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A little reason to celebrate

Election Day

Commemorative · The Tuesday after the first Monday in November

Election Day is when Americans vote in general elections, from national offices to local races and ballot questions decided close to home.

Election Day falls on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. That is 7 days away.

Election Day is the day Americans cast ballots in general elections. Polling places open in schools, churches, libraries and fire halls, and voters choose candidates for offices large and small, along with ballot measures that can shape a town for years.

The ballot itself often surprises people. Above the well-known races sit names for county commissioner, school board, judge and water district, plus questions about bonds or local rules. Many voters look up a sample ballot ahead of time so the lower half does not arrive as a mystery.

The day has a familiar rhythm. Lines form before work and again at the end of the afternoon. Poll workers, many of them neighbors, check names, hand out ballots and explain the machines. Some places still use paper and pens, others use scanners or touchscreens, and each state sets its own rules for how voting works, including early voting and mail ballots.

There are small traditions too. The "I Voted" sticker shows up on coats and lunch bags. Families bring children along to watch the process. In the evening, people gather around televisions and phones as results come in county by county, and some races take days to count.

A polling place is usually an ordinary room for most of the year. On this day it holds folding tables, privacy booths and a steady line of people.

Ways to celebrate

• Look up your sample ballot and read about the local races.
• Thank the poll workers at your polling place.
• Bring a child along to see how voting works.
• Check your state's rules for polling hours and locations.
• Read up on how your county counts and reports ballots.

Dates

All national days on November 3

Also on November 3

• National Sandwich Day
• Cliché Day
• Give Someone a Dollar Day
• World Jellyfish Day
• National Housewife Day

Categories: Commemorative days