After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? And so while it's very understandable that people are trying to find ways to make it more convenient for people to vote, it's very likely that Election Day as a national holiday would actually hurt the voters who most need more options," Becker said. 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. Election Day National Holiday - Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org To look through the stats for voter turnout for other countries, you can visit the website for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and explore the data. 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. 0:58. Voting Around the World - Home | CultureReady Why Isn't Election Day A National Holiday In The United States? - HuffPost 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. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. Election Day - Tuesday, Nov. 8 - is a special day, with voters casting ballots across the country. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. 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. Election Day as a holiday is something that exists in other countries, but not in most places in the U.S. It's an issue that comes up a lot, but never really gets much serious public debate. 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. Is Election Day a Federal Holiday? - NBC Chicago Election Day (United States) - Wikipedia Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. These numbers also may be indicative of higher turnout for major elections, but may not reflect engagement in local or regional elections. Lessons in How to Hold Elections", "GE2015: First time Polling Day falls on a Friday, but not first time polls held on a weekday", "180/2014 Z.z. 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. [16]. Patriotic Holidays | National Archives The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. 3) Britain and Denmark have no national days. It was created in 1992,. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. National Days around the world | Office Holidays Without this simple step toward turning out as many Americans as possible to vote, any reform will be incomplete. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . 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. Lists national days around the world by country or date. Roughly 138 million Americans voted in the 2016 presidential election, just 61.4% of the 214,109,360 million who were registered to vote, according to The U.S. Election Assistance Commission. ], ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons. Election Day in the United States - Time and Date Puerto Rico's voter turnout has gone as high as 80 . Such low voter turnout rates in the United States have various reasons why many Americans decide not to vote, but one main reason is not giving them time to vote and cast their ballots. Today in my country it is a national holiday as we celebrate the day when St. Paul converted our whole country to Catholicism in AD 60. Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue . Mail-in voting starts 1 month before polls open. https://www.britannica.com/question/Should-election-day-be-made-a-national-holiday. Of the nonvoters surveyed by the US Census Bureau about the 2008 presidential election, the 2012 presidential election, and numerous other elections, the most commonly cited reason for not voting was being too busy or having conflicting work schedules. Traditionally elections are held over two days, starting on a Friday afternoon and ending the following Saturday afternoon. This is partially due to the influence of Protestantism, which historically set restrictions on activities other than church-going during the Sabbath (usually considered as falling on a Sunday). Disclaimer: Dates and Events correct at time of printing but may change without our knowledge. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. Is Election Day a federal holiday? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Why are other countries better at conducting elections than we are? Elections are federal holidays in Singapore, which, when combined with mandatory voting, resulted in a voter turnout of 93.6% for the 2015 election of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. 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. Will the party listen to them on the issues? High turnout means that people are successfully exercising their rights-a good in itselfbut it also ensures the continuing health of majority rule. That's true, although the separate "National Day of Commemoration" occurs on the anniversary of the truce ending the Irish war of independence. 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. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. Election day should be a national holidayCommentary - CNBC "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. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. [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. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. That means the stock market will be open, and so will. "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. by country by date According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Is Election Day a Holiday in Your State? | RepresentUs COLUMN: Point Counterpoint: There are pros and cons to making Election According to Pew Research data, US voter turnout trails most developed countries. ", "National Electoral Code Article 53 and 148", Report of the 2014 National Lawyers Guild Bolivian Election Observation Delegation, Voting hours for elections in EU Member States, "The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark", Consultation Report on Review of Electoral Arrangements, "India Elects 2019: The World's Largest Election, Explained", "Six Nations match at the centre of row over election date - Independent.ie", "With full term possible, Netanyahu may outlast Ben-Gurion (and Obama)", Confessionalism and Electoral Reform in Lebanon, "Voters reminded not to reveal voting intention at Sunday's polling", "Malaysia's election on a Wednesday favors PM, opposition says", "Elections in Mexico and the US: Comparisons and contrasts", "Law on Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament", "Election Days General Elections 1853-2011", "The main features of the Norwegian electoral system", "Tribunal Electoral de Panam convoca a elecciones generales de 2024", "Peru Can Give U.S. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. But while . 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. All rights reserved. [26] Creating laws in all states that let people vote before or after work would be more effective than a national holiday, which would quickly be viewed as just another day off to enjoy. The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday for federal elections, meaning non-essential federal employees would get a paid day off. [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. - Zkon o podmienkach vkonu volebnh", "The Effectiveness of Early Voting A Case Study of the Republic of Korea", "Ley Orgnica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Rgimen Electoral General", "Elections in Venezuela and Pennsylvania: Lessons in Democracy? Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. "We already know how to make voting convenient to voters that's by offering them options, like making an election season rather than election day," he said. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. 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. Here are the four things I found interesting about this once as I mapped it out: 1) Yes, most of the world was shaped by colonialism. However, for the most part, most countries vote in person at the voting booth, and while countries may alter the length of election periods andthe equipment used in voting from election to election, it still tends to have many of the same features. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. [31]. Why or why not? Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. In theory, it seems that any move that would make it easier for Americans to vote would increase participation. Sometimes, specific ballot measures can influence voter turnout: in the UK, the Brexit vote resulted in a 72% turnout, slightly higher than the average of 69%. Usually Wednesday. Newsela | Should Election Day become a national holiday? [ 18][ 19] Con 1 Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. In 2005, the American Bar Association looked at a few different methods of voting: in 1989 in Namibia, voters marked an X on ballots using ink on their fingers; in Bulgaria, rather than marking a ballot, voters pick from any number of sheets of paper representing specific political parties and puts it in a ballot box; and in Ireland, "they designate their top three candidates by numbering them 1, 2, and 3." As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. He says it's more important to spread voting out over a period of days and methods. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished voting. [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. Explain your answers. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday. Estonia This tiny Baltic nation is making waves for introducing something that seems completely logical in the digital age -- online voting. 3. Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. Change often comes slowly, subtly. In an interview published Thursday, President Obama endorsed the idea of holding U.S. federal elections on weekends or national holidays. 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.