Strengthen the core of American democracy by declaring election day a national holiday

Each year, more and more Americans become disillusioned by a political climate that makes the common citizen feel as if their voice does not count. In the last presidential election only 58% of the population cast a ballot, while in the last midterm only 34% of citizens voted for their local and congressional candidates. For many working class individuals currently, voting means using vacation time, lunch breaks, or unpaid time off to perform a civic duty that is the cornerstone of our democracy. By declaring election day as a national holiday, more people will be able to vote without fear of losing their job and without fear of economic backlash, encouraging the common citizen to take a more active role in our democratic process and to affect real and lasting governmental change.