Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?

On Tuesday, November 5, Americans across the country will vote for president. But not everyone who is able to vote will take part. Many people find it tricky to make time to vote on a weekday. Work, school, and other responsibilities get in the way.

The most recent presidential election was in 2020. Only about two-thirds of eligible Americans voted then. That means about 80 million people did not vote. (Voters must be at least 18 and U.S. citizens.) Even fewer Americans vote in midterm elections, when some members of the U.S. Congress are up for election (see "U.S. Voter Turnout" graph, below).

Some lawmakers say getting more people to vote is important. The United States is a democracy. That is a type of government in which citizens elect their leaders. A democracy works only if people take part, lawmakers argue.

Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. It called for making Election Day a national holiday. If the bill becomes law, most people who work for the federal government would get Election Day as a paid day off. And private companies could choose whether to do the same for their workers.

This is not the first time such a bill has been introduced. But critics say making Election Day a holiday would create other problems. That is especially true for voters who do not get paid for days off.

Turning Election Day into a federal holiday would free up more people to vote, supporters say. By law, Election Day falls on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. That is a weekday. Many adults work. And teens old enough to vote are in class. Nearly 27 percent of voting-age Americans who did not vote in 2022 reported being too busy with jobs or school. That is according to the U.S. Census Bureau. “No one should be unable to vote because they have to work,” says Anna Eshoo. Eshoo is a U.S. representative from California. She introduced the bill in February.

More than a dozen states have already made Election Day a state holiday. However, those state laws vary. Not all require employers to give workers paid time off to vote. And the amount of time employees get differs. Supporters say a federal law would be more fair because it would set the same rules for every state. It would give more Americans a chance to vote.

The change would also remind people that elections should be a priority, says Jane Mansbridge. Mansbridge is a political science professor at Harvard University in Massachusetts. “Each vote counts toward outcomes that will affect everyone else in the country,” she explains.

But critics say that adding Election Day as a federal holiday would not guarantee a higher voter turnout. Private companies could decide not to give their workers the day off. And essential employees like doctors, nurses, and police officers would still have to work. 

Even people who would get the day off could still face headaches. David Becker is the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. His organization studies voting trends. On national holidays, he points out, schools are typically closed and public transportation runs on reduced schedules. This could cause problems for people who need child care or who rely on trains and buses to get to the polls, he says. In addition, many people, especially low-income workers, do not get paid for days they don’t work. 

There are better ways to increase turnout, some people say. For instance, more states could pass laws that expand early voting, whether in person or by mail. In 2020, about 70 percent of people who voted cast their ballots before Election Day. Such changes would make a bigger difference than a national holiday, some election experts say. 

But critics say that adding Election Day as a federal holiday would not guarantee a higher voter turnout. Private companies could decide not to give their workers the day off. And essential employees would still have to work. That includes doctors, nurses, and police officers.

Even people who would get the day off could still face headaches. David Becker is the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. His organization studies voting trends. Becker points out that on national holidays, schools are usually closed. This could cause problems for people who need child care, he says. Also, public transportation often runs on reduced schedules. This could make it hard for people who take trains and buses to get to the polls. Plus, many people do not get paid for days they do not work. This is especially true for low-income workers.

There are better ways to increase turnout, some people say. For instance, more states could pass laws that expand early voting. Early voting could be done in person or by mail. In 2020, about 70 percent of people who voted did so before Election Day. Such changes would make a bigger difference than a national holiday, some election experts say.