Voter Registration Rally held at McNeil High School on Oct. 3, 2018,sponsored by Austin City Councilman Jimmy Flannigan
Update: Thanks to all you Wilco Voters for topping the registered voter turnout in Texas. Out of the top 12 highest populated counties, Williamson County led them all with 62.09 percent of the 336,148 registered voters submitting a ballot. The next highest percentage voter turnout was Travis County at 61.33 percent.
Commissioner Cook explained why we vote on the first Tuesday of November and reminded the students that it is their civic duty and responsibility to vote and let their voices be heard.
A uniform date for choosing presidential electors was instituted by the Congress in 1845. The bill initially set the day for choosing presidential electors on "the first Tuesday in November," in years divisible by four (1848, 1852, etc.). However, in some years the period between the first Tuesday in November and the first Wednesday in December (when the electors are required to meet in their state capitals to vote) would be more than 34 days, in violation of the existing Electoral College law. So, the bill was reworded to move the date for choosing presidential electors to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The period between Election Day and the first Wednesday in December is always 29 days. The effect of the change was to make November 2 the earliest day on which Election Day may fall.
In 1845, the United States was largely an agrarian society and farmers often needed a full day to travel by horse or carriage to vote. Tuesday was established as election day because it did not interfere with the Sabbath according to the Bible or with market day, which was on Wednesday in many towns.
Many people today object to Tuesday as Election Day because they feel it decreases voter turnout because it is a day when many people are at work or in school. However, the tradition continues to this day.
See photos of students registering by selecting READ MORE.