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49. Hold Elections on Weekends and Synchronize Poll Closing Times

WHEREAS the percentage of eligible voters in the United States who actually vote is among the lowest in the world, and

WHEREAS every citizen of the United States should be given the greatest opportunity to vote, and

WHEREAS most Americans work Monday through Friday, and elections are always held on Tuesday, and

WHEREAS almost all Americans who observe a day of Sabbath do so on Saturday or Sunday but not both, and

WHEREAS the United States stretches from the east coast to Hawai`i and Alaska across six hours difference in time zones, and

WHEREAS news media exit polls can predict the outcome of a state election long before everyone has voted in other states and announces its projections the moment the polls close, and

WHEREAS knowing the results from the east coast influences people who haven’t voted yet where the polls are still open and often induces them not to vote,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Maui County supports conducting elections for two days, not one, and that the two days be a consecutive Saturday and Sunday, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for all national elections conducted on the same Saturday and Sunday, the polls close simultaneously on Sunday all across the United States, for example at 10pm in the Eastern zone, 9pm in the Central zone, 8pm in the Mountain zone, 7pm in the Pacific zone, 6pm in Alaska and 4pm in Hawai`i, so that no results from anywhere are known to anyone who has not yet voted.