Voting, Campaigns and Elections in the US

Voting, Campaigns and Elections in the US

The political system dictates that the US holds elections every four years to elect representatives. Elections in the US are done through ballot. The different types of ballots are the secret ballots and the ranked ballots. Secret ballots are anonymous to the voter’s choice, whereas the ranked ballots allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

A ballot has different features such as the props and bonds. A prop in California refers to a proposition. This is a measure or initiative that is presented to the electorate in order to make a direct decision. In many cases, they are used for referendums. California government uses the props to make policy decisions that need the participation of the people. Bonds with regards to ballot papers come when the voters are to decide on bond introduced by state governments that are to be imposed on the citizens.

California State has spent the heaviest in terms of modernizing their voting system over the years. It has the most complex of all voting systems but a fluid one (Alexander, 2013). The systems used in California are dubbed as the best, and even the federal government may not be having such systems.

An absentee ballot is one that is completed and sent via mail by a voter who cannot manage to be present in person during the polls (Crook & Tom, 2015). It is sent via mail in advance. Another type of ballot is the provisional ballot. It is recorded as a vote from a voter with questionable eligibility which is set before the election. The person may be missing from the voters’ register or fail to show photo ID in places they are needed.

Office-block ballot is a type where the candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Their party designation may or may not be included (Crook & Tom, 2015). They are listed in the columns under the office into which they were nominated. This type of ballot is mainly used in Massachusetts while Indiana used the party-column ballot (Crook & Tom, 2015). It is the differences that arise depending on the policies of different states.

The system of elections in the US may be the most complex considering all the posts that are filled from the local level, state and federal levels. The Electoral College and the bicameral houses make it even more worrying for the ones interested in understanding the voting system of the United States.

The most intriguing thing about the American politics is the flair of campaigns. The presidential campaign is a matter of pomp and color. The presidential debate adds the taste in the fun that follows the intriguing speeches of aspirants. Whenever the politicians are crisscrossing the country from North to South, from the East Coast to the West coast, it is always standstill for the world as they watch the world’s most powerful nation decide.

The most peaceful voting is in the United States. When other countries fight and cause violence after elections, the Americans sit and wait to see their decision which decides the policy priorities for the coming four year. A Democratic choice means liberalism for four years, whereas a republican choice means conservatism for four years. There is nothing as good to hear than the president’s closing line always “God bless you, God bless America”.

 

Works Cited

Alexander, K. California Voter Foundation. Calvoter.org, 2013. Web. 1 December 2015, from http://www.calvoter.org/issues/votingtech/pub/CVF_voting_tech_policy_brief.html

Crook, M., & Tom, C. Ballot papers and the practice of elections: Britain, France and the United States of America, c .1500-2000. Hist Res 88.241 (2013): 530-561.

 
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