pros and cons of making election day a national holiday

In 2016, there were about 245 million Americans 18 and older, according to Pew Research, and only 56% of them voted in the Donald-Trump-vs.-Hillary-Clinton throwdown. 5 Reasons Election Day Should Be a National Holiday - Global 13 . And that enabled us to essentially fill our needs of staffing the elections. 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. I invite you to follow me onTwitter:@hooverwhalen, This is a BETA experience. Election Day Holiday.. Should the U.S. Make Election Day a National Holiday? - Ask.com However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. 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. 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. 14 . Change often comes slowly, subtly. Under normal political circumstances, more Americans follow the race to the World Series than to the White House. Pew Research Center found 71 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Republicans support that. We are not a nation of civics nerds. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Nations like Israel and South Korea make election day a national holiday and have voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is significantly higher than that of the US. Last modified on October 1, 2020. Or we could use the Jumble ballot. 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. Lets look at why Congress has never made Election Day a Explain your answer. 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. 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. 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. Really? So its more important than ever for you, our listeners and readers, who are able todonate to keep supporting WDETs mission. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? . She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. It shouldnt all come down to just one day. Rochester Hills City Clerk Tina Barton. 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. A subreddit to discuss political science. OK, so why Tuesday? Changing state laws and individual companies policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. 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. [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. 3. In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the Useful for voters who are still indecisive. Pro/Con: Make Election Day a holiday along with After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? Its a move that could de-politicize some of the election reform discussion, as some of the ideas could receivebipartisan support. 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. 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. Sweden came second with 82.6%. 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. But if you must, then I insist we move the election to April 15, Tax Day, to remind everyone how much these elections cost. [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. Make Election Day a federal holiday. 5. Pros & Cons Of Election Campaigns That year, just over 36% of eligible voters showed up. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg). 1. Election Day holiday: The bill would make Election Day a legal public holiday, making it easier for voters to get to the polls. American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. Creating laws in all states that let people vote before or after work would be more effective than a holiday. 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. Republicans and Democrats Move Further Apart in Views of ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. 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. Hey, you know who really has high voter turnout? Caravans are joyful, noisy parades of cars festooned with flags and other decorations that stream through the streets ahead of an election and are credited with the islands over 80 percent turnout. Election Day But other solutions would more reliably increase turnout. ProCon.org. In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. Say goodbye to making Election Day a federal holiday and other Would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout and celebrate democracy? [31]. 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.. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Would you have to pay all levels of election workers holiday pay, which would make administering elections more expensive? [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. See the pros and cons of declaring Election Day a holiday across the nation. How to Become the US President. 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. A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off. Why or why not? Election Day as a holiday is something that exists in other countries, but not in most places inthe U.S. Its an issue that comes up a lot, but never really gets much serious public debate. would align the US with other countries Nationally in 2018, turnout was above 50%, with 35 million more voters than the previous midterm election in 2014. Adding in a new national holiday isnt necessarily without Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. The United States currently has 10 national holidays, includingMemorial Day,Independence Day, andChristmas Day. Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. Make Election Day a national holiday - Brookings Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. 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. The measure contains an election-reform bushelful of liberal chestnuts same-day voter registration, provisional ballots, poll worker recruitment and training. Politicians, most recently House Democrats in 2019, have also floated the idea of turning a weekday Election Day into a federal holiday, but to no avail. The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. 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 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. Not me. Winds light and variable.. Giving people the day to vote would be the first public holiday in the United States. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Local View: Former Gov. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. Explain your answers. shouldnt voting be mandatory Postings about current events are fine, as long as there is a political science angle. [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. HR 1, also known as the For The People Act.. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. There is one other option: move elections to Saturdays. That puts us behind countries like Australia, Belgium, and Luxembourg, which all have higher participation rates than the United States. Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. I feel the commenter's central thesis is that there are way more Dems in the US then Repubels. For more information, please see our ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. [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. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Although state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) says she still supports the idea, but she says Im all-in on an all-of-the-above approach.. 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. Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. One way to judge that: prioritized legislation. Making election day a holiday would improve the ability of the government to conduct elections. Both were senior officials in the Clinton administration. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. National Election Day rolls around every four years and falls on the first Tuesday in November. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. Top Issues for Voters. So, no, please dont make Election Day a holiday. Allow people to register to vote AND vote on the same day. Compulsory voting. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-election-day-holiday. Bernie Sanders attempted to pass an Election Day holiday under the "Democracy Day Act" in 2018. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. Bensons proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. Whether accurate or not, elected officials likely think that making it easier to vote would advantage one party traditionally it is believed to help the Democrats at the expense of the other party, the GOP, said Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor. 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. Election Day could be made a federal holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. [24] Holidays usually mean more work hours for retail workers, because stores run promotions and sales. It does not force voters to elect any one candidate and therefore, we believe, it survives constitutional muster. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. One must [16]. 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. Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. 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. Is there any veracity to what this dude is claiming? In addition to honoring the sacrifices veterans have made, it would remind Americans that voting is a national duty, an obligation both to one another and to the nation; and it would strengthen American democratic political culture, by way of new rituals and traditions, Jill Lepore a Harvard professor of American history wrote in an essay for Politico. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 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. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. 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. Were a country thatll spend as much this year on ads for video games as presidential campaigns (around $5 billion, according to CNBC). Cookie Notice So what are the odds of Election Day 2020 becoming a federal holiday (an idea Vermont Bernie Sanders was peddling back in 2015)? (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.). In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. Governments are required to WebElection Day could be made a federal holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. Democratic rights are much easier to end than they are to restore, so the federal government must respond to the wave of voter suppression overtaking the states with decisive, expansive action. 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. 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. Roughly the same odds as Mitch McConnell doing hot yoga with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Making Election Day a national holiday would turn voting into a celebration of democracy. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Citizens have a right to vote. John M. Cunningham, "Why Are U.S. https://www.hoover.org/profiles/bill-whalen, federal holiday. Election Day in the United States has occurred on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November ever since PresidentJohn Tylersigned an 1845 law establishing a specific voting day for the entire country. In California, for example, theres now permanent voting by mail(voters can also go on line, after theyve submitted their ballot, to see if theyve been processed). Colleges should have already canceled Election Day classes. WebElection Campaign Cons. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Managing Editor [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. 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. Partly cloudy skies. 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. So who benefits if the U.S. move to a system where its adults have all of Tuesday to go to polls, if they so choose? You have permission to edit this article. Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting.
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