Giving people the day to vote would be the first public holiday in the United States.
The nature of a public holiday is that businesses close and workers are entitled to a day off with regular pay. The United States doesn’t have a single holiday of this caliber. Australia, Germany and Canada, however, do. It’s not a new idea. Incorporating the importance of participation in our democracy with a holiday sounds like something the Founding Fathers of this country should have designed.
Federal holidays are different from public holidays in that federal holidays apply to federal employees. Some states observe the 11 federal holidays and some don’t.
Currently, various states have defined different laws giving people the time to vote. However, these laws vary around a few hours, paid and unpaid. Two hours to vote is still not enough to increase voter participation.
A new voting day will not hurt businesses because if everyone knows business will close on a particular day, everyone will do their shopping before or after that day.
In the last 64 years voter participation in presidential elections fluctuates between 50-65 percent. So, in a way, one could argue that 47 percent of americans don’t really matter. They choose not to let themselves matter. But is that right? It’s a big argument that doesn’t need to happen if we can solve the lack of opportunity in voting.
The problem of voter turnout is an issue not addressed on the national level. Everyone is so busy playing the game within the context of those realities that they’re not pushing for the reform this country needs. Creating a national holiday for this should not be surprising, however the arguments as to who truly benefits from this holiday can be politicized.
Political groups are always finding new ways to win. When you can’t even persuade a vote, groups take steps toward preventing voting altogether. This tends to be very true in this upcoming election. But it’s not new, and throughout periods of U.S. history, cheap attempts to win elections have existed, some successful.
There are groups of people, (usually wealthy people) who don’t want less wealthy people deciding what they do with their wealth (taxes). It’s a fight for our own way of life, an infinite constant struggle between two sides that both have different ideas about these two ideas: What we feel entitled to, and what we think other people are entitled to.
It should be well understood that when it comes to voting everyone should play the game, but many don’t. Anyone who doesn’t let their opinion to be a part of the whole is letting other people decide what’s best for them. The coined term is “Giving away your vote.”
We often hear about “encouraging people to vote” but that seems odd in the sense that it should be a duty, and when the importance and impact of voting is understood, it’s a no-brainer. We use this phrase because those who wish to see more voters are trying to be nice and not mean to people who aren’t voting.
Voters who meet people that don’t vote is often frustrating, it’s like meeting someone who doesn’t shower or doesn’t stop at red lights. That lack of understanding some basic things as to how we should go about our lives the people around you. Showers and red lights are good things, voting isn’t much different and should be thought of in that same way. We do these things for ourselves and for others.
Beyond the politics, this day can create a true cultural event. Eligible voters go to vote, but also go for the festivities. Political camps would get together and celebrate with food and music. It will be a day to observe our own democracy in action. Much like other holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s a time to bring people together.
So, when is it time for drastic change? Every four years there are calls for a “Voting Day” yet none are successful. Recently, Rainn Wilson made a pitch for “Voting Day,” where he criticized the tradition of Tuesday elections and combining Veteran’s Day with this new holiday.
Democracy Day, Voting Day, whatever you want to call it, will immediately create a new future in our elections. It’s a worthwhile idea. But how to make it happen? Well, voter ID laws are a farce and those laws were passed all over the nation…
Do we truly undervalue our own democracy? This seems true looking at voter turnout in our elections. We can only take back democracy when we, well, take back democracy. That starts with simply valuing it they way we’ve all wanted to. Let’s make a day of it.
