Make Election Day a National Holiday: A Public Policy Perspective

I couldn't be prouder of my NYU Wagner classmate, Mykael Wright, who recently featured on YouTube in a NY Liberty team basketball video along with a write-up in the New York Post! The article reminded me of Mykael's passionate advocacy for making Election Day a federal holiday, a topic he presented with great insight and conviction in our Public Policy recitation class.

Mykael's strategy for creating a federal holiday on Election Day presents a proactive approach to enhancing Democracy. Making Election Day a national holiday is necessary to ensure higher voter turnout and celebrate the democratic process.

Increasing Voter Turnout: Making Election Day a national holiday is a straightforward way to boost voter turnout by allowing more people to vote. In the 2020 presidential election, 62.8% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. By contrast, countries like Uruguay and Turkey, which hold elections on holidays or weekends, see turnout rates as high as 94.9% and 89%, respectively.

Celebrating Democracy: Turning Election Day into a national holiday would transform voting into a celebration of Democracy. Puerto Rico, where Election Day is a holiday, sees over 80% voter turnout. Similarly, Australia consistently achieves turnout rates of around 90% with mandatory voting and nationwide celebrations.

Aligning with Global Practices: A significant majority of Americans support making Election Day a national holiday. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans favor this idea. This move would align the US with other democracies that hold elections on weekends or holidays, ensuring higher voter participation rates. Countries like Belgium and Brazil consistently achieve higher voter turnout than the United States by holding elections on weekends or national holidays.

Critics argue that making Election Day a national holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers who may not get paid time off. Additionally, changing state laws and company policies to allow paid time off for voting might be more effective. However, these arguments overlook the broader benefits and the symbolic importance of a national holiday dedicated to voting. Moreover, some states already recognize Election Day as a civic holiday, and there are ongoing efforts to encourage more states to adopt similar measures.

In the spirit of 2024 being a Presidential election year and as state legislators, the Supreme Court, and Congress grapple with voting rights legislation, making Election Day a national holiday should be a priority. This public policy initiative would enhance voter turnout and send a strong message about the value of democratic participation. Mykael Wright's discourse during our class offers a compelling and strategic approach to achieving this goal, emphasizing the importance of bipartisan support and coalition-building.

By making Election Day a national holiday, we can take a significant step toward ensuring that every American has the opportunity to participate in our Democracy. Let's make this change for a more inclusive and representative electoral process.

🌟🏀 Check out the YouTube video to see Mykael in action on the court! 🌟🏀 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fAMDdNa4bM