Why are general elections in November?

Early America's predominantly agrarian society was responsible for selection of November as the month to hold general elections. This was the most convenient month for farmers to travel to the polls. The harvest was over, and the weather was still seasonable enough for travel.

The agrarian makeup of early America is also the reason general elections take place on a Tuesday. For many, it took a day of travel to reach a polling station. Since Sunday was a day of worship and Wednesday was usually a market day for farmers, Congress decided to hold elections on Tuesday. This left Monday as a day of travel for farmers and rural workers.