The nature of a public holiday is that businesses close and workers are entitled Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. If changes need to be made nationally, those changes should relate to job security and compensation. Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Funding by lobbyists is a big problem. You may opt-out by. High turnout means that people are successfully exercising their rights-a good in itselfbut it also ensures the continuing health of majority rule. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. 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. So its more important than ever for you, our listeners and readers, who are able todonate to keep supporting WDETs mission. Its time to make voting harder. Not everyone is jumping at the idea of making Election Day a state holiday, however. Allow people to register to vote AND vote on the same day. I feel the commenter's central thesis is that there are way more Dems in the US then Repubels. Everyone will get equal opportunity to vote. [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. Lets look at why Congress has never made Election Day a Roughly the same odds as Mitch McConnell doing hot yoga with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. Pros and Cons . Other solutions would more reliably Under normal political circumstances, more Americans follow the race to the World Series than to the White House. The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits of a federal holiday are those who already struggle to vote, Shineman noted. 2020, Virginia. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons At the heart of the debate is voter turnout give more people the day off, more people will go out of their way to head to the polls. Her ideas include requiring a statewide risk-limiting audit of an elections results before the state certification,giving clerks more time ahead of Election Day to process ballots and banning open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling locations. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." All this despite the fact that these types of restrictions have typically been considered illegal under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires that elections be equally open to all people. But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. Changing state laws and individual companies policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. 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. 14, 2019, BBC, "Singapore Election: Governing Party Secure Decisive Win, bbc.com, Sep. 12, 2015, Holly Jackson, "It's Time to Make Election Day a Holiday in Law and Spirit," washingtonpost.com, Oct. 22, 2018, BCP Associates, "India Elections 2019 - Declaration of Paid Holiday on Polling Day, bcpassociates.com, Apr. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. 11 . Is that really an improvement? [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. . While some states have made Election Day a civic holiday (though it primarily applies to public workers) and most have laws that require companies to give employees some time off to vote, none of the legislative efforts to enact these changes on a national level have been successful. [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. Because Saturday and Sunday are Sabbath days for devout Jews and Christians, elections would probably have to be held over the two-day period creating a need for more poll workers and a process for securing ballots overnight, Victoria Shineman, a University of Pittsburgh political science professor, wrote in The Washington Post. While these provisions represent major steps in the right direction, they are not enough. Its a move that could de-politicize some of the election reform discussion, as some of the ideas could receivebipartisan support. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. Please make a gift today. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. 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. Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria Meet In Moscow: Whats Afoot? Election Day in the United States is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of an election year. It would give people time to vote. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. Nationally in 2018, turnout was above 50%, with 35 million more voters than the previous midterm election in 2014. Coronavirus: Timeline of Comments by Trump and Biden with Context. What America needs isnt more voters. [9], Former Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review, Beau C. Tremitiere, JD, stated, The demands of school and work schedules keep millions of Americans, especially those with children or long commutes, from ever getting to their polling stations The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. [10] A holiday would allow more citizens volunteer at polling places or drive the elderly to vote, and make a difference in states where long lines at the polls keep voters waiting for hours. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. Why or why not? Managing Editor Folks who follow the news and keep up with current events sometimes forget theyre in the minority. This Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. And she said there are lots of other ways to do that like early, in-person voting. [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. Have you looked at who theyre voting for? ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. You have permission to edit this article. Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S 2. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Make Election Day a national holiday - Brookings 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. Both were senior officials in the Clinton administration. 5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. Move Voting to Veterans Day - Politico 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. Sundays were for rest and worship, and on Wednesdays farmers typically sold their crops at the market, making Tuesdays the best day of the week. 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. That, to me,is the real answer, she says. I invite you to follow me onTwitter:@hooverwhalen, This is a BETA experience. Whether accurate or not, elected officials likely think that making it easier to vote would advantage one party at the expense of the other party.. Not useful if people have strong opinions. So what are the odds of Election Day 2020 becoming a federal holiday (an idea Vermont Bernie Sanders was peddling back in 2015)? One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? Here Are Some Pros 12, 2019, Ceylan Pumphrey, "Do Businesses Have to Give Federal Holidays Like Presidents Day Off?, blogs.findlaw.com, Feb. 14, 2018, Department of Labor, "Holiday Pay, dol.gov (accessed Sep. 23, 2019), Peggy Emch, "Is Holiday Pay Required by Law?, timesheets.com, 2013, Fast Casual, "Study: Why Hourly Workers Forced to Work Multiple Jobs, fastcasual.com, Apr. 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. CON. Georgia had the 12th-highest turnout in the country in 2018, with 57% participation. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. (And in case youre curious, November was chosen as the month for similar reasons: It was after fall harvest was over but before the cold winter weather set in.). National Election Day would make a 13th and it would only be observed once every four years and would help ensure voters could avoid the stresses of time constraints and other factors that hinder their ability to vote. would align the US with other countries We see that you have javascript disabled. Bartons concerns about the possible unintended consequences of an Election Day holiday haveled a Democratic sponsor of legislation to create the holiday to reconsider her bill. Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Overall, White adults are less likely to favor making Election Day a national holiday and automatically registering all eligible citizens to vote than are Black, Hispanic That puts us behind countries like Australia, Belgium, and Luxembourg, which all have higher participation rates than the United States. This article was published on October 1, 2020, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. The measure contains an election-reform bushelful of liberal chestnuts same-day voter registration, provisional ballots, poll worker recruitment and training. And if they get sick on Monday, the day before the election theyre not trying to get an emergency ballot, or something like that. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. I also take umbrage with the idea that people who dont vote are doing something wrong. Sanctuary Cities: Top 3 Pros and Cons Kneeling during the National Anthem: Top 3 Many Americans know that Election Day is a Tuesday, but few know why.