Virginia makes Election Day a holiday
Governor Ralph Northam eradicated a holiday honoring Confederate generals in favor of boosting voter turnout.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam made Election Day a state holiday in an effort to equalize access to voting.
The legislation, signed in April, also removes the requirement that voters show a photo I.D. prior to casting a ballot and extends early voting to start 45 days prior to an election; voters do not need to state a reason for voting early.
In doing so, the Old Dominion state will end observance of Lee-Jackson Day: a state holiday that celebrated Confederate generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The Virginia Senate voted in favor of the swap in January; the House followed suit in February.
Virginia is the ninth state to recognize Election Day as an official state holiday. While that doesn’t mean everyone will get the day off work — that only applies to state government employees — Northam believes the heightened importance of the day will incentivize people to go to the polls.
And scrapping Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday means that Virginia is continuing to let go of traditions that honor Confederate generals and legacies. Several cities, including Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, some counties in Northern Virginia and the state capital, Richmond, have historically refused to observe Lee-Jackson Day.
“Voting is a fundamental right, and these new laws strengthen our democracy by making it easier to cast a ballot, not harder,” Northam said. “No matter who you are or where you live in Virginia, your voice deserves to be heard. I’m proud to sign these bills into law.”
Read the full press release here.
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