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Elections
Mon Nov 07, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Did you ever wonder why presidential elections in the United States are held in
November? You might be surprised to find that the reason has a lot to do with weather.
Hi, I’m Bryan Yeaton, and this is The Weather Notebook.
If you are looking to the Constitution for guidance, it says only: "The Congress may
determine the Time of chusing [sic] the Electors…; which Day shall be the same
throughout the United States."
In 1792, Congress passed a law planting this day mostly in November. The main
reason for that month was that many of the inhabitants in the early days of the United
States were farmers, and, not only was traveling to the polls a major undertaking, but
trying to get them to do so before the harvest was in was not going to happen. By the
end of October, all the pumpkins were carved, the hay laid up, and much of the canning
was complete. Also, hopefully, winter weather had not set in yet, and the populace
could cast their ballots before Congress convened in December. Tuesday worked best
because many voters would need a travel day, and Sunday, would have conflicted with
church.
The specific day, the Tuesday following the first Monday, was only nailed down in 1845.
The reasons for this were more financial and spiritual. Congress did not want to the
election to fall on November 1st, because it is All Saint’s Day, a day of Obligation for
Catholics, and it is also the day of the month when most businesses have to balance
their books.
So, now that the presidential election was all set, the House decided to join the party in
1872. Senatorial elections were not added until the Seventeenth Amendment was
adopted in 1913, up to which time, they were actually chosen by state
legislatures.
The Weather Notebook is produced with funding from Subaru of America.
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