Voting Processes and Procedures

Abstract

Voting should be simple. After all, it is the most fundamental activity that defines a democracy. Yet, voting in the United States can be complicated. The voting experience is shaped by federal, state, and local laws and norms, and rules often vary from place to place. This chapter explains some of the basic features of American elections: the various offices for which we vote; the two-party system; the process of registering and casting a ballot; political campaigns; federal, state, and local elections; and ballot measures. By understanding the mechanics of elections, we can educate others (thus increasing voter participation) and begin to develop ideas about how to make the system stronger, more responsive, and more inclusive.ranges from 40 in Alaska to 400 in New Hampshire. In most states, Senators serve 4-year terms; in all but four states, representatives serve 2-year terms (National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2019b). State legislatures consider a host of important policies that affect the lives of their constituents, including access to healthcare (Medicaid expansion, for example), gun safety, Internet privacy, prison reform, voting rules, education standards, and reproductive rights.At the local government level, the legislature unusually operates as a single body, rather than as two separate chambers. Local legislatures have a variety of names including City Council, Town Council, County Commission, and County Board of Supervisors. These local legislatures, whose members are elected by the public, are responsible for those services that most directly impact the day-to-day lives of residents; this includes transportation, libraries, parks and recreation, trash removal, law enforcement and emergency response, and housing and zoning ordinances. In addition, many states elect the members of their School Boards. Despite the importance and impact these positions have on our everyday lives, Americans continue to vote in local elections at significantly lower rates than they do in federal or state elections (MIT Election Data & Science Lab, n.d.).The executive branch, responsible for implementing the laws, is headed at the national level by the President and Vice President. Voters elect the President and Vice-President as a single ticket; they can serve a maximum of two 4-year terms. The powers of the President are well known and have expanded in recent decades (Dallek, 2011). The US President has historically been regarded as the most powerful figure on the planet, often referred to as the "leader of the free world." The President serves as the nation's Commander-in-Chief, has veto power over Congressional legislation, and appoints the members of the Cabinet, senior white House staff, and federal judges (including Supreme Court justices). At the state level, the lead executive is the Governor, followed by the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General; all of these are elected positions. The lead Executive at the local level is typically the Mayor, City Manager, or County Executive. Although loca...

Overcoming Barriers to Voter Mobilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of St. Louis, Missouri

“…In order to counter the impact of the increased administrative burden to voting, citizens need to have two types of procedural e cacy in the context of the pandemic: (1) The ability to know how to abide by public health orders; and (2) the knowledge of how to engage in the voting process under the updated rules. Without the con dence of knowing the ever-changing landscape of rules and regulations around the who, how, and when of voting, citizens may be less likely to vote, or worse, their vote will be disquali ed due to a procedural error (Rome, 2022b).…”