In 1845, before Florida, California, and Texas were states or slavery had been abolished, Congress needed to pick a time for Americans to vote. We were an agrarian society. We traveled by horse and buggy. Farmers needed a day to get to the county seat, a day to vote, and a day to get back, without interfering with the three days of worship. So that left Tuesday and Wednesday, but Wednesday was market day. So, Tuesday it was. In 1875 Congress extended the Tuesday date for national House elections and in 1914 for federal Senate elections. [Why Tuesday?]
At least in Minnesota, we’re lucky to have very long voting hours, which makes it a lot easier for Minnesotans to vote even if they don’t work a 9-to-5 job. Some other states have polls that close a lot earlier, which disenfranchises a lot of people.
Nationwide, it’s past time for a new system. There are so many options, all of which would be better than our current system. We could make election day a national holiday to make it easier for people to get to the polls, allow voting for a couple of weeks before election day, or allow unrestricted absentee voting, switch to voting by mail, etc. With so many better alternatives, how long are we going to keep voting on the “first Tuesday after the first Monday”?
Don't we have "unrestricted absentee voting"? I'm asking seriously, perhaps naively.
I absentee vote over 50% of the time. I walk in, tell them I need to vote absentee, and I vote. No questions asked.
Call me old fashioned, but I like knowing that the person who claims to be voting is physically handed a ballot and physically turns that ballot in. Doesn't seem like it is too much to ask of a citizen to make their way to a polling place, or in the case of absentee to a city hall.
You are (predictably) ignoring the elderly and disabled.
Because we allow the individual states to set polling times, reasons why people can vote absentee (I don't think DTM that we have a truly "unrestricted" system if one reads the statute — 203.B; Oregon's vote-by-mail system is perhaps a true example of unrestricted), how you can get on the ballot, etc., trying to change the date might be a moot point.
Could a first step be setting a uniform time span for voting for federal elections?
DtM,
This year Minnesota's absentee voting was treated as early voting, but technically you have to sign a statement saying that you are not going to be anywhere near your district on voting day. An easy fix would be to have early voting where you have to walk into your local office. Minnesota historically has chosen to make voting day supportive of voting with on site registration and such, but to make absentee voting a privilege and not a right with much more stringent rules. Early voting would be great as would voting on a Saturday maybe.
Makes sense.
To me, having a period of early voting accomplishes my goal of requiring people to make the tiny commitment to physically show up and participate in their democracy, and it accomplishes your goal of allowing more convenience to the voting process.
We agree. See Washington, this is how it's done.
Actually, Oregon is how it's done. mail in voting offers the least restrictive access.
Considering the size and religious diversity of this country, perhaps a full weekend of voting would be even better. Of course, getting election reform past entrenched interests is never easy. Ex - changing the primary date. (There goes the cynical side of me again!)
Or if you are working a polling place you can vote absentee
Really. This is a topic? What day we should vote on? Geeeasch. Hurting for material? Maybe you should let the members post up their own stories instead of your maundering drivel.
Lets vote on Wednesday! Whew….glad we got that worked out. And, look how much better it is.
Sure…lets just change everything so that we can meet all of the needs of every subgroup in the nation.
I cant believe you guys are actually talking about this. Apparently there are no other pressing matters? Maybe we should all vote on Wednesday…I mean, think of all the possible advantages, eh?
Maybe MN Pubic should let the members post their own articles and topics instead of this maundering drivel from the "higher ups".
How do they determine who to send a ballot to? Can they confirm that the voter actually filled out the ballot? Honest questions.