countries where election day is a national holiday
That's true, although the separate "National Day of Commemoration" occurs on the anniversary of the truce ending the Irish war of independence. Consider the pandemic, which has not given essential workers more time off. ", "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. Could that ever happen in the U.S.? 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. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. Most recently, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont proposed a bill to designate "Democracy Day" as a national election holiday, which sits before a special committee. 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. 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. 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. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard Topics Explainers Politics US Evergreen US Explainers YOU MIGHT LIKE Indigenous Peoples Day is a local and state holiday in some parts of the country usually held on Columbus Day that celebrates the cultures of Native Americans. [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. Whether election day should be made a national holiday is debated. [ 18][ 19] Con 1 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. In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. It worked. of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 59% of Republicans and GOP leaners said they would support making Election Day a national holiday. Start the discussion over on our Facebook page, and let us know about civic engagement in your town, state, or country! 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. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". 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. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". 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. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. Some countries, about 27 of them, make voting compulsory. People literally cannot get to the polling booth because it may close at 7 o'clock and they're working later. 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. 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). Nine states classify general elections as holidays: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia. 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. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. In Switzerland, only one canton (or member state) requires voting; it is voluntary all other cantons of the country. Should Election Day be a national holiday? So, workers having a day off to vote wouldn't be a disruption to the economy, or anything a citizen of our country could deny would be worthwhile and smart thing to do. [36]. 2. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Explore which countries have weekend voting with Pew Research. 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. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. 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. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. If so, how? Concentrating voters into a single day risks congesting polling places, even more so than some already are. 2) Most other countries are shaped by relatively recent revolutions. Omissions? In the 2016 election, only 56% of voting-age Americans cast their ballots. South Africa's is from the first democratic elections, in 1994. Elections to the European Parliament take place over a period of four days (i.e., Thursday through to Sunday), according to the election days of the EU members states (as listed above). So the question of how you label Ireland goes back to which holiday you consider its national day. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. However, those numbers may be attributed to a combination of factors not solely because their elections occur on non-work days. ", ProCon.org. In 2018, the general election was held on Wednesday. Image 2. November 7, 2023. History of Election Day [33], Henry Farber, PhD, Hughes-Rogers Professor of Economics at Princeton University, conducted an analysis of states that made Election Day a holiday for state employees. As for Denmark, it has a national liberation day and some people celebrate international worker's day, but neither is a public holiday. 0:00. During the 2016 presidential election, less than 56% of the estimated voting-age population in the US voted. The U.S. is one of only nine member nations that have weekday voting. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. 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. Exact date set by the. Democracy on the ballot will the remaining election deniers succeed? Making the presidential election a national holiday is another way to get people to the polls. Other countries may only require it of certain people, and otherwise make it voluntary for others. Sunday: first Sunday of February for the President, Vice-President, and Legislative Assembly; second Sunday of February for municipal elections. 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. I think, to the best of my knowledge, it's something like $20. The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. Do you think it's time for the US to follow their lead? First Sunday of July until 2018. [1], An election day usually culminates in an election night when the results of the election are tallied and winners are announced.[2]. Voters in more than one-third of the country enjoy some form of an Election Day holiday, according to RepresentUs. "[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. Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. Countries that have weekend or holiday elections do tend to have better turnout overall. While these provisions represent major steps in the right direction, they are not enough. [18][19], Federal law doesnt require private employers to give employees paid federal holidays. The result is voter turnout rates of 72.3% and 77.2% respectively, which is 26-32% higher than the United States. 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. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. Many other democracies make election day a holiday and they all have higher voter turnout than we do. 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. Read more: The evolution of American voting rights in 242 years shows how far we've come and how far we still have to go. The US isn't the only developed country that faces this criticism, however. However, some countries, or regions within a country, which hold elections on a weekday declare election day a public holiday. 1. Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. The COVID-19 pandemic convinced. 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. If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? Think about it. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. Reformers will be far more successful adding a few days or options or opportunities than trying to undo Election Day.. Until 2009, elections were held over several consecutive Sundays. In 2007, the country held the world's first general Internet election. A simple but effective change, however, could be made in election timing. In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016, Dan Corey, editor-in-chief of Rutgers University's official student newspaper, The Daily Targum, asked Obama about what could be done to reverse the US's low voter turnout: The Daily Targum: "You have pointed out many times that voter turnout in the United States is very low, especially compared to other developed nations. And even a number of the blue countries, such as Australia and Canada, are actually the product of colonialism. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? We also know that countries that have marked their election days as federal events see higher voting turnouts than the United States. [1] The decision was made taking into account farmers, a large portion of the voting constituency at the time, who would not have been able to travel to polling places in winter months or during planting or harvest times. And I think on Election Day we should have a national holiday which says, 'you don't have to rush to vote.' In-person polls open Sunday at 12:01am, close Saturday at 11:59pm. Virginia joined these states in April this year. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. So far this year, hundreds of bills have been introduced that could have the effect of suppressing peoples right to vote. / CBS News. There is a "need to make voting more accessible, to make it more of a civic duty, to make sure that people don't have to choose between their job and their ability to cast the ballot are issues that are more prominent today than ever before," she told CBS News. 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. Unlike Singapore, South Korea and Israel, Canada has not declared election days as public holidays. 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. Because of the pandemic, more U.S. voters are exploring alternatives to voting on Election Day, such as early voting and mail-in voting. Read more: You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list. 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. 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. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? It happens to be on the day the politicians themselves get elected. 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. While no state has proposed reinstating the literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses that effectively ended the burst of African-American franchise during Reconstruction, todays efforts to disenfranchise minority voters are similarly unsubtle. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. Veterans Day typically is about one week after Election Day so this would involve little disruption in terms of job schedules and monthly routines. Let us make it as easy as we can," Sanders told CBS News. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. 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. However, rules, dates and deadlines vary by state, which can be confusing to some voters. After all, what do our veterans fight for, if not for democracy itself? According to the country's website detailing their "digital society," online voting has soared from 1.9% in 2005 to 30.5% in 2015. 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. Sunday. As old as all of these societies are, their senses of national identity are commemorated by remarkably recent events. 1, which adds a new paid holiday for federal employees every other year. There are many ways to boost voter turnout expanding early voting, automatically registering voters, and improving civic education programs . "And we actually have more options than ever before.". 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. Most others are not so recent, but still not so old: Taiwan's, for example, goes back to a 1911 uprising. Usually Wednesday. [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. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. as well as other partner offers and accept our. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . I am from Malta - a tiny EU island nation and today we celebrate the shipwreck of St. Paul on our island. By comparison,. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. Election officials in various states have predicted historic levels of turnout in 2020, with a chance to reach the highest ever. But it is not a federal holiday. A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. It was created in 1992,. Disclaimer: Dates and Events correct at time of printing but may change without our knowledge. Keep in mind that in the mid-1800s, the U.S. was largely an agricultural society. In many other democracies around the world, national elections are held on the weekend or are a federal holiday. Furthermore, making this small shift would celebrate the purpose and sacrifice of our fighting forces. [10][11]] [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. This article is about the general term "election day" worldwide. In fact, in Estonia, the option tovoteonlineis becoming increasingly popular. 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. OK, so why Tuesday? Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. Like Perez, Becker thinks giving voters more time and opportunity to vote is the best approach. President Obama likes the idea of changing the way or the day Americans vote. 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. Estonia is the only country to fully adopt online voting, but other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and Norway, have looked into pursuing it as an option in the future. In 1845, when Congress established a national election day, it had to be a Tuesday because farmers went to church on Sunday, went to market on Wednesday, and may have needed a day, Monday, to get to their polling place, Gil Troy an American presidential historian and McGill University professor told HuffPost. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group that includes 36 countries. "We should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. ", Others, however, are skeptical that creating a national holiday would increase voter turnout. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Election Day in the United States is the annual day for general elections of federal public officials.It is statutorily set by the U.S. government as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November", i.e. 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. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. Sign up to receive a weekly email update on forthcoming public holidays around the world in your inbox every Sunday. 5. 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. For more information on how to vote, head over to our TurboVote module. In Estonia, a national ID card (required for every citizen in the country) can be used to vote remotely. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? [31]. States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, while the elections to the . 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. Election Day - Tuesday, Nov. 8 - is a special day, with voters casting ballots across the country. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 3. [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. "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. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. [14], Pew Research Center found that 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans support making Election Day a federal holiday. 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? In 2018, a Pewstudy found that 65% of Americans favored making Election Day a national holiday. 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. 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. 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. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. Countries that hold the ballot before Sunday are not permitted to announce results until all other countries have finished voting. By Monday morning, nearly 60 million had already voted early across the country, closing in on half of 2016's total voter turnout. Incidentally, Australia routinely reaches more than 90 percent voter turnout, compared to the United States, where average voter turnout in presidential elections since 1965 has been only 54%. It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year.