Remembering US veterans and voting....

[.Shane.]

... what better way to honor the service that veterans give their country than by merging Veterans day w/ the national election day?

In the US we have our national election the first Tuesday of November, every year. We also have Veteran's day on Nov. 11.

I think it would be awesome to merge them. Have the National election be the 2nd Tuesday of every Nov. (would be Nov. 8-14) and celebrate Veterans Day as well.

This would be a better way to honor the sacrifices of Veterans AND increase voter turnout!

 

[Irish Caesar]

Yes, because putting Veterans' Day on Armistice Day as was the intention is just silly.

 

[.Shane.]

Yes, because putting Veterans' Day on Armistice Day as was the intention is just silly.

Well, it wasn't silly at the time. But, consequent experiences have shown that it should commerate a lot broader range of experiences.

TBH, I thought more people would think this was a good idea.

 

[malclave]

In the US we have our national election the first Tuesday of November, every year.

[nitpick]
Actually, election day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, so if November 1 is a Tuesday, election day is November 8.
[/nitpick]

 

[bhsup]

No. Bad idea. I am opposed to anything which makes our voting days a holiday.

 

[plarq]

No. Bad idea. I am opposed to anything which makes our voting days a holiday.

Why not, give them a day off to see the vote!

 

[malclave]

Why not, give them a day off to see the vote!

If it was a holiday, I strongly suspect voter participation would decline... people would find that they had "something better to do" on their day off.

 

[JonnyB]

Due to the media circus that elections have become, I doubt that veterans would get nearly as much recognition during an election year.

Which defeats the purpose of Veterans day.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

If it was a holiday, I strongly suspect voter participation would decline... people would find that they had "something better to do" on their day off.

Then they don't deserve their right to vote anyway.

 

[Che Guava]

Due to the media circus that elections have become, I doubt that veterans would get nearly as much recognition during an election year.

Which defeats the purpose of Veterans day.

I would have to agree here: why politicize a day that should be bringing people of all political stripes together?

 

[MamboJoel]

Yep strange, why don't you want to vote during a day off VRWC ?
In France we always vote on sunday for instance. And no media is allowed to do any politics (or polls) during the voting weekend to give the voters peace and time to make their choice.

 

[Che Guava]

In Canada, liquor stores are closed on election day.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

Due to the media circus that elections have become, I doubt that veterans would get nearly as much recognition during an election year.

Which defeats the purpose of Veterans day.

You got there before me. I wouldn't want the solemn gravitas of Rememberance Day, as it is known here, ruined by last minute political manoeuvring.

In Canada, liquor stores are closed on election day.

They open longer here. The only way of making it through the mind numbing boredom of watching Labour win on the "Who Else?" ticket yet again.

In France we always vote on sunday for instance. And no media is allowed to do any politics (or polls) during the voting weekend to give the voters peace and time to make their choice.

Sounds like a good idea to me

 

[bhsup]

Yep strange, why don't you want to vote during a day off VRWC ?
In France we always vote on sunday for instance. And no media is allowed to do any politics (or polls) during the voting weekend to give the voters peace and time to make their choice.

The main reason is just a backlash from me to the people who, every election, complain about how hard it is to find the time to vote on election day and want it to be a holiday simply to make their lives a bit less hectic.

My response...boo frakkin' hoo.

It's an election, the civic duty of every citizen who loves their nation is to vote at these times. I have no patience for someone who just doesn't feel like having to leave early for work or wait after getting off work. Crybabies only want to participate in voting if it doesn't interfere with their other plans. Keep it a bit of a hassle and ensure only those who truly love their country bother to participate. Is it really so much to ask to have one's day disrupted a bit a few days of the year for the sake of freedom and democracy?

MInd you, I understand this is not the reason the OP said we should make it a holiday and that little rant wasn't really aimed at anyone in CFC OT. But it's the reason I've heard frequently in the past and which has already hardened me against the idea of a holiday on election days.

Besides which, the first tuesday in November isn't the only election day. We have three or four elections around here each year. Does each deserve to be a holiday?

 

[MamboJoel]

Besides which, the first tuesday in November isn't the only election day. We have three or four elections around here each year. Does each deserve to be a holiday?

No, I don't think it's a good idea to make tuesday a holiday for the purpose of voting. But why not just saying that elections occure on the first sunday of saturday of november ?

Basically you're saying : if you can't find time during your job to vote you don't love your country and do not deserve to vote.

1. Vote is for every citizen what ever his opinions (I can't see how whether or not they "love" their country should be a prerequist)
2. Putting it this way, why not install the ballot boxes on top of the rocky mountains or deep in the lake powell so that only the ones that reeeeeaaaly love their country can vote ?

 

[malclave]

But why not just saying that elections occure on the first sunday of saturday of november ?

Well, if you want to finance a Constitutional amendment, go for it. I don't find the current setup to be particularly difficult.