NationStates Jolt Archive


Election dates

Patra Caesar
19-03-2005, 04:16
The first Tuesday in November every four years sounds reasonable, but why Tuesday? Wouldn't it make more sense to have elections on Saturday so people who work can vote? If, like many places, America uses schools as polling booths then wouldn't it be easier to vote on the weekend so you don't have to dodge children? Or is the reasoning behind this something more like, 'people will already be in town on Tuesday, leave our weekends alone!'?

Just curious...
Maraque
19-03-2005, 04:19
They're open late... and after school hours.
Patra Caesar
19-03-2005, 04:21
They're open late... and after school hours.

What time are the booths open?
Pantylvania
19-03-2005, 04:34
The first Tuesday in November every four years sounds reasonable, but why Tuesday? Wouldn't it make more sense to have elections on Saturday so people who work can vote? If, like many places, America uses schools as polling booths then wouldn't it be easier to vote on the weekend so you don't have to dodge children? Or is the reasoning behind this something more like, 'people will already be in town on Tuesday, leave our weekends alone!'?

Just curious...Tuesday means it's more difficult for working class people to vote. If election day were on Saturday, people who work would be able to vote. The US does have polling places in schools. It would be easier to vote there on the weekends. Your precinct is determined by where you live, not by where you work. I think I answered everything
Maraque
19-03-2005, 04:38
What time are the booths open? Ours closed at 11pm. Don't remember the time they opened.
ElleDiamonique
19-03-2005, 04:39
What time are the booths open?

Ours open at 8:00AM and close at 8:00PM.
Celtlund
19-03-2005, 04:42
On Saturday there are such mundane things as shopping for food, doing the laundry, cutting the grass, etc. who has time to go to the poll? On Sunday, there are such things as going to church or sleeping late, BBQ, or doing the things you didn't get to do on Saturday.

Monday is definitely out. Monday is a "blue day," the day you have to return to work after the weekend. Wednesday is "hump day," make it until noon and the workweek is half over. Thursday is "blah day," you know. It's the day everyone says, I wish it were Friday. Friday is the day everyone waits for. The weekend is coming, I want to get out of town, or I'm heading home, or I’m off to the lake as soon as I can sneak out of here.

No Tuesday is the perfect day for an election. No blues from the weekend hangover and no end of workweek blues. AND some companies give you all or part of Election Day off. Have elections on a weekend and miss some time off with pay, no way.
Patra Caesar
19-03-2005, 04:43
Does it close at diffrent times in diffrent states? :confused: Is this because of the time zones so all the booths are open at the same time no matter where they are? :)
Celtlund
19-03-2005, 05:43
Does it close at diffrent times in diffrent states? :confused: Is this because of the time zones so all the booths are open at the same time no matter where they are? :)

In most states the polls open at 7AM and colse at 7PM. So the times the poles are open are the same in most states, but you must remember time zones change from state to state. In the continental US there are four time zones, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Alaska and Hawaii are in different time zones.