Unicorns and Bigfoot: The Myths & Legends of the Voting Process

Mythical creatures such unicorns, Bigfoot, aliens and mermaids have sparked the interest of

many people throughout time. They are not well understood and are tied to a sense of mystery. Some people even fear these far-fetched figures.

To many, the concept of voting holds this same mystery and fear. The path their ballot takes can seem murky, and the process unfamiliar. The good news for these folks is that their vote is real and valid, and the process of electing government officials is no secret.

So where does it all start?

1. REGISTRATION

It all starts when you register to vote, either online or with a voter registration form that you mail

to your state election office. The most important thing you can do to be part of the political

system is to register to vote. If you are not registered, you won’t be allowed to vote. And if you

can’t vote, your opinion will not be represented.

Because of our party system, electing a candidate to represent your party is one of the most

important parts of the electoral system. Your state will either have a caucus or a primary election in which you will be able to participate.

2. CAUCUS

A caucus is a meeting that has a discussion and a vote. Each meeting discusses who should be

the candidate for your party. Votes are done by hand, allowing everyone to see who you are

voting for. Your vote then selects delegates to go to the national convention to help decide

which candidate should represent your party. Caucuses are held in smaller districts. The states

that hold caucuses are Iowa, Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada,

North Dakota and Wyoming.

3. PRIMARY

The primary is an election to appoint delegates to the national convention like the caucuses, but

it is done in a secret ballot instead of in district meetings. All states that don’t hold caucuses

hold primaries. Super Tuesday is the day most states hold their primary election, which usually

happens in March.

4. NATIONAL CONVENTION

The summer before the election, the delegates elected at the primaries and caucuses go to the

national convention to select the candidate for each party. After the national convention each

party knows who their presidential and vice-presidential candidates are and what their platform

contains.

5. ELECTION DAY

The first Tuesday in November is the official election day. This is when citizens vote for electors

in the electoral college, who pledge to vote for that candidate. The number of electors each

state gets depends upon the state’s population. Each state has as many electors as it does

senators and representatives, resulting in the grand total of 538 electors in the U.S.

Most states have a winner-take-all system. This means that whichever candidate gets the

majority of the elector’s votes in the state wins that state and gets all the electoral votes for that

state. The winner must win more than half of all the electors (270) to be president.

So there you have it. Voting does not have to be complicated, scary or mysterious. It is part

of democracy and allows citizens to participate in their communities, states and nation. It allows

your voice to be heard and for your ideas to be represented. So don’t get lost in the unicorns

and mermaids; voice your opinion.