♪ "TOO BUSY TO VOTE."
THAT'S WAS THE RESPONSE 2.7 MILLION PEOPLE GAVE WHEN A
CENSUS SURVEY OF 19 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS ASKED WHY THEY
CHOSE NOT TO CAST A BALLOT.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO BOOST VOTER TURNOUT THROUGH THE YEARS
FEDERAL LEGISLATORS HAVE TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF MAKING ELECTION
DAY A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, AND CONGRESS MIGHT TAKE UP THE IDEA
AGAIN THIS SESSION.
THIS POSSIBILITY GOT US CURIOUS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ELECTION
DAY, WHICH I DISCUSSED WITH SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY
COLLEGE PROFESSOR JOHN DIFFLEY.
>> IT WASN'T ALWAYS UNIFORM.
IT BEGAN EARLY SOMETIMES IN JANUARY, AND THEN IT MOVED TO
NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER UP UNTIL 1845, STATES HAD A 34-DAY WINDOW
TO DO IT.
IT HAD TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER 4th, BUT THEY WERE RARELY ALL
ON THE SAME DAY.
>> OVER A MONTH.
>> YOU COULD PICK A DATE IN THERE.
ANY DATE YOU WANTED THE STATES COULD AND NOT ALL OF THEM DID
THE SAME SO THEY WERE A MONTH APART SOMETIMES.
>> WHICH SEEMS LIKE ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NIGHTS WE
CAN BARELY WAIT 24 HOURS FOR RESULTS.
>> EXACTLY.
THEY WOULD WAIT OVER A MONTH.
>> IT MUST HAVE BEEN EXCRUCIATING.
>> YES.
>> ALTHOUGH KIND OF GIVES US A MOMENT TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT
OKAY WHAT WERE TIMES LIKE THEN?
INFORMATION TRAVELED MUCH SLOWER THAN IT DOES NOW.
AND DIFFERENT PARAMETERS, DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR HOW
PEOPLE LIVED AND WORKED, ETC.
SO HOW WAS IT THAT WE CAME TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF OUR
TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER, WHICH WE KNOW AS KIND OF LIKE ELECTION
DAY?
>> WELL, IT WAS BASED OFF AN AGRARIAN NATION AT THAT POINT,
17% OF THE PEOPLE, WERE FARMERS SO YOU NEEDED TIME TO TRAVEL,
TOO.
YOU HAD TO HAVE YOUR HORSE AND BUGGY.
THEY FIGURED YOU WOULD NEED ONE DAY OF TRAVEL TO GET THERE SO
YOU COULDN'T DO IT ON SUNDAYS BECAUSE YOU HAD CHURCH.
YOU COULDN'T DO IT WEDNESDAYS OR THURSDAYS BECAUSE THOSE WERE
MARKET DAYS SO THEY PICKED TUESDAY TO GIVE EVERYBODY A DAY
TO TRAVEL ON MONDAY, AND THEN TRAVEL BACK WEDNESDAY.
THEY PICKED AGAIN NOVEMBER BECAUSE IT WAS -- YOU CAN'T DO
IT IN THE SPRING OR SUMMER PLANTING SEASON, TENDING THE
CROPS.
UP UNTIL OCTOBER YOU'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IN THE CROPS SO
NOVEMBER THE FARMERS WOULDN'T BE WORKING SO THAT WAS THE BEST FOR
THEM.
THAT'S WHY THEY PICKED THAT.
>> SO HERE WE ARE, 2019, FAR LESS OF AN AGRARIAN SOCIETY THAN
WE ONCE WERE WHEN WE WOULD HAVE SET THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION DAY.
DO YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO REVISIT THE ISSUE?
>> I THINK IT COULD BE YES.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST SOMETIMES, YOU GET
WEATHER THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM GOING, THERE'S NO REAL REASON
NOT TO HAVE IT IN NICER WEATHER, SUMMER PEOPLE MIGHT BE ON
VACATION SO MAYBE THERE, BUT YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD
CHANGE IT.
RIGHT NOW, IT WAS BASED OFF OF THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
>> SO IT'S AN INTERESTING SORT OF TUG OF WAR WITH THE WAY WE
WERE BUT NOW, WE DO IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'VE ALWAYS
DONE IT.
>> THAT'S OUR TRADITION.
SINCE 1845, IT'S NOT EVEN OUR WHOLE TIME.
>> DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WERE CHALLENGES TO ROLLING OUT SORT
OF A NATIONAL -- OR EXCUSE ME, ONE DAY WHERE EVERYONE VOTED ON
THE SAME DAY AS OPPOSED TO THE 30 PLUS DAY WINDOW THAT WE HAD
PREVIOUSLY.
>> SOME STATES DID OPPOSE IT BECAUSE IN THE CONSTITUTION IT
LEAVES IT TO THE STATE TO CHOOSE.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY OPPOSITION, BUT MOST WANT OUT BECAUSE THEY
WERE TRYING TO AVOID ELECTORAL FRAUD.
IF IT'S A MONTH AWAY YOU COULD VOTE IN ONE STATE, TRAVEL TO
ANOTHER STATE AND TRY TO VOTE AGAIN.
SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY VOTE IN DIFFERENT STATES IF YOU WANTED
TO WHICH APPARENTLY WAS AN ISSUE.
>> SO IT'S REALLY INTERESTING ALSO HOW WE SEE ECHOS OF THE
PAST STILL TODAY ARE ALLEGATIONS OF ELECTION FRAUD AND VARIOUS
INFIGHTING AROUND THAT.
SO CURRENTLY, THERE'S A BILL IN CONGRESS THAT WOULD MAKE
ELECTION DAY A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
>> YES.
INTERESTINGLY AS I WAS DOING SOME READING IN ADVANCE OF THIS
SEGMENT, IT'S A HOLIDAY IN MANY STATES.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE NATURE OF THAT?
YOU GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY THERE?
>> MOST PEOPLE GET THE DAY OFF, OR AT LEAST THE EMPLOYER HAS TO
GIVE YOU THE DAY OFF OR GIVE YOU A LONGER LUNCH BREAK TO GO OUT
AND DO IT THAT WAY.
IT SEEMED -- I REMEMBER GOING, THE SCHOOLS CLOSED, EVERYBODY
DID, AND SO -- EVEN SOME COMPANIES ALLOW THEIR EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW SOME OF THE AUTO WORKERS OFTEN HAVE IT THAT THEY'RE
ALLOWED TO TAKE THAT DAY OFF.
>> DO WE KNOW IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR VOTER TURNOUT IN
THOSE STATES?
>> I'M NOT SURE IT DOES.
RIGHT AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS VOTER APATHY IS SORT OF
NATIONWIDE.
>> WELL, EXACTLY.
VOTER TURNOUT IN THE UNITED STATES ACROSS THE BOARD IS ABOUT
56%.
DO YOU THINK THAT HAVING A FEDERAL HOLIDAY DEVOTED TO
ELECTIONS WOULD BEEF UP VOTER TURNOUT?
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE.
A FAIR AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DON'T VOTE BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS
THEY CITE IS THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
THEY CAN'T GET OFF WORK.
SO AT LEAST IT WOULD BRING IT UP SOME AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD.
>> THERE'S BEEN SOME PUSHBACK TO THIS.
MITCH McCONNELL THE REPUBLICAN LEADER SAID THAT IT'S A GENEROUS
NEW BENEFIT FOR FEDERAL BUREAUCRATS AND GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT'S HIS CONCERN.
DO YOU HEAR THAT CONCERN AT ALL?
>> NOT REALLY.
APPARENTLY, THEY'VE TRIED THIS BEFORE, 2001, 2002, 2005.
IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME ARGUMENT, I GUESS THAT WE DON'T
NEED ANOTHER PAID DAY OFF.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD NECESSARILY BENEFIT ONE PARTY
OVER THE OTHER.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HIS BASIS IS FOR THAT, BUT THAT IS THE FEAR,
YEAH.
>> AND CERTAINLY, THIS LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN
THE PAST BEFORE THIS TIME OF AROUND I SAW THAT SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS HAD PROPOSED A VERSION OF IT.
IT GETS TWEAKED EVERY TIME IT COMES BACK UP.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LIKELIHOOD OF US SEEING THIS WOULD BE?
>> I DOUBT IT'S GOING TO PASS ON THIS ONE.
YOU NEVER KNOW, BUT I SEE -- I DON'T SEE IT JUST BECAUSE IT
HASN'T PASSED IN THE RECENT PAST YET.
I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH OPPOSITION TO IT THAT IT WON'T
FLY, AT LEAST IN THE SENATE IT PROBABLY WON'T GET PASSED.
>> WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE NATURE OF NATIONAL ELECTION DAYS
ELSEWHERE?
>> A LOT OF NATIONS ESPECIALLY MOST OF EUROPE VOTES ON THE
WEEKEND.
SOME PLACES ACTUALLY GIVE YOU FOUR DAYS TO VOTE.
THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
ISRAEL, SOUTH CAROLINA VOTE DURING THE WEEK THAT THEY MAKE
IT A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, MEXICO VOTES IN THE SPRING ACTUALLY IN
THE SPRING AND SUMMER.
MANY SEEM TO VOTE ON THE WEEKENDS OR AT LEAST MAKE IT A
NATIONAL HOLIDAY AND THEY HAVE HIGHER TURNOUT, TOO.
>> THE WEEKEND SEEMS QUITE SMART.
NOT EVERYONE HAS THE WEEKEND OFF, MORE PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULD.
>> AND IN FRANCE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON SUNDAY, THEY MAKE IT A
HOLIDAY, THEY'LL CLOSE MANY OF THE RETAIL SHOPS THAT DAY.
YOU STILL GET THE DAY OFF.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE WITH VOTER TURNOUT
HERE IN THE STATES IS THAT THERE'S VOTER APATHY, THERE'S
JUST PEOPLE ARE LAZY, INSERT ADJECTIVE HERE, PROFESSOR, WHAT
DO YOU THINK IS BEHIND THAT?
>> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
I THINK IT IS VOTER APATHY.
VOTER TURNOUT RATES HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF THE 20th CENTURY.
MANY PEOPLE SEE THAT IT'S THE SAME CHOICE FROM EACH PARTY AND
SOME PEOPLE JUST -- IT'S TOO HARD TO GET THERE AND SO I THINK
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
IT'S A HARD THING TO FIX.
>> IN TERMS OF THOSE OTHER COUNTRIES, WHETHER THEY'RE
VOTING ON THE WEEKENDS OR THEY'RE GETTING THE FOUR DAY
CHUNK TO SORT OF VOTE WITHIN, DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE COUNTRIES
ARE ALSO MARKETING BETTER TO THEIR CITIZENS THAT OKAY HERE'S
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
DO WE HAVE KIND OF A P.R. PROBLEM WITH ELECTIONS HERE?
>> YES, A LITTLE BIT.
IN THOSE PLACES LIKE AUSTRALIA AND SOME OF THE OTHERS THEY MAKE
IT A PARTY DAY.
THEY HAVE BARBECUES AT THE POLLING PLACES.
THEY VOTE AT SCHOOLS THE SAME WAY WE DO AND THEY'LL HAVE
BARBECUES, THEY'LL GAVE YOU FOOD.
DONATIONS GO TO LOCAL CHARITIES AND THEY DO MAKE IT MORE OF A
CIVIC THING, A COMMUNITY GATHERING AND YOU SPEND THE DAY
WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR TOWN.
>> SO SHORT OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS BECOMES A FEDERAL HOLIDAY
OR MORE STATES PICK IT UP AND MAKE IT A HOLIDAY IN THEIR OWN
RIGHT, DO YOU THINK MAYBE SOME SMALLER ADJUSTMENTS LIKE YOU
JUST SAID?
TAKING ADVANTAGE AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL COULD ENCOURAGE
MORE PEOPLE TO COME OUT ON ELECTION DAY?
>> YES, I THINK IT COULD.
ELECTIONS IN THE 19th CENTURY WERE ALMOST LIKE PARTIES.
THEY EVEN HAD A THING CALLED THE ELECTION CAKE WHERE THEY WOULD
GIVE OUT LIKE A SPICE CAKE A FRUIT CAKE WHERE AFTER YOU CAME
OUT VOTING THEY WOULD GIVE YOU A PIECE OF CAKE FOR IT OR THEY
WOULD HOLD THOSE COOKOUTS AND PEOPLE WOULD COME FROM ALL
AROUND, THE SHOPS WOULD CLOSE AND I THINK IT WOULD CREATE A
SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
TODAY, WE GO IN, IT'S IN A GYM YOU BARELY TALK TO EVERYBODY AND
YOU GO BACK TO YOUR CAR AND YOU LEAVE.
IT'S A VERY INDIVIDUALIZED THING RATHER THAN A COMMUNITY FEELING.
>> IT'S ALMOST A RACE.
HOW QUICKLY CAN I GET IN AND GO OUT, SHOULD I GO AT LUNCH?
AVOID LUNCH ALTOGETHER?
>> I USUALLY DO IT AFTER WORK, HOPING THAT'S THE EASIEST TIME
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GET STUCK THERE ON YOUR LUNCH HOUR,
WHICH HAPPENS SOME PLACES. ♪
♪