Why do americans vote on tuesdays? : NPR
▻http://www.npr.org/2016/11/01/500208500/why-do-we-vote-on-tuesdays
Why Tuesday — and in November?
Convenience, believe it or not. In order to understand the day chosen, you need to understand 19th century America. Most Americans were farmers, devoutly Christian and needed time to travel, because roads weren’t paved, and polling locations weren’t widespread like today.
Sundays were out because of church. People had to get to the county seat to vote, and automobiles weren’t an option — they weren’t a factor until the early 20th century. The Interstate Highway System wasn’t authorized until the mid-1950s.
As for why November — spring was planting season, summer was taken up with working the fields and tending the crops, but by November, the fall harvest was over. And in most of the country, the weather was still mild enough to permit travel over those unpaved roads.
OK, but why the first Tuesday after the first Monday ?
Lawmakers wanted to prevent Election Day from falling on the first of November for three reasons — religion, business and, of course, politics:
(1) Religion: Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics that is also observed by some orthodox Christians and some Protestants
(2) Business: Most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1st;
(3) Politics: Members of Congress were worried that the economic success or failure of the previous month might prove an undue influence on the vote.
Yes, even back then, it was the “economy, stupid.”
#états-unis #élections #usa #Election_US #religion #business #politics
