Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day is observed every year on May 19 in the United States. On this day, voters get together to celebrate their elected representatives. Elected officials include city council members, mayors, governors, members of state legislatures, senators, representatives in the United States Congress, and even the President of the United States! They have occupied powerful positions in the government because you and I voted them to power. In any democracy, the role of the voters is as much, if not more, important than the roles of the elected officials. On Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day we express our appreciation to these officials.
History of Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day
Although the origin of Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day is unclear, it is still widely known as a means to appreciate the roles each individual plays to ensure a functional representative democracy. The United States is a representative democracy because officials are elected by democratic elections at the federal, state, and local levels to make decisions on behalf of the people. The president is elected indirectly by the people. Each of the 50 states in the United States has the power to elect its own government and create its own laws.Each state further has three branches — a branch headed by a governor, a legislative body, and a judicial branch. At the local level, the states are further divided into counties, municipalities, townships, school districts, and special districts. Their powers vary widely between the states. The United States also has a two-party system that is dominated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, although other parties also exist. Since the mid-20th century, the Democratic Party has become synonymous with the American liberalism platform and the Republican Party with American conservatism.To partake in the United States democracy, suffrage is granted to citizens 18 years of age and older. Although such societies aim for their elected officials to be representative of the people, there are numerous obstacles that democracies face, which are typically corruption and inefficiencies. In the United States, a number of corporations, wealthy individuals, and other political pressure groups have been accused of spending large amounts of money on political campaigns. This is a matter of concern since they have the means to influence individual candidates and officeholders to design public policy in their favor over the majority of Americans. There are also concerns that individuals in certain communities of racial and religious minorities do not have similar political opportunities as compared to their majority counterparts. While the elections in the United States have been considered to be one of the most democratic and peaceful ones in the world, in 2020, the United States was categorized as a “flawed democracy.” According to the Democracy Index, it has since remained in said category after being degraded from “full democracy” in 2016. Yet, elections in the United States continue to be relatively more democratic than 35 hybrid and 57 authoritarian regimes in the world as of 2020.
Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day timeline
The United States gains its independence on July 4.
Rankin becomes the first woman to hold a federal office in the United States.
Roosevelt holds a third presidential term in office.
Obama is titled the first Black person to become the President of the United States.
Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day FAQs
What does the structure of the United States government look like?
The federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. These powers are vested by the American Constitution in the Congress, the president, and the federal courts, respectively.
How are presidential elections done in the United States?
Presidential elections are conducted by the Electoral College, where the candidate who receives 270 votes or more wins.
What is the role of election officials?
Election officials must include signing in registered voters, providing ballots, overseeing voting procedures and equipment, and monitoring the conduct of the election.
Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day Activities
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Give them a shout-out
Observe Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day by giving a shout-out to your local council person. You can post about them on your social media platforms and highlight the wonderful things they have done during their terms.
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Urge your friends to vote
You can also observe Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day by urging others to vote in the elections. It is their democratic duty and the only way to ensure that they bring to power representatives that would advocate for their interests.
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Write to the president
The President of the United States is an elected official too! Why not write a letter to the President on Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day to show your approval (or disapproval) of their governance thus far?
5 Facts About The United States Presidential Elections
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The first woman presidential nominee
While Hillary Clinton was the first woman nominee of a major political party, the first woman candidate to run for president of the United States was Woodhull in 1872.
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The oldest presidential candidate
Donald Trump was the oldest candidate to be elected at 70.
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The United States has low voting rates
The United States only has around 60% voter participation, which is considered to be one of the lowest voting rates among developed countries.
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Not all Americans enjoy suffrage
Around 5.1 million Americans can’t vote in the 2020 Election due to felony convictions.
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American astronauts can vote from space
Astronauts receive the ballot through an email.
Why We Love Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day
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It is a democracy
The United States is a democracy where no election to date has been canceled or postponed. Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day is a reminder of a citizen’s democratic rights and why we should vote in elections.
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To express thanks
Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day offers you the chance to say thanks and express appreciation to your elected officials. You can do it by writing to them or speaking with them directly.
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To hold elected officials accountable
Elected officials are in positions of power because people have elected them to office. Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day is also the day to hold these representatives responsible for their actions and seek accountability for their governance.
Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 19 | Friday |
| 2024 | May 19 | Sunday |
| 2025 | May 19 | Monday |
| 2026 | May 19 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | May 19 | Wednesday |
