-person voting and more voter awareness on how to vote by mail — voter turnout appears to be trending upward. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. But, consistently, a huge chunk of the American population fails to do just that — especially in midterm elections. The government couldn't mandate private employers to grant their workers a holiday. 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. Concentrating voters into a single day risks congesting polling places, even more so than some already are. As Election Day looms, you’re probably hearing a lot about why you need to get your butt to the polls. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.”. But in 1845, Congress voted to make voting more unified and passed a law designating the first Tuesday after the first Monday in By … Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. The first bill House Democrats introduced this January included a proposal to make Election Day a national holiday. But dozens of states celebrate the presidential legacy, or the hope of getting a really great deal on a car, on the same day. "Election Day as a national holiday would mean things like perhaps reduced schedules for public transportation, schools being closed, hourly workers perhaps being incentivized to work more with time and a half. The date was chosen by federal lawmakers to avoid conflicts with religious services and ease travel logistics for farmers and business owners. It’s hard to say. People who work long shifts, ... A well-organized movement of people can win elections at the local, state, and federal level and then enact an agenda that benefits their communities. Officially, the holiday is called Washington’s Birthday, to honor the first American president, George Washington. A federal holiday is just a day when federal employees get a day off. The majority of advanced democracies hold their elections on the weekend, while those that hold it during the week made it a federal holiday. October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM News and information you need, from a source you trust. Let’s look at why Congress has never made Election Day a national holiday. But these days, Tuesdays are actually quite inconvenient for many Americans, particularly those who can’t take time off work to cast their ballots — a problem that disproportionately affects Black, Latino and lower-income voters. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. “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.”. So what is the legal basis for the holiday and is it truly a national holiday? "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. Ultimately, if we are going to make Election Day a federal holiday, we must also expand other voting opportunities, such as early voting and voting by mail, at the same time to make … Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried — he introduced the "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. The date for the annual federal holiday was established by Congress with the Monday Holidays Act, which went into effect in 1971.. People literally cannot get to the polling booth because it may close at 7 o'clock and they're working later. Election Day is already a holiday for state employees in more than a dozen states including Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. Officially, Columbus Day is recognized as one of 10 official federal holidays… A number of bills — like the Weekend Voting Act — have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. A 2018 Pew survey found that the majority of Americans (65%) would be in favor of turning Election Day into a national holiday — that includes 71% of Democratic-leaning voters and 59% of Republican-leaning voters. In November 2014, after a voter turnout of less than 40%, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to create the holiday called Democracy Day, though it didn't result in any change during the 113th Congress. 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. While the majority of US states have voter leave laws that guarantee certain employees a … 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. 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. Got the day off so they extinguish the fire , and people die. Let’s look at why Congress has never made Election Day a national holiday. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. There's been some talk about moving election day to the weekend instead of Tuesday, but that probably won't happen anytime soon. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. Officially, the holiday has another name. With just about six in 10 voters turning out to vote in the U.S., some civil rights advocates are arguing that it's about time to give Americans the day off to vote. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November was chosen as Election Day in 1845 to accommodate farmers. “Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? The mail will still be delivered, banks are still open, etc. Nearly three million Americans admitted to the U.S. Census Bureau that they didn’t vote in the last presidential election because of their busy schedules. In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a holiday. It doesn’t seem like a vote-getter to oppose giving people a day off work. 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. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Election day isn’t a US federal holiday, but more employers are acting like it is. Neither is Election Day. So, focusing voting efforts to one day doesn't do enough to accommodate everyone, Becker argues. Consider this: Even if Election Day were moved to a weekend or turned into a national holiday, retail and service industry employees would still need to work. (voting, Congress, campaign) - Elections - Page 2 - City-Data Forum In addition to honoring the sacrifices veterans have made, it would “remind Americans that voting is a national duty, an obligation both to one another and to the nation; and it would strengthen American democratic political culture, by way of new rituals and traditions,” Jill Lepore — a Harvard professor of American history — wrote in an essay for Politico. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. What would if hospitals had to shut down because everyone got the day off. The annual event is also pegged to a gigantic motor vehicle sales push in neighborhoods across the country, … Election day should be a national holiday Beau C. Tremitiere, editor-in-chief of the Northwestern University Law Review Published 4:52 PM ET Tue, 5 July 2016 CNBC.com "[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. But this arrangement began to raise concerns as travel and communication improved in the 19th century: Results from states that voted earlier could sway the outcome in states that voted later. Even people you’d expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. 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. What would happen if there was a fire and no one could take care of it because the fire fighters. While the majority of US states have voter leave laws that guarantee certain employees a modicum of time off … 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. OK, so why Tuesday? Why -- and does that mean it needs to be done on the state, not federal, level? This holiday occurs every second year. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. Other states have also moved to make voting easier, even if it is not a recognized holiday. You can access some NARA holdings online. By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. National Archives research rooms are closed or close early on the days listed below. Normal hours will resume the following business day. I mean, it’s not trivial. Election Day has been on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November since 1845. Countries outpacing the U.S. include the U.K, Mexico and Canada. Inauguration Day (Jan. 20, 2017), on the other hand, is a holiday Why isn't Election Day a Federal Holiday ? 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Millions of Americans honored the legacy of America’s presidents on Monday—even though a national Presidents Day holiday is pure fiction. Any day on which a Primary or General election is held throughout the State, and such other days as the President, Governor, or other duly constituted authority proclaim to be official holidays or days of special observance or thanksgiving, or days … When this happens on a broad enough level, the concept of voting resonates with more people … “Change often comes slowly, subtly. In the United States, Election Day is the annual day set by law for the general elections of federal public officials.It is statutorily set by the Federal Government as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November" equaling the Tuesday occurring within November 2 to November 8. Presidents Day 2020: What's open, closed during federal holiday? Election Day isn’t a Federal Reserve holiday. Why Columbus Day isn’t really a national holiday. Tuesday isn't exactly a convenient day for most people to vote. “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. And I think on Election Day we should have a national holiday which says, 'you don't have to rush to vote.' The Museum at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, is open every day except Thanksgiving Day … Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for … Both of these dates are fixed by the Constitution for certain events to take place, but the federal government continues as usual on these days. 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. Issues also arise when a person’s 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. Why Federal Election Day Should Be A National Holiday Some may argue that “my vote doesn’t matter”, but that’s actually not a stance against the importance of voting; it’s a stance against the current election system. 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. By Kate Grumke. There are … 1. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. Election Day is already a holiday for state employees in more than a dozen states including Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. NCC Staff . As the debate surges yet again over whether Juneteenth ought to become a federal holiday, I can’t help but think of my mother. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors — not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. 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. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. - Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor, - Gil Troy, American presidential historian, An essential daily guide to achieving the good life, “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, Joaquin Corbalan / EyeEm via Getty Images, as travel and communication improved in the 19th century, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, substantially increase the cost of running elections, move that would make it easier for Americans to vote, The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits. I don’t know any people who dislike paid federal holidays. “It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.”. In a world where it’s easier to find disinformation than … If you make election day a federal holiday, you'll have all the people who work in these types of jobs still having to work, being inundated with customers who have the … “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. “The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote,” Shineman noted. That’s not to say no one has tried. 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. The COVID-19 pandemic … So, workers having a day off to vote wouldn't be a disruption to the economy, or anything a citizen of our country could deny would be worthwhile and smart thing to do. This Monday, some folks will have a day off to commemorate Columbus Day and some won’t. Elections used to take place on different days in different states. More for convenience than anything else, most states hold their general elections to sync with the federal election date of the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Why Election Day isn’t a federal holiday. Why Isn't Election Day a National Holiday? The first bill House Democrats introduced this January included a proposal to make Election Day a national holiday. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. Here's how some voting practices started the the U.S. and why … #takebacktuesday When you get to thinking about it, holding an election in the middle of the work week doesn’t make … © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Election Day is not a state holiday in this U.S. state, nor is it a federal holiday. However, proponents of the idea might be surprised by who's too busy to vote on Election Day -- and who suffers most should there be such a holiday. ATLANTA — For many Americans, voting on Election Day is a tradition, and some wonder why it’s not a national holiday. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November was chosen as Election Day in 1845 to accommodate farmers. There's been some talk about moving election day to the weekend instead of Tuesday, but that probably won't happen anytime soon. Civic duty or double duty? The costs of making Election Day a holiday Brancaccio : But, you know, I mean, it would not be free for the companies if they added a whole other holiday to the year. ", First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. (Only 58 … / CBS News. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. “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. Election Day should not be a holiday because if you got time that could cause a disaster. Nearly three million Americans admitted to the U.S. Census Bureau that … But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. Millions of Americans admit they didn't vote in the last presidential election because of busy schedules . By Kate Grumke ... Pres. In fact, many companies have already started to give their employees Election Day off, including Best Buy, Gap, Nike and Visa. “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. Why can’t Election Day be a national holiday so every citizen can exercise their right? Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.”. Many Americans know that Election Day is a Tuesday, but few know why. Why isn’t Election Day a federal holiday? But if we have too many holidays… For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. "I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. Some have noted that Veterans Day is a federal holiday close to Election Day and have suggested merging the two. How to … And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. "And we actually have more options than ever before.". ©2021 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. That date was set in legislation in 1845 to make sure that in an agrarian society, people could travel to vote and be back home both for Market Day and for the Sabbath. In 2018, a Pew study found that 65% of Americans favored making Election Day a national holiday.

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