Why the NBA Doesn't Have Basketball Games on Election Day
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 Trump and JD Vance or 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.”
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.
"I voted today," the Big Little Lies star wrote on Instagram Nov. 1. "I love my country and no matter what happens in this election, I’m here to move our great nation forward in a unified way."
Since Halloween was days before the election, the "Roar" singer dressed up to rock the vote.
Spotted: the Deadpool star and the Gossip Girl alum voting in Westchester County in New York.
The Desperate Housewives alum shows off her "I Voted" sticker during a day out in New York City.
The Disney star dropped off her ballot on the way to the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premiere.
"Please remember that whoever you are and wherever you live," the Friends alum wrote on Instagram, "your voice matters. Your VOTE matters."
The supermodel catwalked her way to the local ballot box to cast her vote. "Living in the United States is a great privilege and so is voting!" she wrote on Instagram. "Get out and let your voice be heard."
The Bottoms actress—who is the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber—snapped a selfie with her ballot.
Did the Emily in Paris star cast her ballot? Mais oui!
The Veep alum proudly posed with her ballot.
As Batman Returns actress put it, "Did my civic duty!"
The "Vampire" singer documented her entire voting process—from filling out her ballot to dropping it off at a local polling station—on TikTok.
This is the This Is Us star voting.
"Your voice is your power," the Honey actress captioned her voting selfie. "Use it."
The Stranger Things star proved she was no stranger to voting, mailing in her ballot early almost one month before Election Day.
The Law and Order: Organized Crime star and his wife headed to the voting booth as part of their date night in New York City. As he noted on Instagram, "Vote. Stroll. Experience. Eat."
You don't need 13 reasons to vote. Just ask the 13 Reasons Why actress, who cast her ballot early in New York City.
The Scary Movie alum and the Grey's Anatomy actress voted together.
The Descendants star descended upon her local polling station.
In New York City, there are dedicated voters casting their ballots. The Law and Order: Special Victims Unit star was one of them.
The "Get It Sexyy" rapper got her vote on.
The retired tennis player and the Grace and Frankie actress proudly wore their early voting stickers.
Proving that exercising his democratic right is not the wooooorst, the Parks and Recreation alum showed off his "I Voted" stricker.
The Sex Lives of College Girls star dropped off her ballot while wearing a hat supporting her local poll workers.
The Funny Girl Broadway star didn't let anyone rain on her parade as she cast her ballot.
Voting was a family affair for the singing siblings, who sent off their ballots with mom Maggie Baird and dad Patrick O'Connell.
The former racecar driver said she voted for the first time in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
On Oct. 31, the Rhode Skin founder snapped a pic of her and husband Justin Bieber's baby boy Jack Blues Bieber rocking the "I Voted" sticker on his foot.
The model posed for a selfie with her ballot.
The Footloose alum danced his way to a mailbox in New York City to cast his vote.
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