Okun's son is mentioned in this Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico receive high voter turnout due to universal voting and time off. Its one of many sweeping changes she would like to see in stateelection law. Were a country thatll spend as much this year on ads for video games as presidential campaigns (around $5 billion, according to CNBC). 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. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions which Americans see not only as propping up their democracy but perpetuating its legitimacy, he said. Some countries 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. Bensons proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. [8][15] A holiday for elections sidesteps the issue of a weekend election, which could conflict with religious obligations. [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. 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. It is the duty of the state to make exercising this right as accesible as possible by making the election day a holiday. 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. This article was published on October 1, 2020, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Giving people the day to vote would be the first public holiday in the United States. And that the reason why the Dems don't win more often is because of low voter turn-out because they can't afford to leave their jobs. National Election Day rolls around every four years and falls on the first Tuesday in November. Elections Held on Tuesdays?, britannica.com (accessed Sep. 30, 2019), Evan Andrews, "Election 1010: Why Do We Vote on a Tuesday in November?, history.com, Aug. 31, 2018, Grace Panetta and Olivia Reaney, "Today Is National Voter Registration Day. 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). 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. Roughly the same odds as Mitch McConnell doing hot yoga with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Last modified on October 1, 2020. Colleges should have already canceled Election Day classes. 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. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. Low 38F. But other solutions would more reliably increase turnout. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, for example, says she lost the 2018 governors race as a victim of some ballot-blocking scheme. But if you must, then I insist we move the election to April 15, Tax Day, to remind everyone how much these elections cost. The turnout numbers prove voting isnt that hard. 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? ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 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. WebElection Day becoming a federal holiday will elevate voting to a democratic holiday. 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. Voter suppression policies need to be reversed, starting with restoring the pre-clearance provisions of the Civil Rights Act. 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. It shouldnt all come down to just one day. Rochester Hills City Clerk Tina Barton. This is a stressful, insecure time for many. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. Making election day a holiday would improve the ability of the government to conduct elections. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. The entire voter suppression conspiracy being advanced by progressives is nonsense on its face. 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). Political campaigns can help winning elections. Winds light and variable.. Cookie Notice 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 CON. The ideal ballot would have the candidates in one alphabetical list on one side, and the offices they seek on the other. Should the U.S. Make Election Day a National Holiday? - Ask.com 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. 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. PRO/Con: Should Election Day be a federal holiday? WDET is here to keep you informed onessential information, news and resources related to COVID-19. Election Day Holiday., For purposes of any law relating to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter shall be treated in the same manner as a legal public holiday described in section 6103 of title 5, United States Code., It is the sense of Congress that private employers in the United States should give their employees a day off on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter to enable the employees to cast votes in the elections held on that day., Leave it to a House bill-writer to use 98 words when eight will suffice: Were giving you the day off to vote.. In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the Election Day Holiday.. 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.. If so, how? 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. So what are the odds of Election Day 2020 becoming a federal holiday (an idea Vermont Bernie Sanders was peddling back in 2015)? 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. "We do not have real political democracy, let alone economic democracy. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a holiday in Michigan. 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. And it will, in turn, help strengthen the idea that businesses can and will come together for a worthy common purpose: protecting our democracy by empowering all American workers to be good citizens. [30], Solutions such as 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 voter participation more reliably than a national holiday. Pro/Con: Don't make Election Day a holiday; we don't need more Election Day Last modified on April 13, 2020. But only 35% bothered to cast un bulletin de votein the second round of Frances parliamentary election (its what comes from loading the ticket with the likes of retired matadors and mathematical savants). If 118 million people did it in 2018 without a holiday, why do we need to shut down the post office and close the banks to get them to do it again? Say goodbye to making Election Day a federal holiday and other Accessed April 27, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/election-day-national-holiday-top-3-pros-and-cons/, potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day, election day should not be a national holiday. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. Changing state laws and individual companies policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. Should Election Day Be a National Holiday? | ProCon.org ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Accessed April 27, 2023. https://www.procon.org/should-election-day-be-a-national-holiday/. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. 2020, Virginia. Should Election Day be a national holiday? American election laws have been reformed before with minimal impact on voter turnout which remains low compared to other democracies around the world. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." Dont believe me? It would only make it harder and more expensive for all candidates to have a fair shot at competing. US Political Parties. 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. an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. If that level of participation gnaws at you, then consider: turnout for UKs Brexit vote was a shade over 77%; while 67.9% of the French electorate turned out for 2017s presidential election. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. and our Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Political science is the scientific study of politics. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90 percent voter turnout, compared to the United States, where average voter turnout in presidential elections since 1965 has been only 54%. OK, so why Tuesday? 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. You know what else they have? All rights reserved. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. Bernie Sanders attempted to pass an Election Day holiday under the "Democracy Day Act" in 2018. Why isn't Election Day a national holiday in the US? - KSDK So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. 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. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='date';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='date';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='date';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='date';fnames[8]='MMERGE8';ftypes[8]='zip';fnames[9]='MMERGE9';ftypes[9]='radio';fnames[10]='MMERGE10';ftypes[10]='text';fnames[11]='MMERGE11';ftypes[11]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Your connection to news, music, conversation. It would give people time to vote. 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? [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. Other solutions would more reliably However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. Change often comes slowly, subtly. Instead of having the names spelled out, voters would pick between Oje Diben and Noladd Rumpt.. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. 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. Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria Meet In Moscow: Whats Afoot? Presidential Election History. The second Trump vote could reach those levels. ProCon.org. [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. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. We see that you have javascript disabled. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. How to Become the US President. WebAt the opening of Congress this past January, House Democrats introduced a proposal to make Election Day a national holiday. ], ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?,", ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday? Citizens have a right to vote. make Election Day 1. Its time to make voting harder. It shouldnt all come down to just one day., Despite Olive Branch from Whitmer,GOPShowing No Interest in Cooperation in2021, A Michigan Reporters Harrowing Experience Inside Capitol DuringInsurrection, New Year Means New Democratic Majority on State SupremeCourt. 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. Managing Editor The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. The question remains: is such a holiday good public policy? Should the Guantnamo Bay Detention Center Remain Open? 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. 12 . our colleagues on the other side, on their campaigns.. Coronavirus: Timeline of Comments by Trump and Biden with Context. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Carlson calls on Minnesotans to oppose sulfide mining, Local View: The stories of spring, other seasons, play out in the night sky, In Response: Expensive or not, Minnesota a good place to do business, The beginning of the rest of their lives: Powwow recognizes Fond du Lac graduates and more, Lake Superior Medical Equipment relocates to West Duluth after fire, Minnesota DNR, feds sign agreement over logging in wildlife areas, Special Olympics return to Northland after 3 years. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. You may opt-out by. What are the pros and cons of making Election Day a national There is one other option: move elections to Saturdays. [1] Singapore has election day as a federal holiday, and in 2015 this resulted in a voter turnout of 93.6%. Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. 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. Election Day holiday: The bill would make Election Day a legal public holiday, making it easier for voters to get to the polls. Under normal political circumstances, more Americans follow the race to the World Series than to the White House. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. Winds light and variable. Virginia Gov. Whether that be through the mail, or people drop them off in person. WebPros: A day will be marked on your calendar for voting. Lets look at why Congress has never made Election Day a Pros and Cons Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up.

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pros and cons of making election day a national holiday