Election Day is a public holiday in some areas (see list below), where it is a day off and schools and most businesses are closed. It is clearly an important day but is it a federal holiday? By The first time around might not see a huge change, but after it settles in, it’s not unreasonable to believe that it’ll result in more people voting in advance , so they’re completely free on Federal Election Day. With the exception of 11 states that have declared Election Day a civic holiday, all regular operations will be continuing as usual. Tomorrow (November 3) is Election Day for the U.S. Presidential Election 2020. This means it … Where there was a need, there was a way. You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. Making Election Day a holiday will not only make it easier for millions of Americans to vote, but it would mark a celebration of participating in our democracy. Despite the advent of “early voting” in many states, Election Day continues to be a day greatly anticipated every two years, whether for Presidential or Mid-term elections. If Christmas falls on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, the governor may authorize a 12th paid holiday. For a federal holiday to be recognized by the federal government, the President needs to write it into law. you can also check if your state allows early voting today. eServices, web chat, website) to find out about the latest work pass requirements. Detroit's NPR Station. While brick-and-mortar facilities are closed, some post office services are available online 24/7, including on holidays. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer on Monday announced he was making Election Day 2020 a holiday, giving city workers the day off with pay. @TinaLBarton gave me some good insight that caused me to reconsider my bill that would have done just that. This is a stressful, insecure time for many. Lincoln's Birthday and Election Day are deemed floating holidays and can optionally be observed on a later date. On Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. ⚠️ Follow our US election 2020 live blog for the latest news & updates 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. This holiday only occurred in 2020. The legislation proposes making Election Day, the first Tuesday in November, a public holiday just like Washington’s Birthday, Independence Day and Christmas. © Copyright 2021 by WDET and Wayne State University. If, however, the holiday designation is paired with other voter initiatives like voting my mail, extended early and/or absentee voting, and less restrictive voter registration rules, the overall impact would be a boon to voter participation and the democratic ideal of free elections and a truly … A national holiday designation for Election Day by itself could be a net negative. Speaking on MichMash, she explains that one of her biggest concerns has to do with the post office. See why nearly a quarter of a million subscribers begin their day with the Starting 5. And for those who will be working on the day there are plenty of options to vote before the day. Universal suffrage means that everyone should have an equal … Election Day is officially a state holiday in Illinois Government offices will be closed on November 3 and businesses throughout the state could follow suit. Is Election Day Holiday a Public Holiday? State government offices could also close for these holidays. Election Day is not a state holiday in this U.S. state, nor is it a federal holiday. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. Under the Attendance Rules, a holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed on the following Monday. And so, this would actually make it even easier and validate businesses to give their employees the day off so that they can work the elections and serve as election workers.”. Benson also emphasized the “preeminence” that she says Election Day should have in our culture, that it should be a day of celebration of our civic duty to elect our leaders — a celebration of democracy at a time when democracy is under real threat. To continue reading login or create an account. All employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to paid public holidays. And she said there are lots of other ways to do that like early, in-person voting. The Election Day law replaces the current holiday honoring Confederate Gens. In accordance with Section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Polling Day, Friday 10 July 2020 is a public holiday. That is in addition to postal voting. Even some Democrats are saying that it could have unintended consequences. A federal holiday normally sees federal government offices close—sometimes they also close on July 3 ahead of Independence Day—which leads the way for other businesses to offer paid leave to their employees. Benson’s proposal would make Election Day a state holiday, not a national holiday. We want parents to vote, not get stuck. Pro 2 Making Election Day a national holiday would turn voting into a celebration of democracy. List of dates for other years. Her ideas include requiring a statewide risk-limiting audit of an election’s results before the state certification, giving clerks more time ahead of Election Day to process ballots and banning open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling locations. And the last thing that we want to do is not get someone’s ballot in because the postal service was closed down.”. As part of the weekly series MichMash, hosts Jake Neher Cheyna Roth talk about the cases for and against making Election Day a state holiday. Election Day is a holiday in some states Election Day isn’t a Federal Reserve holiday. One example: if it’s a holiday, kids are home from school…making it much harder for parents to have time to get to the polls. Guyana holidays 2021. I'm proud to sign these bills into law.". In 2018, a Pew study found that 65% of Americans favored making Election Day a national holiday. This Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. Please make a gift today. A bill passed in 2020 makes the General Election an official holiday in Illinois. Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, so Virginia maintains the same number of state holidays. She’s also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films. Speaking at the time, Governor Ralph Northam said: "Voting is a fundamental right and these new laws strengthen our democracy by making it easier to cast a ballot, not harder. Even in the states that do recognize it as a holiday, your bank will probably be open today. It shouldn’t all come down to just one day.”, Despite Olive Branch from Whitmer, GOP Showing No Interest in Cooperation in 2021, A Michigan Reporter’s Harrowing Experience Inside Capitol During Insurrection, New Year Means New Democratic Majority on State Supreme Court. “ We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day,” says Barton. Terms of Use | Online Privacy Policy, many sweeping changes she would like to see, the conspiracy fueled calls for election reform. Politics, Government & Finance ELECTION Day is Tuesday, November 3, and some government offices will be closed. WDET is a community service of Wayne State University. WDET is here to keep you informed on essential information, news and resources related to COVID-19. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network. For example, while Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, according to Britannica, the day did not become an official holiday until "northerners" dominated Capitol Hill. Election Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico. “Whether that be through the mail, or people drop them off in person. More absentee voters mean there needs to be more of those ballots processed on Election Day, while other poll workers help people cast ballots in person. Election Day Holiday is a public holiday. [] Caravanas are joyful, noisy parades of cars festooned with flags and other decorations that stream through Puerto Rico’s streets ahead of an election and are credited with the island’s over 80% voter turnout Efforts include this bill introduced in 2002 to make Election Day an official federal holiday, and this bill from 2001 to actually move the day to Veterans Day. Most customers use our digital services (e.g. The day commemorating Lee and Jackson, both of whom owned slaves, had been established about 25 years after the Civil War ended. Elections are on Tuesdays because in 1845, Congress decided that the Tuesday after the first Monday of November would be most convenient for farmers around the country. You can check state holidays by visiting your local government website, which you can find using the USA.gov website. Its expected that around 20% of people will do this federal election. Education In other areas, Election Day is a normal working day. The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. "No matter who you are or where you live in Virginia, your voice deserves to be heard. Elections. It is a day when democracy is put into action, and for that reason, some have proposed making it a federal holiday called “Democracy Day,” although, that has not yet happened. “This would actually make it even easier and validate businesses to give their employees the day off so that they can work the elections and serve as election workers.” — Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. ATLANTA — For many Americans, voting on Election Day is a tradition, and some wonder why it’s not a national holiday. An early voter poses with a wrist band at a polling station in Chicago, Illinois. But in eight states, Election Day remains a civil holiday: Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. However, while Election Day is not recognized as a national holiday on a federal level, some states have worked to write it into law as a state holiday. “That, to me, is the real answer,” she says. Election Day isn't a national holiday in the US, but some people think it should be. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Many people in the United States vote on Election Day. With this declaration, most government offices and school teachers will get the day … Can you have the day off work? With the exception of 11 states that have declared Election Day a civic holiday, all regular operations will be continuing as usual. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which is responsible for human resources for the federal government, Election Day is not a federal holiday. In North Carolina, state employees are provided a maximum of 11 paid holidays. Making Election Day a holiday is not a new idea. Alternative solutions include making Election Day a federal holiday or merging it with Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, allowing voting over multiple days, mandating paid time off to vote, encouraging voters to vote early or vote by postal voting, and encouraging states to promote flexible voting. Also, would a holiday mean limited public transit schedules, which might make it harder for some people to get to the polls? Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. The website has a specific feature for identifying your nearest polling place as well as confirming whether you are registered to vote. Not everyone is jumping at the idea of making Election Day a state holiday, however. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. Each week, WDET's Jake Neher and Michigan Public Radio's Cheyna Roth un-jumble Michigan issues and talk about how statewide news stories affect you. Would you have to pay all levels of election workers holiday pay, which would make administering elections more expensive? While Barton isn’t for or against making Election Day a holiday, one thing she is definitely on board with is getting more people to vote. Don't Boycott Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics. The next national holiday is Veteran's Day on November 11, 2020. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a holiday in Michigan. So it’s more important than ever for you, our listeners and readers, who are able to donate to keep supporting WDET’s mission. And if they get sick on Monday, the day before the election… they’re not trying to get an emergency ballot, or something like that. Secondarily, making Federal Election Day a national holiday would simply make us like it more. It’s one of many sweeping changes she would like to see in state election law. The Ministry would like to inform companies that Polling Day, as a public holiday, should be treated in the same manner as any other public holiday. If you’re unable to do so, you can make an appointment to visit our services centres. It is the last day people can vote in person for their preferred candidate to lead the nation for the next four years. However, while Election Day is not recognized as a national holiday on a federal level, some states have worked to write it into law as a state holiday. Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York have also made Election Day into a state holiday. Barton’s concerns about the possible unintended consequences of an Election Day holiday have led a Democratic sponsor of legislation to create the holiday to “reconsider” her bill. “It shouldn’t all come down to just one day.” — Rochester Hills City Clerk Tina Barton. ELECTION Day is Tuesday, November 3, and some government offices will be closed. In addition, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even years, the state celebrates Election Day and many offices are closed. Although state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) says she still supports the idea, but she says “I’m all-in on an all-of-the-above approach.”. Declaring Election Day a holiday has been proposed various times in Congress; it's a popular idea. “And that enabled us to essentially fill our needs of staffing the elections. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make Election Day a state holiday, but some worry about unintended consequences. “This past year, we were able to make it work through sports teams and other businesses that stepped up, gave their employees the day off, made it a holiday internally,” says Benson. Voters arrive and depart a polling place on October 31, 2020 in Yadkinville, North Carolina. She says that’s especially important right now with more voters casting absentee ballots. “Let’s get early in-person voting in place in Michigan, so that everyone has an opportunity that fits their schedule. Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. Virginia joined these states in April this year. There are thirteen observed New York State holidays for state employees. Guyana holidays 2022. 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 … 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. This means it will only apply to the state in question, rather than the whole nation. Some businesses such as retailers and gyms often remain open on certain federal holidays in order to protect seasonal sales. If you still need to identify your nearest voting station for the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, you can do so by visiting Vote.org. If you're concerned about being able to attend in-person on November 3, 2020, you can also check if your state allows early voting today. “Whether that be through the mail, or people drop them off in person. The Republicans want picture IDs, right? Benson is dreaming big, and in doing so she’s getting out in front of a lot of the conspiracy fueled calls for election reform from some Republicans. 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. For example, although most schools are closed anyway because they’re being used as polling places, not all of them are, which begs the question: If we’re going to be closing more schools and possibly daycares would that cause childcare problems that would actually make it harder for some people to vote? “We get about 20-25% of our absentee ballots come in on Election Day,” says Barton. In fact, many companies have already started to give their employees Election Day off, including Best Buy, Gap, Nike and Visa. Your connection to news, music, conversation. All Rights Reserved. The earliest possible date that Election Day can fall on is November 2nd, and the latest possible date is November 8th. Ralph Northam signed into law a measure that, among other things, makes Election Day a state holiday in the commonwealth. No, but elections are held on Saturdays. It’s a move that could de-politicize some of the election reform discussion, as some of the ideas could receive bipartisan support. On WDET’s Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson, Benson emphasized that making Election Day a holiday would make it easier to attract more election workers. With a USPS.com account, you can order stamps, print shipping labels, order boxes and other mail supplies, and request package pickups.. Stamps are also sold at most major supermarkets, pharmacies and office supply stores, which are open on some federal holidays. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. No, Polling Day for by-election is not a public holiday.

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