Now we know Americans have been asking “why do we vote on Tuesday?” — as we do here — for almost 100 years!

In doing some research today I stumbled upon this letter to the editor of the New York Times, with a response, dated November 1, 1910! George Hegeman of Newark, New Jersey was curious, like we are today, about why Americans vote on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. He wrote:

Will you inform me why it is that election day in many Sates is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November? I have asked many of my friends, but nobody knows. Newspaper people are supposed to know everything, so I appeal to you and would thank you very heartily for the information.

What did the Times respond?

Click the image below for an up-close look. The answer they give — which is accurate but not the entire answer (which you can find here) — revolves around making sure that Election Day does not conflict with meetings of the Electoral Colleges.

If only George Hegeman knew that Chris Rock would take up his cause nearly a century later!

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