Modern life operates around the clock. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. 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. 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. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Defense lawyers in Idaho killings case want gag order kept, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son. "I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. In 2007, the country held the world's first general Internet election. Some businesses may close, but their hourly paid employees will either have to use a PTO day or not get paid.. Patriotic Holidays | National Archives ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. Its hard to say. This . Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. 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. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. Indigenous Peoples Day is a local and state holiday in some parts of the country usually held on Columbus Day that celebrates the cultures of Native Americans. 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. On U.S. Election Day, A Look At How Others Vote : NPR Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. Corrections? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. - 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? 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. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. 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. 3. Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. 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. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. [33], Henry Farber, PhD, Hughes-Rogers Professor of Economics at Princeton University, conducted an analysis of states that made Election Day a holiday for state employees. October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM Why Election Day is on a Tuesday in November in the U.S. | Pew Research 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. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. Operated 24:7 through the week. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." High turnout means that people are successfully exercising their rights-a good in itselfbut it also ensures the continuing health of majority rule. In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. Newsweek subscription offers > "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. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. A Pew Research Center analysis finds that 27 of the 36 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development hold their national elections on the weekend, . John M. Cunningham, "Why Are U.S. ProCon.org. But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. History of Election Day While making Election Day a national holiday or moving it to the weekend would by no means be a cure-all, it could be used in conjunction with other strategies like automatic voter registration (nearly 87% of registered voters participated in the 2016 election), restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people and removing other barriers such as voter ID requirements and voter roll purges that often disenfranchise people of color. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. 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. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. 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. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? Here Are Some Pros and Cons [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. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. [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. 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? 3 Countries Where It's Easier To Vote Than the United States 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.. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. 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. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. 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. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? 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. 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. But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. Other politicians, businesses, and advocacy groups have voiced their approval of celebrating Election Day as a national holiday. This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. 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. Sunday: first Sunday of February for the President, Vice-President, and Legislative Assembly; second Sunday of February for municipal elections. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national 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 rest of the festival holidays the declaration . Explain your answer. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons to making Election Think about it. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. November 7, 2023. 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. Updates? Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. $4+ Billion Cost To Give Federal Employees A New Paid Holiday - Forbes In 2005, the American Bar Association looked at a few different methods of voting: in 1989 in Namibia, voters marked an X on ballots using ink on their fingers; in Bulgaria, rather than marking a ballot, voters pick from any number of sheets of paper representing specific political parties and puts it in a ballot box; and in Ireland, "they designate their top three candidates by numbering them 1, 2, and 3." 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. ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. Would Making Election Day a Federal Holiday Boost U.S. Voter Turnout 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,". 5. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KHOU 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. Mr. CHRISTENSEN: One of the biggest countries that uses compulsory voting is Australia. 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. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. [31]. He concluded that having an election holiday, by itself, is not an effective strategy to increase voter turnout. [34], Automatic voter registration, by contrast, could register an additional 22 million people and create 7.9 million new voters nationwide within a year. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. According to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Australia adopted compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout there dropped to less than 60 percent in 1922. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. 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. [31] Same-day registration boosts turnout by 5%, and universal implementation of it would have added as many as 4.8 million voters in the 2016 election, according to Danielle Root, JD, and Liz Kennedy, JD, from the Center for American Progress. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. Is Election Day a Holiday in Your State? | RepresentUs Granderson: Why aren't Democrats making election day a state holiday To look through the stats for voter turnout for other countries, you can visit the website for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and explore the data. Most others are not so recent, but still not so old: Taiwan's, for example, goes back to a 1911 uprising. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. 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. An ordinary act of Congress could move Election Day to a Saturday or make it a holiday, thereby giving more people more . It worked. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Election results only announced for 1 of Nigeria's 36 states Topics Explainers Politics US Evergreen US Explainers YOU MIGHT LIKE In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. In the US, Election Day is not a national holiday. Sundays are the most common day for elections, but this is less true in the Anglosphere; Saturdays are used in New Zealand and Australia, and weekdays for the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. "Voting is a fundamental right,. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. 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. Public holidays in Belgium in 2022 and 2023 | Expatica 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. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. 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. 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. Is Election Day a federal holiday? | The US Sun 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. 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.". They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. A surprising map of the world's national holidays (only two countries 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 should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Pew also found that certain issues motivate voters more than others: "health care, poverty and education are the top motivators for political engagement." 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. [ 18][ 19] Con 1 Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. 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. By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. 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. 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. Make Election Day a National Holiday | YIP Institute Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. 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 day should be a national holiday. Which type of claim is this 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.
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