AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District is designating Election Day as a student holiday by moving an already scheduled holiday in October.

The AISD Board of Trustees approved the update to the 2020-21 calendar Monday. The update changes the Oct. 12 student holiday to Election Day on Nov. 3, a district press release said.

The district also moved the professional development day on Oct. 12 to Nov. 3. This won’t have an effect on the number of instructional days for students, the district said.

AISD said the change also frees up space on campuses that may be used as polling locations, as some students are scheduled to head back to campuses Oct. 5.

“A student holiday for Election Day will decrease the number of people on campuses that may potentially be used as voting sites for the general election,” the release said.

AISD said in the past, district schools have traditionally been used as voting sites.