Bill introduced to move Election Day to weekend

[Tender Branson]

Two Democratic representatives on Friday said they are introducing legislation to move Election Day from the first Tuesday in November to the first full weekend of that month in an effort to make it easier for Americans to vote.

"By moving Election Day from a single day in the middle of the work week to a full weekend, we are encouraging more working Americans to participate. Our democracy will be best served when our leaders are elected by as many Americans as possible," said co-sponsor Steve Israel of New York.

Added John Larson of Connecticut, the other sponsor: "As a representative democracy, voting is a fundamental responsibility for all Americans and the system should be as accessible as possible for as many as possible. Unfortunately, the system we have now was designed to meet our country's needs over 160 years ago and it no longer makes any sense. It's time we stop making people choose between exercising their responsibility to vote, and meeting their everyday obligations."

The legislation would mandate that election officials keep polls open on the first weekend in November from 10 a.m. on Saturday to 6 p.m. on Sunday, with the option of closing polls overnight.

In 1845, Congress voted to standardize Election Day as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. (They included that "after the first Monday" in part to make sure the election wouldn't be held on November 1, the date of the Catholic holy day known as All Saints Day.) Lawmakers chose Tuesday in order to give voters one travel day after the Sunday day of rest to get from their farms into town to vote.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57394298-503544/bill-introduced-to-move-election-day-to-weekend

[Tender Branson]

Too bad they didn't introduce this bill when the Democrats still had a majority in the House and Senate (2009).

Now the Republicans will block it for sure.

[Tender Branson]

It would have been better to make it a federal holiday instead.  Weekends can sometimes be even worse than Tuesdays for some workers for finding time off to vote.

But yeah, this won't go anywhere.

That's why I favor the Estonia Internet voting option as a supplemental to weekend and early/absentee voting.

Early in-person and absentee voting should be enhanced with E-government based Internet voting, starting 1 or 2 weeks ahead of the election weekend like now. Because contrary to in-person and absentee voting, you can still change your vote online ahead of the election weekend poll closing time, in the event there's something game changing going on on the campaign trail in the days before the election weekend.

In Austria, this E-government is already widely used - just not for voting. But technically it would be no problem I guess. For example, I do my tax filings each year, using the E-Government function of the Ministry of Finance. You have to apply for it online, you wait a few days and the Government sends you a letter with 3 codes and you can use the E-Government account.

And because almost everyone uses the Internet these days, this would lessen the burden of people who can't vote on a specific day.

[Tender Branson]

Wouldn't oppose it. Although I think it's only relevant in non-early voting states. If someone in Illinois can't be bothered to vote during 4 weeks of early voting...then I'm not all that worried about whether he has other obligations on Election Day.

That said, having it on a Saturday or Sunday wouldn't have any disadvantage.

Except certain religious groups.

Which religious groups would that be ?

I think Jews cannot vote on Fridays and Saturdays because of the Sabbat and some Christians might object to Sunday.

But I think Jews can vote on a Sunday and Christians on a Saturday, right ?

On the other hand, having it on a weekend I think would indeed allow more people to vote because I think the majority of people are still at home on the weekend, rather than during the week. And if more people are at home during weekends, it would also be easier to find election officials because they would have more time. But election officials are mostly olds anyway who are retired and don't care which day the election is held.