While there’s lots of talk about making Election Day a federal holiday, there has been very little action.
Two-thirds of Americans support the creation of a federal holiday for voting, according to the American Bar Association’s annual Survey of Civic Literacy. A bill, introduced to the House of Representatives in January 2021, however, was stalled in committee and failed to advance. That hasn’t stopped several states from acting on their own, however, which could make Nov. 8 confusing for some.
Election Day, of course, has zero impact on retailers and grocery stores. Anywhere you needed to go yesterday, you can likely go today, but if you’re unsure of how government operations will be impacted, we’ve got some answers for you.
Are banks open on Election Day?
They are. Since Election Day is not a federal holiday, banks will be open for regular hours.
Will there be any mail delivery on Election Day?
Yes. Since this isn’t a federal holiday, postal carriers will make their appointed rounds. UPS and FedEx will have normal operations as well
Are government offices open on Election Day?
Here’s where things get a little tricky. Federal offices will be open for business as usual.
However, 19 states, along with Puerto Rico, have declared Election Day a civic holiday. That means all courts and government offices (minus election offices) in those areas will be closed.
So which states and territories will give nonessential workers the day off? If you live in one of the following, you’ll have to wait until Wednesday to get business done:
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Are schools open on Election Day?
That all depends on the district in which you live, but in many cases, kids will have the day off, which could create a childcare issue for parents. That’s because school campuses are often polling places, and the disruption to students’ routines is too great. Check with your local school district.
Is the stock market open on Election Day?
While Wall Street loves a good holiday, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and bond markets all will be open for trading. Their next scheduled holiday is Thanksgiving.
Are any retail and grocery stores closed on Election Day?
Nope. While some small businesses could be closed due to staffing crises or the policies of store owners, no major retailer shuts down for this holiday.
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