Foundations of U.S. Elections
How a U.S. Election Works
Elections in the United States are mandated by law to occur at specific intervals and days depending on the office. Special elections can be held in the event of a death, retirement or resignation. All U.S. elections are held for three different levels: federal, statewide or local governments.
Candidates for the offices must meet certain criteria and register in the appropriate districts or states to be placed on the ballot. Generally a political party determines who its candidate is through a system known as a primary election or caucus. Other candidates run for office independently of any party. Many states require a minimum number of signatures to get a candidate on the ballot.
Campaigns
The candidates during the primary and caucus process and later in the general election take part in an organized effort to influence the electorate to choose them as representatives. Several months or years before election day, a campaign for the candidate is launched with the support of family and friends as well as important officials and community leaders. Other candidates are recruited by a grass root effort of interest groups. The campaign features public appearances, television and radio ads, as well as activists that work on a more grass roots level. The most successful campaigns feature volunteers that work door-to-door to generate support. Most federal campaigns use millions of dollars in order to get a candidate elected.
Primaries, Caucuses and Political Conventions
Primaries are held at different points in different states depending on the rules laid out by the political party. When all eligible members of the electorate are allowed to vote for one party's choices, it is known as an open primary. A closed primary allows only registered members of a party to vote.
Caucuses are used in certain states in place of the primary process to nominate candidates. Caucuses are meetings in which the constituency of a certain district meet to discuss who they want to choose for their candidate.
Presidential elections hold conventions after the primaries and caucuses to confirm and ratify the candidacy of the individual chosen by the processes. Modern conventions have lessened in significance and become part of the campaign season.
Federal Elections
With a presidential system of government, the United States elects its executive and legislative representatives separately, differing from a parliamentary system which ties the branches together. According to the Constitution, the U.S. President must be elected on a single day throughout the country, however other officers for the House of Representatives and the Senate can take place on a date the state deems appropriate. The President is elected for four year cycles, Congressional offices every two years and Senators every six.
Representatives of the legislative branch are elected by a simple majority, while the President is elected by an electoral college. Each state is issued a specific number of electoral representatives who vote for the President after the nationwide popular vote. These representatives usually vote according to the demands of their constituency.
State Elections
The state's themselves determine the system of elections through its own laws and constitutions. All states maintain a Governor and Lieutenant Governor, some on joint tickets and some separately. Other executive officers are elected in some states as well as members of the state judiciary. The rules and frequency of the legislative branch vary heavily from state to state, some modeling the senate and house system of the federal government while others use an assembly or unicameral system.
Local Elections
Local elections are primarily responsible for electing county or parish council members and mayors. Local judicial members, school board members, sheriffs and other officials are also elected. The rules and term limits for these individuals are determined by local laws. Most candidates run on a non-partisan platform, focusing on issues important to their constituency as a whole.
Eligibility and Registration
The Constitution mandates that individual voters cannot be denied their right because of race, color, sex or age as long as they are eighteen years or older and a citizen of the U.S. The states are allowed to regulate for the qualifications of a voter in other ways they see fit. Some states choose to bar felons from voting, as well as those deemed insane.
Since there is no automatic registration process to vote in the U.S., citizens must register themselves with the state in which they reside if they intend to vote. Providing voting registration centers is the responsibility of each state in the nation, however, the period of time in which the registration can take place can vary due to state laws. Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming are the only states that allow same-day registration, while North Dakota does not require registration at all.
Voting and Election Day
A process to offer early voting exists through a variety of means in every state in the country. Absentee voting is conducted by mail for individuals who are unable or unwilling to participate in an election at a polling station. Most states require no reason to vote absentee, however, the usual reasons are due to sickness or not being in their precinct on election day. Many states have moved to an early voting method in order to prevent problems of long lines and irregularities on election day itself, while Oregon has instituted a mail ballot process in which every citizen votes via mail.
Election Day in the U.S. is generally held on the first Tuesday of November, however, some states hold elections on different days. The Presidential election is always held this day.
Various methods for voting exist throughout the U.S., each state deciding on its own implementation. Paper ballots with optical scanning technology and computerized voting machines replaced lever machines and punch ballots after the 2000 election.
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