Recently American citizens hit the polls Nov. 5, 2024, Election Day, to vote in both local and federal elections.
The tradition of voting on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November began in 1845 after Congress passed a federal law officially defining the day as Election Day. Before this, states were merely required to hold their elections within 34 days before the first Wednesday in December. One of the major reasons for the beginning of an official election day was to prevent the swaying of opinions for late voters; another was to support farmers voting. Farmers, who often lived far out of the way of polling places and took at least a day of travel to get there, needed at least a two-day period to be able to vote. The first Tuesday in November was also beneficial as the harvest season was over and the harsh winter had yet to begin.
The struggle to get the younger generations to vote has remained constant since the voting age was lowered to 18 after the ratification of the 26th Amendment in 1971. This difficulty in bringing in younger voters can be connected to things such as a lack of habit, voting barriers, and a lack of faith in the political system. However, first-time voter and senior, Maddox Cline turned out to cast his ballot this election day. He described his feelings leading up to election day, as, “Leading up to the election, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who I think would make our country a better place.” Additionally, he shared, “My experience voting was a little different. I walked in, and I was the only person under 70 there and it looked unorganized, but I figured it out, so I would say it was an overall more positive experience.” Cline added, “After I submitted my ballot, I felt like I was doing my part in making our country a better place. I truly felt like I was making a difference.”
Of course, young voters were not the only ones turning up to vote this election day. Experienced voters such as St. Louis High School’s ASL teacher Dana Winright also turned out to vote. “I felt like we were being bathed in politics for the last few months. I am glad that it’s behind us now,” she shared. She further shared, “The difference for me this year is that I voted early to avoid standing in a long line on Election Day. Everyone was so pleasant and it went smoothly. Voting is a gift that many other countries don’t have, so I’m always happy to be involved. Whatever the outcome, I always know I have the right to complain,” Winright concluded.
