Why do we vote on a weekday, thereby decreasing turnout?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Does the consitution specify this first Tuesday in NOV thing?

Shouldn't this be changed to increase turnout?

Solutions:

-Vote on a weekend, either one or both days.
-Mandate that early voting be available in all states.

[Kire]

1. election day should be a national holiday

like Labor Day or Memorial Day

[klook]

2. Agree

Also pick a weekend that statistically least likely to have bad weather throughout the U.S. The first Tues. in November is often rainy and cold in many parts of the country, which does decrease turnout.

[PDittie]

3. Because the Constitution says so?

Just sayin'...

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. Right, but THIS is something well worthy of changing, unlike DOMA

and certainly has at least as much (and in my opinion, more) merit than changing the constitution to let Ahnuld be Prez.

[ret5hd]

4. your answer is held within the question.

[quam]

5. Historical Reason

Provided by About.com: "November was selected because the harvest work was done... Tuesday was selected because many people had to travel the day before to reach the polling place... many shop keepers did their books for the preceding month on the first."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Election day not finalized until the last century

Maine used to vote in September, for example-thus the old phrase "As Maine goes, so goes the nation." I think it would be better to have a weekend voting situation, or make election day a national holiday.

[PurityOfEssence]

7. to further disenfranchise the poor

Of course, at the time of the Constitution's writing, only adult white males with property could vote anyway, so it probably wasn't so cynical...

[LiberalFighter]

9. Voting on both Saturday and Sunday would not be feasible...

because it is already difficult to man the polls on Tuesday. If the hours were reduce for the weekend then it might work. Poll workers are not paid much for the hours they work.


Maybe they should have election duty like jury duty.

[Mizmoon]

10. NY state law says you must get a paid hour off of work

from your employer to vote. Just thought that was an interesting way to deal with the issue.

[napi21]

11. Early voting is the only answer.

You can't just say change it to weekends. I've worked weekends and had 2 days off in the middle of the week my entire life! And it's rarely been Tuesday either. I've never missed voting! The polls are open from 7 to 7. If someone wants to vote, there's almost no way they can't be available within that 12 hours. If you do have a real problem, you can always request an absentee ballot and mail it in.

More and more states are adopting early voting, which is the best answer. That way, you have 3 voting choices.

I doubt the National Holiday would work. Can you see every hotel, motel, & store close for a day? That doesn't even consider the Police, firemen, transit systems, etc.

[flygal]

12. I think weekend voting would have lower turnout...

I think it should be a holiday though - isn't Columbus day? WTF?!

[Palacsinta]

13. Polling places in convenience stores?

I'm an election official and it always killed me to sit in our polling place (a community church) and get 20% turnout........(a LONG day, lemme tell ya)............and then look across the street and see the conv. store bustling. Or maybe a polling place right outside, next to the ATM or gas pumps?

[wakeup call]

14. I think you answered your own question

Seriously, voting is made harder by the powers that be, not easier.

Voting over a minimum of a 3 day period should be required by law. One of those should be a holiday. Early voting is also a good idea.

Allowing registration at the polls should be a national standard.

Standard polling place hours, opening early in the morning (i.e. 6:30 am) and going to until at least 9 at night is should a national standard.

Standardized balloting with auditable paper trails for any electronic vote tallying mechanism is a must. I am personally against touch screen because there is too much of a disconnect between the intent of the voter and its tabulation.

In a country that truly values democracy and the sovereignty invested in the people, these would all be no brainers. Alas, a historical pattern of how political power is aligned that goes back to Roman times (and further back I'm sure) gives us a system where one party benefits greatly by limiting franchise and suffrage to only a select group.

[loftycity]

15. Because they want low turn out--the elite have always wanted low

turn out.
It's all about the elite in the end.
IMO-- Election Day should be on the Fourth of July--two or three days off.

[Robbie67]

16. Election polls should be open for a week

Sunday through Saturday