A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after November 1st. Read more: The evolution of American voting rights in 242 years shows how far we've come and how far we still have to go. Not all of these marked the end of colonialism (for example, Austria's signifies the withdrawal of foreign militaries after World War II and the declaration of neutrality) but the vast majority do. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed H.R. Should Election Day in the U.S. be a national holiday? [31]. Disclaimer: Dates and Events correct at time of printing but may change without our knowledge. 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). Election Day should be a 'day off,' U.S. President Joe Biden says [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. 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. Update: Some readers think that Ireland should also be considered an outlier, as St. Patrick's Day is often considered its primary "national day" and is not really an independence or revolution day. List of national independence days - Wikipedia It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". [26] Creating laws in all states that let people vote before or after work would be more effective than a national holiday, which would quickly be viewed as just another day off to enjoy. Image 2. Why are other countries better at conducting elections than we are? 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. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. 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. Obama Expresses Support For Making Election Day A National Holiday "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. [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. Office Holidays provides calendars with dates and information on public holidays and bank holidays in key countries around the world. This is partially due to the influence of Protestantism, which historically set restrictions on activities other than church-going during the Sabbath (usually considered as falling on a Sunday). Where Is Election Day a Holiday? - Ms. Magazine Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. 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. Rather, federal elections are held on the third Monday of October, every four years . The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Homepage | Morningside Center for 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. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. Runoffs take place on the last Sunday of the same October. 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. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. 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. Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. Skip Navigation Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. It worked. 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. While young people are generally less likely to vote, they are more motivated by the issue of freedom of speech than older generations. Why Election Day Should Be A National Holiday In America A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. 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. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. 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. 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. 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. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday. 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. So when faced with choices like having to take unpaid time off work to vote, waking at the wee hours of the morning to vote so that they're not late to work, standing in hours-long lines with everyone else who waited until after the workday to cast their ballot, or simply not voting at all, many choose the latter. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. With Juneteenth now a national holiday, could Election Day and Sign up for notifications from Insider! / CBS News. 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. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Whether election day in the United States should be made a national holiday is debated. [36]. Omissions? For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. [6] Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. Americans are working all the time. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. "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. Granderson: Why aren't Democrats making election day a state holiday Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. [15] 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. Patricks day. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. ", Obama: "Absolutely. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. For other uses, see. If so, how? And even a number of the blue countries, such as Australia and Canada, are actually the product of colonialism. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday yet? - CNN As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. Why Election Day Should Be A National Holiday On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Explain your answer. 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. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. 5. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. But in many other countries, the government automatically registers voters and holds elections on days that are weekend days or national holidays. Think about that: In most of the world, the sense of national identity is shaped by the act of cutting, or in some cases violently throwing off, the chains of colonialism. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. "We already know how to make voting convenient to voters that's by offering them options, like making an election season rather than election day," he said. But it is not a federal holiday. the Tuesday that occurs within November 2 to November 8. Is Election Day a national holiday? These people think it should be 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. 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, . But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. ", ProCon.org. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. 3. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. This article was published more than10 years ago. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. "Voting is a fundamental right,. TOP QUESTION Corrections? But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. 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. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. 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. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. "And we actually have more options than ever before.". Election Day in USA in 2023 | Office Holidays Why or why not? The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . Sunday: the second Sunday of March for Congress, and the second Sunday of May for President and Vice President. - Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor, - Gil Troy, American presidential historian, 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. a list of voting rights provisions he would support. On U.S. Election Day, A Look At How Others Vote : NPR Here are the four things I found interesting about this once as I mapped it out: 1) Yes, most of the world was shaped by colonialism. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? #FridayNight | #FridayNight | By Citizen TV Kenya - Facebook 1. 2. Last modified on October 1, 2020. "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. Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. Traditionally on weekends. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. A surprising map of the world's national holidays (only two countries And. [1] The decision was made taking into account farmers, a large portion of the voting constituency at the time, who would not have been able to travel to polling places in winter months or during planting or harvest times. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? In Thailand, one of the very few countries outside of Europe that was never formally colonized, the king's birthday is celebrated (don't insult him or you might go to jail, per the lese majeste laws). In Australia, all citizens of age to vote are required, and if they fail to do so, they face fines. Managing Editor But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. 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). For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. 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. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. Why Election Day is on a Tuesday in November in the U.S. | Pew Research The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. 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. Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. ", "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. 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. For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. 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. CBS News reporter covering climate change and energy. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? 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 many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day when St. Paul converted our whole country to Catholicism in AD 60. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. Election Day should be a national holiday - The GW Hatchet Why Election Day Isn't a National Holiday in the US - Business Insider Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. Election Day as a holiday is something that exists in other countries, but not in most places in the U.S. It's an issue that comes up a lot, but never really gets much serious public debate. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. 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. ELECTION DAY - November 7, 2023 - National Today 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. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Is Election Day a federal holiday? However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. 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. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Human and Civil Rights, is working to increase voter participation and decrease voter disenfranchisement. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. Is Election Day a national holiday? Why you don't get the day off It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. But while . 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. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. There's nothing that would stop voters here from treating a Democracy Day like just another day off.".