Speaking on MichMash, she explainsthat one of her biggest concerns has to do with the post office. Under normal political circumstances, more Americans follow the race to the World Series than to the White House. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. [31] Same-day registration boosts turnout by 5%, and universal implementation of it would have added as many as 4.8 million voters in the 2016 election, according to Danielle Root, JD, and Liz Kennedy, JD, from the Center for American Progress. So what are the odds of Election Day 2020 becoming a federal holiday (an idea Vermont Bernie Sanders was peddling back in 2015)? The bill would also effectively revive Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires states with a history of voter discrimination have all changes to their election laws approved by the federal government, updating the law in response to the Supreme Courts 2013 holding in Shelby County v. Holder. Over 60 court cases reviewed the evidence and judgesappointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents alikereached the same conclusion: there was no compelling evidence of fraud. More absentee voters mean there needs to be more of those ballots processed on Election Day, while other poll workers help people cast ballots in person. Automatic voter registration, same-day registration, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, restoring voting rights to former felons, improved civics education, and voter outreach would all improve participation. In its last two presidential elections (2015 and 2010) turnout was 55% 5% less than the 2016 vote in the U.S. Switzerland also votes on weekends. Instead of having the names spelled out, voters would pick between Oje Diben and Noladd Rumpt.. 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,". But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. Pro/Con: Make Election Day a holiday along with By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The entire voter suppression conspiracy being advanced by progressives is nonsense on its face. Explain your answers. Making weekday elections a national holiday is a popular idea that would align the US with other countries. It needs better voters, people who have some vague notion of what theyre voting for or against, not just people practicing identity politics or voting with their political tribe. And who would get squeezed by the holiday? The measure contains an election-reform bushelful of liberal chestnuts same-day voter registration, provisional ballots, poll worker recruitment and training. But making Election Day a holiday because you want to increase voter turnout? One must In the Golden State, a majority of voters make their choices by mail rather than going to polling places on Election Day. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. Whether that be through the mail, or people drop them off in person. Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. Waste of money. 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. Everyone will get equal opportunity to vote. Roughly the same odds as Mitch McConnell doing hot yoga with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. While the Republican efforts are shrouded in their supposed desire to protect the integrity of elections, there is no evidence of significant voter fraud in recent elections, including presidential election in 2020. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. 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. However, a national primary day is a recipe for failure. 5. 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). WebElection Day National Holiday; Electoral College; Lowering the Voting Age to 16; Voting Machines; Ronald Reagan; Bill Clinton; Election Day National Holiday: Top 3 Pros and Cons. We want parents to vote, not get stuck. WebProCon.org - Pros and Cons of Controversial Issues Kneeling during National Anthem US Presidents on Money PROS AND CONS OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES PROCON.ORG HEADLINES - Our Issues in the News Are DACA and the DREAM Act Good for America? In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the 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. And there is no better way to secure democracy than to ensure that everyone has not only the right to vote, but also the meaningful opportunity to cast their ballots. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. In India, for example, a polling place is required within two kilometers (about a mile) of every single person in the country of 1.4 billion. 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. Accessed April 27, 2023. https://www.procon.org/should-election-day-be-a-national-holiday/. The nature of a public holiday is that businesses close and workers are entitled 14 . 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. According to the U.S. Census Bureaus data on nonvoters, registered voters from households making more than $150,000 are most likely to say they dont have time to turn out on Election Day. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. Ralph Northam signed a bill on Sunday making Election Day a state holiday with the intention of making it easier for voters to cast their ballots in So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Managing Editor Managing Editor Partly cloudy skies. It is the duty of the state to make exercising this right as accesible as possible by making the election day a holiday. 2. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. It shouldnt all come down to just one day. Rochester Hills City Clerk Tina Barton. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. That year, just over 36% of eligible voters showed up. To combat these efforts, lawmakers nationally have introduced HR1 (the John Lewis Act) and S1, which would enact a number of important provisions: improve ballot access, create nonpartisan redistricting commissions to reduce gerrymandering, provide automatic voter registration when people turn 18, allow at least 15 days of early voting,mandate that presidential candidates disclosure their federal tax returns, and require greater disclosure of so-called dark money campaign contributions. 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. Not useful if people have strong opinions. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. 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. The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. Pro/Con: Don't make Election Day a holiday; we don't need more A National Low 38F. This past year, we were able to make it work through sports teams and other businesses that stepped up, gave their employees the day off, made it a holiday internally, says Benson. Is that really an improvement? Hey, you know who really has high voter turnout? Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off. In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbecues, resulting in turnout rates around 90 percent. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. Should Election Day Be a National Holiday? | ProCon.org HR 1, also known as the For The People Act.. Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org Presidential Election History. Giving people the day to vote would be the first public holiday in the United States. [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. Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid holidays. Sweden came second with 82.6%. Creating laws in all states that let people vote before or after work would be more effective than a holiday. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. That puts us behind countries like Australia, Belgium, and Luxembourg, which all have higher participation rates than the United States. Without this simple step toward turning out as many Americans as possible to vote, any reform will be incomplete. Move Voting to Veterans Day - Politico We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. Instead, lawmakers could simply move nearby Veterans Day to Election Day, emphasizing that voting is both a service to the country and a celebration of the rights and freedoms for which our servicemembers fight. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. 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. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. [31]. Its a move that could de-politicize some of the election reform discussion, as some of the ideas could receivebipartisan support. Move past the theatrics of the government shutdown, impeachment and the threat of investigations ad infinitumand theres the question of Democrat squad goals in a Pelosi-run House of Representatives. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. Not me. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. Over time, voting rights expanded from only white, male landowners age 21 and older to includewomenandpeople of color, as well as citizensage 18 and up, resulting in a dramatic increase in the voting-eligible population and a shift in voter demographics. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? Benson also emphasized the preeminence that she says Election Day should have in our culture, that it should be a day of celebration of our civic duty to elect our leaders a celebration of democracy at a time when democracy is under real threat. 12 . I feel the commenter's central thesis is that there are way more Dems in the US then Repubels. (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.). Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. [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. The turnout numbers prove voting isnt that hard. Lets get early in-person voting in place in Michigan, so that everyone has an opportunity that fits their schedule. Were a country thatll spend as much this year on ads for video games as presidential campaigns (around $5 billion, according to CNBC). Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. 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. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. WebElection Day becoming a federal holiday will elevate voting to a democratic holiday. ", ProCon.org. Changing state laws and individual companies policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. 20, 2018, Annie McDonald, "Ensuring Access to Election Day for All, bppj.berkely.edu, Nov. 6, 2018, Suzanne Lucas, "No, Election Day Should Not Be a Federal Holiday, inc.com, Oct. 24, 2016, Kenneth Quinnell, "Know Your Rights: State Laws on Employee Time off to Vote, aflicio.org, Nov. 5, 2016, Osita Nwanevu, "Maybe Making Election Day a National Holiday Wouldnt Really Work, slate.com, Nov. 3, 2016, Abigail Hess, "A Record 44% of US Employers Will Give Their Workers Paid Time off to Vote This Year, cnbc.com, Oct. 31, 2018, Make Time to Vote, homepage, maketimetovote.org (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), Rose Marcario, "Time to Vote, patagonia.com, Sep. 24, 2018, Danielle Root and Liz Kennedy, "Increasing Voter Participation in America, americanprogress.org, July 11, 2018, Kelly Born, "Increasing Voter Turnout: What, If Anything, Can Be Done?, ssir.org, Apr. Pros & Cons Of Election Campaigns ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. shouldnt voting be mandatory [36]. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. [23], Annie McDonald, Editor of the Berkeley Public Policy Journal, noted that the workers who are least likely to get paid holidays are those who already have less of a voice in the political process: Americans working in retail, hospitality, and service jobs, for example, would most likely not receive the benefit of a paid holiday to vote. . Approximately two million people who work Many Americans know that Election Day is a Tuesday, but few know why. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. Election Day in the United States is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of an election year. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a holiday in Michigan. Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. 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. Its hard to say. While there are a lot of positives to creating a new national holiday, there are also some negatives. Advertisement. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. While these provisions represent major steps in the right direction, they are not enough. We see that you have javascript disabled. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. Another positive: This would turn the day into a celebration of democracy. To have a democratic society, we need to restructure government and elections. These changes would send the message that voting is not a privilege to be bought with job security and time to spare, but rather an essential responsibility every person ought to undertake. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. Local View: Former Gov. WebMore people would vote if Election Day was a national holiday. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. Citizens have a right to vote. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. ProCon.org. Ralph Northam signed a bill on Sunday making Election Day a state holiday with the intention of making it easier for voters to cast their ballots in elections. Election Day 2. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. What then to do about American elections? Election Day (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg). Freedom to Vote Act [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. Nationally in 2018, turnout was above 50%, with 35 million more voters than the previous midterm election in 2014. It would give people time to vote. People who work long shifts, juggle multiple jobs, 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 automatic voter registration (nearly 87% of registered voters participated in the 2016 election), restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people and removing other barriers such as voter ID requirements and voter roll purges that often disenfranchise people of color. Georgia had the 12th-highest turnout in the country in 2018, with 57% participation. This Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. But other solutions would more reliably increase turnout. and our Whether the voter has to go to office or has an important meeting, they may not be able to find any excuse to miss the voting procedure if election day is declared as a national holiday. Veterans deserve a day that stands on its own without the distractions that come with arriving at the polls and casting votes. Funding by lobbyists is a big problem. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Proponents of automatic voter registration say the policy removes barriers to registration for eligible voters, a step toward increasing voter participation. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? 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.. According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. Other solutions would more reliably increase voter turnout than a national holiday. Thats not to say no one has tried. Or we could use the Jumble ballot. If you make election day a federal holiday, youll have all the people who work in these types of jobs still having to work, being inundated with customers who have the day off and they wont have child care because the schools will be closed, Suzanne Lucas, who previously worked in human resources, wrote in a piece for Inc.com. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 2020, Virginia. would align the US with other countries Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. Count me out. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KSDK Pros and Cons While Barton isnt for or against making Election Day a holiday, one thing she is definitely on board with is getting more people to vote. With the exception of employers, who doesnt want another paid day off? And the last thing that we want to do is not get someones ballot in because the postal service was closed down.. 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. Dont give the nation a day off, but do a better job of giving voters options for getting involved. Say goodbye to making Election Day a federal holiday and other Compulsory voting. Pew Research Center found 71 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Republicans support that. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." 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 [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among And she said there are lots of other ways to do that like early, in-person voting. In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Last modified on April 13, 2020. The bill had zero co-sponsors and went Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. On WDETs Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson, Benson emphasized that making Election Day a holiday would make it easier toattractmore election workers. 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. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Pros and Cons of making election day a national holiday And if they get sick on Monday, the day before the election theyre not trying to get an emergency ballot, or something like that. 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. If you want to make Election Day a national holiday because you believe American workers should have more days off to hang out with their families or pound Cookie Notice Both were senior officials in the Clinton administration. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. Bensons proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. our colleagues on the other side, on their campaigns.. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot.