Should Election Day be a paid day off

[michreject]

What's more important? Work or electing our officials?

[stray cat]

1. Its mandatory that you are given 2 hours off to vote if you can't fit into open voting times

Does it really take you an entire day to vote?

[michreject]

6. I worked (retired) 1-1/2 hours from where I live.

So yes it does.

[stray cat]

11. No ballots you can mail in or early voting? Students don't have to take 5 days off to fly home

they use absentee ballots. Of course we could give students a week off and close classes so they can go home to vote.

[customerserviceguy]

2. Who needs a whole day to vote?

Especially when we have mail-in ballots available? In Oregon, all balloting is mail-in, there's no need to have even an hour off for it.

[madokie]

7. It's not the needing the whole day thats important

it's the encouragement of us doing the voting that is important.

[stray cat]

12. You can have the day off if you bring a permission slip that says you voted?

[customerserviceguy]

20. Maybe we ought to vote on Sundays, like most of the civilized world does

Tuesday voting is an anachronism from a time when a farming society needed two days to get to the county seat to vote.

Next time you read about a foreign election, reflect on what day the voting took place, chances are excellent that it's on a Sunday. But, that might be tough here during football season...

[madokie]

3. Election day should be a holiday with the day off

possible even a paid day although I haven't thought that one through yet. But to answer your question YES it should be.

[WhollyHeretic]

4. I've always thought election day should be a federal holiday.

Scrap Columbus day and make election day a federal holiday.

[HughBeaumont]

10. I dunno if I'd scrap Columbus day.

I get that day off :7

But yes, election day should be a federal holiday. Most countries have their elections on weekends.

[madokie]

16. Or even let it still be Columbus day just add that its now election day too

No better day to have elections on than the day we celebrate Christopher's founding of the America's

[donco6]

5. It wouldn't matter

Here in Colorado, it's all mail-in ballots. You have almost 4 weeks to vote from the comfort of your home.

Our turnout in Adams County was 17%.

[stray cat]

8. All businesses should be closed to give the day off

hospitals, police, stores, gas stations, all but the voting booth and we have to pay them overtime to compensate them for helping voters vote.

Some people do have to work to keep things functioning and I for one am capable of voting and working on most days when polls are open 12 hours.

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. No.

That's nuts. 3/4 of the people would just sit home and not vote anyway.

How long does it take to vote? or complete an absentee ballot?

[Graybeard]

13. No.

On a day off one sleeps late, goes to the mall, or maybe drives up to the lake to go fishing.

[Ineeda]

14. We have 7-day-a-week early voting in Florida for about 2 weeks.

Mail-in ballots; early hours and late hours. There's absolutely no excuse not to vote. Petition your supervisor of elections or election board or whomever is in charge, to accommodate voters' diverse schedules.

[moose65]

15. Election day should be on the weekend

If we're going to insist on having a day set aside for elections, it should be on the weekend, when many more people are off work. Of course, things like early voting and mail-in voting are great ideas as well. And don't you think Election Day should be in September instead of November? The weather can be quite rotten in many areas in November.

[bertman]

17. No. Especially not in RED states.

But seriously, not a PAID day off, but I think employers should grant employees the time off (come in late, go home early, take a long lunch) to vote if they have not taken advantage of early voting or absentee voting.

[Travis_0004]

18. I say No

Most polls are open 13-14 hours, and very few shifts are that long.

Also, there are absentee ballots, and (in Ohio), you can vote up to 30 days early.

If you want to vote, its very easy to do it. If you choose not to, then that is up to you.

[bigwillq]

19. No

IF people really want to vote, they will find time to do it. I don't think giving a whole day off would encourage people to vote.