[10][11]] And. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Should Election Day be a national holiday? A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. [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. 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. Early voting for the midterms varies by state. Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. 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! It worked. Lists national days around the world by country or date. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. There's nothing that would stop voters here from treating a Democracy Day like just another day off.". You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. Explain your answers. Election Day - Tuesday, Nov. 8 - is a special day, with voters casting ballots across the country. First Sunday of October. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. 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. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. 12, 2019, Ceylan Pumphrey, "Do Businesses Have to Give Federal Holidays Like Presidents Day Off?, blogs.findlaw.com, Feb. 14, 2018, Department of Labor, "Holiday Pay, dol.gov (accessed Sep. 23, 2019), Peggy Emch, "Is Holiday Pay Required by Law?, timesheets.com, 2013, Fast Casual, "Study: Why Hourly Workers Forced to Work Multiple Jobs, fastcasual.com, Apr. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. In Switzerland, only one canton (or member state) requires voting; it is voluntary all other cantons of the country. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. 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. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. 4. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. However, some countries, or regions within a country, which hold elections on a weekday declare election day a public holiday. Puerto Rico's voter turnout has gone as high as 80 . For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. With those options early in-person voting and more voter awareness on how to vote by mail voter turnout appears to be trending upward. In the US, Election Day is not a national holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Washington's Birthday Memorial Day Flag Day Independence Day Constitution Day Election Day Veterans Day Bill of Rights Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place on third Monday of January each year, near the time of Dr. King's birthday on January 15th. "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. [12], The idea that voting should be a celebration, not a chore is one argument for turning Election Day into a national holiday, according to Archon Fung, PhD, and Jane Mansbridge, PhD, professors at the Harvard Kennedy School. 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. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. 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. 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. Mr. CHRISTENSEN: One of the biggest countries that uses compulsory voting is Australia. 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 . [31]. "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. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. About 54 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the 2012 presidential contest between Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, according to the Pew Research Center. Election day is a national holiday. 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. 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. 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. Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. "Voting is a fundamental right,. The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. 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. 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. by country by date 1. 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. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. For other uses, see. In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. [20][21][22] A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off for a national holiday. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. "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.". NOW WATCH: Arianna Huffingtons advice to Hillary Clinton, the majority of US states have voter leave laws, You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list, voted during the 2016 presidential election, experts say such a scheme is unlikely to fly in the US, The evolution of American voting rights in 242 years shows how far we've come and how far we still have to go, In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016. Usually Wednesday. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. 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). "[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. 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. 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. Modern life operates around the clock. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. Twenty-seven of the 36 member countries, hold their elections on the weekend. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. 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. 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. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. 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. Yet, few of us, especially those who have worked on Capitol Hill, harbor . This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. 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. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . Tuesday was selected because it was the most convenient. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. 1. 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. [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. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. - 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? States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. 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. 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. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. November 7, 2023. Countries outpacing the U.S. include the U.K, Mexico and Canada. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Thats not to say no one has tried. But it is not a federal holiday. ", Obama: "Absolutely. [16]. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. Making the presidential election a national holiday is another way to get people to the polls. 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 Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. 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. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. 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. 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 outliers are a tiny minority, and only two countries have no formal national day at all. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. 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. 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. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Rather than make it a national holiday where inevitably people will still have to work, change election day to election week. National and Festival Holiday Act, which is applicable to all establishments in the country, irrespective of under which law it is formed it is mandatory to grant leave on following 3 days, i.e. Countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico also showed high voter turnout rates by having holidays. 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. Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. Until 2009, elections were held over several consecutive Sundays. 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 some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the 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. In the 2016 presidential election, 60% of the eligible voting population vast a vote; this year, a staggering 47.5%participated in the midterms, compared to 37% in 2014 and 41% in 2010, the years of other midterm elections. 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. 2020, Virginia. Tuesday is Election Day, but only in some parts of the country will voters get the day off to cast their ballots. 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. 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. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. ", ProCon.org. 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.

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