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Political Dictionary

Election

An election is a formal process in which eligible voters choose public officials or decide ballot questions.

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Definition

An election is an organized process used to select government officials or decide public questions. Eligible voters cast ballots under rules established by federal, state, or local law. Elections may be partisan or nonpartisan and may occur at the national, state, county, municipal, or special-district level. In the United States, election administration is highly decentralized, so procedures such as registration deadlines, ballot design, early voting, and recount rules vary by jurisdiction.

Why It Matters

Elections are the principal way citizens exercise political authority in a representative democracy. They determine who holds public office, which policies are likely to be pursued, and whether proposed laws, taxes, bonds, or constitutional amendments are approved.

How It Works

Election officials establish candidate and ballot-question eligibility, register voters, prepare ballots, operate voting locations or mail-ballot systems, count votes, audit results, and certify the outcome. Rules differ by office and jurisdiction. Some contests are decided by plurality, others by majority, ranked-choice tabulation, or the Electoral College.

History

Voting systems existed in many ancient societies, but modern mass elections developed alongside representative government and expanded suffrage. In the United States, voting eligibility was initially restricted largely to property-owning white men. Constitutional amendments, federal laws, court decisions, and state reforms gradually expanded participation.

Example

A city election may allow voters to choose a mayor, city council members, and whether to approve a local school bond on the same ballot.

Common Misconceptions

  • All U.S. elections are administered by the federal government.
  • Every election requires the winner to receive more than 50 percent of the vote.
  • Election rules are identical in every state.