Why do we vote on Tuesday?

by Kirk Mason (mason@wsbt.com)

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Voting in primary elections

(WSBT file photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Feb 11, 2008 at 1:38 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 23, 2008 at 1:00 PM EDT

The presidential election is always on the same day of the week — Tuesday — and so are many state and local elections.

Kevin Estrada of Elkhart has a Good Question: "Why is the day we vote Tuesday?"

WSBT's Kirk Mason explains.

Presidential Election Day, always landing on a Tuesday, has its roots in farming and religion.

In 1845 Congress named the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November Election Day. At the time farmers were a much larger percentage of voters, and November meant harvest season was over.

Tuesday was picked because in the 19th century people didn't have cars. They traveled much further to vote. With church on Sunday, many could not get to voting places by Monday.

St. Mary's College political science professor Sean Savage says many make the argument in modern American politics Tuesday voting is out of date.

“I do think if we have had presidential elections on Saturday we would probably have higher turnout in general,” said Savage. “Basically the easier you make it for people to register to vote and to physically vote the higher the turnout is going to be.”

During presidential primary season some states have held votes on weekends hoping to get more people to the polls.

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