It's almost time for the most important day of our democratic year: Election Day! Election Day is set by federal law as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November" or "the first Tuesday after November 1". The earliest possible date can be as early as November 2nd, and the latest can be November 8th. In 2017, Election Day will fall on November 7th.
Election Day was established in 1845, after an unsuccessful system where the states could vote in major general elections (such as the US Presidential Election) at any time within a 34-day period; causing states that voted later to be influenced by a candidate's victories in states that had voted earlier, which became a bigger problem once communications in the country began to improve. If the election was close, the state that voted last could easily influence the outcome one way or the other.
Election Day is a high-stakes day for Americans, as the outcome of the election could affect the direction and safety of the country for years to come (see: Election Day 2016). But because of that, it's fodder for parody. Here are some of the funniest quotes, memes, and jokes about election day:
1. Stephen Vincent Benét (July 22, 1898 – March 13, 1943) was an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is most well known for his works The Devil And Daniel Webster (1936) and John Brown's Body (1928).
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3. "The problem with political jokes is they get elected." —Henry Cate, VII
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5. The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. —Winston Churchill
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7.“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
― H.L. Mencken
8.“Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.”
— George Bernard Shaw
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10.“Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.”
– Oscar Wilde
So get out and vote on November 7th in your upcoming local elections, as well as your state and federal elections! But remember: keep a sense of humor about it.
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