Election Day

Today is the day many have been waiting for. That’s right Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 is Election Day in the United States. Americans all over the country will go to the polls to vote for their next president and other officials.

Election day is always held on the second Tuesday of November. This has been the custom since 1845, when Congress designated it as federal law. In the 19th century, states could vote any time within 34 days of the first Wednesday in December. This created major flaws, including early voting and last-minute voters deciding the outcome of the entire election. But why Tuesday? Tuesday was selected as the first most convenient day to hold elections.

In the 1800s, many people worshiped on Sundays, and Wednesday was market day for farmers. The reason why elections are in November is because spring and early summer elections interfered with farm culture. Late summer and early fall elections overlapped with the harvest for farmers. Many schools are closed on Election Day, but it is not a federal holiday believe it or not. For more information be sure to check out the video above!