countries where election day is a national holiday

Voter turnout in the U.S. is generally quite low, trailing behind that of other developed democracies around the world, according to another Pew study. And. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. [ 18][ 19] Con 1 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. Traditionally on weekends. 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. [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 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. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Freedom to Vote Act would make Election Day a national holiday. 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. Georgia grassroots groups helped Biden win. Australia sees around 91%, and 94% in Singapore. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. Politicians, most recently House Democrats in 2019, have also floated the idea of turning a weekday Election Day into a federal holiday, but to no avail. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. 2020, Virginia. 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.". 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. Last week his office released a list of voting rights provisions he would support. Some countries, including Belgium and Turkey, see such high voter turnout mainly because of their compulsory voting laws. 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. And even a number of the blue countries, such as Australia and Canada, are actually the product of colonialism. [ 17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. As Congress continues to grapple with voting rights legislation this week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has used his considerable influence as the Senates key swing vote to set the terms of the debate. "Election day should be a national holiday" is a claim of policy because we are discussing a policy which searches a solution for the presented argument. Change often comes slowly, subtly. WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Election Day should be a holiday for workers in the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. We are very proud that we are mentioned in the Bible. 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. Sweden came second with 82.6%. Additionally, many of these individuals rely on school days as childcare for their children. America is walking the knifes edge between maintaining and losing democracy. 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. Some countries use electronic voting machines, such as India, while others rely on paper ballots, such as Zimbabwe. It is very, very hard to change core American traditions which Americans see not only as propping up their democracy but perpetuating its legitimacy, he said. Litigation pending before the Supreme Court this term in Brnovich v. DNC, however, threatens to undermine this rule. 27 September (Wednesday): Day of the French-speaking Community - commemorates the victory of the patriots against the Dutch army in Brussels in 1830. 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.. "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. Right now, federal elections are always held on Tuesdays, because farmers in the 1840s needed multiple days to get to the . ProCon.org. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. Other countries take heroic efforts to ensure that people can vote if they desire. Tuesday was chosen because it was most convenient for farmers traveling by horse and buggy at the time. For starters, the United States is rather unique in that it schedules its election day on a weekday, let alone a Tuesday. [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. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue . Russia's national holiday only goes back to 1992, when the Russian Federation was founded. 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. A 2018 Pew survey found that the majority of Americans (65%) would be in favor of turning Election Day into a national holiday that includes 71% of Democratic-leaning voters and 59% of Republican-leaning voters. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. The United States has held federal elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years since 1845. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who don't to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. Take, for example, Bhutan, which every celebrates the anniversary of Ugyen Wangchuck's 1907 election as the nation's first hereditary king (yes, you read that correctly), but not its 1949 independence. Rather, federal elections are held on the third Monday of October, every four years . That's true, although the separate "National Day of Commemoration" occurs on the anniversary of the truce ending the Irish war of independence. Even people youd expect to know, like politicians, have been stumped by this very question. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. [15] Israel and South Korea make national elections a holiday to avoid economic hardship for voters. Voter turnout in the United States is usually considered low, especially in years without a presidential election. States such as Georgia and Iowa already have passed restrictive measures and many others appear poised to do the same thing. And that election saw the second highest voter turnout in 20 years. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Compulsory voting does not necessarily guarantee 100% turnout rates, however, though they still see higher rates than countries which do not require it. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? But Gupta said that there's been a "lack of political will" to give the initiative some momentum. [31][32] Trying one of these alternatives would avoid the negative economic impact of closing businesses for Election Day. 3. Understanding what happened in the Chicago mayoral race. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? Regional Belgian public holidays during 2023. 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. 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. NOW WATCH: Arianna Huffingtons advice to Hillary Clinton, the majority of US states have voter leave laws, You can take time off from work to vote in 30 states here's the full list, voted during the 2016 presidential election, experts say such a scheme is unlikely to fly in the US, The evolution of American voting rights in 242 years shows how far we've come and how far we still have to go, In an interview with President Barack Obama in 2016. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Should the United States use the Electoral College in presidential elections? This article was published more than10 years ago. Saudi Arabia's marks the 1932 unification of the country. South Korea and Israel hold theirs during the week, but have made the day a federal holiday. 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." Consider, for example, the national days of France and Germany: the former marks the French revolution, in 1789, and the latter marks the German reunification in 1990. 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). In some states where they don't have mail-in ballots, voting can take a lot of time out of the day. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? 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. 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 . Until 2009, elections were held over several consecutive Sundays. In Sweden, for example, 83% of registered voters participated in the 2014 national . 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. For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for . 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. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Plus, some experts say moving to weekend voting could substantially increase the cost of running elections. Saturday, but can be any day of the week, such as when a Saturday conflicts with a holiday. This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 18:43. Sunday. 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. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Last modified on October 1, 2020. procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. as well as other partner offers and accept our. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. History of Election Day A National Day is a date for a country to celebrate its nationhood. 25, 2016, Chris Talgo, "Make Election Day a National Holiday? [10][11]] "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.". 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. First published on October 26, 2020 / 10:57 AM. But in many other countries, the government automatically registers voters and holds elections on days that are weekend days or national holidays. 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. It is set by statute as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.". Corrections? If Election Day were a national holiday, how would you ensure hourly and low-income workers would get a chance to vote? 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. Hailey said the country needs a "cultural shift" to prioritize voting. Experts told CBS News that it's no coincidence this is occurring in a year when Americans have more time and more ways to vote than ever before. [17] Countries such as France, Mexico, and India also observe federal holidays for elections. ", "An overall look at Vietnam's election law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Election_day&oldid=1136894393. [36]. 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. Runoffs take place on the last Sunday of the same October. Updates? In previous elections, that percentage was even higher. It's amazing how much of the map is green, indicating countries that celebrate a national independence day every year. Others say a holiday would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers and corporations should have better policies for voting time off. Many Americans know that Election Day is a Tuesday, but few know why. 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). Some say a holiday would increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote while celebrating democracy. Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. 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. And some countries, like Australia, require people to vote by subjecting those who dont to a minor fine equivalent to a traffic ticket. 26 th January (Republic Day), 15 th August (Independence Day) and 2 nd October (Gandhi Jayanti). Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. It was created in 1992,. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters. By comparison, Belgium reported the highest OECD voter turnout: 87.2% in the most recent national election. Its hard to say. The name change required at least 50% voter participation, and opponents to the name change advocated not voting at all rather than voting against the measure. 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. "While this would not be a cure-all, it would indicate a national commitment to create a more vibrant democracy.". Puerto Rico's voter turnout has gone as high as 80 .

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