Elections Advocates Ask 'Why Tuesday?'
San Franciscans will be able to weigh in on Saturday voting when they go to the polls in November.
It's part of a nationwide campaign to get more people to participate in the electoral process. The campaign calls itself, "Why Tuesday?" as in, why on Earth do Americans go to the polls on Tuesday when so many people have to work.
"The system that we've put in place, which was created in 1845, is just antiquated in our opinion," said political consultant Alex Tourk, who is part of the movement.
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For months he's been spearheading an initiative drive that's now qualified a Saturday voting measure for the November ballot.
"Families coming out together on the weekends, integrating their kids to the democratic process and the importance of civic engagement – that's what we're all about," said Tourk.
If the initiative passes the following November 2011, the city would have polls open on both the regular election day and the previous Saturday.
Funding for Saturday voting would have to be raised privately for the experiment to go forward.
