Will schools close on Election Day 2024? Here's what you should know

Election Day is here and as voters head to the polls, their children may be enjoying their day off as many schools across the country plan to close on Tuesday.

Several school districts will not hold classes for safety reasons or because they recognize Election Day as a holiday. According to the Monument Advancement Movement, 14 states have declared Election Day a holiday.

Here's an overview of how states will handle school on Election Day.

What are states doing about schooling on Election Day?

School on Tuesday is different from other states that do not recognize Election Day as a holiday.

In Texas, for example, many schools in the Houston area planned either a professional development day or a school holiday for staff and students on Tuesday, the Houston Chronicle reported, while the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh largest in the US, will continue to hold classes on Election Day.

“Classes are a top priority and will continue on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024,” HISD spokesman Richard Guerra previously said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. “Our teams are prepared to hold classes and safely accommodate polling locations in our buildings.”

Numerous school districts in Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania have decided to cancel classes. The Philadelphia School District, which is the eighth-largest school district in the country by enrollment, canceled classes on Tuesday, according to its academic calendar.

It is important for parents and guardians to know what their children's school districts plan to do on Election Day.

In which other states is Election Day a holiday?

Of the 14 states that recognize Election Day as a holiday, five require employers to provide paid time off to vote. Here is the full list:

Hawaii (paid time off)
Illinois (paid time off)
Maryland (paid time off)
New York (paid time off)
West Virginia (paid time off)
Delaware
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Montana
New Jersey
Rhode Island
Virginia

Is Election Day a federal holiday?

According to the Monument Advancement Movement, Election Day is not a federal holiday because there is no federal law requiring voters to have an exemption to cast their ballots.

Although Election Day is not a federal holiday, most state offices will be closed on Tuesday, with 24 state offices and the District of Columbia offering paid time off to vote.

Should schools be used as polling places on Election Day?

Schools have historically served as Election Day polling places for many years because they are central and easily accessible locations for voters who have been assigned their location.

“Schools are a part of the community and most communities have maintained school sites as Election Day polling places, despite the many new challenges to the safety of our schools,” the National School Safety and Security Services said.

According to the Cleveland, Ohio-based national school safety consulting firm, “school and community officials must consider appropriate security measures.” This includes the possible removal of polling stations from schools, which the company supports.

“Unfortunately, far too many elected officials and administrators are reluctant to propose and strongly support the removal of school polling places, often for political reasons,” the company said. “While this will obviously require additional administrative work to locate new polling locations and notify voters, the additional work is undoubtedly worth the additional benefits of creating safer schools.”

What are states doing about schooling on Election Day?

In which other states is Election Day a holiday?

Is Election Day a federal holiday?

Should schools be used as polling places on Election Day?

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