Why the NBA Doesn't Have Basketball Games on Election Day
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Don’t expect to see your favorite basketball teams face off on Election Day.
As Americans head to the polls to cast their ballots in the 2024 U.S. presidential election—casting their votes for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz, Republican nominee Donald TrumpandJD Vanceor a third party candidate—the NBA will not hold any games Nov. 5, per the league’s official 2024-2025 regular season schedule.
The first time the league made such a move was in 2022, in an effort to boost voter turnout in that year’s midterm elections.
“It’s unusual,” the Executive Director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition James Cadogan told NBC News at the time. “We don’t usually change the schedule for an external event, but voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy.”
He added, “That’s part of the value proposition that we want to make sure people understand, that voting is unlike anything else.”
In the weeks leading up to this year’s Election Day, many stars have shared that they voted early, encouraging their followers to exercise their right to vote as well.
Jennifer Aniston flaunted an “I Voted” sticker in a selfie posted to Instagram Oct. 30, writing in the caption, “Please remember that whoever you are and wherever you live, your voice matters. Your VOTE matters.”
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Arrow alum Stephen Amell—who was born in Canada—revealed he became a U.S. citizen in 2022 and would be casting a vote for president for the first time.
“I am humbled and honored to be able to vote in my first federal election,” he wrote on Instagram Oct. 29. “For the first time, it is my constitutional right.”
And Selena Gomez added a bit of magic to her voting experience, making a pit stop to drop off her mail-in ballot on her way to the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premiere Oct. 28.
“We can’t go to the premiere without voting,” the actress, who was red carpet-ready in her red custom Rodarte gown and matching heels, said in a TikTok post before sliding her ballot in the drop box. “Make sure that sucker’s in!”
To see more stars who’ve cast their ballots in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, keep reading.