Voting in America
In every election votes are lost or miscounted because of voting errors, machine errors, voting devices stop working, the voting machines calculate a wrong number for a specific candidate, and poll workers misplace cartridges that have tallied up the numbers from the voting machines. We the people hold the right to vote, but with today's voting system; America does not always get the actual winner in office due to flaws in the system.
In our country The United States of America, the people have the power of deciding who is voted into office. When making these decisions, the people carefully listen to all testimonies that the person running has to offer. After making a final decision as to whom they will vote for, they wait for Election Day and chose the candidate that best represents what they believe in.
The Voting System
In the United States we have a voting system that consists of a specific day of the year which always is the first Tuesday flowing after the first Monday in November, between the second and the eighth day. On this particular day (Election day) there are specific places usually ones open to the public ( Schools, city hall, churches, fire stations, and post offices) that hold specific times in which they are allowed to vote. When voting they will use anything from electronic voting machines, paper ballots, optical scan, punch cards, mechanical lever and direct recording electronic device known as the DRE.
Voting is at the center of every democratic system. In america, it is the system in which a president is elected into office, and people express their opinion. Many people walk into the voting booth with the thought that every vote counts, and that their vote might be the one that matters above all else. But in reality, America’s voting system is old and flawed in many ways. Electoral College is a commonly used term on the topic of elections but few people actually know how it works.
The United States of America was built on the fundamental principles of democracy. Democracy is government by the people for the people. The people have opinions about government that are expressed mainly through voting. It is common knowledge that anyone of age can choose to vote. **** There are many issues in the election system of the United States. Some issues include, the absence of a defined right to vote in the Constitution, the American ballots, the Electoral College, the cost of being a politician, and the electronic voting systems in use today. In this paper I will address problems in the electoral system and my opinion on various solutions.
I mean it doesn’t really matter how many times you yell BEAM ME UP SCOTTY! I doesn’t work. BUT our alien overlords as Amanda Jordan calls them, seem to have thought of pretty much everything because they’re created an absentee ballot. So if you are unable to get to the polls for any number of reasons, like maybe you’re going to be away on vacation, or perhaps you’re just taking a holiday in your head, an absentee ballot still allows you to vote. There are four main types of absentee voting, Voting At A Different Polling Station, Postal Voting, Proxy Voting, and Internet Voting. Voting At A Different Polling Station is exactly what it sounds like, it’s where you are allowed to go to a different polling station and cast your vote. Postal Voting is where you can request a ballot and return it to the post office along with a certificate signed by a witness and their signature proving their identity. Proxy Voting is where you appoint someone you trust to cast your vote in your place. Although this is a legitimate way of voting it is better to vote in person because this method can be considered unreliable because votes remain anonymous so you have no way of knowing that your proxy voted for the candidates you wanted. But if you can’t get to the polls voting by proxy is better than not voting at all. The same applies to Internet Voting, it can be considered unreliable
In America, voting for the President is a privilege and a lie. Many Americans think when they go to the polls in November, they are voting for the President of the United States; but really, they are voting for a group of electors who have pledged to support a nominee for the President. The Founding Fathers were concerned that presidents would always come from a populous state and wondered whether the public would have the knowledge of various candidates necessary to make a wise selection. They did not have access to technology like the internet or smart phones as we do. In most states, as the result of the election, the state awards all its electors to the winning candidate (Belenky 1308). A Presidential a candidate must win 270 Electoral
Among the many ways Americans can participate in politics, voting is considered one of the most common and important ways for Americans to get involved. The outcome of any election, especially at the national level, determines who will be making and enforcing the laws that all Americans must abide by. With this in mind one might assume that all Americans are active voters, but studies show the voter turnout is actually astonishingly low. With this unsettling trend it is important to know what statistics say about voter turnout as was as the four major factors that influence participation: Socioeconomic status, education, political environment, and state electoral laws, in order to help boost turnout in future elections.
In the US each municipality selects their own voting equipment regardless of what other places are doing. According to this CPSR article the Vote-O-Matic system has been in place for over ten years in many US counties and while some may view this technology as acceptable the Vote-O-Matic was a major player in the 2000 recount. Many municipalities have the funding to adopt new technology but others either feel uncomfortable with this change or don’t have the funding. The problem with the Vote-O-Matic is it uses paper ballots that consist of many...
Every four years, the citizens of America migrate to their respective polling locations and cast their vote. On this important day, the second Tuesday of November, the next President of the United States is elected. The election race for United States presidential candidates undergo a political marathon, negotiating primaries, party conventions and an electoral college system along the way. The electoral college is one of the main aspect of a presidential election. The Electoral College is made up of electors in each state, who represent the states popular vote. Each presidential party or candidate designates a group of electors in each state, equal to the States electoral votes, who are considered to be loyal to that candidate, to each State’s
Take for instance, the recent turmoil over the presidential election ended in a failed attempt to select a president based on the people's choice. This outdated system of electing a president in our country's government isn't right and we need to get rid of it.
Today in America, less than half of young voters between the ages of 18 and 24 vote (TheBestColleges.org). What most of these new adults fail to realize, is that their government depends on them to vote and elect new leaders to represent their country. Many of them make excuses to avoid voting, when really, they benefit most from voting.
When examining voting behavior over time, there are two areas one must look at to gain a better understanding of the process. The first, is why people vote the way they do, and the second looks at the individuals voting pattern over time. Since 1960, The American Voter, written by Campbell, Converse, Miller & Stokes, is still considered one of the most controversial pieces in the field of public opinion and election studies. Although there are numerous areas of exploration, the main purpose of this book was to further examine the psychological relationship of the voter from pre-adolescence to casting the tangible vote and the effects of parent-child socialization. A crucial argument presented states that party identification is the most important
Some people believe there is only one-way people vote for elections, but there are actually two main ways. These two ways are called electoral college and a direct vote. In the electoral college, a body of people cast votes for election. In a direct vote, voters directly cast ballots for the person/group they want to be elected. Although its more complicated, electoral college is more effective than a direct vote as it protects minorities and has a two-party system.
Many people think of the 206 million eligible voters in the United States and think, “How could one vote possibly make a difference?” Or perhaps some find themselves too busy, while other non-voters are simply uninterested in politics. With a combination of all excuses, about 75 million people that were eligible to vote in the 2008 presidential election chose not to. That’s 75 million unheard voices! 75 million unrepresented individuals make up approximately 36% of all eligible voters. That number of people could easily change the outcome of an election. When put in perspective and fully understood, it’s realized just how important it is for every eligible voter to vote, and do so responsibly. The significance of voting is commonly misunderstood. Voting determines things from the president of the United States, to a small town mayor, to representatives, which all in turn determine everything from war, to taxes, to a child’s education. This country was politically formed into something previously unknown to the world, and with citizenship to this great country and democracy, comes great responsibility. It is a right as U.S. citizens to choose to vote or not; however, it is a duty and obligation to do so, for the sake of those who have fought, for friends and family, and for this country as a whole.
The American Political System The American political system is a federal system, which consists of
Voting is the easiest and simplest way of public participation, as well as making the voters feel like they are directly involved in the process. Certain aspects, such as the Electoral College, eliminate this feeling of involvement. The best way for elections to work would be a nationwide popular vote. This would bring a meaning to the term “true democracy” and will get the people, as a whole, the chance to participate in electing the highest officials.