pros and cons of making election day a national holiday

Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. 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. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Not everyone is jumping at the idea of making Election Day a state holiday, however. Okun's son is mentioned in this List two to three ways. [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. Low 38F. However, it gives voters the choice of not having to detour from their routines on Election Day. Should Election Day Be a National Holiday? - ProCon.org 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? Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. 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. 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. Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) February 3, 2021. You know what else they have? 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. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?" 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. [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. 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. Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. 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. Really? Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Instead of having the names spelled out, voters would pick between Oje Diben and Noladd Rumpt.. Election Day Should Be A Federal Holiday Many states have already declared National Election Day a civic holiday, which is an occasion to commemorate America's history, celebrate our rights and responsibilities as citizens, and learn about our constitutional ideals. Bensons proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. 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. 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.. [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. In this pro the author says that if election day was a holiday it would make more people vote and that is a good thing. All Rights Reserved. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. Election Day in the United States is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of an election year. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. 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 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. That year, just over 36% of eligible voters showed up. Heres what the Senate Majority Leader had to say about the notion earlier this week: Just what America needs, another paid holiday and a bunch of government workers being paid to go out and work for I assume . 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. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. [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). Election Day I invite you to follow me onTwitter:@hooverwhalen, This is a BETA experience. 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. A subreddit to discuss political science. Should Election Day Be a Holiday? - Morningside Center WebAt the opening of Congress this past January, House Democrats introduced a proposal to make Election Day a national holiday. Pro/Con: Make Election Day a holiday along with Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. What then to do about American elections? We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. We see that you have javascript disabled. 12 . Funding by lobbyists is a big problem. 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. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-election-day-holiday. But thats not guarantor of a higher turnout. Scan this QR code to download the app now. [1], Over time, voting rights expanded from only white, male landowners age 21 and older to include women and people of color, as well as citizens age 18 and up, resulting in a dramatic increase in the voting-eligible population and a shift in voter demographics. (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.). Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. Pros & Cons Of Election Campaigns After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? 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. A part-time hourly worker is more likely to have multiple jobs, none of which are likely to offer time off. On WDETs Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson, Benson emphasized that making Election Day a holiday would make it easier toattractmore election workers. 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). [31]. It would only make it harder and more expensive for all candidates to have a fair shot at competing. For more information, please see our WebPro: making election day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 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. Michael Graham is political editor at InsideSources.com. Last modified on April 13, 2020. In the 2016 presidential election, 14% of registered voters cited being too busy or having a conflicting schedule as the main reason they didnt cast their ballots, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. Roughly the same odds as Mitch McConnell doing hot yoga with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The second Trump vote could reach those levels. But these days, Tuesdays are actually quite inconvenient for many Americans, particularly those who cant take time off work to cast their ballots a problem that disproportionately affects Black, Latino and lower-income voters. Partly cloudy skies. Managing Editor WebMaking election day a holiday might seem to have very few drawbacks, but because many of the people who would actually benefit from the holiday are unlikely to even be able to As the chart shows, presidential turnout corresponds with midterm turnout and in 2018, turnout skyrocketed from 36.7% four years previously to 49.6%. If a right-wing cabal really is running a secret, suppress-the-vote operation, its the most inept conspiracy since Jussie Smollett and the Subway Sandwich Scam. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. [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. Lets assume there wont be an election holiday anytime soon not until Democrats control both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg). Political campaigns can help winning elections. Twelve federal holidays are recognized each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. 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. 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. 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. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Not me. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. shouldnt voting be mandatory Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. a list of voting rights provisions he would support, Congress in 2019: The need for bipartisan action on voting rights and election integrity, Voting rights, the next Attorney General, and a less divided America, Republicans in 48 states have introduced 389 bills, Generational change divides GOP, unites Democrats. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election For example, although most schools are closed anyway because theyre being used as polling places,not all of them are, which begs the question: If were going to be closing more schools and possibly daycares would that cause childcare problems that would actually make it harder for some people to vote? By registering through a routine and necessary transaction such as those at the DMV, voters wont have to worry about registration deadlines or application submissions. 11 . And she said there are lots of other ways to do that like early, in-person voting. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. Advertisement. 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. Whether that be through the mail, or people drop them off in person. 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. People who work long shifts, juggle multiple jobs, It would give people time to vote. According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. And these two nuggets, stashed inside Section 1903. 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. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons to making Election Day a national holiday, OKLAHOMA WATCH: For tenants behind on rent, ant, Armstrong Bank appoints Aston Armstrong Hudson , OKLAHOMA WATCH: School report cards released, b, Keys secure Districts sweep against Colgate, Doctor accused of killing nurse released on bond, Man accused of sexting minor to appear in court, Business owner accused of obstructing an officer has undisclosed offer revised, EVERYDAY HEROES: Photog overcomes challenges to earn degree, BERRY BEST TIME: Strawberry growers in Adair County start selling crop, Man accused of killing three people denied demand for admissibility hearing, Man charged with murder of deputys daughter pleads not guilty, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN DOWNTOWN TAHLEQUAH: 2023 RED FERN FESTIVAL. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. [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. Bernie Sanders attempted to pass an Election Day holiday under the "Democracy Day Act" in 2018. This year, more than 30 million Americans had already voted two weeks before todays Election Day an electoral surge never seen before. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. 5. Some countries Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. Today, of course, holding the election on the first Tuesday of the month is deeply inconvenient for the vast majority of Americans, whether they work in an office, in food service, or on a farm, as they did in the olden days. More people would vote if they had more time to cast their ballots Furthermore, celebrating our democracy publicly would send the message that we value each others citizenship as much as we value honoring past presidents. [13], Donald Green, PhD, Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, found that nonpartisan community parties celebrating Election Day in 2005, 2006, and 2016 increased voter participation between 2.6 percentage points and about 4 percentage points. The nature of a public holiday is that businesses close and workers are entitled Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. Dont believe me? Making Election Day a national holiday would turn voting into a celebration of democracy. Changing the laws and individual policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. Would you have to pay all levels of election workers holiday pay, which would make administering elections more expensive? Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. 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. Count me out. While there are a lot of positives to creating a new national holiday, there are also some negatives. 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 Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. 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. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. 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. Adding in a new national holiday isnt necessarily without 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). Other solutions would more reliably increase voter turnout than a national holiday. 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. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a holiday in Michigan. Speaking on MichMash, she explainsthat one of her biggest concerns has to do with the post office. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. One way to judge that: prioritized legislation. Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. Nationally in 2018, turnout was above 50%, with 35 million more voters than the previous midterm election in 2014. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. Sanctuary Cities: Top 3 Pros and Cons Kneeling during the National Anthem: Top 3 And even if elections arent routine in the age of Donald Trump, its a nice option to have. Pro/Con: Don't make Election Day a holiday; we don't need more 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. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. If youre rushing to the polls to cast your vote to stop the forces of QAnon or because you seriously believe the same Republican Party that ended slavery wants to bring it back, please stay home. 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%. That, to me,is the real answer, she says. So, no, please dont make Election Day a holiday. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. But this arrangement began to raise concerns as travel and communication improved in the 19th century: Results from states that voted earlier could sway the outcome in states that voted later. Poland, for example, holds elections on weekends. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. Making election day a holiday would improve the ability of the government to conduct elections. 3. Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. The three presidential elections held in the 1960s ranged from a high of 63.8% (JFK) to a low of 62.5% (Nixon). But making Election Day a holiday because you want to increase voter turnout? A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. 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. 1. It would also blunt the impact of many of these baldly anti-democratic movesopening the doors to the house as Republicans attempt to shut the windows. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. [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. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. And what happens to be at the top of the list? WebElection Campaign Cons. 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. CON. 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. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. ", ProCon.org. 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. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. 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. 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. 2020, Virginia. [4][5], The United States currently has 10 national holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. Please make a gift today. Pew Research Center found 71 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Republicans support that. Here are five reasons why Election Day should be a national holiday. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. Everyone will get equal opportunity to vote. 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. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. [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. Pro and Con: Election Day Holiday | Britannica The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. Republicans and Democrats Move Further Apart in Views of It does not force voters to elect any one candidate and therefore, we believe, it survives constitutional muster. Winds light and variable. In the Golden State, a majority of voters make their choices by mail rather than going to polling places on Election Day. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. 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. Lets look at why Congress has never made Election Day a Voter suppression policies need to be reversed, starting with restoring the pre-clearance provisions of the Civil Rights Act.

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