Congresswoman Louise Slaughter is joining a downstate Democrat in backing legislation that calls for moving Election Day. They would like to see it moved from the first Tuesday in November to the first full weekend in that month, which the two lawmakers feel would make it a lot more convenient for voters and increase voter turnout.
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter is joining a downstate Democrat in backing legislation that calls for moving Election Day. They would like to see it moved from the first Tuesday in November to the first full weekend in that month, which the two lawmakers feel would make it a lot more convenient for voters and increase voter turnout.
Congressman Steve Israel of New York City says that marking Tuesday for elections was put in place in the mid-19th century because it was the easiest day for farmers to get to the polls. But he says that just doesn't make sense anymore.
Slaughter says weekend voting would also help reduce lines at the polls. The so-called Weekend Voting Act would allow for national polls to be open from 10 a.m. on Saturday to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Election officials would be allowed to close polls during the overnight hours if they feel it would be inefficient to keep them open