Election Day (Us)

Election Day typically refers to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the United States, which in 2021 is November 2. There are also many other days on which elections are held throughout the year, as in holding "primaries" to determine the nominees of political parties who then compete in the general election in November.

The first Tuesday following the first Monday in November was designated as Election Day by Congress in 1845.^[1]

Increasingly Americans vote early, so much so that most may actually vote in the weeks prior to Election Day. In the 2012 general election, more than 30 million people voted before Election Day.^[1] Two states, Oregon and Washington vote by mail, with Election Day representing the cut-off date for receiving ballots.^[1]

In years divisible by four, Americans select the president for the next four years on Election Day, and also select one-third of the U.S. Senate, all of the members of the House of Representatives, and decide who will serve in many other offices.

In other years divisible by two, Americans select one-third of the U.S. Senate, all of the members of the House of Representatives, and many state governorships and statewide officials.

In odd-numbered years immediately following a presidential election, Americans residing in New Jersey and Virginia select state office-holders, and also vote on initiatives or referenda. Louisiana holds its gubernatorial elections in odd-numbered years in the year prior to a presidential election.

Election Day is a state holiday in some states. Some states or municipalities schedule their local elections on Election Day, while other jurisdictions chose to hold local elections on different days to avoid the high voter turnout from a Presidential election having an influence on the local election.

Example election cycle: 2016[edit]

Election Day in 2016 -- when President Trump was elected president -- was on November 8. Other important dates in that election cycle in 2016 were:

July 18 through 21 — the Republican National Convention, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio

July 25 through 28 — the Democratic National Convention, to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

September 26 — the first Presidential debate, to be located at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio

October 4 — the only Vice presidential debate, to be located at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia

October 9 — the second Presidential debate, to be located at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri

October 19 — the third Presidential debate, to be located at University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada

References[edit]