Why do Americans vote on Tuesdays?

TL;DR

American voter turnout is low, ranking near the bottom globally, and it turns out there is no good reason why we vote on Tuesdays.

Transcript

I want to tell you all about a piece of American history that is so secret, that nobody has done anything about it for 167 years, until right now. And the way that we're going to uncover this vestigial organ of America past is by asking this question: Why? As we all know -- (Laughter) we are in the middle of another presidential election, hotly con... Read More

Key Insights

• 😜 American voter turnout ranks near the bottom globally, raising concerns about the health of the country's democracy.
• 🥳 The tradition of voting on Tuesdays dates back to a time when travel to vote required a day's journey and Sundays were not an option.
• 🖤 Many prominent elected leaders are unaware of the reason behind voting on Tuesdays, highlighting the lack of attention given to this issue.
• 😘 A bill called the Weekend Voting Act aims to address low voter turnout by moving election day to the weekend.
• 💦 The bill could potentially increase voter participation by providing more convenient voting options for working individuals.
• 🏈 The change proposed by the Weekend Voting Act has the potential to alter American history after 167 years of voting on Tuesdays.
• 🥳 The proposed change in election day highlights the need for reform in the democratic process to encourage greater citizen participation.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is American voter turnout so low compared to other countries?

The low voter turnout in America can be attributed to various factors, including lack of convenience, political apathy, and distrust in the political system. However, the specific reason for today's low turnout is likely not directly related to why we vote on Tuesdays.

Q: How did the tradition of voting on Tuesdays originate?

The tradition of voting on Tuesdays goes back to 1845 when Americans traveled by horse and buggy. It took a day to travel to the county seat to vote, another day to return, and Sundays were not available for travel, so Tuesday became the chosen day.

Q: Why haven't previous elected leaders known why we vote on Tuesdays?

Many elected leaders, including Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Dianne Feinstein, were unaware of the reason behind voting on Tuesdays. This lack of knowledge is surprising considering their involvement in election processes.

Q: How would moving election day to the weekend increase voter turnout?

Moving election day to the weekend, as proposed in the Weekend Voting Act, would make it more convenient for people to vote. Weekends are generally more accessible to working individuals, allowing for more flexibility and potentially increasing voter turnout.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• American voter turnout ranks 138th out of 172 nations, but nobody knows why we vote on Tuesdays.

• The tradition dates back to 1845 when traveling to vote took a day and was not allowed on Sundays.

• A bill called the Weekend Voting Act aims to move election day to the weekend to increase voter participation.