Elections & Voting

The act of formally expressing a choice in an election, referendum, or other decision-making process. Voting is the most direct way citizens participate in democracy, and the right to vote is among the most fundamental rights in a democratic society. In the United States, voting is voluntary, and elections are administered primarily at the state and local level, which means the rules and procedures for voting can vary significantly depending on where you live.

The process by which eligible citizens enroll to vote before an election. Most states require voters to register in advance, providing basic information such as name, address, and citizenship status. Registration requirements, deadlines, and processes vary by state. Some states offer same-day registration, while others require registration weeks before an election. Keeping your registration current and confirming it before an election is one of the most important steps in making sure your vote counts.

A citizen who has completed the voter registration process and is eligible to cast a ballot in elections within their jurisdiction. Being a registered voter does not guarantee that your registration is current or accurate, which is why it is important to verify your registration before each election, particularly if you have recently moved, changed your name, or had a period of inactivity on your registration.

The percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot in a given election. Voter turnout varies significantly depending on the type of election, the competitiveness of the races on the ballot, and a range of structural factors including registration requirements, polling place access, and early voting options. Presidential elections typically see the highest turnout, while local and off-cycle elections often see turnout in the single digits or low double digits despite having significant impact on daily life.

A broader term than voter turnout that encompasses not just whether someone voted but the full range of ways citizens engage with the electoral process, including registering others to vote, volunteering for campaigns, donating to candidates, attending candidate forums, and working as poll workers. High voter participation is generally seen as a sign of a healthy democracy.

The designated day on which voters cast their ballots in an election. In the United States, federal elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. State and local elections may be held on different days throughout the year. While early voting and mail-in voting have expanded access in many states, Election Day remains the primary reference point for when an election concludes and results begin to be tallied.

A system that allows registered voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day during a designated early voting period. Early voting is available in most states and is designed to reduce long lines on Election Day, accommodate voters with scheduling conflicts, and increase overall participation. The length of the early voting period varies by state, ranging from a few days to several weeks before the election.

A method of voting in which a voter receives a ballot by mail, marks it at home, and returns it by mail or in person to election officials before or on Election Day. Mail-in voting is available in all states in some form, though the rules and requirements vary. Some states automatically send mail ballots to all registered voters, while others require voters to request a ballot in advance. Mail-in voting has been shown to increase participation, particularly among voters who have difficulty getting to a polling place.

A ballot cast by a voter who is unable or chooses not to vote in person on Election Day. In many states, absentee ballots and mail-in ballots are functionally the same thing, while in others the term specifically refers to ballots requested by voters who have a specific reason for not voting in person, such as illness, disability, or being away from home. Absentee voting rules and deadlines vary by state.

A ballot cast by a voter whose eligibility cannot be immediately confirmed at the polling place. A provisional ballot is set aside and counted only after election officials verify that the voter is eligible. Voters may be given a provisional ballot if their name does not appear on the voter rolls, if they have moved and not updated their registration, or if there is a question about their identification. Knowing how and when to request a provisional ballot can protect your right to vote if problems arise at the polls.

The physical location where voters go to cast their ballots on Election Day or during early voting. Polling places are typically located in schools, community centers, government buildings, churches, and other public spaces. The number and location of polling places are determined by local election officials and can significantly affect how easy or difficult it is for residents to vote. Reductions in polling places have been associated with longer lines and lower turnout in affected communities.

A trained volunteer or paid government employee who staffs a polling place on Election Day or during early voting. Poll workers check voters in, verify voter rolls, assist voters with questions or accessibility needs, distribute ballots, and help maintain an orderly voting environment. Poll workers are essential to the functioning of elections and are recruited by local election offices, which often face significant shortages.

A question placed on the ballot for voters to decide directly, rather than leaving the decision to elected officials. Ballot measures can address a wide range of issues, from proposed changes to the state constitution to local spending decisions. They go by different names in different states and contexts, including initiatives, referendums, propositions, and measures. Ballot measures give citizens a form of direct democracy within a system that is otherwise largely representative.

A type of ballot measure that allows citizens to propose new laws or constitutional amendments by gathering a required number of voter signatures. If enough valid signatures are collected, the proposed measure is placed on the ballot for voters to approve or reject. Ballot initiatives exist in about half of U.S. states and are one of the most direct tools citizens have to create law without going through the legislature.

A direct vote by the general public on a specific question, law, or constitutional amendment. Referendums can be placed on the ballot by the legislature, as in the case of a legislative referral, or through a citizen initiative process. In some states, voters can also challenge laws passed by the legislature through a veto referendum, forcing a public vote on whether the law should stand. The terms referendum and ballot measure are often used interchangeably, though they have technical distinctions that vary by state.

A special election in which voters can remove an elected official from office before their term ends. To trigger a recall, supporters typically must gather a required number of signatures within a set time period. Recall elections have been used to remove officials at all levels of government and have become an increasingly visible tool of political accountability, though they are also sometimes criticized as a way to relitigate election results rather than address genuine misconduct.

An election held before the general election in which voters choose the candidates who will represent a political party on the general election ballot. Primary elections are used to narrow the field of candidates from within a party. The rules governing primaries vary significantly by state and party, including who is eligible to vote in them and how delegates or nominations are allocated.

A primary election in which only voters who are registered members of a political party can vote in that party's primary. Closed primaries are designed to give party members exclusive control over who their party nominates. Critics argue that closed primaries reduce participation and give more influence to the most partisan voters within each party, while supporters argue they protect the integrity of the party nomination process.

A primary election in which voters can participate regardless of their party registration, allowing independents and even members of the opposing party to vote. Open primaries are intended to broaden participation and produce nominees with wider appeal. Some states use a variation called a top-two or jungle primary, in which all candidates regardless of party appear on the same ballot and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.

A follow-up election held when no candidate in the initial election receives the required threshold of votes to win, typically a majority. Runoff elections are common in states that require a candidate to win more than 50 percent of the vote and in jurisdictions that use ranked choice voting. They are also used in some primary systems when no candidate receives enough votes to secure the nomination outright.

The main election in which voters choose between candidates who have already been nominated, typically through a primary election or party process. General elections determine who actually wins elected office. Federal general elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. General elections typically see higher voter turnout than primaries or special elections.

A general election held in the middle of a president's four-year term, in even-numbered years that are not presidential election years. During midterm elections, all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and roughly one-third of U.S. Senate seats are up for election, along with many governorships, state legislative seats, and local offices. Midterm elections historically see lower turnout than presidential elections, even though the offices at stake have significant impact on national and local policy.

An election held outside the regular election schedule to fill a vacancy in an elected office, typically caused by the death, resignation, or removal of an officeholder. Special elections can occur at any time of year and often see very low voter turnout because they are less publicized than regularly scheduled elections. Despite this, special elections can have significant political consequences, particularly when they involve congressional seats that affect the balance of power in Congress.

An election for offices at the city, county, school district, or special district level. Local elections determine who makes decisions about schools, public safety, zoning, water, roads, and many other services that directly affect daily life. Despite this, local elections consistently see the lowest voter turnout of any type of election. Many local elections are held on dates separate from state and federal elections, which further reduces participation.

An election for offices within a city or municipality, including mayor, city council, city clerk, and other local positions. Municipal elections govern the officials who manage city services, set local budgets, and establish local ordinances. Like other local elections, municipal elections often suffer from low turnout, meaning that a relatively small number of engaged voters can have an outsized influence on outcomes.

An election held at a time other than the standard November election dates when state and federal races appear on the ballot. Off-cycle elections are common for local offices, school boards, and special districts and are associated with significantly lower voter turnout than on-cycle elections. Research suggests that consolidating off-cycle elections with regular election dates increases participation and produces more representative outcomes.

A voting system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those voters' second-choice votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates. This process continues until one candidate has a majority. Ranked choice voting is used in several U.S. cities and states and is designed to reduce the spoiler effect and ensure that winners have broader support.

The most common voting system in the United States, in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins, regardless of whether they receive a majority. In a race with more than two candidates, a winner can be elected with well under 50 percent of the vote. Plurality voting is sometimes called first-past-the-post and is criticized for discouraging third-party candidates and producing outcomes that do not reflect the preferences of a majority of voters.

Another term for ranked choice voting as applied to single-winner elections. In an instant runoff, if no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated and their voters' next preferences are counted. This continues until one candidate has a majority, effectively simulating a runoff election without requiring voters to return to the polls a second time.

The system established by the U.S. Constitution for electing the president and vice president. Rather than electing the president through a direct national popular vote, the Electoral College assigns each state a number of electors equal to its total number of senators and representatives in Congress. Candidates need to win 270 of the 538 total electoral votes to win the presidency. Most states award all of their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state, though Maine and Nebraska use a congressional district method.

A person authorized to represent others and cast votes on their behalf in a political process. In the context of presidential primaries, delegates are individuals selected to attend a party's national convention and cast votes for the presidential nominee based on the results of their state's primary or caucus. In the context of the Electoral College, delegates are the electors who formally cast votes for president after the general election.

A member of the Electoral College who casts their electoral vote for a candidate other than the one they were pledged to support based on their state's popular vote. Faithless electors are rare, and many states have laws requiring electors to vote for the candidate they are pledged to support, with some imposing penalties for defection. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of such laws in 2020.

An elected position that is considered very unlikely to change from one party to the other because of the strong partisan lean of the district or jurisdiction. Incumbents in safe seats typically win reelection by wide margins, and challengers from the opposing party have little realistic chance of winning. Safe seats are common in both congressional and state legislative elections as a result of partisan geographic sorting and gerrymandering.

An electoral district in which neither major party has a dominant advantage, making it genuinely competitive and capable of being won by either side. Swing districts receive a disproportionate share of campaign attention and resources because they are where elections are most often decided. The number of truly competitive swing districts has declined significantly in recent decades as geographic and partisan sorting has increased.

An election that is considered too close to predict with confidence, with either candidate having a realistic chance of winning. Toss-up races are identified by election analysts and forecasters based on polling, fundraising, historical voting patterns, and other factors. They typically attract significant campaign spending and media attention.

The difference in votes between the winning candidate and the runner-up in an election. A large margin of victory suggests a decisive win, while a narrow margin may trigger an automatic recount in some states or invite legal challenges. Margin of victory is also used to assess the strength of an incumbent's electoral position heading into a future election.

Laws that require voters to present identification before casting a ballot. The type of identification required varies significantly by state, ranging from a strict photo ID requirement to acceptance of a wider range of documents including utility bills and bank statements. Supporters argue that voter ID laws protect election integrity, while critics contend that they disproportionately burden low-income voters, elderly voters, and minority voters who are less likely to have the required forms of identification.

The process by which election officials compare the signature on a mail-in or absentee ballot envelope to the signature on file in the voter's registration record to confirm the ballot was submitted by the registered voter. Signature verification is one of the primary security measures used in mail voting. Procedures for what happens when signatures do not match, including whether and how voters are notified and given a chance to correct the issue, vary by state.

A public statement made by a losing candidate formally acknowledging that they have lost an election and recognizing the victory of their opponent. Conceding an election is a longstanding democratic norm that facilitates a peaceful transition of power and signals to supporters that the election outcome is legitimate. While there is no legal requirement to concede, the refusal to do so can undermine public confidence in elections and complicate the transition process.

The act of a losing candidate formally acknowledging defeat and withdrawing from competition for an office. Conceding an election is a cornerstone of democratic tradition, as it signals acceptance of the election results and helps ensure a smooth and peaceful transfer of power. A candidate who refuses to concede may continue to contest results through legal channels, but the act of conceding carries important symbolic weight in affirming the legitimacy of the democratic process.

A public address given by a winning candidate following an election to celebrate their victory, thank supporters and campaign staff, and often extend an olive branch to their opponent and their opponent's supporters. Victory speeches traditionally set the tone for how an elected official intends to govern and are an important moment of democratic transition.

The process by which authority is transferred from one elected official or administration to the next following an election. A peaceful transition of power is one of the most important hallmarks of a functioning democracy, reflecting the acceptance of election results and the rule of law over the desires of any individual officeholder. In the United States, the presidential transition between administrations involves extensive planning and cooperation between outgoing and incoming teams across every federal agency.

The formal process by which a newly elected president prepares to take office, including selecting Cabinet members and senior staff, receiving national security briefings, and planning policy priorities. The presidential transition period runs from the election in November to Inauguration Day on January 20. Federal law provides resources and support for presidential transitions to ensure that the new administration is ready to govern from day one.

The period of time between an election and the moment when the newly elected official takes office, during which the outgoing officeholder continues to serve. During the lame duck period, outgoing officials may continue to pass legislation, make appointments, issue executive orders, or take other official actions. The term reflects the reduced political influence of an official who has already lost or chosen not to seek reelection.