Is Election Day a federal holiday? No, not yet.

At VERIFY, our mission is to prevent the spread of misinformation, including answering common questions surrounding the voting process.

This year’s midterm elections take place on November 8, a day many people across the country will spend their day voting. But does that mean a break from work? Is Election Day a federal holiday, like Thanksgiving or Memorial Day?

That’s the question people are searching on Google, according to search trend data.

This report is part of a series of stories ahead of the midterm elections. If you have any questions about the election, email us at question@verifythis.com or message us on social media @verifythis.

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Is Election Day a federal holiday?

No, Election Day is not a federal holiday.

There are currently 12 federal holidays, with the most recent addition being National Day, June 13.

Of those 12 federal holidays, Election Day is not one of them. Congress must approve the designation of federal holidays, which will then be signed into law by the sitting president, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

But there are states that have voted to make Election Day a state holiday.

Illinois, West Virginia, and New York are among the states that have classified General Election Day, held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years, as a state holiday where people Employers are required to take a break from voting.

In states like Montana and Indiana, Election Day is considered a state holiday and some state offices are closed, but employers are not required to provide time or pay for the day off. Vote.

Colorado and California are two states that don’t consider Election Day a state holiday, but they do require employers to pay their employees if they need to take the day off to vote.

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Some lawmakers and President Joe Biden have tried to make a case for making the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, which is always election day, a federal holiday.

In 2021, Representative Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) introduced the Election Holidays Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives. No further action has been taken since the bill was introduced. The Freedom of Voting Act introduced in the Senate by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in 2021 will make Election Day a federal holiday and make other changes to the voting process. There has been no further action on that bill since it was introduced in the Senate.

On June 24, 2021, in his speech on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Agreement, President Joe Biden talked about voting rights and his hope to make it easier for eligible Americans to join. join the polls.

“If I did it my way – and I think that’s really important – that every Election Day would be a day off because people couldn’t come – certain shift workers wouldn’t be able to come. election,” he said.

You can find out if your state considers Election Day a holiday with your state’s human resources or employment office. You can find your polling place and times by visiting the website of your state’s election department or secretary of state.

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