Why Election Day is on a Tuesday in November: A look at US voting tradition

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LOS ANGELES – Election Day in the U.S. has traditionally fallen on a Tuesday in early November, a practice that began in the mid-1800s. But why Tuesday, and why November? As Americans prepare to vote on Nov. 5 for the next president, the reasoning behind this choice reflects a different time in the country’s history. 
Established in 1845, the timing was intended to accommodate rural voters’ agricultural schedules and religious customs. Today, while early and mail-in voting have expanded options, the tradition of Tuesday voting remains central to Election Day.
The selection of a Tuesday was designed to avoid interfering with religious practices, particularly Sunday church services, and with Wednesday market days common in many rural areas. This allowed farmers time to travel to polling places, which could be several hours away, without missing essential weekly routines. 
Jessica Linker, a history professor at Northeastern University, explains that Congress structured the day to avoid “disenfranchising” agricultural workers who had limited free time outside of their farm duties.
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November was chosen to suit an agrarian schedule. Held after the fall harvest but before the arrival of winter, Election Day allowed farming communities to vote without disrupting seasonal work. 
Although major cities like New York and Boston had growing urban populations at the time, the voting date prioritized rural voters who had less immediate access to polling locations.
While the agrarian calendar no longer dictates American life, changing Election Day would require overcoming political gridlock. Some states, like Rhode Island and West Virginia, have already designated Election Day as a holiday. 
Nationally, however, there has been little momentum toward either moving the date or establishing a federal holiday.
FILE – People vote on the first day of early voting at the Meadows Mall on October 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Nick Beauchamp, a political science professor at Northeastern University, notes that debates over moving Election Day have quieted with the rise of early voting options and mail-in ballots, which have expanded the voting period beyond just one day. In the 2024 election, 97% of voters have access to early voting, reducing the urgency of changing the traditional Tuesday voting day.
With mail-in voting and early voting now widely available, Tuesday is often viewed as the final day rather than the only day to vote, Beauchamp explains. These options, which span days or even weeks before Election Day, allow more flexibility for voters, reshaping how campaigns strategize and how Americans cast their ballots.