I have given this some thought before. I think voter turnout would be increased if the day could be changed. For the past 250 years, the past 150 years, and even the past 100 years, the U.S. had been an agrarian economy. It no longer is. Back then, men (women couldn't vote then) could get up Tuesday morning, feed the cows and milk them, slop the hogs, harness the horses to the buggy, and go into town and vote. They then could return to their farms and get on with their chores. These days, most people are working for employers in office buildings and are expected to get to work at a certain time and leave at a certain time. In many cases, the commute time does not allow them to go vote either before or after work; and certainly not during normal working hours. And they don't feel like standing in line for long times to cast their vote. I recommend changing Election Day to Friday. The kids are in school, so there shouldn't be interference with weekend plans. Service industries could shorten their hours or allow some to vote in the morning and others vote in the evening so their employees could go vote. And there should be no change in pay for hourly employees. After all, salaried employees would still get their full pay.
I have given this some thought before. I think voter turnout would be increased if the day could be changed. For the past 250 years, the past 150 years, and even the past 100 years, the U.S. had been an agrarian economy. It no longer is. Back then, men (women couldn't vote then) could get up Tuesday morning, feed the cows and milk them, slop the hogs, harness the horses to the buggy, and go into town and vote. They then could return to their farms and get on with their chores. These days, most people are working for employers in office buildings and are expected to get to work at a certain time and leave at a certain time. In many cases, the commute time does not allow them to go vote either before or after work; and certainly not during normal working hours. And they don't feel like standing in line for long times to cast their vote. I recommend changing Election Day to Friday. The kids are in school, so there shouldn't be interference with weekend plans. Service industries could shorten their hours or allow some to vote in the morning and others vote in the evening so their employees could go vote. And there should be no change in pay for hourly employees. After all, salaried employees would still get their full pay.