As a follow-up to my post the other day about free stuff you can get on election day, I am reminded today that some people get a day off work on election day, which could be considered another freebie.

Personally, I don't get the big deal about taking a day off to vote. I've never had a problem getting to the polls around my working schedule, although that said, every time I've voted I've either 1) been in college (I voted by absentee ballot) or 2) had a job that pretty much let me dictate my own schedule, so I could take some extra time in the morning to go vote if I wanted to (and I almost always do, not just during presidential elections!).

Some people are (and have been) calling to make election day a federal holiday. Honestly, I don't get this. Do people really need a whole day to vote? Polls in many places stay open until 7 p.m. (local time) or later, which is after the general work day. Furthermore, many polls open early enough too to allow people to vote before going to work.

Even more upsetting to me is that schools are closed on election day in some areas (like where I live). I don't get this at all. Schools here are over before 3 and polls don't close until 9 – you mean to tell me that teachers can't find ten minutes during that six-hour period to go vote for their preferred candidate?

I could understand giving people an extra hour or two to vote, but a whole day seems a little preposterous.