NPR: Sunday Soapbox Asks Why Do We Vote on Tuesdays

Sunday Soapbox Asks Why Do We Vote on Tuesdays

Last week we told you about Weekend Sunday Edition's new blogging feature, Sunday Soapbox.

Well, in that short week, we've already added a new blogger -- or should we say vlogger -- to the mix

Jacob Soboroff will be doing some video blogging for Sunday Soapbox. Jacob is executive director of Why Tuesday?, a non-partisan group working to increase voter participation. Jacob also contributes video reports about Los Angeles news, media and sense of place to LA Observed, and was a contributor to the PBS series Wired Science, a production of KCET Los Angeles and Wired magazine. In college Jacob was a part-time advance man to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and presidential candidate Howard Dean.

Jacob's first piece is fascinating. It's about, well, why the U.S. votes on Tuesdays.

Did you know that since 1945 the U.S. ranks 139th of 172 countries in the world when it comes to voter turnout? (Do they have elections in the other 32?) And that the most common reason given by people for not voting is that they are too busy?

So why do we vote on Tuesdays anyway? Turns out that it's the result of a mid-19th century law designed to give people who worked in agrarian industries a chance to vote. Well, we don't live in an agrarian society any more, so why not move it to a day when more people can vote? Like Saturday?

Jacob set out to ask presidential candidates that very question. You can see the result here on Sunday Soapbox.

1:18 PM ET | 04-25-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

I am a teacher and used to work in a small rural district. It just so happens that during November election time, we had evening Parent/Teacher conferences. They said that if any of the teachers wanted to vote, we would have to get absentee ballots. Whatever day they decide on, employers need to respect the democratic process.

Sent by Katie | 1:46 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I would like to see election day as close to tax day as possible.

Sent by deek | 4:50 PM ET | 04-25-2008

What do you mean, "when more people can vote"? Aren't most employers required to give you time off to vote if you want it?

Having it on a Tuesday is a good idea that should be defended. It erects a minimum participation barrier - actually bothering to get the time off work - which weeds out only people who care very little about politics.

Please explain to me why we want those people voting. Are they going to be well-informed voters who have done all their homework? Heck no. They'll vote based on whatever rumor mill or tv ad they heard the previous day.

I say, let them earn the extra two hours' wages and save us the grief of their ignorance. If someone can't be bothered to ask their boss for election day off, I don't want their vote competing with mine.

Sent by Kasreyn | 4:53 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I was somewhat shocked that none of the presidential candidates knew why we vote on Tuesdays!

From sos GA website:

"Tuesday as a choice for Election Day is deeply grounded in historical practice, at least as early as 1777. This would appear to have developed in a rural society to allow for the observation of Sabbath strictures and travel to polling locations. While Georgia displayed early and sustained adoption of Tuesday as a legally significant day for election or convening, this practice was probably widespread in America. By 1845 the Congress of the United States had passed legislation designating Tuesday as an election day for Presidential Electors referencing the ideas of travel and Sabbath limitations. It would appear that this precedent influenced Georgia to give increasing meaning to Tuesday as a day for elections and official business."

Gee, think we can change that now? LOL!!

Sent by Jen DiFeo | 12:30 PM ET | 04-27-2008

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