NationStates Jolt Archive

I was just sent this message (http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/dayoff), wherein the Obama campaign urges folks to take election day off.

Here in Japan, as in many other countries, national elections are held on a holiday - in Japan's case Sunday.

In the US, for historical reasons, national elections are on Tuesdays. Some workers (Federal employees, some state, employees, and UAW members, for example) do have a holiday. But most don't.

So, should election day be a holiday?

Without a doubt.

How much time does voting actually take in the USA ?

How much time does voting actually take in the USA ?

Depends on the lines.

How much time does voting actually take in the USA ?
up to several hours by all accounts. So having the day off in which to do so would be a great idea.
Either that or holding it on a Sunday when the majority of people aren't working.
Why the hell do they hold it on the 1st Tuesday in November?
anyone know?

up to several hours by all accounts.

...
Then a day off seems in order.
Well, that or wondering why the "leader of the free world" is unable to make voting simple, efficient and quick.

(Actual voting has never taken over 5 minutes for me)

Well, it's always a holiday in Germany because it's always on a Sunday.

either make it a holiday or move elections to a friday and saturday two day official voting period. the tuesday thing is just stupid and has been for over a century - and was only slightly less so before.

(i would also consider having some slightly shorter early voting periods than some places have - actual voting shouldn't go on for more than a month, people. ohio, i'm looking at you)

I think that election day shouldn't be held on a working day but rather held on a Saturday and the polls should be open for at least 12 hours. I don't think it should be made a national holiday but rather it should not be during a workday.

But reading the OP it seems that we have different meanings behind the word holiday.

either make it a holiday or move elections to a friday and saturday two day official voting period. the tuesday thing is just stupid and has been for over a century - and was only slightly less so before.

Given that it would take a constitutional amendment to change election day, I'm with making it a holiday.

(i would also consider having some slightly shorter early voting periods than some places have - actual voting shouldn't go on for more than a month, people. ohio, i'm looking at you)

Oh, you don't have to tell me...

Brunner should not have attempted to block out poll watchers, either.

Also, I think I may be escorting OSCE poll watchers around this year...damn grad school organizations.

Well, that or wondering why the "leader of the free world" is unable to make voting simple, efficient and quick.

no one ever said that freedom would meet minimum standards of competence and convenience. go back to russia!

Given that it would take a constitutional amendment to change election day, I'm with making it a holiday.

And quite an amendment too. It would require crossing out "Tuesday" and replacing it with "Saturday". Truely, this task is too momentus for even our most skilled legislators, so, instead, we should just give everyone the day off because crossing a word out and replacing it with another is of the upmost difficulty and effort.

Sorry. Not trying to pull the piss out of you or anything. Just making a joke. :D

Way to ruin the holiday :(

And quite an amendment too. It would require crossing out "Tuesday" and replacing it with "Saturday". Truely, this task is too momentus for even our most skilled legislators, so, instead, we should just give everyone the day off because crossing a word out and replacing it with another is of the upmost difficulty and effort.

Sorry. Not trying to pull the piss out of you or anything. Just making a joke. :D

Actually, amendments are quite a process, even if the goal is to just change a word.

But, more seriously, I'd love to have another day off each year--it would be cool.

Way to ruin the holiday :(

Aww... don't be like that. I fully support public holidays. Look at the ANZAC's - we lost the battle, but we got the public holiday.

Why the hell do they hold it on the 1st Tuesday in November?
anyone know?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1853304,00.html
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, we will be selecting our next President. Here's my question: Why Tuesday? If your answer was, Because that's the way we've always done it, you'd be right. We've been doing it that way since 1845, and the murky reasons for it are that nobody wanted to vote on the Sabbath and voters needed time to travel by horse and buggy. But I've long thought--as have many others--that holding an election on a workday is undemocratic and makes it difficult for people to fulfill their signal act of civic participation. Either change it to Saturday, or make Election Day a holiday.

Given that it would take a constitutional amendment to change election day, I'm with making it a holiday.

doesn't the constitution leave that up to the states/congress? i'm pretty sure we're dealing with just federal and state laws on this, rather than constitutional ones.

I think it should be a holiday! That way we can have an excuse to throw a party.

I think it should be a holiday! That way we can have an excuse to throw a party.

I gorge on beer, never forget the beer!:D

Aww... don't be like that. I fully support public holidays. Look at the ANZAC's - we lost the battle, but we got the public holiday.

I have a feeling from reading the OP's post and some others that holiday only refers to the weekend. I of course and more than likely am wrong on this.

I have a feeling from reading the OP's post and some others that holiday only refers to the weekend. I of course and more than likely am wrong on this.

Wasn't there an Anzac day which was on a weekend, so they gave us the Monday off to make up for not getting the day off? I seem to remember that happening (either this year or last year I think).

I have a feeling from reading the OP's post and some others that holiday only refers to the weekend. I of course and more than likely am wrong on this.If you're referring to mine, Sundays are holidays in Germany. They've got roughly the same legal status as religious or other holidays do.

I gorge on beer, never forget the beer!:D

I prefer liquor... Rum, Vodka, Whiskey, and Tequila are my choices :P.


At least this election should be a holiday... a Hooray We Are Getting Rid of George Bush Parade should be held.

doesn't the constitution leave that up to the states/congress? i'm pretty sure we're dealing with just federal and state laws on this, rather than constitutional ones.

For some reason I thought I'd recalled the date as being Constitutionally set, but I'm probably wrong.

I was just sent this message (http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/dayoff), wherein the Obama campaign urges folks to take election day off.

Here in Japan, as in many other countries, national elections are held on a holiday - in Japan's case Sunday.

In the US, for historical reasons, national elections are on Tuesdays. Some workers (Federal employees, some state, employees, and UAW members, for example) do have a holiday. But most don't.

So, should election day be a holiday?

No, why bother?

I think that election day shouldn't be held on a working day but rather held on a Saturday and the polls should be open for at least 12 hours. I don't think it should be made a national holiday but rather it should not be during a workday.

But reading the OP it seems that we have different meanings behind the word holiday.

yeah, 'cause everybody has the same days off...
:rolleyes:

Wasn't there an Anzac day which was on a weekend, so they gave us the Monday off to make up for not getting the day off? I seem to remember that happening (either this year or last year I think).

Yeah if a public holiday falls on the weekend we get the Monday (I remember a Friday once) off. Except for Easter Saturday we don't get the extra day off then.

But it seemed the OP said they have a holiday for the election day and it is just the Sunday.

If you're referring to mine, Sundays are holidays in Germany. They've got roughly the same legal status as religious or other holidays do.

Ah I see, I see.

yeah, 'cause everybody has the same days off...
:rolleyes:

You think I'm an idoit Dyakovo? Do you really think that I think everybody has a day off on Saturday? But surely you won't deny that more people in America don't have work on a Saturday or a Sunday then during the week?

I was just sent this message (http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/dayoff), wherein the Obama campaign urges folks to take election day off.

Here in Japan, as in many other countries, national elections are held on a holiday - in Japan's case Sunday.

In the US, for historical reasons, national elections are on Tuesdays. Some workers (Federal employees, some state, employees, and UAW members, for example) do have a holiday. But most don't.

So, should election day be a holiday?
Holidays will always be more widely observed by government offices... Not by commercial concerns. If Election Day does become a holiday, I don't expect anything to change for the vast majority of non-governmental workers. Better to move Election Day to a Saturday or Sunday, when most businesses are closed -- and if you insist, make it a holiday, but a weekend holiday.

Heh heh, 'get it off'.

Yes. You could call it Democracy Day or Freedom day or something silly.

You think I'm an idoit Dyakovo?
Well, I only have the evidence in front of me to work with...
Do you really think that I think everybody has a day off on Saturday?
I don't know, do you?
But surely you won't deny that more people in America don't have work on a Saturday or a Sunday then during the week?
So you just want to change who is inconvenienced?

Well, I only have the evidence in front of me to work with...

I don't know, do you?

So you just want to change who is inconvenienced?

You're funny mate, shame I'm not into those childish little tactics, I was asked a question I answered it if you really want to make some big deal of it fine but at least if you want disagree with me say something meaningful not some rubbish like "everybody has the same days off"

You're funny mate, shame I'm not into those childish little tactics, I was asked a question I answered it if you really want to make some big deal of it fine but at least if you want disagree with me say something meaningful not some rubbish like "everybody has the same days off"

You were being ridiculous in apparently assuming that everyone has the same days off, so I figured I'd point that detail out. You got snide in response, thus my response. Don't want to be treated like a child? Don't act like one.

Well, it's always a holiday in Germany because it's always on a Sunday.
'xactly!

Don't understand why others don't simply adopt that scheme, too.

'xactly!

Don't understand why others don't simply adopt that scheme, too.

Personally I don't see any particular problem with Tuesday. I've never had any problem with managing to vote.

Call it "Irrational Action Day". As well as voting, people would be encouraged to get blind drunk, gamble, cry hysterically, start fights for no reason, drive without a seat belt, and go to Church.

No, to be serious, I think its a bad idea. If you can't be arsed to make arrangements to vote unless you have a whole day off to do it, you probably aren't politically engaged enough for your vote to be an informed one :p

Not really, considering we have two candidates who are against marital equality.

Not really, considering we have two candidates who are against marital equality.

huh?

huh?

Both McCain and Obama are anti-same-sex marriage.

No, how am i supposed to keep minority voters from the polls if i cant threaten to fire them for taking even a minute off of work on election day.

Both McCain and Obama are anti-same-sex marriage.

And that has what to do with "Should election day be a national holiday?"

I have a feeling that in the UK elections are deliberately not held on a weekend or a holiday because it was felt that the working class were less likely to vote as they would value the time off so much they would do things other than going to vote with it.

And that has what to do with "Should election day be a national holiday?"

There is nothing worth celebrating about it. Like Napoléon said, if a government is constantly run by oppressive incompetents and that is accepted as normal, then democracy is over.

It should be on the weekend, but I'd take a holiday over nothing.

That's why there is early voting in a lot of states. It means voting when you have the time, because not everyone has Election day off. Although a weekend election would be more ideal than to have it when it is now.

There is nothing worth celebrating about it. Like Napoléon said, if a government is constantly run by oppressive incompetents and that is accepted as normal, then democracy is over.

And the idea of election day as a national holiday is not about celebrating, it is about making it easier to vote

So, should election day be a holiday?
It should. that would allow more people to get out and vote!

Why the hell do they hold it on the 1st Tuesday in November? anyone know?

Because in 1845, the US was largely a rural society without efficient transportation, which made getting to the polling place an all day affair. Sunday = Sabbath. Monday to travel. Tuesday to vote.

But reading the OP it seems that we have different meanings behind the word holiday.

To make it clear, I'd like to see as many people with the day off as possible. In part, to raise voting rates, but also to simply celebrate democracy in action.


doesn't the constitution leave that up to the states/congress? i'm pretty sure we're dealing with just federal and state laws on this, rather than constitutional ones.

The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

See also statuteory:

TITLE 3--THE PRESIDENT

CHAPTER 1--PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES

Sec. 1. Time of appointing electors

The electors of President and Vice President shall be appointed, in
each State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in
every fourth year succeeding every election of a President and Vice
President.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+3USC1

Holidays will always be more widely observed by government offices... Not by commercial concerns. If Election Day does become a holiday, I don't expect anything to change for the vast majority of non-governmental workers. Better to move Election Day to a Saturday or Sunday, when most businesses are closed -- and if you insist, make it a holiday, but a weekend holiday.

I'd keep the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, just for tradition. The following Saturday as second choice. And Sunday'd be a third choice in my books.

Yes. You could call it Democracy Day or Freedom day or something silly.

Fancy that...
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Day_(United_States))

The day after election day should be a holiday for junkies like me who will pull an all nighter watching the vote counting and waiting for the results.

In my honest opinion, there should be a move toward weekend voting. Here in New Zealand, we have our elections on a Saturday, and it helps us have an extremely high turnout (something along the lines of 80 to 85%)

I was just sent this message (http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/dayoff), wherein the Obama campaign urges folks to take election day off.

Here in Japan, as in many other countries, national elections are held on a holiday - in Japan's case Sunday.

In the US, for historical reasons, national elections are on Tuesdays. Some workers (Federal employees, some state, employees, and UAW members, for example) do have a holiday. But most don't.

So, should election day be a holiday?
How long does it take to vote? I mean start to finish, I've never had to spend more than half an hour to accomplish this feat...

I think that election day shouldn't be held on a working day but rather held on a Saturday and the polls should be open for at least 12 hours. I don't think it should be made a national holiday but rather it should not be during a workday.

But reading the OP it seems that we have different meanings behind the word holiday.
Your forget that many people work on Saturday and Sunday.

Yes. You could call it Democracy Day or Freedom day or something silly.
Or, I don't know.... Election Day?
Just a thought.

No, how am i supposed to keep minority voters from the polls if i cant threaten to fire them for taking even a minute off of work on election day.
Hmm. The polls are open here from 6am to 9pm. Do most people work all those hours?

no it shouldnt be a holiday

maybe 25 years ago it would have been a good idea but today we have early voting that lets people vote on whatever day off they might have in the early voting time period.

in the few states that dont have early voting...they should have early voting instead of a holiday. there are always people who have to work on holidays.

Don't bother wasting time and money on elections and letting people have the day off to vote. Just choose a small group of top ranking businessmen and military figures and put them in charge. Cut out the middleman.

I'm appalled that it isn't already.

Or, I don't know.... Election Day?
Just a thought.

Lacks the emotive/patriotic appeal a public holiday needs.

Yes. You could call it Democracy Day or Freedom day or something silly.
Freedom Day! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c1SlaR9YCw&feature=related)
I believe someone else already suggested that the day be devoted to general stupidity and drunkenness.

On a Sunday and/because compulsory and/because every five foot in Belgium.

How long does it take to vote? I mean start to finish, I've never had to spend more than half an hour to accomplish this feat...

Heh. It took me more than 3 weeks to vote. :p

I honestly don't remember how long I had to wait the last time I voted in person in a general election, it was soooooo long ago.

Yes. You could call it Democracy Day or Freedom day or something silly.

Why not just "Voting Day"?

Heh. It took me more than 3 weeks to vote. :p

I honestly don't remember how long I had to wait the last time I voted in person in a general election, it was soooooo long ago.
Ok, well, you're not persactly a typical US voter....

Just saw your location... did you have fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there?

Ok, well, you're not persactly a typical US voter.......Is that a word? :eek:

Ok, well, you're not persactly a typical US voter....

Indeed. :p

Just saw your location... did you have fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there?

Indeed, with the four part harmony. Everything was fine until I put down the pencil and turned over the piece of paper...

Why not just "Voting Day"?

"Election Day" is nice and traditional.

OTOH, "Democracy Day" gives it a nice sense of "this isn't just 'election day', but a day to celebrate democracy."

Your forget that many people work on Saturday and Sunday.

I don't forget this , I used to work 3 weekends out of four I do know people work over the weekend, but more people do work on weekdays than on weekends and I would also like (as I mentioned) for polling booths to be open for quite awhile.

"Election Day" is nice and traditional.

OTOH, "Democracy Day" gives it a nice sense of "this isn't just 'election day', but a day to celebrate democracy."

Republics day then ;)

Depending on the outcome, it should be declared a national day of mourning.

I cancelled classes, giving my students the day off: several had alerted me they weren't going to be there anyway.

Why not give everyone a week to vote? If you've lived with a president for four years, an extra week isn't going to be that much inconvinence to suffer, methinks.

Why not give everyone a week to vote? If you've lived with a president for four years, an extra week isn't going to be that much inconvinence to suffer, methinks.

Even after that people still have to wait till January.

Instead of a holiday, extend it to be a week long, with no campaigning or polls once the week starts.

Better idea.

Just make elections happen on a Sunday. And the polls only open from 8 am - 1 pm.

That way the religious nuts are in church and cant vote.

With the proliference and ease of absentee voting, the length of time the polls are open and laws requiring employers to allow time off for voting, I fail to see the need for a holiday.

i think its just totally insane and illogical for it not to be.

i mean how can anyone say we really have the right to vote if we don't have right to not have to do anything else that day to make sure that we can?

It should be a holiday! Think about it...the kids get off of school, children come to your door, dressed as the cadidates, asking for votes, Big Turkey dinners with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, and stuffing, Large consumption of alcohol, Unwrapping gifts under a hedge shaped to look like the white house,fireworks, parades, mistletoe, Election day carols, waiting for Bill O'Reilly to come down your chimney and scream at you.........The Holiday spirit can start early!