What's open on Presidential Election Day 2028?
Presidential Election Day is a state holiday, next on Tuesday, November 7, 2028. 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 | Banks follow the Federal Reserve calendar, which does not include Election Day. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading day. |
| Federal offices | Open | Federal agencies and federal courts in Kentucky keep normal hours. |
| State and local government | Varies | All Kentucky state offices are closed by statute in presidential election years; many county and city offices follow. Open in other states unless they have their own Election Day holiday. |
| Public schools | Varies | Closed statewide in Kentucky, including state universities. Elsewhere, individual districts may close because schools serve as polling places. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | No closures required; normal hours. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Normal hours. |
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 reduced hours on all but a handful of days.
Presidential 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 normally 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 Presidential Election Day page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the post office open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. Not a federal holiday; regular mail delivery and retail hours.
Are banks open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. Banks follow the Federal Reserve calendar, which does not include Election Day.
Is the stock market open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. Normal trading day.
Are federal offices open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. Federal agencies and federal courts in Kentucky keep normal hours.
Are state offices, courts and the DMV open on Presidential Election Day?
It depends. All Kentucky state offices are closed by statute in presidential election years; many county and city offices follow. Open in other states unless they have their own Election Day holiday.
Are schools open on Presidential Election Day?
It depends. Closed statewide in Kentucky, including state universities. Elsewhere, individual districts may close because schools serve as polling places.
Are stores open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. No closures required; normal hours.
Are restaurants and grocery stores open on Presidential Election Day?
Yes. Normal hours.