The midterm election in 2014 was described as the worst in over 70 years; turnout was at 36% and in over 40 states, less than half of eligible voters voted (The Editorial Board. The Worst Voter Turnout in 72 Years. New York Times, Nov 11 2014).
While many factors play into voter turnout, the truth is simple in many cases: people of all socioeconomic classes have to go to work. While several democratic and independent senators have noted this in the past (including John Conyers, Debbie Stabenow, Mary Landrieu, Carl Levin, and Bernie Sanders), low voter turnout is an issue that crosses party lines.
Unfortunately, bills for "Democracy Day" have not received the attention nor the bipartisan support they deserve. This petition requests prompt action on Democracy Day.