Should voting day be a national holiday?

[perla75]

My DF just brought this up. I think it's a great idea. Allowing one day off from work every 4 years to do something very important I think is more than reasonable.

I don't like how many states close their polls early. It cuts off people who work long hours from being able to vote.

What do you think about this?

 

[Lib E]

No. I'd rather vote over the weekend, polls open Saturday & Sunday, with results on Monday.

 

[DawnCt1]

Voting isn't every four years, it is every two years. The polls are opened from 6 am until 8 pm. If you can't make it during those hours, plan ahead a get an absentee ballot. No need to have another holiday.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Well, if it was a holiday, the all government offices would be closed, including the registrar of voters!!

Hmmmmm.

 

[Master Mason]

No. I'd rather vote over the weekend, polls open Saturday & Sunday, with results on Monday.

Because no one has to work on the weekends???

There are already voting laws that require an employer to let the employee go vote, if that doesnt' work for you as already pointed out, there are absentee ballots.

 

[wvdisluv2]

I voted "no"~I work 7am-5pm Mon-Fri and I still managed to vote I DO live in a very small town in WV though

 

[Charade]

I voted other. Don't really care on way or the other.

 

[Mr Man]

No thanks.

I can just imagine the inevitable Hallmark Cards that would pop up ......

"Congratulations on your candidate's victory"

"Our deepest sympathy on your loss"

etc etc

I prefer responsible private citizens making their own arrangements to vote and not relying on someone giving them the day off to make it easy.

Voting is a privilege that we have earned, not a convenience to be dispensed by Government.........

JMO

 

[golfgal]

Voting isn't every four years, it is every two years. The polls are opened from 6 am until 8 pm. If you can't make it during those hours, plan ahead a get an absentee ballot. No need to have another holiday.

Actually voting is EVERY year and no, it shouldn't be a holiday but employers DO have to give you time off to vote by law already.

 

[ladycollector]

I think college classes should be cancelled but that's only because mine severely messed up my opportunity to vote today... I was thisclose to the front of the line and had to leave for an exam. It was a terrible dilemma but in the end I chose passing my class. Just seems like a major conflict when voting at colleges takes such a large part of your day.

Yes I realize I could go get in line by and wait 5 hrs + but that's a lot to ask when I was close to voting this morning after waiting 2 hours.

 

[perla75]

No thanks.

I can just imagine the inevitable Hallmark Cards that would pop up ......

"Congratulations on your candidate's victory"

"Our deepest sympathy on your loss"

etc etc
Oh goodness, I didn't even think about that!!! Yes, you make a strong point here!

I prefer responsible private citizens making their own arrangements to vote and not relying on someone giving them the day off to make it easy.

Voting is a privilege that we have earned, not a convenience to be dispensed by Government.........

JMO

I'm referring to those many people who work multiple jobs & have a hard time getting away. Voting is very important & something that should be encouraged and a person should not have to lose out on that privilege because they have to work long hours....

I work for a school system, so getting out to vote is pretty easy for me. Today we had a professional development day and school was pretty lenient for a few people who have multiple jobs and took some extra time during their lunch break to vote.

I wonder how understanding or lenient other workplaces are with people requesting to step out to vote...

 

[jamesmommy]

My DF just brought this up. I think it's a great idea. Allowing one day off from work every 4 years to do something very important I think is more than reasonable.

I don't like how many states close their polls early. It cuts off people who work long hours from being able to vote.

What do you think about this?

I think that responsible voters can make time to vote. Either before work or after, and if you know you work days that are not going to allow you to vote at one of those times (I know that some people work 12 hour shifts), you already know this and can either vote early voting if your state allows it, or vote by absentee.

BTW, not all state require employers to allow time off to vote, our state of Florida doesn't have this as law.

I think college classes should be cancelled but that's only because mine severely messed up my opportunity to vote today... I was thisclose to the front of the line and had to leave for an exam. It was a terrible dilemma but in the end I chose passing my class. Just seems like a major conflict when voting at colleges takes such a large part of your day.

Yes I realize I could go get in line by and wait 5 hrs + but that's a lot to ask when I was close to voting this morning after waiting 2 hours.

Could you have voted last week? I know in my county we had voting all last week at many different locations.

 

[luvmy2sams]

No need for another paid day off just to go vote. Absentee ballots...early voting...there are other options for people. It's not like the election day is a surprise or sneaks up on anyone.

 

[DarthKTrava]

No. There's plenty of time during the day the polls are open to get out and vote. Or do the absentee ballot if your state doesn't offer early voting.

 

[Mr Man]

No thanks.

I can just imagine the inevitable Hallmark Cards that would pop up ......

"Congratulations on your candidate's victory"

"Our deepest sympathy on your loss"

etc etc
Oh goodness, I didn't even think about that!!! Yes, you make a strong point here!



I'm referring to those many people who work multiple jobs & have a hard time getting away. Voting is very important & something that should be encouraged and a person should not have to lose out on that privilege because they have to work long hours....

I work for a school system, so getting out to vote is pretty easy for me. Today we had a professional development day and school was pretty lenient for a few people who have multiple jobs and took some extra time during their lunch break to vote.

I wonder how understanding or lenient other workplaces are with people requesting to step out to vote...

Good point. I am always short on time. I voted early. It was easy.

 

[perla75]

No. There's plenty of time during the day the polls are open to get out and vote. Or do the absentee ballot if your state doesn't offer early voting.

I guess I was not thinking about absentee ballots. I just don't like that some states voting sites close much earlier than other states.

Anyone know why they allow this instead of having all states' voting sites open for the same # of hours?

 

[ladycollector]

Could you have voted last week? I know in my county we had voting all last week at many different locations.

Yes I could have, my mistake.

 

[perla75]

Actually voting is EVERY year and no, it shouldn't be a holiday but employers DO have to give you time off to vote by law already.

Thanks for mentioning that-I did not know that employers have to give you time away to vote by law! I guess that's the issue I was getting at.

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

Voting isn't every four years, it is every two years. The polls are opened from 6 am until 8 pm. If you can't make it during those hours, plan ahead a get an absentee ballot. No need to have another holiday.

Not all places open at 6 am. I know in my town they do not.
But it is also I law that if you need to leave or come in late to vote your company has to allow it.

 

[Lib E]

Thanks for mentioning that-I did not know that employers have to give you time away to vote by law! I guess that's the issue I was getting at.

In California they only have to give you time off to vote if you're scheduled to work all the hours that the polls are open. So it really only applies to shift workers with 12 hour days.