Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. "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. And. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. 5. 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. People literally cannot get to the polling booth because it may close at 7 o'clock and they're working later. 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. [1], Over time, voting rights expanded from only white, male landowners age 21 and older to include women and people of color, as well as citizens age 18 and up, resulting in a dramatic increase in the voting-eligible population and a shift in voter demographics. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. I'll look into this some more and may change it on the map. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. [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. I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard 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. Its hard to say. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? 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. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. Traditionally on weekends. [26] Caravanas are joyful, noisy parades of cars festooned with flags and other decorations that stream through Puerto Ricos streets ahead of an election and are credited with the islands over 80% voter turnout. 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 is observed on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, taking place on November 7 this year. Monday in early September. Presidential and semipresidential systems, Constituencies: districting and apportionment. 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. 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. 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. the Tuesday that occurs within November 2 to November 8. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? 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. "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. It commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reverend and civil . 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. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. 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. Election Day is a US State Holiday observed on several states on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every even-numbered year. And in Australia, there is a fine. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Sometimes, specific ballot measures can influence voter turnout: in the UK, the Brexit vote resulted in a 72% turnout, slightly higher than the average of 69%. Explain your answers. According to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Australia adopted compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout there dropped to less than 60 percent in 1922. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. 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). 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! Modern life operates around the clock. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a holiday. ProCon.org. First Sunday of July until 2018. by country by date Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. 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. Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. 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. Concentrating voters into a single day risks congesting polling places, even more so than some already are. [16]. 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. 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. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. 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. But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. 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. [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. Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. Rather than make it a national holiday where inevitably people will still have to work, change election day to election week. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. 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. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. 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. 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. It worked. Should Election Day be a national holiday? 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. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. 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. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. 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. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? 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. The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished voting.