Election Day

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noun

(in the U.S.) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November on which national elections are held for electors of the president and vice president in those years evenly divisible by four. On even years constituents elect members of the House of Representatives for two-year terms and one third of the Senate for six-year terms.

(often lowercase) any day designated for the election of public officials.

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Origin of Election Day

First recorded in 1640–50

Words nearby Election Day

elect, electable, elected, election, election cake, Election Day, election district, electioneer, elective, elective mutism, elector

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT ELECTION DAY

What is Election Day?

Election Day (when capitalized this way) is the name used in the U.S. for the day on which national elections are held.

The lowercase election day is used as a general term for any day that an election is held.

In the U.S., national elections involve the election of the president (on years divisible by four) and members of the House of Representatives and Senate (on even years).

However, Election Day also usually involves state and local elections. Voters typically vote on national, state, and local elections using the same ballot. Voting on Election Day has traditionally been done in person at polling places, but many places also allow early and mail voting.

Election Day is a holiday in some states, and some voting advocates have called for Election Day to become a national holiday to make it easier for everyone to vote.

When is Election Day?

In the U.S., Election Day (for national elections) is held on the Tuesday immediately after the first Monday in November. It’s not necessarily the first Tuesday in November—if November started on a Tuesday, for example, Election Day would fall on the second Tuesday.

In 2023, Election Day falls on November 7. In 2024, it falls on November 5.

More information and context on Election Day

In the U.S., the tradition of holding Election Day on a Tuesday in November dates back to 1845, when it was codified by law. The day is thought to have been chosen to accommodate farmers, particularly by avoiding the harvest season, market days, winter weather, and the necessity of traveling to vote during the weekend (since many observed Sunday as a day of worship and rest).

Today, many people often point out that holding election day during a weekday is often prohibitive for those who have to work, especially those who cannot afford to miss work. Voting advocates often cite statistics showing that this disproportionately affects people of color. Some have proposed making Election Day a federal holiday to make it easier for people to vote and to increase voter turnout. In addition, many voting advocates support early voting opportunities and voting by mail, which would allow people to vote without needing to go to a polling place on Election Day.

What are some terms that often get used in discussing Election Day?

How is Election Day discussed in real life?

In the U.S., the capitalized term Election Day refers to the day that national elections are held—it’s always a Tuesday in November. The lowercase term election day can refer to any day on which an election is held.

Iowa Republicans passed a bill that would both shorten the state's early voting period and shave an hour off of Election Day voting. GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds just signed it into law, @sgrubermiller reports https://t.co/YcJeFA74gt

— Zach Montellaro (@ZachMontellaro) March 8, 2021

Breaking: House passes #HR1 220-210, most important democracy reform bill since Voting Rights Act. Includes big pro-voter policies like automatic & Election Day registration, 2 weeks early voting, no excuse absentee voting, independent redistricting & public financing elections

— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) March 4, 2021

Absolutely, and Election Day should be a National Day off. 😊 https://t.co/qfHCSyXNeI

— lucy 🇺🇸 🆘😊💙🇺🇦 (@LucyK123lucy) March 3, 2021

Try using Election Day!

True or False?

Elections on Election Day can involve both national, state, and local offices.

How to use Election Day in a sentence

Only 28 percent of people reported voting on Election Day — less than half of the 60 percent who did so in 2016.
What Absentee Voting Looked Like In All 50 States|Nathaniel Rakich (nathaniel.rakich@fivethirtyeight.com)|February 9, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
In a poll before Election Day, 75% of Americans voiced concern about violence.
The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election|Molly Ball|February 4, 2021|Time
This scaremongering has proved wildly successful in turning out the base on Election Day.
Battle over $1.9 trillion covid relief package is as much about political optics as economic necessity|Steven Pearlstein|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
Workers were supposed to be paid $100 per shift during the early voting period and $250 for volunteering on Election Day, distributed in two separate checks.
Hundreds of D.C. poll workers affected by payment delays are starting to receive their checks|Michael Brice-Saddler|January 22, 2021|Washington Post

States like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin could not begin to process ballots until Election Day, which delayed the final tally.
How to avoid another election year like 2020|Jen Kirby|January 15, 2021|Vox
But on Election Day, many chose “yes,” bringing female support to 53 percent, up from 48.
Women Are Leading the Way for Legalized Weed|Abby Haglage|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The filled out pledge cards are then mailed back to voters shortly before Election Day as a way to remind them to vote.
The Democrats’ Simple Midterm Weapon|Ben Jacobs|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After some $4 billion spent on the 2014 midterms, voter turnout is expected to be down again this Election Day.
Hate Hyper-Partisanship? Support Redistricting Reform Now|John Avlon|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Four years later, Bush would be aided by the airing of a video by Osama bin Laden, which dropped just before Election Day.
Brace Yourself: October Election Surprises Surely on the Way|Matt Lewis|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The polls say Republicans will likely eke out a small majority in the Senate this Election Day.
How This Election Could Go to January|Michael Tomasky|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When an election-day comes round now, it takes me back to the time of 1832.
Auld Licht Idylls|J. M. Barrie
The good Republican set election-day for the happiest holiday of his life, for that would be his wedding-day.
In the Arena|Booth Tarkington
There were sounds of stirring, but no one was trusting that the election-day brawls were completely ended yet.
Police Your Planet|Lester del Rey
Liberty is the steam, responsibility the brakes, and election-day, the safety-valve.
History of Woman Suffrage, Volume III (of III)|Various
It was a repetition, with slight variations, of a village-fair anywhere else, or an election-day in America.
The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 13, No. 79, May, 1864|Various