ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. "[Early and at-home voting] helps prevent bottlenecks for election administrators because it 'flattens the curve' for when ballots are cast by large numbers of voters," Perez said. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. Elections to the Bundestag may be held on another public holiday. The U.S. lags scores of other countries in election participation, ranking 26th out of 32 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the Pew. Because the impact of a federal holiday is far-reaching, many states and workplaces would likely follow suit. In Thailand, one of the very few countries outside of Europe that was never formally colonized, the king's birthday is celebrated (don't insult him or you might go to jail, per the lese majeste laws). In a number of states, polling places have been closed in minority neighborhoods, which has created long lines and tremendous inconvenience for affected votersinconvenience with a cost, especially for those paid hourly wages. Image 2. Whether election day in the United States should be made a national holiday is debated. According to the Pew Research Center, of the thirty-six nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is one of nine that votes on a week day, and one of seven that doesn't designateelection day a national holiday. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Countries like France, Germany, and India all recognize Election Day as a national holiday or hold elections on the weekend in order to increase voter turnout. As you can see, the world is mostly divided between countries that celebrate a national independence day and countries that celebrate a national unification or revolution day. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Election Day is not a national holiday in 2022, but some states require employees get paid time off to vote. He concluded that having an election holiday, by itself, is not an effective strategy to increase voter turnout. [34], Automatic voter registration, by contrast, could register an additional 22 million people and create 7.9 million new voters nationwide within a year. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 0:00. [4][5], The United States currently has 10 national holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. Common reasons for a certain day are the date on which a state or country achieved its independence, or the date of the country's patron saint day. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. A Pew Research Center analysis finds that 27 of the 36 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development hold their national elections on the weekend, . Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. There are some exceptions; as Wednesday was not covered by the available dates, the Netherlands holds elections on Thursday, while Denmark holds elections on Sunday. While countries like Belgium, Sweden, and Turkey saw more than 80% of their estimated voting-age population cast votes in recent elections, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted during the 2016 presidential election. First Sunday of July until 2018. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, 2020 North Macedonian parliamentary election, "THE ELECTORAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. To paraphrase one of the commenters on the Reddit thread, is certainly is ironic that the British empire that is indirectly responsible for so many of the world's independence days has no real national day of its own. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. If you make election day a federal holiday, youll have all the people who work in these types of jobs still having to work, being inundated with customers who have the day off and they wont have child care because the schools will be closed, Suzanne Lucas, who previously worked in human resources, wrote in a piece for Inc.com. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. In many countries, general elections are always held on a Saturday or Sunday, to enable as many voters as possible to participate; while in other countries elections are always held on a weekday. Senator Bernie Sanders has certainly tried heintroducedthe "Democracy Day Act" in 2018, which proposed making Election Day a federal holiday. While these provisions represent major steps in the right direction, they are not enough. Election dates are determined by the General Elections Commission (Indonesian: Typically on a Friday, but precise date set by, Municipal, provincial, and regional elections take place on a Sunday, as do elections for the. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. Americans are working all the time. 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. Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. Most others are not so recent, but still not so old: Taiwan's, for example, goes back to a 1911 uprising. In 2007, the country held the world's first general Internet election. And even if it were a federal holiday, that wouldn't ensure that all voting-age Americans would have the day off. Whether accurate or not, elected officials likely think that making it easier to vote would advantage one party at the expense of the other party.. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Defense lawyers in Idaho killings case want gag order kept, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son. National and Festival Holiday Act, which is applicable to all establishments in the country, irrespective of under which law it is formed it is mandatory to grant leave on following 3 days, i.e. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. There is no fixed election day for general elections, although since 1986 every general election has been held on Sunday. 14, 2019, BBC, "Singapore Election: Governing Party Secure Decisive Win, bbc.com, Sep. 12, 2015, Holly Jackson, "It's Time to Make Election Day a Holiday in Law and Spirit," washingtonpost.com, Oct. 22, 2018, BCP Associates, "India Elections 2019 - Declaration of Paid Holiday on Polling Day, bcpassociates.com, Apr. "Election Day as a national holiday would mean things like perhaps reduced schedules for public transportation, schools being closed, hourly workers perhaps being incentivized to work more with time and a half. And the empire has been pretty consistently breaking apart over the last half century Scotland is maybe next so it's not like there is a national unification to celebrate. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. Making Election Day a holiday would not necessarily involve adding a new holiday, which employers might resistparticularly following the addition of Juneteenth as a national holiday last week. I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national holiday. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. Opponents say it allows only a few states to select the president. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. As old as all of these societies are, their senses of national identity are commemorated by remarkably recent events. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. Election Day is a US State Holiday observed on several states on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every even-numbered year. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). For example, in Ecuador, only literate citizens between 18 and 65 are required to vote; those over 65 or who are not literateare not required. Sunday: the second Sunday of March for Congress, and the second Sunday of May for President and Vice President. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. 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. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. What we're proposing isn't that every Election Day becomes a national holiday, just the presidential election, which only takes place once every four years. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. ", ProCon.org. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Japan formally celebrates the anniversary of an ancient mythical emperor, although the holiday is mostly ignored today, due in part to its connections with Japan's ugly imperial history. 2. Countries which permit absentee ballots, early ballots or postal votes to be cast by mail before the election avoid the problem altogether by enabling voters to vote on a day that is more convenient to them. Operated 24:7 through the week. 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. Younger generations are also more likely to participate in political discussions online, which shows that a move towards digitizing the political and voting processes may not be too far off. For rest of the festival holidays the declaration . Start the discussion over on our Facebook page, and let us know about civic engagement in your town, state, or country! Vote.org has called on Amazon, Disney, McDonald's and others to offer paid time off for employees to vote and or work the polls. States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. 22 June 1986, 29 October 1989, 6 June 1993, 3 March 1996, 12 March 2000, 14 March 2004, 9 March 2008, 20 November 2011, 20 December 2015, 26 June 2016. With just about six in 10 voters turning out to vote in the U.S., some civil rights advocates are arguing that it's about time to give Americans the day off to vote. "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons." But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. Lists national days around the world by country or date. Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. What other improvements could be made to voting and Election Day? This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? 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. Sunday. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. Presidential and semipresidential systems, Constituencies: districting and apportionment. Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. [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. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions.. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. Traditionally elections are held over two days, starting on a Friday afternoon and ending the following Saturday afternoon. Maybe that could give us some hint as to the frequent foreign sensitivities and accusations, right or wrong, about Western foreign policy echoing old colonial practices. Countries outpacing the U.S. include the U.K, Mexico and Canada. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. [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). These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. November 7, 2023. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. "With the variety of challenges that election officials face, [making Election Day a holiday] is well down on the list of those things that need to be addressed," Becker said. We're familiar with how voting works in the U.S.when we vote, how we vote, who we vote forbut do you know what voting is like in other countries around the world? Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. Many Americans know that Election Day is a Tuesday, but few know why. US voter turnout trails most developed countries. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. 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. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. "Voting is a fundamental right,. 4. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. Rather, federal elections are held on the third Monday of October, every four years . Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . Concentrating voters into a single day risks congesting polling places, even more so than some already are. Sundays are the most common day for elections, but this is less true in the Anglosphere; Saturdays are used in New Zealand and Australia, and weekdays for the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. According to the Pew Research Center, of the thirty-six nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is one of nine that votes on a week day, and one of seven that doesn't designate election day a national holiday. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. 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. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . But none of those states have considerably high turnout compared to those where it isn't a holiday. About 54 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the 2012 presidential contest between Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, according to the Pew Research Center. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. By comparison,. But while . 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. 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 independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation.Many countries commemorate their independence from a colonial empire.. Not all countries mark independence as a national holiday.
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