BILL REQ. #:  S-0710.1 

Read first time 01/18/2007.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, The opportunity to participate in the electoral process, and the act of voting that embodies that opportunity, represent the cornerstone of our democracy, and voters should have ample opportunity to cast meaningful votes; and
     WHEREAS, Fostering a high voter turnout is crucial in order to ascertain with greatest certainty the political will of the voting public; and
     WHEREAS, Voter turnout in Washington's general elections has varied from as high as 82% in presidential elections to as low as 52% in other elections; and
     WHEREAS, Increasing voter turnout can be directly linked to the ease with which voters can cast their ballots; and
     WHEREAS, Although employers are required to allow employees to take time off of work in order to vote, a temporary absence from work may pose hardships for employers, and employees may be reluctant to request time off; and
     WHEREAS, Employers already bear the costs of a national holiday every year during the second week of November for Veterans Day; and
     WHEREAS, The freedoms provided in this country, including the freedom to vote, have been repeatedly protected by the very same veterans that the country honors on Veterans Day; and
     WHEREAS, In 2001 the National Commission on Federal Election Reform, cochaired by former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, recommended combining election day with Veterans Day; and
     WHEREAS, Combining the national holiday with election day would help working people vote without imposing additional costs on private employers or election administrators; and
     WHEREAS, More public buildings, especially schools, would be available for use as polling places; and more, better trained poll workers, including patriotic high school and college students, might be available to staff polling places on election day;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and Congress of the United States specify that in even-numbered years the Veterans Day national holiday be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November and serve also as our Election Day.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.