It’s Election Day, an important day that decides who controls the Senate and will also impact the makeup of the House of Representatives.

However, Election Day is on a Tuesday, and this can cause some problems with voter turnout because the working class has to take time off from their jobs to vote.

Junior Jacob Patterson, a safety technology major, said voters might turn out more if Election Day was a national holiday.

“I think having the day off would be beneficial for voters,” Patterson said.

Sophomore Matthew George, a nursing major, said Election Day could be tweaked to accommodate the working class and college students with their busy schedules.

“I’d be more likely to vote if Election Day was a national holiday,” George said. “Because I have class all day, I’m probably going to have to skip class to vote today.”

George acknowledged many people don’t actually get federal holidays off, and that other measures could be taken to raise voter turnout.

“Many federal holidays become government and bank-only holidays,” George said. “Maybe voting could take place on a Sunday instead.”

George said Sunday could be potentially better for voter turnout, because many businesses are already closed for the day.

“Making voting take place on Sunday could be easier with the number of businesses that already operate that way,” George said. “Require employers that are open on Sundays to have at least two hours during voting hours to go vote.”

Many countries already have Election Day on a Sunday, including Germany, Japan and Brazil.

Zach Wright can be contacted at wright283.marshall.edu.