US elections 2024: Are banks, post offices, FedEx closed on November 5? | All you need to know

On Tuesday, November 5, American voters will make the final choice about who will become the next US president between candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Though several states allow employees to take time off to vote on polling day, a commonly encountered question is whether services or organisations will remain closed.

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Election day is not a federal holiday, however, five state – New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Hawaii and Illinois – have declared a public holiday on November 5 to allow employees to take time off from work and cast their votes.

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New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Virginia, Michigan, Montana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Indiana have also declared a public holiday, though employees are not forced to cast their votes on the day.

Here’s all you need to know about which services will be up and running on polling day:

• Post offices, United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx courier services will all be available on November 5.

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• Banks across the country will remain open on polling day, though there might be certain branches shut down, according to NBC New York. It is advised that people check whether specific branches in their area are open before visiting.
• Schools may remain closed on November 5 across several states. Major cities like New York, Washington DC and Chicago have announced that schools will be closed or maintain a day of non-attendance for students on the day.
• Most state administrative offices and courts will remained closed in the states which have declared a public holiday on polling day.
• Public transport such as buses and trains will remain operational on November 5.

Over 160 million voters are expected to cast their ballots by November 5, in a tight race between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Early voting has already begun across several states.