Voting Day around the World
When it comes to elections in the United States, it’s pretty certain that most people will be voting on a Tuesday. The custom of voting on a Tuesday in November was established when many Americans were farmers. By November, the growing and harvesting seasons were over making it easier for farmers to leave their work and go vote.
But what day is chosen for elections in other countries? Many countries, such as Greece, Australia, and Brazil, choose to hold elections on Sundays or Saturdays because they feel that more people will turn out to vote on weekends when they are less likely to be working.
The United States does not hold Sunday elections because the tradition is that Sundays are for religious services, not voting. But not every country or religion observes Sunday as its day of worship.
Other countries choose different days, either for traditional or practical reasons. In the Netherlands, elementary schools have a half-day on Wednesdays. Since those schools are usually where voting is held, it’s easier to have an election on that day when the buildings will be empty. South Africa and Indonesia were once colonies of the Netherlands, so they still have the same tradition of voting on Wednesdays. In the United Kingdom, elections are usually held on Thursdays. One explanation is because most people were paid on Fridays, they would have already run out of money on Thursday and wouldn’t be able to go to a restaurant or pub instead of voting.
Some countries have even more specific voting days. Canada’s elections are held on the third Monday in October every four years. In the Czech Republic, voting begins on Friday afternoon and ends on Saturday afternoon. In Norway, voting takes place on a Monday in September, but the king decides exactly what date it will be. In Denmark, Tuesdays are the most common day for voting, but elections frequently take place on other days as well.
Many countries have declared their election days to be holidays. That means that almost everyone has the day off. Officials hope this will make it easier for people to vote because they won’t have to worry about taking time off from work. Many Americans believe that election day should be a national holiday, not just one that some states have and others don’t. There is a movement to call it “Democracy Day,” since it would make elections fairer if more people can participate.
No matter where in the world they are held, elections are an important part of a democratic government. Every election day is a celebration of freedom and the right to choose our leaders.