U.S. elections are held on a Tuesday in November due to a tradition established nearly 200 years ago

Updated 2026-11-03 · told from many outlets at once

Americans must work on election day in the U.S., which is not a holiday, as federal elections occur every four years on a fixed day established by a 1845 law.

• The election day is not a holiday, requiring Americans to work while voting.
• A law passed by Congress in 1845 established a common day for presidential elections.

Outlets: ABC Color, El Colombiano, El Comercio (Peru), El Nuevo Día, La Prensa (Panamá), g1

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