The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. The number of early votes cast before Election Day 2020, as of Nov. 1, neared the 100 million mark according to data aggregated by the U.S. 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? 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,". So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. 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. Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. This . House Democrats introduced their first piece of legislation in the new Congress this week, an anti-corruption bill that proposes making Election Day a federal holiday and encourages . Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. 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. Americans are working all the time. And there is no better way to secure democracy than to ensure that everyone has not only the right to vote, but also the meaningful opportunity to cast their ballots. Elections Held on Tuesdays?, britannica.com (accessed Sep. 30, 2019), Evan Andrews, "Election 1010: Why Do We Vote on a Tuesday in November?, history.com, Aug. 31, 2018, Grace Panetta and Olivia Reaney, "Today Is National Voter Registration Day. 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. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a holiday. 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. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? 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. 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. Election Day (United States) - Wikipedia These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. 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. Election Day should be a 'day off,' U.S. President Joe Biden says It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. As old as all of these societies are, their senses of national identity are commemorated by remarkably recent events. ", "National Electoral Code Article 53 and 148", Report of the 2014 National Lawyers Guild Bolivian Election Observation Delegation, Voting hours for elections in EU Member States, "The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark", Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, "India Elects 2019: The World's Largest Election, Explained", "Six Nations match at the centre of row over election date - Independent.ie", "With full term possible, Netanyahu may outlast Ben-Gurion (and Obama)", Confessionalism and Electoral Reform in Lebanon, "Voters reminded not to reveal voting intention at Sunday's polling", "Malaysia's election on a Wednesday favors PM, opposition says", "Elections in Mexico and the US: Comparisons and contrasts", "Law on Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament", "Election Days General Elections 1853-2011", "The main features of the Norwegian electoral system", "Tribunal Electoral de Panam convoca a elecciones generales de 2024", "Peru Can Give U.S. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". Updates? Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC And. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KHOU Most recently, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont proposed a bill to designate "Democracy Day" as a national election holiday, which sits before a special committee. 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. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. "And we actually have more options than ever before.". So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. 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. It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. Election dates are determined by the General Elections Commission (Indonesian: Typically on a Friday, but precise date set by, Municipal, provincial, and regional elections take place on a Sunday, as do elections for the. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. Voting Around the World - Home | CultureReady This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. Where Is Election Day a Holiday? - Ms. Magazine 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. Think about it. "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. [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. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. 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. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Currently, 22 countries around the world have mandatory voting, and ten of those countries enforce the policy, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Peru, and Switzerland. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. Elections are federal holidays in Singapore, which, when combined with mandatory voting, resulted in a voter turnout of 93.6% for the 2015 election of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year. To paraphrase one of the commenters on the Reddit thread, is certainly is ironic that the British empire that is indirectly responsible for so many of the world's independence days has no real national day of its own. 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. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. 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. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. Instead, lawmakers could simply move nearby Veterans Day to Election Day, emphasizing that voting is both a service to the country and a celebration of the rights and freedoms for which our servicemembers fight. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday yet? - CNN What if Election Day were a holiday? - USA TODAY 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. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Why Election Day Should Be A National Holiday In America But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. 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. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. 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. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . Election Day in USA in 2023 | Office Holidays Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. November 7, 2023. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Homepage | Morningside Center for Where is Election Day a holiday? - The Fulcrum Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. Election Day is the day for general elections of public officials in the U.S. 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.". You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. 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. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting 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. 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. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. [2] Sundays were for rest and worship, and on Wednesdays farmers typically sold their crops at the market, making Tuesdays the best day of the week. Is Election Day a Federal Holiday? - NBC Chicago February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. In Australia, all citizens of age to vote are required, and if they fail to do so, they face fines. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. What other improvements could be made to voting and Election Day? Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. Election day - Wikipedia Operated 24:7 through the week. Election Day is already a holiday for state employees in more than a dozen states including Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? as well as other partner offers and accept our. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? But in many other countries, the government automatically registers voters and holds elections on days that are weekend days or national holidays. 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. 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. Election Day in the United States - Time and Date By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. 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. 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. 0:00. According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. 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. by country by date While these provisions represent major steps in the right direction, they are not enough. Why not make Election Day a national holiday? - CBS News 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. 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. ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. It's Time to Make Election Day a National Holiday (Once - HuffPost ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Should election day be made a national holiday? With Juneteenth now a national holiday, could Election Day and Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. 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. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. 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. Election Practices in Other Countries That America Could Learn From For starters, the United States is rather unique in that it schedules its election day on a weekday, let alone a Tuesday. 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . Sweden came second with 82.6%. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. 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. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. These changes would send a strong rebuke to those who are attempting to scale back voting rights and make it more difficult for African-Americans and Latinos to vote. Traditionally on weekends. 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. 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. Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? Skip Navigation First Sunday of October. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. 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. 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. While young people are generally less likely to vote, they are more motivated by the issue of freedom of speech than older generations. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. Election Day should be a national holiday - The GW Hatchet The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. 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. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. Should election day in the United States be made a national holiday A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Pew also found that certain issues motivate voters more than others: "health care, poverty and education are the top motivators for political engagement." 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. 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. Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. 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. 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, . 2. A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. 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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. Make Election Day a national holiday - Brookings 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!