Election Day (United States)
Election Day in the United States is the day when polls most often open for the election of certain public officials. Election Day occurs on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November every year, which is always the Tuesday between November 2 and November 8, inclusively.
This rule was instituted by the U.S. Congress in 1845, and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November was chosen to keep the election day from falling on November 1, All Saints' Day, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. Tuesday was chosen to allow voters one day to travel to their polling place, as most residents at the time could not travel on Sunday because of church. The month of November was chosen because it was after the crops were harvested.
Article Two of the United States Constitution requires that electors vote for the U.S. President on a single day throughout the country. Though in theory Article Two may allow Congress to permit the election of electors (i.e., the "presidential election") to be held on more than one date, at present Election Day is the only date sanctioned by Congress, though early voting is nonetheless authorized in many states.
In Oregon, where all elections are vote-by-mail, all ballots must be received by a set time on Election Day, as is common with absentee ballots in most states (except overseas military ballots which receive more time by Federal law). In Washington, where most counties are vote-by-mail (and in the others most votes are cast by mail as permanent absentee ballots), ballots need only be postmarked by Election Day.
Election Day is a legal holiday in some states, including Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. Some other states have laws that allow workers to take time off from employment without reprisal, and often without loss in pay. There is a current bill in the House of Representatives that would make Election Day a National Holiday, Democracy Day.
Logistics
There are tens of thousands of voting precincts in the United States, each of which must be supplied and staffed with election judges on Election Day, usually a workday in most of the country.
Objections
Many social activists oppose this date, believing that it decreases voter turnout, since it is part of the workweek. Many advocate making election day a federal holiday or allowing voters to cast their ballots over two or more days. The United Auto Workers union has negotiated making Election Day a holiday for its workers at the U.S. Domestic Auto Manufacturers.
In response to this, many states have implemented early voting, which allows the voters to cast ballots, in many cases up to two weeks early. Also, all states have some kind of absentee ballot system. The state of Oregon, for example, performs all major elections through mail-in ballots that are sent to voters several weeks before Election Day. Some companies will let their employees come in late or leave early on Election Day to allow them an opportunity to get to their precinct and vote.
Federal elections
Elective offices of the U.S. government are filled by Election Day balloting, for terms starting in January of the following year, specifically:
- in every even-numbered year,
- for all seats in the United States House of Representatives;
- for approximately 1/3 of United States Senate seats;
- additionally, in years divisible by four,
- for the President and Vice-President.
State elections
Elective offices of most U.S. states are also filled on Election Day, but different states choose different patterns; every odd numbered year, for at least some offices, is a popular choice. Most states now hold elections for governors in those even-numbered years when there is not a presidential election, in part to stimulate a higher voter turnout for "off-year" Congressional elections.
Local elections
Elective offices of municipalities, counties (in most states), and other local entities (such school boards and other special-purpose districts) have their elections subject to rules of their state, and in some states, they vary according to choices of the jurisdiction in question. (For instance, in Connecticut, all towns, cities, and boroughs hold elections in every odd-numbered year, but as of 2004, 16 have them on the first Monday in May, while the other 153 are on Election Day.)