Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. Among registered voters in the 2016 US presidential election, being “too busy” or having a conflicting schedule was the third-highest reason cited for not voting, accounting for 14% of registered voters who did not cast a vote (about 2.7 million people). A holiday would allow more citizens volunteer at polling places or drive the elderly to vote, and make a difference in states where long lines at the polls keep voters waiting for hours.

Question

Making Election Day a national holiday will increase voter turnout by enabling more people to vote. In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. Among registered voters in the 2016 US presidential election, being “too busy” or having a conflicting schedule was the third-highest reason cited for not voting, accounting for 14% of registered voters who did not cast a vote (about 2.7 million people). A holiday would allow more citizens volunteer at polling places or drive the elderly to vote, and make a difference in states where long lines at the polls keep voters waiting for hours.

Passage 2:

Making Election Day a national holiday would not make a difference. The people who aren't showing up are just too lazy or uninterested in government to make an effort. Most people who don't vote feel that their vote doesn't count, so why bother? Until we end the corruption in our elected officials, people just aren't going to be motivated to vote. In addition, even if we made Election Day a national holiday, there are still plenty of people who would still have to work (hospital workers, retail and restaurant workers, etc).

Question
Which passage provides more sound arguments?
Explain in a RARE response.(4 points)

Answer 1

The first passage provides more sound arguments.

Firstly, the passage provides statistical evidence from the 2016 presidential election, showing that 14% of registered voters did not cast a ballot due to being "too busy" or having conflicting schedules. This demonstrates that there is a significant portion of the population who want to vote but are hindered by their obligations. Making Election Day a national holiday would address this issue by providing citizens with a day off to prioritize their civic duty.

Secondly, the passage suggests that a holiday would enable more citizens to volunteer at polling places or assist the elderly in voting. This highlights the potential for increased community engagement and support for the democratic process. By creating more opportunities for citizens to participate and contribute to the electoral process, voter turnout can be expected to rise.

Lastly, the passage acknowledges the issue of long lines at polling places, which can discourage and dissuade voters from casting their ballots. Making Election Day a national holiday would allow people to allocate more time to voting, potentially reducing the wait times and making the experience more efficient and convenient.

Overall, the first passage presents logical and evidence-based arguments, using data from past elections to support the idea that making Election Day a national holiday can increase voter turnout.