countries where election day is a national holiday countries where election day is a national holiday

Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. Americans are working all the time. 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. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. Of these countries, 27 hold their national elections on a weekend. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. It would give people time to vote. It was created in 1992,. For rest of the festival holidays the declaration . Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. 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. In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. But some election analysts told CBS News that making Election Day a holiday is not a way to make voting easier. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 1. "Election Day really definitely does need to be a holiday," she said, adding, "We need to be able to have everybody feel like they have a great stake in it.". Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. Fourth Sunday of October immediately before the end of the current mandates. Rose Marcario, CEO, stated, demonstrating your companys commitment to voting will reinforce how essential it is that every eligible voter shows up. Monday in early September. Part of HuffPost Home & Living. ", Obama: "Absolutely. 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. In the US, Election Day is not a national holiday. 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. 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. 2020, Virginia. A number of bills like the Weekend Voting Act have been proposed in Congress over the years, often by Democrats. Elections to the Bundestag may be held on another public holiday. 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. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90. [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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. At the top of his list: making Election Day a national 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. 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. Canada's turnout is about the same as the United States', with an average of 68%, and though one canton in Switzerland has a compulsory voting law, for the country as a whole turnout is around 49%, one of the lowest rates in OECD countries. A large Democratic voting rights bill that would have made Election Day a national holiday collapsed in the Senate this year when two senators refused to join their own party in changing. Newsweek subscription offers > "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. Over the course of three days, Estonians could vote by placing their state-issued ID cards (which have an electronic chip . 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). 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. When turnout is high, it becomes increasingly fruitless for politicians to play to their base in ways that allow a vocal minority to rule, which is how many American leaders currently operate. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The founding fathers at first only granted white, male property owners the right to vote, so the expansion of voting rights has taken some time. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. [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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. 4) The outliers are few but tell you a lot about those countries. So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. 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%. Interestingly, 27 of the 36 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (made up largely of advanced democracies) conduct their national elections on the weekend. 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. These efforts challenge fundamental values of American democracy and constitute a serious threat to the one person, one vote principle. It would take an act of Congress to make Election Day a national holiday, and there is currently a bill proposing to designate "Democracy Day" as a national election holiday before a special committee. 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. 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. Making the presidential election a national holiday is another way to get people to the polls. Skip Navigation [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. The U.S. ranks 26th out of 32 for voter among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Over 60 court cases reviewed the evidence and judgesappointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents alikereached the same conclusion: there was no compelling evidence of fraud. 3. 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. That too is a reminder as to how new many of the ideas from that century, such as full enfranchisement and national self-determination, really are. Executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research David Becker argues that increasing turnout is a nuanced problem that can't be fixed by declaring a holiday. Delaware Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Montana New Jersey New York Ohio Puerto Rico Virginia West Virginia While Tuesdays have been custom for elections in the United States, Sunday is the day of. Usually Wednesday. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. As old as all of these societies are, their senses of national identity are commemorated by remarkably recent events. 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. 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. [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. However, the issues vary among different demographic groups. Pew also found that certain issues motivate voters more than others: "health care, poverty and education are the top motivators for political engagement." of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day 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). The bill has no cosponsors, but the concept was supported by every 2020 Democratic candidate for president, excluding Mike Bloomberg and now-nominee Joe Biden. [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 US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. In Switzerland, only one canton (or member state) requires voting; it is voluntary all other cantons of the country. But while . He thinks the increased options afforded by early and mail-in voting could be undermined by making Election Day a holiday, creating "a solution in search of a problem.". The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. Runoffs take place on the last Sunday of the same October. Explain your answers. 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. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? While the majority of US states have voter leave laws that guarantee certain employees a modicum of time off to vote, no federal law currently mandates that employees get time off to cast their ballots. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Rather, federal elections are held on the third Monday of October, every four years . 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. 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. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. 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. 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. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. Image 2. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Twenty-seven of the 36 member countries, hold their elections on the weekend. Congress would shore up the peoples right to vote while guaranteeing the time to engage in this fundamental right. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. And she thinks corporate America has been leading the way, pointing out several businesses, including Walmart and Coca-Cola, that have announced paid time off and other accommodations to make voting easier for employees on November 3. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. [16]. 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. By law, polling day is a public holiday if it falls on a weekday. We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. - Vincent Hutchings, a University of Michigan political science professor, - Gil Troy, American presidential historian, 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, Joaquin Corbalan / EyeEm via Getty Images, as travel and communication improved in the 19th century, being too busy or having a conflicting schedule, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, substantially increase the cost of running elections, move that would make it easier for Americans to vote, The types of workers least likely to reap the benefits. Think about it. Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. Operated 24:7 through the week. 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.. 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. A lot of people go to work, or they're in school during the weekday. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed H.R. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. 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? [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). ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? Not only would making Election Day a federal holiday increase voter turnout among Americans, which is something that politicians and citizens in general complain about often, but it . Last modified on October 1, 2020. This map, inspired by a Reddit thread with a similar map, shows the national days of the world's countries. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. Other politicians, businesses, and advocacy groups have voiced their approval of celebrating Election Day as a national holiday. [36]. ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria's election commission announced the first results late Sunday from the country's closely watched presidential election, but it could days . 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. 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. Sweden came second with 82.6%. "If I had my way, and I think it is really important, every . 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. 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. Such a change would mostly benefit white-collar workers instead of the lower-income workers its designed to help. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. Updates? Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Compared to other developed countries, America's voter turnout rate is pretty sad. 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. 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. 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. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? In the United States, it varies from state to state and even county to county, so the idea that one entire country might use the same voting method is actually pretty unique to Americans! President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. [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. Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey agrees. Four more states only provide time off for biennial, even-year elections: Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan and New Hampshire. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. "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. House Democrats introduced their first piece of legislation in the new Congress this week, an anti-corruption bill that proposes making Election Day a federal holiday and encourages . 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. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. Election Day is a state holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. 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. For more on the debate about making election day a national holiday, visit ProCon.org. The US ranks 26th out of 32 for voter turnout among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. In some of these countries, voting is compulsory, and in most of them, Election Day is a holiday. 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. February 26, 2023, 5:06 AM. Especially given that 65% of Americans support making election day a national holiday and 43% of voters already live in one of the 19 states with some form of voting holiday. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Tuesday is Election Day, but only in some parts of the country will voters get the day off to cast their ballots. Israel and South Korea hold their elections on weekdays, but they're national holidays. 3. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Battleground Tracker: Tight race in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Lindsey Graham appears before Georgia grand jury, House Jan. 6 committee is having conversations with Justice Department, Georgia grand jury investigating Trump wants testimony from Giuliani, Graham, Trump election interference grand jury to hear from Raffensperger, DHS IG says Wolf changed intel report on Russian interference in 2020. 4. 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. 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. 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. Read More, Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 11 July (Tuesday): Celebration of the Golden Spurs (Day of the Flemish Community) - celebrates the victory of the count of Flanders and the borough militia against the king of France outside Courtrai. Have you experienced an election day in another country, or do you know how voting works in a place we haven't mentioned here? Meanwhile, in Macedonia this past September, voters chose to stay away from the polls because of the proposed name change for the country. Some businesses may close, but their hourly paid employees will either have to use a PTO day or not get paid.. Why Election Day is Held on a Tuesday in November in the U.S. A Boatload of Ballots: Midterm Voter Turnout Hit 50-Year High, Estonia's i-voting: more secure, more popular, Macedonia referendum: Low voter turnout puts country's name change at risk, What Voting and Elections Look Like Around the World, X Marks the Choice: Voting Methods around the World, Defense Language and National Security Education Office. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. Some countries, including Belgium and Turkey, see such high voter turnout mainly because of their compulsory voting laws. 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. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. List two to three ways. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. An ordinary act of Congress could move Election Day to a Saturday or make it a holiday, thereby giving more people more . A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. Here is the relevant passage from Acts 28: [10][11]] ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. 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 Research Center. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. Even among the nine weekday voting countries, South Korea's and Israel's voters take a day off work on the day of the election to ensure higher electoral participation. The number of early votes cast before Election Day 2020, as of Nov. 1, neared the 100 million mark according to data aggregated by the U.S. History of Election Day Traditionally elections are held over two days, starting on a Friday afternoon and ending the following Saturday afternoon. 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.