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What If Election Day Was A Holiday In Colorado?

DENVER (CBS4)- Two state lawmakers want to create a new holiday for Election Day in Colorado. The idea would be to replace the Columbus Day holiday with Election Day.

The bill establishes Election Day as a legal holiday in Colorado. It defines Election Day to fall on the day of a general election in even-numbered years and the day on which ballot issues must be decided under Colorado's constitution in odd-numbered years.

Colorado Primary Election Day 2018
(credit: Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Rep. Adrienne Benavidez and Sen. Julie Gonzales are the prime sponsors. They site fostering participation as a reason for the holiday.

They also say Colorado has always tried to make voting easier and more accessible.

state capitol flags waving
(credit: CBS)

The lawmakers believe replacing Columbus Day as a state holiday is not meant to take away from recognizing Colorado's Italian-American community's contributions to the state.

If passed, Colorado's legal state holidays would be:

New Year's Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Election day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas

LINK: Bill 19-1056

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