Is it time to stop voting on Tuesdays?

CBS

Ever wonder why Americans pick their president on a Tuesday?

The short answer is that it's the law: 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" 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.

It's a system that is hopelessly outdated today, argues Jacob Soboroff, executive director of a group called "Why Tuesday," which is trying to boost voter participation by moving Election Day to the weekend.

"In 2011, coming onto 2012, we will be voting on a day and in a way that was set for an agrarian society 160-something years ago," he said in an interview with Hotsheet. (See at left.) "Frankly it literally is just silly that we're still voting on this day when so many Americans are working two jobs, don't necessarily have time to make it to the polls before or after work."

A bill called the Weekend Voting Act seeks to move Election Day to the first weekend in November, allowing voters to cast ballots on either Saturday or Sunday. While the bill has its backers in Congress, it has not been introduced in the current Congress, and Soboroff acknowledges it is difficult to get lawmakers to take up the issue.

"There's not a lot of incentive for people in Congress to change it...except for the fact that is vital to the health of our Democracy," he said, noting that most of the men and women serving today were themselves elected on a Tuesday.

Soboroff rejected the notion that moving Election Day would benefit either political party, stating that "you do not have to be a Democrat or a Republican to be a working person that has two jobs or to be a single mother or to basically have a hard time getting to the polls."

He also said that while early and absentee voting helps address the problem, states have differing laws when it comes to early voting and many states lack no-excuse absentee voting. He calls the Weekend Voting Act a "national solution" that could potentially push voter participation from the 64 percent mark in 2008 up to 70, 80 or even 90 percent.

"If you look around the world, or at the top countries at the G-8, we rank dead last in voter participation... 138th, 139th out of 172 countries in the world. It's frankly shameful that that's where the United States ranks in voter participation," he said.

"Why Tuesday" is soliciting videos from the presidential candidates seeking their support for the push, and Soboroff will likely go on the road to pose the question directly to candidates who do not respond. In 2008, Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, Hillary Clinton and others offered varying degrees of support.

"We shouldn't be holding our elections on a workday when so many people can't get to the polls because they do have to be at work," Clinton said in a video her campaign sent into the group.

[mediafools]

This is a scheme to enable even more vote fraud, and, yes, it benefits the Democrat Party. Anyone who wishes to vote is able to do so on Tuesday at one time or another,before or after work, or via absentee ballot. Changing to Saturday will allow union thugs and other operatives to round up stray illegals & ne'er-do-wells & hustle them off to the polls.

There is a reason Democrats oppose requiring a voter to produce ID before voting.

The Electoral College is a protection for smaller states & constituencies against the mob mentality. No electoral college means NY, LA & Chicago will determine elections.

The delay between results and taking office can present a problem, ESPECIALLY at the national level. The end of 2010 Pelosi-Reid Congress indeed demonstrated what an "angry & spiteful lame-duck legislative body" can do. But the best approach for that problem is to limit the types of action that can be taken.

[stn_sage]

Yes! I think it is time to stop voting!
Especially, since there's almost no one running who's honest!
That sounds like a good idea...!

[reality_sanity]

Why should there only be a single day to vote considering the number of traveling consultants, etc in this country why not a two week voting period with polling locations open in neighborhoods for two days (different days of the seek separated by at least 6 days (like one Saturday and one Sunday) during the two week period?

[reality_sanity]

Second question -- why no complaints that ID cards are not checked for the voters submitting absentee ballots?

[enoughsaidu]

I too live in Wisconsin and am not a republican. We have some of the most undemanding voter laws. It is not too much to ask for a picture ID. People know if it will be hard for them to get the time to vote. They can absentee vote so easily here. If they choose not to then most likely those are the same people that don't know the issues and just randomly fill in arrows. If they make the laws for Saturday and Sunday that too will back fire. Some state will be Saturday and then the results will come out from those states which will affect the voting in the Sunday states. I also believe in the if it's not broke don't fix it. If it is broke in your state the fix it in your state, don't push your stats problems on the stats that don't have them.

[elliesamericana]

I'm a Wisconsinite and you must not be paying attention. The new voter ID will disenfranchile some 20% of our voters. To absentee vote now you must send a photocopy of a picture ID with your request. To get a picture ID you must go to the DMV, meaning if you do not already have that photo driver's license, you must get a ride. I'm sandwiched 25 miles away equidistant betweeen two DMVs. So the obstacles set up in my state will stop many people from voting, especially those who must make great effort just to get to the polls. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.

[thechooch1]

If you can move millions of dollars around by a phone call or on the internet, why can't we vote that way? The same protections that are used to safeguard our funds could be used for voting.

[rwsmith29456]

I'd be afraid people are too busy having fun on the weekend to bother with voting.

[Jaylah54]

This is absurd.

Half of the states in this country actually have "Time Off To Vote" laws. In many of those states, the law actually states that employees will receive up to two hours of PAID time off to go vote.

True, some states laws require employers to give time off ONLY if the employees work schedule is such that the employee can't get to the polls either before or after work.

And most people CAN vote either before or after work. Polls typically open at 6:00 or 7:00 am. and are open until 8:00 or 9:00 pm. So you'd have to be working an over-12 hour shift not to be able to make it.

You could change the law to vote on weekends, and you'd have people complaining about how they had stuff to do at home and resented having to go vote then.

Some states are already using an "early voting" plan. Around here, you can stop into the supermarket and vote a week prior to the election. (Yes, your vote counts as an "absentee ballot.")

Fact is, if voting is really important to you, then you figure out a way to do it. You either go early, you stop in to vote on your lunch hour, you stop to vote on your way home from work, or -- in worse case scenarios -- you send in an absentee ballot. If people don't vote, it's due to apathy, not because they can't.

Having had election day on "the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November" for so many years, it makes it very easy to remember when "Election Tuesday" is each year.

There's an old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

[elliesamericana]

Basically, it is a bit "broke" as the current system discriminates against working people. You should refer to my previous posts. Making the system better so ALL can vote with greater ease is a no brainer. We used to have easy voting in Wisconsin, but with our new voter suppression laws it is now much more difficult. Many will be stopped at the polls next year on election day--and if you are not allowed to vote that day, your vote has been suppressed. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.

[canislupus16]

Absurd indeed that SOME groups actually get time off to vote. Ludicrous, but here in New York, PUBLIC employees get the day off to go vote - state, county, municipal employees. ALL DAY, to perform a five minute activity. And if they have to work (police, fire, toll collectors, "necessary" employees, etc.) they get overtime. This is all about using PUBLIC employees to do POLITICAL work: poll work, campaigning, poll watching, taking people to vote, etc. It's disgusting.

As I opined earlier, this will never get past New York or any other state that gives employees time off to go vote (funny, in other "less democratic" countries, people would kill just to be able to vote, but not here).

For that reason I would like to see it changed to a weekend, but it won't happen. Otherwise, as jaylah said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Sort of like congress changing daylight savings time a few years ago. Now there was a a really dumb idea. But then again, congress can't do anything constructive so they meddle.

[Enzo800]

askagain_______"Tinkering"? What do you mean tinkering?? This system has been around since 1845 !!! Why would someone have a problem with updating something that is over a hundred and sixty years old? Voting all on one day is stupid and makes NO sense. Making the process more available to more people is something called DEMOCRACY. You know what that is? Ever heard of it??? I suppose you still use oil lamps to light your home and go to the outhouse to relieve yourself. Geesh

[owlcroft]

This issue is not new. Long ago, it was proposed that elections be held over a 24-hour period, so that no matter when you work, you could find time. Granted, that has problems, too, such as finding poll workers, but the point is that the exact method is not so important--many could work well--as recognizing the need to do something to make the process better and more open. I myself do not like mail-in, chiefly because people can vote literally weeks ahead, meaning that late-breaking matters that might change their minds don't get accounted for, but that's not a fatal flaw (internet voting is a fatal flaw, as is well known in technology circles).

Another flaw (besides the Electoral College, a topic unto itself) is the long delay between election results and taking office. At the national level that may not be crucial, but at the state and especially the local level, the damage that can be done--I am watching some happern in our small home town--by an angry and spiteful lame-duck legislative body is horrid. We need to close the time gap very substantially: when the results are certified, the electees take office, the end.

[Enzo800]

I can't believe we are still using that OLD ridiculous system. Of course voting should be allowed on the weekend. Why get off work or go in late to exercise your right to vote? Makes no sense. Never has never will.

[askagain]

Millions of people work on weekends just as millions of people work night shifts. No one solution satisfies everyone. The polls are open from early morning to late in the evening. Further, states offer early voting days before the election and absentee ballots, too. There is no excuse for not voying. Enough tinkering already.

[elliesamericana]

Many employers do not give employees time off to vote. This is particularly true in low wage jobs where the employee often leaves one job to report to another. Insist on taking a few hours to vote and you will likely lose that job. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.