Should Every Election Day Be A Federal Holiday? - Forbes And who would get squeezed by the holiday? It would only make it harder and more expensive for all candidates to have a fair shot at competing. Make Election Day a federal holiday. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. It shouldnt all come down to just one day. Rochester Hills City Clerk Tina Barton. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Marshall is an attorney in Washington and Okun is a corporate strategic advisor in Singapore for McLarty Associates. [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. Not useful if people have strong opinions. Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Accessed April 27, 2023. https://www.procon.org/should-election-day-be-a-national-holiday/. Privacy Policy. Dont give the nation a day off, but do a better job of giving voters options for getting involved. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. If changes need to be made nationally, those changes should relate to job security and compensation. 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. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. In true American fashion, I say we take the day off, cast our votes, then stock up the ice chests with beer, fire up and thaw out the grill, gather with friends and neighbors while we argue and/or celebrate the individual we choose as commander in chief for the next four years. Its time to make voting harder. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. 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. 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. Arizona, for example, allows employees who do not have three consecutive hours before or after work when the polls are open to take paid time off to vote at the start or end of their work days. List two to three ways. Terms of Use | Online Privacy Policy, many sweeping changes she would like to see, the conspiracy fueled calls for election reform, On WDETs Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. All rights reserved. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. 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? Not me. 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,". Its one of many sweeping changes she would like to see in stateelection law. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. 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 . However, it wasnt until recently that the idea gained any traction in Congress. a list of voting rights provisions he would support, Congress in 2019: The need for bipartisan action on voting rights and election integrity, Voting rights, the next Attorney General, and a less divided America, Republicans in 48 states have introduced 389 bills, Generational change divides GOP, unites Democrats. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? There was a Reddit comment saying that the only reason Republicans oppose Election Day being a national holiday is because it'll result in a higher turnout, which would almost completely ensure the Democrats will win for the foresable future. More people would vote if they had more time to cast their ballots Furthermore, celebrating our democracy publicly would send the message that we value each others citizenship as much as we value honoring past presidents. [13], Donald Green, PhD, Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, found that nonpartisan community parties celebrating Election Day in 2005, 2006, and 2016 increased voter participation between 2.6 percentage points and about 4 percentage points. The ideal ballot would have the candidates in one alphabetical list on one side, and the offices they seek on the other. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. 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. Arizona, for example, allows employees who do not have three consecutive hours before or after work when the polls are open to take paid time off to vote at the start or end of work days. Is there any veracity to what this dude is claiming? Pro/CON: Should Election Day be a federal holiday Hey, you know who really has high voter turnout? The idea that voting should be a celebration, not a chore is one argument for turning Election Day into a national holiday. So what are the odds of Election Day 2020 becoming a federal holiday (an idea Vermont Bernie Sanders was peddling back in 2015)? It deals with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and laws. Some countries Speaking on MichMash, she explainsthat one of her biggest concerns has to do with the post office. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." This simple change would make it easier for [33], Henry Farber, PhD, Hughes-Rogers Professor of Economics at Princeton University, conducted an analysis of states that made Election Day a holiday for state employees. "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?" Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KSDK 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. 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. Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. [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. Election Day Should Be A Federal Holiday Way too many Americans are voting already. [31]. Should the U.S. Make Election Day a National Holiday? - Ask.com Benson is dreaming big, and in doing so shes getting out in front of a lot of the conspiracy fueled calls for election reform from some Republicans. For more information, please see our Source: Matthew Haag, "Mitch McConnell Calls Push to Make Election Day a Holiday a Democratic Power Grab," nytimes.com, Jan. 31, 2019, Differences in Conservative and Liberal Brains, The Electoral College: Top 3 Pros and Cons, Coronavirus: Timeline of Comments by Trump and Biden with Context')" href="https://www.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=007115">, Election Day National Holiday: Top 3 Pros and Cons, 2008 Presidential Election (archived 1/19/09), 2012 Presidential Election (archived 1/22/13), 2016 Presidential Election (archived 1/21/17), College Football Playoffs (archived 9/18/12), Insider Trading by Congress (archived 4/18/12). Low 38F. 5 Reasons Election Day Should Be a National Holiday - Global Other solutions would more reliably increase voter turnout than a national holiday. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. 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. WebElection Campaign Cons. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. That, to me,is the real answer, she says. 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