On November 3rd, 160 + Americans were glued to their devices. Watching the scores for Trump and Biden get higher and lower. Many Americans were standing in line to put in their vote in time. What were the kids doing who couldn’t vote? They were doing homework, essays, and projects. Election day should be a national holiday for so many reasons but thinking selfishly it should be a holiday so my generation can receive a better understanding of how the election works. So Those who are voting have more time to stand in line to vote or more time to decide if they want to volunteer as a poll worker. There are multitudes of reasons why election day should be a holiday.

First Things First, Americans work. Some have long shifts and multiple jobs they’re doing and they have to somehow balance it all together. Then after a long day of working all these jobs, they have to get some energy to get up and stand in line to vote? The chances of that happening decrease with each long hour they work that day. Because people are working all day it gives them less time to focus on more than they need to. This is probably one of the reasons why votes are always so low. As someone who plans to work in the future, when I am of age and can vote if I can’t leave work to vote then the chances of me taking time out of my life to vote are slim to none.

Second, Election day is stressful. Because of that stress so many people forget that it’s even a day. If it’s made into a holiday, then no one would forget. It could cause more people to go and vote because they are prepared for that day and for some who mail-in ballots they could be prepared instead of waiting it off. It could cause awareness for the election so first-time voters have full knowledge of what the day is and who they are electing, not just as president. A lot of first time voters randomly voted for people they didn’t know because they either felt that they needed to fill the ballot out and/or they didn’t receive full knowledge of what the election was under the pretense that it was just for presidents. With the day off, citizens can do more research on each candidate and issues in play.

Finally, Holidays like Labor Day and Memorial day are national holidays that are well deserved but seeing as they have the same basis as election day, making election day a national holiday only seems fitting. Holidays like labor day and thanksgiving are celebrated and if election day becomes a national holiday it is also given a chance for it to be celebrated. People can perform their civic duties while having the day to relax and celebrate democracy. When you have an election day it gives people a chance of belonging.

To an American, Election Day is one of the most important days. It’s the day Americans as a whole decide who they choose to govern over them for 4 years. It’s got its right to be a holiday so what are we waiting for.