Since 1845, the ritual is the same. Be it for presidential elections or the Midterms, voters in the us vote on a Tuesday. A choice of which few Americans are familiar with the history that dates back to the founding of the country.
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When the convention responsible for drafting the Constitution of the United States meets in the summer of 1787, it has too little time to resolve the many issues that arise. On a number of topics, it does not stop decision-making, including the question of the day of the vote. The States are free to organise the presidential election over a period of 34 days prior to the first Wednesday of December, when the grand electors of the electoral college gather. Very quickly, the system encourages chaos and fraud. Parties go up, for example, gangs of activists who move from state to State to vote. The Congress decides to put in good order in 1845, and to adopt a single day of voting across the country. He opts for the beginning of November: the harvests are over and the snow has not yet made the roads impassable.
The Tuesday, the day of compromise in an agrarian society
on the day of the week is chosen, it must then also take account of the logistical constraints of the time. In a world where one moves to a horse and carriage, it is necessary to allow time for voters to reach the polling station. The United States was an agricultural society, the farms may be quite distant from the towns. It takes a day of travel to go, a day to vote and a day to go home. Saturday is an ordinary working day. Sunday, day of worship, is inadmissible. Monday suppose to leave Sunday, so, it was impossible. Wednesday is a market day. Tuesday, by contrast, seems a good compromise. We left Monday and we are back home for the end of the week. At this time, the election day is festive. The city organizes parades, families its gorgeous make the move together. Tuesday will be the day of voting for all elections.
which was a perfect setting for the society of the Nineteenth century appears to be less relevant nowadays. Tuesday is a day of work or during an ordinary. The voter must find the time to go to the polling station and the queue at the peak hours. Early in the morning before work or at the end of the day at the exit of the offices. The association Why Tuesday can be seen in this choice one of the reasons for the low participation rate in the United States and is campaigning for an automatic registration and online on the electoral lists. She defends a vote held during the weekend. The organization even suggests making voting day a holiday.
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According to a survey conducted during the mid-term elections of 2014, 69% of abstainers reported being overwhelmed or not being able to go to the polling station due to constraints of school and work. These elections recorded the highest abstention rate since 1942. Only 36% of citizens of voting age have done. As a general rule, the Midterms seduce little. Since 1914, the participation in these elections is below 50%. But the personality clivante Donald Trump might encourage the Americans to move. According to a Pew poll dated last September, 59% of republican voters and 67 percent of democrats surveyed say they are more enthusiastic to vote than usual.
