Why is Election Day in the US on Tuesday?
Why are elections held on Tuesdays, in the middle of the work week for most Americans?
Congress set Election Day as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in federal law in 1845. Tuesday was the day most eligible voters – at the time, white male landowners – traveled to court in their county seats if they had business to conduct and thus could vote at the same time. Wednesday was market day. Religious observances occurred on weekends, and the trip to the county seat took three days in many cases. So Tuesday became Election Day by default.
The United States ranks last among 36 advanced democracies in voter turnout. Many of the countries ahead of America in turnout – France, Switzerland, Germany, Finland and Sweden among them – hold elections on Sundays. New governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, assisted by the United States, established Sunday elections as well.
Why Tuesday?, a nonprofit group, released a bipartisan poll Monday that it said shows support for changing how and when Americans vote, and will begin running a few broadcast and print ads in the coming months “to start a national dialogue” and to try to convince Congress that Americans want election reform.
SOURCES: Mercury News
Chicago Tribune, Steve Ivey
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