Why is the US election on tuesday?

[Spiffor]

Due to huge turnout, polling places have had lines lasting up to 4-5 hours in some places.

I thought the turnout was between 50% and (most optimistically) 60%? That's very far from being "huge"...

This is particularly true in poor, working class districts. There's also a shortage of poll workers that slows things up.

Are poll workers paid for the job, or is it a voluntary job?

[DinoDoc]

Volunteer. Usually seniors in my experience.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Volunteer. Usually seniors in my experience.

Ah well, that explains it. We too have a crisis of volunteers to hold the voting booths, and the job is increasingly done by civil servants.

[Dis]

It has something to do with farming or the last harvest. some crap like that.

I'm sure it's already been said in this thread. I just felt the need to repeat it

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Due to huge turnout, polling places have had lines lasting up to 4-5 hours in some places.

I thought the turnout was between 50% and (most optimistically) 60%? That's very far from being "huge"...

Huge is relative to previous turnouts. The 2000 election got 51% turnout, which was up from 49% in 1996. The highest turnout we've had in the last 20 years was Clinton's 1992 victory with 55%.

Some experts have predicted this year will see a turnout over 60%, which hasn't happened since the 1960s. And keep in mind that increasing just 1% adds many, many millions of voters.

[Dis]

so do higher turnouts favour the democrats? It seems to me they do. but I could be wrong about this.

[Boris Godunov]

Yes, nearly always. But lower turnouts don't necessarily hurt them, as 1996 proved.

[The Mad Monk]

IIRC, it's a part of OnAssignment.

My numbers may be a little off, but I think it was 200 hours in the prior three months, and currently on a full-time assignment, to get the holiday pay. It was 1200 hours over the past year, and currently on a full-time assignment, to get the week's vacation pay. You didn't actually schedule either the holiday or the vacation -- that was between you and the client -- you just got the extra pay.

I usually forgot the vacation and called it a bonus.

[germanos]

Originally posted by Ming


I agree...

And Kropotkin... They couldn't make it Sunday for religious reasons... the hard core fundies would have a cow.

Same here. Elections are always held on a wednesday.

[David Floyd]

I don't believe in your immoral system, so I have no problem with it.

That's funny - the guy advocating theft from employers is calling ME immoral when I call him out on it

[notyoueither]

I try to get all of my people to vote. I give them a half day off with pay to go and do it.

Last federal election I begged some people to at least go and spoil a ballot.

Less than half took me up on the offer, even though I made a point of not asking anyone who they would vote for or stating who I would vote for.

[Nubclear]

Look mama! An election thread!

[Dr Strangelove]

Remember that the election date was set very long ago, when the US was still primarily an agricultural nation. Saturday was traditionally market day, the most important business day of the week. Sunday was the sabbath, so there was no point in trying to have elections on that day. Monday was the beginning of the week, people were catching up on chores negelcted on Sunday. Thursday and Friday were occupied with getting ready for market. That narrowed the choice down to Tuesday or Wednesday. I guess they settled for the earlier day in order to allow time for tallies to be made and sent by express rider to the capitol.

[notyoueither]

Oh sure, Doc. Go ahead and put it in some context. How are they ever gonna have a revolution if they understand the context?