How Do Elections Work?
Elections serve as our most basic mode to fulfill civic duty in this country. There are several types of elections ranging from local elections like those for Board of Education members, all the way to Presidential elections. It is our responsibility to be active participants in elections because we are the future.
Presidential Elections
The Presidential Election process is the most well-known process, despite being very complex. It begins with a huge set of candidates of two major parties: Republican and Democrat, as well as a number of third party and independent candidates. These candidates engage in several debates, public appearances, interviews, and commercials, as well as maintaining an online presence in order to gain support and voters. These supporters and voters then participate in a primary or caucus where the group of same party candidates is limited to one front-runner in each party. For example, the winner of the Democratic primary in 2016 was Hillary Clinton, but several others had run (Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley, etc). The two winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries then go head to head in a final race for the White House. There is a final election on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The popular vote is tallied, however, the popular vote does not have the final say.
The Electoral College
The Electoral College is a set of electors who have the final say on who the President will be. The votes in each state are tallied to find which candidate won the majority in that state. Whichever candidate wins each state wins all of that states electors. For example, in Maryland, there are 10 electors (8 representatives + 2 senators) and in 2016, Hillary Clinton won the state majority, and thus gained 10 electors. Whoever wins 270 electors (the majority) will win the Presidency.
State and Local ElectionsState and local elections occur on a state-determined basis. For example, Maryland holds its race for governor every four years (next election will be in 2022). The Howard County Council elections also happen every four years (next one being in 2020). Every state and every organized local level of government happens at different times, and is often done by district. To find out more, check out your state or district's maps, websites, and voting information. Or, go to https://www.usa.gov/ for more information.
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Congressional ElectionsCongressional Elections occur every two years, but it is a little more complicated. In each election, one-third of the Senators are up for re-election and all of the House of Representatives seats are up for re-election. Each state has 2 senators, who each serve a six year term. In the House of Representatives, each state has a different number of representatives based on the state's population. They each serve a two year term. You vote for the representatives running in your specific district.
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Political Parties
A fundamental part of American democracy is the party system. However, the values and stances can be a lot for someone to take in. To find out where you fall on the ideological spectrum, take this Pew Research center quiz https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/quiz/political-typology/. Generally, the Democratic party is more liberal, and the Republican party is more conservative, thought the ideological spectrum is wide and most Americans fall right in the middle. That is why elections are as competitive as they are!
Democratic Party
The Democratic Party Values are as follows:
- Combatting Climate Change and ensuring environmental justice and sustainability
- Supporting legal access to abortions and women's reproductive healthcare
- Expanding safety net programs like Social Security
- Support for increased health care coverage
- Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana
- Uphold voting rights and fight voter suppression
- Campaign Finance reform
- Reform the immigration system and create an easier pathway to citizenship
- Stricter gun control policy
- Opposition to the death penalty and torture methods
Republican Party
The Republican Party values are as follows:
- Support for a free market economy and lower taxes
- Believe strongly in self reliance
- Support individual choice in education
- Replacing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and using a patient-centered system to drive competition and keep costs down
- Limiting government interference in the lives of American individuals
- Loosen gun control laws
- Pro-Life stance on abortion
- Reforming the welfare program to get more people off of welfare and into the workforce
- Balancing environmental conservation with the needs of the economy
Third Parties
Because the USA is a two-party system, third parties and independents don't have a lot of representation in the federal government. However, third parties have quite a large base in the US regardless.
Libertarian Party |
Green Party |
As the more conservative third party option, libertarians promote laissez-faire capitalism and limiting the size and power of the government. Their values are as follows:
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As the more liberal third party option, the Green Party shares a lot of their ideas with Democrats. However, the values are organized a bit differently. There are four pillars upon which the party sits. They are as follows:
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