Late last month, the Government of Sandusky, Ohio, did what many believe the Federal Government should have done long ago. It Declared Election Day a Paid Holiday.
Proponents argue that the Benefit is clear. If you make it easier for People to show up to the Polls by saying they don’t have to Work, more People will, strengthening our Democracy with Greater Civic Participation.
Yet it has proved exceedingly difficult to make Election Day a Paid Holiday Nationwide, despite Lawmakers’ various attempts.
Sandusky’s solution was simple. Swap City Workers’ Columbus Day Holiday with the First Tuesday after Nov. 1th. The move will affect All Municipal Workers.
“We are swapping them to prioritize voting day as a day off so that our employees can vote,” City Manager Eric Wobser said.
He added: “It’s also because Columbus Day has become controversial, and many cities have eliminated it as a holiday.”
A Number of Cities have decided to Rename the Holiday Indigenous Peoples Day as a Tribute to the Native Peoples who Lived on the Continent long before Christopher Columbus arrived.
Negotiating the Swap with Workers’ Unions was only a bit tricky.
Union Leaders expressed some hesitation because People generally prefer a Three-Day Weekend versus a Day Off in the Middle of the Workweek.
Election Day is on a Tuesday thanks to 19th Century Farmers. They agreed, though, after understanding the Civic Benefits.
“A lot’s happened in the last three years that had us thinking a lot about voter access and democracy, and so we thought it was a really natural switch,” the City Manager said.
Compared with other Developed Nations, Voter Turnout in the U.S. is not great. But it wasn’t always that way.
According to University of Massachusetts Professor Holly Jackson, Election Day used to be Public Feast Days where nearly everyone Turned Up in their Best Clothing to Eat, Drink, Talk Politics, and for those who could, Cast Ballots.
Along with Eliminating systemic Barriers to Voter Registration and actual Voting, allowing Americans a Paid Holiday to fulfill their Civic Duties is one of the ways Voting Rights Activists hope to once again Boost Enthusiasm for the Polls.
In New York, 3-110 - Time allowed Employees to Vote.:
1. If a registered voter does not have sufficient time outside of their working hours, within which to vote at any election, they may, without loss of pay for up to two hours, take off so much working time as will, when added to their voting time outside their working hours, enable them to vote.
2. If an employee has four consecutive hours either between the opening of the polls and the beginning of their working shift, or between the end of their working shift and the closing of the polls, they shall be deemed to have sufficient time outside their working hours within which to vote. If they have less than four consecutive hours they may take off so much working time as will when added to their voting time outside their working hours enable them to vote, but not more than two hours of which shall be without loss of pay, provided that they shall be allowed time off for voting only at the beginning or end of their working shift, as the employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
3. If the employee requires working time off to vote the employee shall notify the employer not more than ten nor less than two working days before the day of the election that the employee requires time off to vote in accordance with the provisions of this section.
4. Not less than ten working days before every election, every employer shall post conspicuously in the place of work where it can be seen as employees come or go to their place of work, a notice setting forth the provisions of this section. Such notice shall be kept posted until the close of the polls on election day.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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