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. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. As a holiday, that means several millions of people would have the day off from work or school, making it way . Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. 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. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. And she thinks corporate America has been leading the way, pointing out several businesses, including Walmart and Coca-Cola, that have announced paid time off and other accommodations to make voting easier for employees on November 3. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. 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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed H.R. Election Day is already a holiday for state employees in more than a dozen states including Kentucky, Michigan, and New York. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Operated 24:7 through the week. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: 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. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. 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. It worked. 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. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. Vote.org has called on Amazon, Disney, McDonald's and others to offer paid time off for employees to vote and or work the polls. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Corrections? While no state has proposed reinstating the literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses that effectively ended the burst of African-American franchise during Reconstruction, todays efforts to disenfranchise minority voters are similarly unsubtle. In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. 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. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? 3. CBS News reporter covering climate change and energy. Portugal celebrates the 1580 death of celebrated national poet Luis de Camoes, Spain celebrates Columbus Day (yes, the holiday is a little controversial there as well, although not as much as in the U.S.), the Netherlands celebrates the queen's birthday but it still use her mother's birthday for the date and, in Greenland, the celebrate the longest day of the year. But some think it should be. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. 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. 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. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Last modified on October 1, 2020. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. Pew also found that certain issues motivate voters more than others: "health care, poverty and education are the top motivators for political engagement." In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. The U.S. is one of only nine member nations that have weekday voting. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. Think about it. [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. Its hard to say. A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished 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. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". 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. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016, Dan Corey, editor-in-chief of Rutgers University's official student newspaper, The Daily Targum, asked Obama about what could be done to reverse the US's low voter turnout: The Daily Targum: "You have pointed out many times that voter turnout in the United States is very low, especially compared to other developed nations. Turning Election Day into a national holiday would instill a sense of pride in all citizens, knowing they have the ability to cast a ballot regardless of work. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. [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. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. 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. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. The United States is out of step with the rest of the world: elections are held on weekends in 27 of the 36 OECD countries. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. 3. 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. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after November 1st. In fact, these voters may be more likely to have to work as a result of a federal election holiday, where they may have had time off previously on a random Tuesday in November. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. And the empire has been pretty consistently breaking apart over the last half century Scotland is maybe next so it's not like there is a national unification to celebrate. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider "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. 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. Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. "Election Day should be a national holiday so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote," Sanders' website reads. [10][11]] "Voting is a fundamental right,. But while . Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. In a number of states, polling places have been closed in minority neighborhoods, which has created long lines and tremendous inconvenience for affected votersinconvenience with a cost, especially for those paid hourly wages. Most National Days are fixed, exceptions to this are shown below. People literally cannot get to the polling booth because it may close at 7 o'clock and they're working later. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. Why or why not? [16]. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. https://www.britannica.com/question/Should-election-day-be-made-a-national-holiday. I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. 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." Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. So, focusing voting efforts to one day doesn't do enough to accommodate everyone, Becker argues. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. In 2018, the general election was held on Wednesday. [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. 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. 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. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. Explain your answer. Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. 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. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Some countries, about 27 of them,make voting compulsory. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Battleground Tracker: Tight race in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Lindsey Graham appears before Georgia grand jury, House Jan. 6 committee is having conversations with Justice Department, Georgia grand jury investigating Trump wants testimony from Giuliani, Graham, Trump election interference grand jury to hear from Raffensperger, DHS IG says Wolf changed intel report on Russian interference in 2020. Holidays, law.cornell.edu (accessed Sep. 30, 2019), Matthew Haag, "Mitch McConnell Calls Push to Make Election Day a Holiday a Democratic Power Grab," nytimes.com, Jan. 31, 2019, Drew DeSilver, "U.S. Trails Most Developed Countries in Voter Turnout, pewresearch.org, May 21, 2018, Gustavo Lpez and Antonio Flores, "Dislike of Candidates or Campaign Issues Was Most Common Reason for Not Voting in 2016, pewresearch.org, June 1, 2017, Beau C. Tremitiere, "Election Day Should Be a National Holiday, cnbc.com, July 5, 2016, York Dispatch Editorial Board, "Editorial: On Voting, GOP Takes a Holiday from its Senses, yorkdispatch.com, Feb. 1, 2019, Tacey Rychter, "How Compulsory Voting Works: Australians Explain," nytimes.com, Nov. 5, 2018, Archon Fung and Jane Mansbridge, "Lets Vote, Party and Celebrate American Democracy on a New Holiday Called Citizen Day, usatoday.com, Oct. 26, 2018, Thomas MacMillan, "This Might Be the Best Idea for Turning out More Voters in U.S. Elections, nymag.com, July 8, 2017, Drew Desilver, "Weekday Elections Set the U.S. apart from Many Other Advanced Democracies, pewresearch.org, Nov. 6, 2018, Kathy Frankovic, "St. Patricks Day Not So Popular - Americans Would Rather Election Day a Holiday, today.yougov.com, Mar. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. November 7, 2023. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . Compared to other developed countries, America's voter turnout rate is pretty sad. Rather than make it a national holiday where inevitably people will still have to work, change election day to election week.
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