Election Day proposal
The bill was the most recent major federal effort to make Election Day a holiday, putting the idea on the national agenda.
In plain English
A sweeping push to rewrite election rules.
It was a wide-ranging Democratic-backed bill aimed at changing how federal elections are run. It passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
Simple example
H.R. 1 passed the House on March 3, 2021, by a 220-210 vote but did not advance in the Senate, where it faced a filibuster.
Why it matters
What the term actually changes.
Partisan divide
Debate over the bill highlighted disagreements between supporters who said it would expand ballot access and opponents who said it would federalize areas traditionally left to the states.
How it works
The mechanics, in practice.
House passage
The bill cleared the House on a near party-line vote in 2021 as part of Democrats' election reform agenda.
Senate stall
In the Senate, the legislation could not overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to end a filibuster, preventing it from becoming law.
Related guide
Should Election Day be a federal holiday?
A look at the proposal to add Election Day to the federal holiday calendar, and the arguments on both sides.
Read the guide → Related issue brief
Should Election Day be a federal holiday?
Proposals to designate the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as a federal holiday have drawn both broad public support and persistent opposition in Congress.
Read the brief →You’ve learned the term. Now vote.
Should Election Day be a federal holiday?
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