The Voting Process

While the voting process seems fairly simple to those who have voted before, it can be a bit overwhelming for first timers. Here is a simple outline of the voting process:
  • After registering to vote in the state in which you currently live, find out where you need to go to vote, as most cities assign voters to various polling places to streamline the process.
  • Before Election Day, read up on the different issues and candidates so you can make informed decisions about how to vote.
  • Finally, when Election Day rolls around (generally the Tuesday after the first Monday in November), go to your assigned polling location and vote.
 
However, more factors come into play during the voting process. For example, knowing what you are voting for is important. Although you may know about the bigger issues and candidates, a series of smaller initiatives, propositions and candidates about which you have never heard (i.e. judge and school board candidates) are also likely to be on the ballot.
Similarly, understanding how votes for different elections (such as federal versus state versus local elections) are counted is another essential part of completely comprehending the voting process. Let’s explore these nuances of the voting process.

What Ballots Include

On Election Day, you will get a ballot that includes initiatives, propositions and candidates that pertain to either the city/county, state or national level of government. For example, while local topics include candidates for the city council or your local sheriff, national level votes ask you to select senators, House representatives, the president and vice president.

Because ballots ask you to vote on a so many issues and candidates, many polling locations suggest that you read your voter’s guide thoroughly before going to vote. Some voters save themselves time by circling their planned choices in this guide and bringing it with them on Election Day for reference.

A Note on Terms of Office…
Because different government positions have unique terms of office, you won’t vote to elect someone to each position each time you vote. Here is an outline of some of the terms of office for the government positions at the national level:
  • A House representative is elected for a term of two years. Residents in a particular district of a state vote on who they want to represent them in the House. No one who lives outside of this district can vote on its representative.
  • Senators are elected to a six-year term that are staggered so that only one-third of the Senate seats are open for election at any given time. Senators are elected by the voters of their states and represent the entire state.
  • The President and Vice President are elected every four years in a national election.

While representatives and senators can be elected for countless terms, the President is limited to two terms, meaning that he can only be re-elected once.

Voting At Your Polling Locations

When it is time for an election, you will get plenty of information about when and where to vote. Most cities print out the polling place information in their local newspapers or on the voter’s guide (which is mailed to you after you register) so that voters know where they are supposed to go to vote. Polling locations are typically assigned within a few miles of where a person lives.

When you go to vote, bring either a photo ID, such as your driver's license, or your voter ID card. While some states issue voter ID cards, others do not. Bringing a form of identification is important in that it prevents voter fraud.

You might also want to bring your sample ballot or some notes to help you remember who you want to vote for, as well as your position on any issues that will be on the ballot.

How Votes Are Counted

Votes are counted in either one of two ways depending on the type of election for which you are voting. For local elections, representatives and senators, we use a plurality vote system. In the plurality vote system, the candidate with the highest number of votes wins the election, regardless of whether or not he received a majority, or more than 50 percent, of the votes.

However, although voters cast their ballots for both the President and the Vice President, the Electoral College is responsible for determining which candidates win these positions. The Electoral College is a group of individuals that represent each state. The number of Electoral votes a state has depends on its population. Currently, California has the most Electoral votes (54), followed by New York (33) and Texas (32).

Whichever candidate wins the majority in a particular state gets all of the Electoral votes that that state has. For example, if a Democrat wins the majority of votes in California, the Democratic candidate automatically gets all of California’s 54 Electoral votes. The Presidential candidate who receives the majority of the Electoral votes wins the election.
 
Resources
 
Declareyourself.com (2007). Register To Vote. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from the Declareyourself.com Web site: http://www.declareyourself.com/?gclid=
CKLa4eWotI0CFSAmYQodvHd_tQ.
 
U.S Department of State (n.d.). Elections and the Electoral Process. Retrieved July 2, 2007 from the U.S. Department of State Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/abtamerica/elections.htm.