Can we get all Election days (including midterms, in all the states) declared a national holiday?

[halobeam]

Wouldn't that help tremendously, in getting the vote out?

[jimfields33]

1. If they did that they'd cut absentee and early voting.

[halobeam]

3. I guess this was tried, and that was a counter offer?

I'm just wondering if this was already decided if it became a holiday?

[Hortensis]

2. The general election days, we really should. How about state holidays for primaries?

[halobeam]

5. Yes. I think we have to try every single avenue to make voting as easy as possible.

[Hortensis]

15. For me it's to help people realize it's IMPORTANT and PRECIOUS.

Celebrate it and more people will believe it's worth celebrating.

Without celebrating Independence Day each year, how many Americans would remember even once a year that the first Americans fought for what we inherited and have the idea that maybe we should be proud of what we have and also willing to fight to keep it?

[jimfields33]

20. Problem with holidays are government workers get off.

But grocery store worker, hospital personnel and just about every civilian job will work. I’d bet the ones getting the day off are regular voters.

[essaynnc]

4. I think MLK Jr. would approve moving his holiday to election day...nt

[halobeam]

6. I bet he would!!

What about free mass transit on those days as well. ??

[forthemiddle]

12. So the public service bus driver can work a double shift?

Seriously, I never understood the purpose of making it a Federal Holiday except to give the people that probably already vote, an extra day off.
How many working class people get Federal Holidays off?

[gab13by13]

7. That was in S1,

[gulliver]

8. Just keep the polls open from Saturday through Tuesday. And fine non-voters like Australia

In addition to mail-in and no-questions absentee voting.

[halobeam]

11. Anything that helps. We sure know the numbers for those who aren't voting here.

It's dismal.

[FakeNoose]

9. Germany and other enlightened countries hold elections on a Sunday

In German about 95% of the population is not working. It's considered a day of rest and being with family/friends. A few grocery stores are open, but that's about all. When elections are held, Germany gets very high participation.

I can't understand why we haven't adopted a similar approach in our elections.

[Thunderbeast]

13. Just enshrine UNIVERSAL vote by mail!

Participation soars.

More opportunity to study down-ballot candidates.

Fewer impulsive, ill-informed votes.

Less expensive.

More secure (all signatures checked).

If you want an extra day off, find a Monday with the best weather of the year. Just call it "BE HAPPY DAY"!

[onecaliberal]

18. 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[drray23]

14. it is in the freedom to vote bill.

proposed by senator klobuchar and introduced in the senate but got filibustered. There is a provision for making federal elections a holiday.

Like everything else , until we get rid of filibuster nothing like that will pass.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2747


Here is a summary of what's in it :

S.2747 Freedom to vote act

This bill addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance.

Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.

Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.

The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence.

The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.

Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections.

The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.

The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.

It's likely also in the other bills that passed the house and died in the senate such as the John Lewis voting rights bill.

[halobeam]

16. Freaking Fillibuster, over and over again.

These are such extreme times. It is really over due for us to counteract these things. Rid the fillibuster, expand the SC, give us a chance to recover before we implode (which is right around the corner).

[MichMan]

17. The only people that always get national holidays off are government employees

The ones that actually run the elections. Joe's Bar and Grill isn't required to give all employees a paid day off just because it is declared a national holiday.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

19. Exactly

Making it a holiday doesn't mean that people who need paid time off to vote will get it.

Even though there is a provision for federal employees to have paid time off to vote, it's very limited in actual execution, and pretty much unavailable in states with early voting, vote by mail, and/or no-excuse absentee voting.

[PTWB]

21. No, unfortunately.

We don’t have the votes for that due to Republican obstruction.