Stay up to date with what you want to know. It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year. Skip Navigation 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. From 2021, the first Sunday of June. [24] Holidays usually mean more work hours for retail workers, because stores run promotions and sales. "With the variety of challenges that election officials face, [making Election Day a holiday] is well down on the list of those things that need to be addressed," Becker said. For rest of the festival holidays the declaration . [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. This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. 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. 3. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. Especially given that 65% of Americans support making election day a national holiday and 43% of voters already live in one of the 19 states with some form of voting holiday. Topics Explainers Politics US Evergreen US Explainers YOU MIGHT LIKE Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. 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. Turning Election Day into a national holiday would instill a sense of pride in all citizens, knowing they have the ability to cast a ballot regardless of work. An additional day off school would prove to be problematic for individuals who may not have other readily accessible forms of childcare. [24], People who have already suffered significant disenfranchisement, such as women and people of color, are more likely to be working those low-income jobs that wouldnt get the time off to vote even on a national holiday. List two to three ways. For other uses, see. Corrections? Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". But some think it should be. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. House Democrats introduced their first piece of legislation in the new Congress this week, an anti-corruption bill that proposes making Election Day a federal holiday and encourages . The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. [2] 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. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: [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). Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished voting. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. 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.. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. [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. 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. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. We are the only advanced democracy that makes it deliberately difficult for people to vote. The U.S. lags scores of other countries in election participation, ranking 26th out of 32 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the Pew Research Center. 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. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Right now, federal elections are always held on Tuesdays, because farmers in the 1840s needed multiple days to get to the . [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. Compared to other developed countries, America's voter turnout rate is pretty sad. Argentina has instated compulsory voting laws, but only sees about 76% voter turnout. Updated: 7:01 AM EST November 2, 2020 ATLANTA For many Americans, voting on Election Day is a tradition, and some wonder why it's not a national holiday. We're familiar with how voting works in the U.S.when we vote, how we vote, who we vote forbut do you know what voting is like in other countries around the world? https://www.britannica.com/question/Should-election-day-be-made-a-national-holiday. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. - Zkon o podmienkach vkonu volebnh", "The Effectiveness of Early Voting A Case Study of the Republic of Korea", "Ley Orgnica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Rgimen Electoral General", "Elections in Venezuela and Pennsylvania: Lessons in Democracy? He concluded that having an election holiday, by itself, is not an effective strategy to increase voter turnout. [34], Automatic voter registration, by contrast, could register an additional 22 million people and create 7.9 million new voters nationwide within a year. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. Not only would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout among Americans, which is something that politicians and citizens in general complain about often, but it . Think about it. By comparison,. 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%. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. ", ProCon.org. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. That too is a reminder as to how new many of the ideas from that century, such as full enfranchisement and national self-determination, really are. 2020, Virginia. [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. Updates? This . I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. First Sunday of July until 2018. ", "National Electoral Code Article 53 and 148", Report of the 2014 National Lawyers Guild Bolivian Election Observation Delegation, Voting hours for elections in EU Member States, "The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark", Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, "India Elects 2019: The World's Largest Election, Explained", "Six Nations match at the centre of row over election date - Independent.ie", "With full term possible, Netanyahu may outlast Ben-Gurion (and Obama)", Confessionalism and Electoral Reform in Lebanon, "Voters reminded not to reveal voting intention at Sunday's polling", "Malaysia's election on a Wednesday favors PM, opposition says", "Elections in Mexico and the US: Comparisons and contrasts", "Law on Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament", "Election Days General Elections 1853-2011", "The main features of the Norwegian electoral system", "Tribunal Electoral de Panam convoca a elecciones generales de 2024", "Peru Can Give U.S. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Indigenous Peoples Day is a local and state holiday in some parts of the country usually held on Columbus Day that celebrates the cultures of Native Americans. 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. 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. All rights reserved. [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. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. 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! In some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the day. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Election Day as a holiday is something that exists in other countries, but not in most places in the U.S. It's an issue that comes up a lot, but never really gets much serious public debate. Lists national days around the world by country or date. Other politicians, businesses, and advocacy groups have voiced their approval of celebrating Election Day as a national holiday. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Monday in early September. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? 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. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. [36]. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. [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. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. "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. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. 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. "Election Day as a national holiday would mean things like perhaps reduced schedules for public transportation, schools being closed, hourly workers perhaps being incentivized to work more with time and a half. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. Last Tuesday was election day in the United States, and this year we voted in the midterm elections. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? As old as all of these societies are, their senses of national identity are commemorated by remarkably recent events. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. Update: Some readers think that Ireland should also be considered an outlier, as St. Patrick's Day is often considered its primary "national day" and is not really an independence or revolution day. Lessons in How to Hold Elections", "GE2015: First time Polling Day falls on a Friday, but not first time polls held on a weekday", "180/2014 Z.z. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. An ordinary act of Congress could move Election Day to a Saturday or make it a holiday, thereby giving more people more . But while . Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). 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,". Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. Research has found that higher trust in the government and democratic process leads to greater voter turnout. For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . / CBS News. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. Should Election Day be a national holiday? ProCon.org. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. "I'm not a fan," said Eddie Perez, an election administration and election technology expert at the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Institute. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. But it is not a federal holiday. Consider this: Even if Election Day were moved to a weekend or turned into a national holiday, retail and service industry employees would still need to work. The outliers are a tiny minority, and only two countries have no formal national day at all. 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.However, some countries, or regions within a country, which hold elections on a weekday declare election day a public holiday. According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. Should election day be made a national holiday? Runoffs take place on the last Sunday of the same October. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. 1. 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. The bill has no cosponsors, but the concept was supported by every 2020 Democratic candidate for president, excluding Mike Bloomberg and now-nominee Joe Biden. 2. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day when St. Paul converted our whole country to Catholicism in AD 60. Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. And. Voter turnout in the U.S. is generally quite low, trailing behind that of other developed democracies around the world, according to another Pew study. This is the day we cast ballots to select public officials from local to the national government. 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. Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. Third Monday of October every four years, or after Parliament is dissolved by the. [4][5], The United States currently has 10 national holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. TOP QUESTION Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . Have you experienced an election day in another country, or do you know how voting works in a place we haven't mentioned here? Countries which permit absentee ballots, early ballots or postal votes to be cast by mail before the election avoid the problem altogether by enabling voters to vote on a day that is more convenient to them. 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. 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.