Resident wants Galesburg to make Election Day a City Holiday

A Galesburg citizen came to the City Council meeting Monday night to ask Aldermen to make Election Day an official city holiday and got some backing from a council member.

Community activist Jerry Ryberg in the time allotted for public comments asked council to consider the new holiday for city workers. Ryberg came to suggest it replace Columbus Day, but when he learned that isn’t currently a city holiday he suggested swapping out Good Friday instead.

There’s been some renewed debate on the national level about the merits of making the day a holiday, easing access to the polls. This year Sandusky, Ohio became the first U.S. city to make the first Tuesday in November a day off.

“We [would be] second to do it in the country,” says Ryberg. “Besides the people finding it easier to vote, we’d have some notoriety — some good publicity — for Galesburg.”

Alderman Peter Schwartzman says this a “responsible idea” that he encourages the council to consider.

“It may replace [a holiday]; it may create a new holiday. I’m not sure,” says Schwartzman. “If we are bold and make this a city action, it could be positive for our city.”

Schwartzman expects this will become a national trend. No action has been taken on the proposal.

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