WATCH>> Pelosi, Gore Like Weekend Voting Idea

This post is published on Why Tuesday? as well as OffTheBus.

Today at the Netroots Nation conference in Austin, I spoke with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former Vice President Al Gore, and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett about the proposals in Congress to move Election Day to Saturday and Sunday. Check out the video.

Pelosi: "I think it's a great idea."

Gore: "Good idea, sounds like."

Last week we spent time with U.S. Representative Steve Israel (D-NY), who introduced the Weekend Voting Act into the House. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) introduced the bill into the Senate in February.

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Comments

[chrisincalif]

I lived in Ontario, Canada in the 70's and 80s. What a difference in process:

- Each election took place 6 weeks after the election was called (parliamentary system)
- There was *no* permanent voter registration list, but it was recompiled every time
- Volunteers fanned out, knocking on every door after an election was called
- they recorded the names of every eligible voter in the home
- not home? They left a note to explain how you can get yourself on the list
- before the election, the compiled list of voters was posted publicly on telephone poles, etc.
- the voter was responsible to check to ensure he/she was on that list before election day

You voted on a paper ballot, folded it, put it into a box, and somehow, what seems like a primitive system worked very well.

[chrisincalif]

For all the problems expected at the polls ~ no matter what day it is ~ why not promote the idea of absentee ballot voting. Paper, countable, recountable ballots. My family members are all *permanent* absentee voters.

[dmclean]

Pelosi-Gore would make a great bumper sticker!

[SeanGardner]

I agree that voting on Saturday would be essential. In fact, it would pretty ensure that hundreds of millions of people voted every four years. WOuld be the best thing to happen to our country on an electoral level in decades.

[Danny]

Most democracies vote on the weekend, or a non-work day. It is SO anti-democratic to force voters to work AND vote on the same day. But I guess that's the idea. The U.S. doesn't really want to make it easy for the unwashed masses to vote. Other countries do. Universal suffrage, multiple parties, proportional representation -- why can't we have that too?

[RFBorjal]

Alternatively, Congress can declare Election Day a non-working day. Can't the greatest democracy on earth spare a day from work to allow its citizens to perform their highest democratic right - to vote?

[dirigibly]

I like the idea of Election Day as a non-working day, especially leaving it on Tuesday to differentiate it from a 3-day holiday (see Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.). There is a campaign I joined that is trying to force this issue, with or without an official day off, but simply getting enough people and then taking the day off. It won't resolve this issue, surely, and a lot of people won't be able to participate, but I think it sends the right signal and brings this issue a lot of attention. The campaign is here: http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/make-election-day-a-national-holiday.