There's a new group with a snazzy website and a good PR campaign called Why Tuesday that is promoting weekend voting.
Illinois should take the lead on moving our municipal elections and our primary elections to weekends instead of Tuesday.
I think Representative Mike Boland (D-Moline) had a bill to do it last session.
6 comments:
Why do you think weekend voting would raise turnout? It's not as if voting is currently a huge inconvenience, and there are multiple ways to vote early if a weekday is, for soem strange reason, inconvenient.
Do you really think that turnout suffers because voting is too inconvenient, or because people are complacent? I suspect that it's the latter much, much more than the former.
I remember this idea proposed by Ross Perot awhile back... It may help independent and third-party candidates some. I don't see why it wouldn't be a good idea; other reforms need to be made however, in order to make things more fair, for those who want to challenge the partisan Establishments.
It's not a top priority item, but I think it would improve turnout (at least marginally). And like a lot of things, if we wouldn't set up elections on Tuesdays if we would start from scratch, we shouldn't just accept the status quo. I think.
Dave,
Why would you do something to help the Republicans?
It isn't as if the public employee unions don't use their bargaining rights to give them election day off (or part time).
Working precincts every year is a lesson in Patronage politics. All those teachers, on tax payer dollars, promoting the spending of yet more tax payer dollars.
Your idea is a good one. The Union mentality will say "no way I'm using my Saturday to work for 'the boss'" while the Republicans will say, "Oh, a chance to do some civic work that doesn't necessarily take away from job, family, or sleep."
I'm with you on this one.
Having elections on multiple days wouldn't necessarily burden election judges -- you could have half as many precincts and split the judges by day. (the only walk in the neighborhood most people in my area get is the biannual trip to the polls)
How about we make all election days holidays? That sounds like a better idea. The country should shut down for 4 days each year to facilitate voting, and poll attendance should be required, even if you wish not to vote. It's like the only duty we have as citizens. We should take it more seriously and do anything to help facilitate voting.
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