pros and cons of making election day a national holiday

The question remains: is such a holiday good public policy? 11 . Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. 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. WebAt the opening of Congress this past January, House Democrats introduced a proposal to make Election Day a national holiday. 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. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. If you can draw a line between Donald Trump and President, your vote counts. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. We want parents to vote, not get stuck. Election Day could be made a holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. Really? Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. 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. But other solutions would more reliably increase turnout. We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day, says Barton. Who wants more of the people who think professional wrestling is real or that 9/11 was an inside job to help pick the next president? Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Instead of having the names spelled out, voters would pick between Oje Diben and Noladd Rumpt.. 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. 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. People of color and low-income Americans already face barriers to vote, and making Election Day a national holiday may not help them. ], ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?,", ProCon.org, "Should Election Day Be 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. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. 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. 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.. Poland, for example, holds elections on weekends. 1. In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. [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. [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. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. The United States currently has 10 national holidays, includingMemorial Day,Independence Day, andChristmas Day. For purposes of any law relating to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. It is the duty of the state to make exercising this right as accesible as possible by making the election day a holiday. Virginia Gov. 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. US Political Parties. Voter suppression policies need to be reversed, starting with restoring the pre-clearance provisions of the Civil Rights Act. 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. The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. On WDETs Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson, Benson emphasized that making Election Day a holiday would make it easier toattractmore election workers. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. 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. [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. OK, so why Tuesday? Both were senior officials in the Clinton administration. Winds light and variable. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. 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. Also, would a holiday mean limited public transit schedules, which might make it harder for some people to get to the polls? 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. ProCon.org. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. If so, how? Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. 1. However, I feel like this is painting with a broad stroke. In Texas, for instance, the deadline to register to vote for the 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. 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. 1. 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. [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). What America needs isnt more voters. According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. This is a stressful, insecure time for many. Try lower-wage earners at restaurants and stores enterprises that would look to cash in if the working class got an extra day off. 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. 2020, Virginia. Protections for individuals with disabilities: The bill would address some of the biggest challenges to voting access that Americans with disabilities face. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. In fact, these voters may be more likely to have to work as a result of a federal election holiday, where they may have had time off previously on a random Tuesday in November. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. North Korea. 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). Low 38F. Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. But thats not guarantor of a higher turnout. Is that really an improvement? Way too many Americans are voting already. What then to do about American elections? These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. 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. 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. 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. Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard 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. I believe Election Day should be a holiday so we can get our maximum participation, says Jacobs. Rationality and coherent argument are encouraged, whereas ideological flamewars are strongly discouraged. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. 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. Bensons proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. That year, just over 36% of eligible voters showed up. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. [31]. All rights reserved. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. 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. Another positive: This would turn the day into a celebration of democracy. 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. 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 For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. It does not force voters to elect any one candidate and therefore, we believe, it survives constitutional muster. In addition, those who wish to cast their ballots have ample opportunity to do so. But experts say improving voter turnout is a complicated issue that no single silver bullet strategy can solve. [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. And these two nuggets, stashed inside Section 1903. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Making Election Day a national holiday would turn voting into a celebration of democracy. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. 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. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." 10 . Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. 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. Yes, its true Americas voting age is lower than some other developed countries. With the exception of employers, who doesnt want another paid day off? In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. Please make a gift today. And that enabled us to essentially fill our needs of staffing the elections. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-election-day-holiday. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? our colleagues on the other side, on their campaigns.. ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. The answer dates back to 1845, when Congress passed a law declaring that federal elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg). And if they get sick on Monday, the day before the election theyre not trying to get an emergency ballot, or something like that. I also take umbrage with the idea that people who dont vote are doing something wrong. I feel the commenter's central thesis is that there are way more Dems in the US then Repubels. 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. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg), Controversial Program Could Diminish NASAs Credibility And Its Federal Funding, Shelter From A Storm: Protecting The Housing Market From Itself. 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. Without this simple step toward turning out as many Americans as possible to vote, any reform will be incomplete. 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. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. 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. Everyone will get equal opportunity to vote. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. To access extended pro and con arguments, sources, and discussion questions about whether Election Day should be a national holiday, go to ProCon.org. As shown in this Fair Vote chart, turnout ebbs and flows in presidential cycles elections a big falloff from 1992 to 1996 (58.1% vs. 51.7%), then a steady rise through 2008 (61.6%) followed by another drop in 2012 (58.2%) and then a return to 60.1% in 2016. Sweden came second with 82.6%. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among [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. 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. 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. 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). 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? Cons: Private employers are not required to give their employees federal holidays anyways. 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. Additionally, many of these individuals rely on school days as childcare for their children. 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 Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. Its time to make voting harder. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard A subreddit to discuss political science. @TinaLBarton gave me some good insight that caused me to reconsider my bill that would have done just that. It would only make it harder and more expensive for all candidates to have a fair shot at competing. The turnout numbers prove voting isnt that hard. 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. [16]. 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. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 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. Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. The nature of a public holiday is that businesses close and workers are entitled But if you must, then I insist we move the election to April 15, Tax Day, to remind everyone how much these elections cost. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. And the last thing that we want to do is not get someones ballot in because the postal service was closed down.. Lets look at why Congress has never made Election Day a As the chart shows, presidential turnout corresponds with midterm turnout and in 2018, turnout skyrocketed from 36.7% four years previously to 49.6%. [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. 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? [24] Holidays usually mean more work hours for retail workers, because stores run promotions and sales. Its a move that could de-politicize some of the election reform discussion, as some of the ideas could receivebipartisan support. 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? 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. 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. Some countries This article was published on October 1, 2020, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Not everyone is jumping at the idea of making Election Day a state holiday, however. 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.. Make Election Day a federal holiday. 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. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. This simple change would make it easier for an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. Changing state laws and individual companies policies would be more effective ways to help people vote. 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. Establishing Election Day as a holiday, taken together with the pending federal voting rights reforms, would go a long way towards stabilizing democracy and ensuring basic democratic rights. 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 a few brewskis with their buds Im all in. Veterans deserve a day that stands on its own without the distractions that come with arriving at the polls and casting votes. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Virginia Gov. All rights reserved. And she said there are lots of other ways to do that like early, in-person voting.

Dollar Tree Disposable Cups With Lids, How Did Mash Units Get Electricity, Golf Swing To Second Base, Why Did Japan Attack The United States Quizlet, Articles P