Twelve federal holidays are recognized each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. We would put in place automatic voter registration, same-day registration, extended voting days, Election Day as a National Holiday, and other reforms, including mandatory voting (vote or pay a moderate fine) as practiced in Australia, Belgium, and much of Latin America, with a None of the Above option that would trigger a new election if it wins. Thats not to say no one has tried. WDET is here to keep you informed onessential information, news and resources related to COVID-19. 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. 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. WebMaking election day a holiday might seem to have very few drawbacks, but because many of the people who would actually benefit from the holiday are unlikely to even be able to John M. Cunningham, "Why Are U.S. I invite you to follow me onTwitter:@hooverwhalen, This is a BETA experience. Governments are required to Useful for voters who are still indecisive. To Feed His Ravenous Flock, Ron DeSantis Ignores the Real Problem With the Fed, The Flat Tax Revolution In State Capitals Is Thriving, Amazon Tax Subsidies Are Inefficient Job Creators, New Immigration Initiatives Promise Improvements In U.S. Migration From Southern Countries, Latest Biden Regulation Will Cause Massive Trouble For New Homebuyers, retired matadors and mathematical savants. Yes, its true Americas voting age is lower than some other developed countries. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? 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. For purposes of any law relating to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each Sanctuary Cities: Top 3 Pros and Cons Kneeling during the National Anthem: Top 3 Part of HuffPost Home & Living. HR 1, also known as the For The People Act.. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. The Evolution of American Voting Rights in 242 Years Shows How Far Weve Come -- and How Far We Still Have to Go, businessinsider.com, Sep. 24, 2019, University of Houston Digital History, "Agriculture, digitalhistory.uh.edu (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), USDA, "Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy, ers.usda.gov, Sep. 20, 2019, Legal Information Institute, "5 U.S. Code 6103. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Making Election Day a national holiday would turn voting into a celebration of democracy. May improve popularity of a candidate. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. 5 Reasons Election Day Should Be a National Holiday - Global So its more important than ever for you, our listeners and readers, who are able todonate to keep supporting WDETs mission. She says thats especially important right now with more voters casting absentee ballots. 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. Its time to make voting harder. Pro/CON: Should Election Day be a federal holiday Some countries OK, so why Tuesday? Lets get early in-person voting in place in Michigan, so that everyone has an opportunity that fits their schedule. In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the Partly cloudy skies. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. For example, one may suggest, if we observe Election Day as a national holiday, then we will be unable to adequately staff and secure polling venues, or worse; it would negatively impact government spending. there are more pros than cons with regard to observing Election Day as a federal holiday. Have you looked at who theyre voting for? If not, youre out. Election Day Holiday., For purposes of any law relating to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter shall be treated in the same manner as a legal public holiday described in section 6103 of title 5, United States Code., It is the sense of Congress that private employers in the United States should give their employees a day off on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter to enable the employees to cast votes in the elections held on that day., Leave it to a House bill-writer to use 98 words when eight will suffice: Were giving you the day off to vote.. What America needs isnt more voters. 2020, Virginia. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KSDK Who wants more of the people who think professional wrestling is real or that 9/11 was an inside job to help pick the next president? All Rights Reserved. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Morningside Center [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. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. Why Isn't Election Day A National Holiday In The United States? So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. Colleges should have already canceled Election Day classes. Proponents of automatic voter registration say the policy removes barriers to registration for eligible voters, a step toward increasing voter participation. North Korea. Heres what the Senate Majority Leader had to say about the notion earlier this week: Just what America needs, another paid holiday and a bunch of government workers being paid to go out and work for I assume . Election Day in the United States is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of an election year. If changes need to be made nationally, those changes should relate to job security and compensation. While there are a lot of positives to creating a new national holiday, there are also some negatives. 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. If youre rushing to the polls to cast your vote to stop the forces of QAnon or because you seriously believe the same Republican Party that ended slavery wants to bring it back, please stay home. Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. 4. [8], Among registered voters in the 2016 US presidential election, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule was the third-highest reason cited for not voting, accounting for 14% of registered voters who did not cast a vote (about 2.7 million people). Issues also arise when a persons polling place is far from their workplace or when there are long lines to vote during peak times like in the morning before work or in the evening after work. The second Trump vote could reach those levels. To access extended pro and con arguments, sources, and discussion questions about whether Election Day should be a national holiday, go to ProCon.org. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S However, it wasnt until recently that the idea gained any traction in Congress. [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. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg), Controversial Program Could Diminish NASAs Credibility And Its Federal Funding, Shelter From A Storm: Protecting The Housing Market From Itself. 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. If you can draw a line between Donald Trump and President, your vote counts. 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. Why or why not? 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. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. Top Issues for Voters. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. And the last thing that we want to do is not get someones ballot in because the postal service was closed down.. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. 3. With the exception of employers, who doesnt want another paid day off? And so, this would actually make it even easier and validate businesses to give their employees the day off so that they can work the elections and serve as election workers.. 13 . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. Many states have already declared National Election Day a civic holiday, which is an occasion to commemorate America's history, celebrate our rights and responsibilities as citizens, and learn about our constitutional ideals. If so, how? [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. an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. All rights reserved. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. Both were senior officials in the Clinton administration. As part of the weekly series MichMash, hosts Jake Neher Cheyna Roth talk about the cases for and against making Election Day a state holiday. Really? [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. The ideal ballot would have the candidates in one alphabetical list on one side, and the offices they seek on the other. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. And if they get sick on Monday, the day before the election theyre not trying to get an emergency ballot, or something like that. It does not force voters to elect any one candidate and therefore, we believe, it survives constitutional muster. This would actually make it even easier and validate businesses to give their employees the day off so that they can work the elections and serve as election workers. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. It deals with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and laws. 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. 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. 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 Advertisement. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. It would give people time to vote. Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons to making Election Day a national holiday, OKLAHOMA WATCH: For tenants behind on rent, ant, Armstrong Bank appoints Aston Armstrong Hudson , OKLAHOMA WATCH: School report cards released, b, Keys secure Districts sweep against Colgate, Doctor accused of killing nurse released on bond, Man accused of sexting minor to appear in court, Business owner accused of obstructing an officer has undisclosed offer revised, EVERYDAY HEROES: Photog overcomes challenges to earn degree, BERRY BEST TIME: Strawberry growers in Adair County start selling crop, Man accused of killing three people denied demand for admissibility hearing, Man charged with murder of deputys daughter pleads not guilty, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN DOWNTOWN TAHLEQUAH: 2023 RED FERN FESTIVAL. The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. Pro/Con: Make Election Day a holiday along with American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. 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. Please make a gift today. However, a national primary day is a recipe for failure. 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. The idea that voting should be a celebration, not a chore is one argument for turning Election Day into a national holiday.
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