Petition · Cabinet Office
Change the day elections are held to Saturday
Open for signatures
74 signatures
What the petition asks
We call on the UK Government to hold all major elections on Saturday instead of Thursday, to improve accessibility, participation, and democratic engagement. The UK is one of the few major democracies that still holds elections on a weekday. Thursday voting can create barriers for working people.
At a time of growing political disengagement, we feel the UK should modernise its electoral system to reflect modern working and family life. We believe that democracy works best when voting is easy, accessible, and convenient. We therefore call on the Government to move general elections, local elections, and referendums to be held on Saturdays.
Many countries that hold elections at weekends achieve consistently higher voter turnout than the UK. For example, Australia regularly exceeds 90% turnout and Sweden often achieve 75–85%.
Many countries that hold elections at weekends achieve consistently higher voter turnout than the UK. For example, Australia regularly exceeds 90% turnout and Sweden often achieve 75–85%.
Timeline
| 9 Jun 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
74
Status
Open for signatures
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
9 Jun 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.