Why are elections held on Tuesday?

[Anti-fascist]

Is there a reason for that? Is it so companies can pay extra to workers who don't vote? Is it so that the poor can be disinclined to vote?

It's disgusting. Elections should be on Sunday.

[arcane1]

1. you got it- keep the proles away from the polls

why on earth it isn't an all-day Saturday event is beyond me, I'm thinking open from 8:00 am until midnight... I guess because rico suave wants to go sailing on the weekends...?

:shrug:

[Raenelle]

2. Yes. No brainer. To keep the working class voter turn-out low.

n/t

[Dookus]

4. no...

historically, that is not the reason. Although it may be the result nowadays.

[Dookus]

3. well...

in order not to disenfranchise any particular religion, the election would have to be held over both a Saturday and a Sunday, both of which are sabbaths for various groups.

[Robb]

5. Germany does it on Sunday

...and sport something like an 80% voter turnout.

IIRC, globally the U.S. is 140th in voter turnout in the past decade, 44%.

Although we ask our people to vote more often than nearly everyone else -- the exception being the Swiss, who have even worse turnout than us, but of course have even more elections than we do.

But to the point: I think holding an election over three days would be preferable.

[VolcanoJen]

6. The current law was established in 1845...

... and I seriously doubt that it was established with the explicit intent of disenfranchising the poor. :tinfoilhat:

A good explanation can be found here:

http://www.cin.org/archives/cinporch/200011/0117.html

Why on Tuesday?
In 1845, and for many years after that, only the county seats had a
polling place. For many voters, this meant at least an overnight trip on horseback or buggy. If the election were held on Monday, people would have to leave on Sunday, which in 1845, was reserved for church.

Why in November?
Most Americans made their living from agriculture in 1845 and Congress felt that November was the most convenient month for farmers and citizens living in rural areas to get to the polls. Preparing fields and planting crops consumed lots of the public's time in the spring and summer months.
But by early November, the harvest was over in most areas, and the weather was still mild and dry enough to allow travel over the dirt and rock roads of the day.

[spinbaby]

7. My guess

Remember that this date was chosen in a time when there was a high percentage of rural farmers who probably had to travel to get to the polls. Back then, weekends meant, not a break from work, but church on Sunday. By having elections on Tuesdays, isolated voters who had to travel to the polls could go to Church on Sundays at home and still make it to the polls.

I'm sure this rural perspective is also why elections are held in early November--at this time crops are in but the weather is not yet too bad to travel.

Today, Saturday or Sunday elections make far more sense.

[Fla_Democrat]

8. One day a year, every two years.

I'll be fair and say 3 (primary, a run off, and a general election), 12 hours to vote, and the added benefit of absentee voting, what's the problem? :shrug:

Do you really think that more people will vote on a Sunday, than on a Tuesday? People are up, dressed and out the door on a Tuesday. On a Sunday, they will be recovering from Saturday night, watching the game, or grilling in the back yard.