We are currently in my favorite holiday season: fall and winter celebrations of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other religious festivities. 

And, most importantly, election day. 

While the latter occurs in the first half of November and is not considered a national holiday, election day is arguably the most important day that America continually refuses to celebrate. Election day should be a federal holiday, with all states granting workers paid time-off to hit the polls (and perhaps free time to celebrate another successful cycle of democracy). 

In this year’s election, the Associated Press reports that about 153 million people cast their votes. While not all votes have been formally tabulated, the Associated Press expects the number to be close to the 158 million votes cast in the 2020 election. The last two election cycles have marked the highest voter turnout in 120 years, a both impressive and difficult feat to pull off. However, a more sinister pattern appears when other factors and statistics are considered.

A Corporate Conundrum

CBS News estimates that around 80% of Americans work on weekdays, which poses a problem for citizens who wish to exercise a fundamental right of democracy, as election day is on a Tuesday. Without paid time-off, many workers were forced to choose between their paycheck and their presidential candidate. 

Of course, the severity of this decision largely depends on the state of the voter and their occupation. For those who live in one of the 28 states that allow workers paid time-off on Election Day, voting is as easy as a light November breeze. But for some, voting in a state without paid time-off can present a whirlwind of issues. 

U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), who has fought to make Election Day a federal holiday, cites a study that finds about 26% of voting-eligible Americans did not vote in 2020 because of “work obligations.” With around 80 million Americans who did not vote in 2020, 26% of that number amounts to about 20 million Americans who did not vote because of work. 

The numbers don’t lie: without Election Day being a federal holiday, millions of Americans are forced to prioritize their paychecks over their civic duty. While federal employees would receive the day off, having Election Day be a federal holiday would encourage employers and businesses to give workers time to vote. In addition, implementing nationwide holiday pay would alleviate economic burdens that prevent Americans from voting every election cycle. 

“If you got time to earn, you’ve got time to vote.

Election Day during work hours still faced a myriad of challenges, which disproportionately affected low-income voters who were the most in need of paid time-off. According to the Poor People’s Campaign, low-income voters accounted for about 20% of the 158 million votes in 2020 and made up about 30-45% of the voting population in battleground states like Georgia and Arizona. 

One issue is scheduling. The Center for American Progress noted that “low-wage workers often have unpredictable work schedules that can change at the last minute and involve back-to-back shifts.” With chaotic work schedules, workers arrived late to the polls – if they were able to arrive at all. 

Working in-person – which is typical in many low-wage industries like manufacturing and retail – also posed a difficulty for in-person voters, as some Americans were far from their designated polling place. Longer traveling times meant longer lines at the polls, greater traffic on the road, and standing in the cold. 

While massive expansion in early-voting and mail-in ballots have increased opportunities to vote, these options are either not universal or are limited, depending on the state. According to the Center for American Progress, early voting was primarily during business hours in some states. And the Pew Research Center noted that one-in-four Americans believed that voter fraud is a major issue with mail-in votes, drawing the attention back to traditional voting.

With work-related challenges to in-person voting and disparities with voting alternatives, the solution becomes more apparent – Election Day should be a federal holiday with nationwide paid time-off. 

What’s Next?

So how can this happen? The answer starts with Congress. In order to make the change, Congress would have to approve the holiday and have this approval signed off by the President. This wouldn’t be hard, considering the large bipartisan support for the issue: more than 7-out-of-10 voters support the federal holiday, according to the Pew Research Center. 

If Congress passes this legislation, and President Joe Biden or – after Jan. 20 – President Donald Trump approves the federal holiday, the U.S. would join the majority of advanced democracies around the world that have Election Day as a holiday or held during the weekend. 

Most importantly, voter turnout would most likely increase. States like Minnesota, Colorado, and Iowa, who have around 70-75% of their voter-eligible populations cast their ballots, are also states who allow paid time-off for their citizens. In contrast, states like Arkansas and South Carolina, who have the lowest rates of voter turnout, do not have Election Day as a public holiday nor provide paid time-off. 

As America adjusts to the return of the Trump administration and the new Republican majority in both houses of Congress, it is too early to tell if legislation that would establish Election Day as a federal holiday will be prioritized and passed in Congress. 

For now, I’ll wait eagerly for the next four years until the holy trifecta of Election Day, Thanksgiving and Black Friday return once again. Perhaps Election Day will join Thanksgiving in the ranks of U.S. federal holidays by then.