It has been this way in America since 1845, but how did it come to be?
It may seem to be a random choice today but back in the America of the 1800’s it made great sense. Back then most Americans made their living in rural areas by farming and ranching. As a result Congress needed to determine the most convenient month for farmers and those living in rural areas to get to the polls. Spring and Summer months were dedicated to preparing fields and planting crops. Whereas early November was a time when the harvest was complete and before the harsh winter weather set in that would have prevented travel by horses and buggy over the unpaved dirt roads of the day.
So November was chosen due to the harvest cycle – but why not then make voting day on November 1st? November 1stis a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Catholic Church (All Saints Day). In addition, many businesses tallied their sales and expenses and did their books for the previous month on the first of each month. Congress feared that an unusually good or bad economic month might influence the vote if it were held on the 1stof November.
So November 1st is out but why not the first Monday of November? As many folks needed to travel great distances,often requiring and overnight journey to reach their closest polling station. It was therefore determined the optimum voting day be on a Tuesday to avoid the need to travel on a Sunday, the day of rest reserved for attending religious services.
So, in 1845 the US Congress made the law, mandating that the presidential elections would be held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Listen to a NPR radio story on the history behind Tuesday voting HERE.
