Should election day be a national holiday?

[Kal Belgarion]

I've had this idea for a while now, and I was wondering if it's ever been seriously considered by legislators.

If election day were a national holiday, then more people would be free to vote. Granted, many would still abstain, but a holiday would get around the problem of the overworked not finding time to vote. The kids wouldn't have a million school-related activities to go to. The office wouldn't be calling all day. More free time would mean more voters.

While some employers wouldn't like this idea and may not grant election day as a holiday, perhaps the government could give tax incentives or other bonuses to companies who allow their workers to have a holiday on election day.

It would seem that this would be a good issue for congresspeople to run on. Has this been brought up before?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. Rethugs would NEVER allow this because all of those....

"brown people" that Bush talks about could go out and vote then.

I would like to see Election Day be a National Holiday.

[Kal Belgarion]

3. No, really

Although that may be the case, what would their public excuse be? They have to have a line scripted so that they wouldn't sound racist.

[K-W]

15. They dont need an excuse.

This idea has been around for a long time, republicans just say they dont think its a good idea, its not neccessary.

It never makes it very far because it isnt very glamourous and it isnt just the republicans who fear increased voter turnout, its alot of risk aversive people who dont want to see the system change in a way that hurts them.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. ABSOLUTELY!

you should make this into a poll. :hi:

[Raster]

4. Election day SHOULD BE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. That said,...

...elected representatives, especially repukelican representatives, are horrified by the idea. An informed and voting electorate is not the friend of repukelican fascism. They would prefer that only THEIR shock troops vote.

I have always been amazed that in a democracy anyone would be encouraged not to vote or that actions would be taken to keep people away from the polls, but that is exactly what is happening in the US today. Just look at the obvious "Jim Crow" tactics in Florida. The repukes, including the repuke gov and his shady staff, are doing everything they can to hinder the turnout by the middle class and people of color, especially blacks who vote predominately democratic.

[Book Lover]

5. The reason why it's not

is because states control elections. A state can choose to make it a state holiday, but that does not compel an employer to close their doors. My suggestion is to make it Election Weekend: Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That covers all bases for those who can't vote on one of those days for religious reasons. Not that that modest proposal is happening anything soon either...

[candy]

8. People would take off if it was a 3 day weekend.

We should encourage folks who are too lazy or too busy to use absentee ballots.

[LWolf]

6. Yes. n/t

[readmylips]

7. PBS TV saw documentary on Puerto Rico....

Island Natives 95% of citizens vote, and voting day is a Holiday.
Families as a whole take part in in holding front porch rallies and form caravans of cars, with patriotic music blasting, from house to house until every one meets at the town square for a big celebration.

Imported Puerto Rican citizens or those born in the main state, have a high voting record of 65% (democrats), but it takes them a while to warm up to the political machine ...whatever the heck is going on....politics in a bubble and nothing relates to them...dry..nothing to hold their attention.

[blue neen]

9. A lot of school districts in this area have that day off.

Many schools are used as polling places. It was getting to be a security issue for the schools.

Why not make it a national holiday?

[greekspeak]

10. Love the idea but...

It would end up like other holidays. Take "Labor" day. We celebrate that with white sales and, well, labor. MLK JR. day? Wow...no school or work...guess we could GO SHOPPING!?! President's Day? Shopping! Fourth of July? Lets drink some beer and throw fireworks at animals.

I can see it now. All the low wage earning people at restaurants and shops would be working "Election Day" white sales instead of voting. How do you keep this from happening?

[LifeDuringWartime]

12. throw fireworks at animals?

right.

you cant prevent people from working when they need to. perhaps for election day, employers would be mandated to grant sufficient time off to ALL employees to vote.

[greekspeak]

16. You are right

People throw fireworks at each other as well as at animals. If you are going to make election day a holiday that COUNTS, it needs to be a day when everything shuts down. Or, at least insofar as the country's infrastructure doesn't collapse. I know that people need to work. Lord knows I do. But those people should not have to work to support others so that THEY can go vote instead.

[Cha]

14. Not me...I went to Niagara Falls, Canada

and had an Awesome time...

I must say..I love the Canadians!

[Warpy]

11. It would never work

Heathcare runs 24/7, and I doubt many retail or fast food establishments could be persuaded to forego a day's profit. You know that convenience markets would insist on staying open. Too many people would be left completely out of that holiday for it to work. You'd have federal employees, possibly state employees, and maybe some office workers getting the day off. Nobody else would.

However, keeping the polls open from noon to 8 PM on Saturday AND Sunday might just do the trick. Preachers would have nothing to bitch about since we wouldn't be cutting into their time.

Another thing that would work is allowing people the option of voting at a precinct near their workplace. With some people commuting two hours each way, having the polling place close to their homes makes no earthly sense, nor does getting a measly hour off from work (if the employer is generous) to go vote.

[Cha]

13. Yes! If it's good enough for the

Aussies it's good enough for us..they also have it a misdomeanor If for some reason you Don't vote!


Go Aussies..get that howard out!

[soundfury]

17. Of course it should but that would mean É.

More people would vote.:evilgrin:

911 was a lie

[politicat]

18. Only if it's a different class of holiday - more like a National Work Day

It can't be the same as the other holidays that have lost meaning in the pursuit of commerce. It has to be a serious day, not like Memorial day or Labor Day. (Both of which piss me off to no end, having both a military - with dead - and labor background.)

Also, I think Election day should be moved. Locally, it's a two week process - you can vote for the two weeks prior to the election at the county clerk's office between 8 and 5 mon thru fri. That's a good start, but it needs to be even more than that - nights and weekends.

That said, it won't happen for many of the reasons stated above.

Pcat

[goddess40]

19. The November election should be

It would free people up to be poll workers. Many schools are polling places and it would make them more accessible. In my district the polls are set up in the lunch room, it gets more than a little crazy at lunch time.
On the other elections state workers should be able to get a paid day off to work in the polls. The poll workers are understaffed and underpaid. In my county they earn less then $100 per election and that counts two training meetings.

[guajira]

20. No, but it should be held on a weekend

A holiday is just another day to hang out at home and barbeque for some people, not an incentive to get out and vote.

However, it would be better to have it on a Saturday to give more people time to get to the polls.

[unslinkychild1]

21. Why not?

It is in 3rd world countries like Mexico.... but then again, they have national health care, too. Hmmmmm.

[Snotcicles]

22. The only thing that scares

republicans more, would be to make it compulsory.