What's open on Election Day 2026?
Election Day is a state holiday, next on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Here is what is open and closed: post office, banks, stock market, government offices, schools and stores.
| Service | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Post Office (USPS) | Open | Not a federal holiday; regular mail delivery and retail hours. |
| Banks | Open | Normal banking day; Election Day is not on the Federal Reserve schedule. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading day. |
| Federal offices | Open | Open nationwide; federal employees may use leave or state voter-leave rules to vote. |
| State and local government | Varies | Closed in New York, New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia; open in most other states, including Pennsylvania. |
| Public schools | Varies | Many districts close or hold teacher workdays because schools serve as polling places. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | Regular hours. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Regular hours; some offer promotions for voters wearing I Voted stickers. |
Why these close and others do not
Three separate rules decide what shuts on any given American holiday, and they do not always agree. The federal list in 5 U.S.C. § 6103 governs federal offices, federal courts and the U.S. Postal Service, and the Federal Reserve follows the same calendar — which is why banks close on federal holidays and stay open on state-only ones. State holiday statutes are separate: each state legislature sets its own list for state employees, courts, DMV offices and usually public schools, so a day can be a paid holiday in Texas and an ordinary Tuesday in Ohio. Private employers answer to neither - no federal law requires any private business to close or to pay a premium for holiday work, so retailers, restaurants and offices set their own policies, and most stay open with redcued hours on all but a handful of days.
Election Day is a state holiday, so only the second rule applies: offices close in the states that observe it, while federal offices, post offices and banks stay open. The stock market keeps its own calendar again: the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq close for nine of the eleven federal holidays plus Good Friday, but trade normaly on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, when the bond market closes and the equity market does not.
Hours vary by location and year. Check with the branch or office before you go. For dates through 2027 and the history, see the main Election Day page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the post office open on Election Day?
Yes. Not a federal holiday; regular mail delivery and retail hours.
Are banks open on Election Day?
Yes. Normal banking day; Election Day is not on the Federal Reserve schedule.
Is the stock market open on Election Day?
Yes. Normal trading day.
Are federal offices open on Election Day?
Yes. Open nationwide; federal employees may use leave or state voter-leave rules to vote.
Are state offices, courts and the DMV open on Election Day?
It depends. Closed in New York, New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia; open in most other states, including Pennsylvania.
Are schools open on Election Day?
It depends. Many districts close or hold teacher workdays because schools serve as polling places.
Are stores open on Election Day?
Yes. Regular hours.
Are restaurants and grocery stores open on Election Day?
Yes. Regular hours; some offer promotions for voters wearing I Voted stickers.