Will people in 2100 actually care that it is not a leap year?

[GTrang]

In 2100, for the first time since 1900, a year divisible by 4 will not have 29 February in it, thanks to the "Gregorian century rule", which states that a year ending in "00" should only be a leap year if it is divisible by 400.

But will people in 2100 actually care that it is not a leap year? I guess this would at least matter to babies born on 29 February 2096, as they would not have a birthday until 29 February 2104.

The 1788-89 presidential election was partially held in a non-leap year (1789), while the 1800 and 1900 presidential elections were held in non-leap century years. Also, the 1900 Summer Olympics were held in 1900 (which was not a leap year), while the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to the following non-leap year (2021) by the COVID-19 pandemic. Barring any changes to the United States Constitution, the next presidential election in a non-leap year would be the 2100 presidential election. Also, barring another Summer Olympics postponement (due to a pandemic or other reasons) or any changes to the Summer Olympics schedule, the next Summer Olympics in a non-leap year would be the 2100 Summer Olympics.

On 1 March 2100, perpetual calendar watches that incorrectly show 29 February would need to be corrected, after which another correction would not be needed until 1 March 2200. Also, a secular perpetual calendar watch that correctly identifies 2100, 2200, and 2300 as non-leap years could in theory incorrectly identify 2400 as a non-leap year, and if so, then it would need to be corrected on 29 February 2400.

All the people who were born before 1900 have already died. But in 2012, there were still 30 such people alive, and probably none of them cared that 1900 was not a leap year, according to the "11 Random Facts About Leap Day" post at 11points.com (which was written in 2012).

[Jakob]

I can't see people screaming and panicking because there is no February 29, 2100. Why would they? But, like, obviously it's not going to be a leap year.

[Autodidact]

At minimum, they'll care insofar as the rarity of the occurrence will be noted and discussed.

[GTrang]

I wonder how likely people living today will still be alive in 2100 (and thus witness the first non-leap multiple-of-4 year since 1900) based on their age or birth year. Perhaps, one of them (or a person that has yet to be born) will be alive to ask the question "Why is 2100 not a leap year?", to which other people would then answer, "Because while years divisible by 4 are normally leap years, those divisible by 100 are not, unless also divisible by 400."