About the Author

Richard Cochrane is trained in chemistry and metallurgy but is far more interested and practiced as a political and fund raising consultant, writer and amateur historian. He grew up in a Navy family and with his two younger brothers carried on its 500+ year tradition of naval service to Great Britain and the USA then enjoyed a career with one of the largest advertising and public relations agencies working with numerous Fortune 500 companies and many of America's premier educational institutions. He maintains friendships and acquaintanceships around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.

See All Posts by This Author

Why do we vote on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November?

October 31st, 2008 • Richard Cochrane
Email This Post Email This Post - Print This Post Print This Post -

…not because it took Scots that long to sober up after Halloween.

In its early years Americans were predominantly church-going farming society. So law makers took that into account in setting election dates. November was perhaps the most convenient month for farmers and rural workers to be able to travel to the polls.

The fall harvest was over, (remember that spring was planting time and summer was taken up with working the fields and tending the crops). Plus in the majority of the nation the weather was still mild enough to permit travel over unimproved roads.

Since most residents of rural America had to travel a significant distance to the county seat in order to vote, Monday was not considered reasonable since many people would need to begin travel on Sunday. This would, of course, have conflicted with Church services and Sunday worship.

Why the first Tuesday after the first Monday? Lawmakers wanted to prevent election day from falling on the first of November for two reasons. First, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. Second, most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1st. Apparently, Congress was worried that the economic success or failure of the previous month might prove an undue influence on the vote!

There Are 2 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Terry Adams on 22 March 2009:

    Hey so I just found your blog on accident and I must admit that Ive been reading for the last half hour. Great site.

    Terry Adamss last blog post..Top Corporate Expansion Secrets Revealed Part 1

  2. Comment by Richard on 23 March 2009:

    Thank you and pass it along

Post a Response

You must be logged in to post a comment.