Each state has two Senators who are elected to serve six-year terms. Every two years one third of the Senate is up for reelection. To be able to run in an election for the Senate one must be 30 years old by the time one takes the oath of office, a citizen of the U.S. for at least nine years, and a resident of the state from which one is elected. These qualifications were established in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution. Show
Most states have primary elections to decide which candidates will be on the November general election ballot. Some state parties hold conventions in conjunction with the primary. If a candidate is unopposed, there may not be a primary election. Those who represent a major political party are automatically placed on a state's primary ballot. Minor party candidates are chosen by their party's rules while independent candidates nominate themselves. Independent candidates and those representing minor parties must meet various state requirements to be placed on the general election ballot. An example of this would be to submit a petition with signatures from a certain number of registered voters. Before 1913 Senators were chosen by their state legislatures. The Founding Fathers believed that since the Senators represented the state, the state legislature should elect them. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution requires Senators to be elected by a direct vote of those she or he will represent. Election winners are decided by the plurality rule. That is, the person who receives the highest number of votes wins. In some states, this may not necessarily be a majority of the votes. For example, in an election with three candidates, one candidate may receive only 38% of the vote, another 32%, and the third 30%. Although no candidate has received a majority of more than 50% of the votes, the candidate with 38% wins because she or has the most votes (the plurality). In other states, if there is no majority, there is a run off election between the top two candidates. TAKE THE PLEDGEChoosing the person who could be chosen to lead Primaries are an important part of the democratic process, but certain states have laws around who is eligible to vote in them, often around voters’ registered political parties. What are the primaries?Primaries are elections that allow political parties to determine the candidate who will go on to represent them in later elections. These can happen at any level, but get the most attention in the two years ahead of a Presidential election, when voters determine which candidates will represent the Democratic and Republican parties in the main election in November. Open vs. Closed PrimariesOpen Primaries allow any registered voter to pick the candidate that will represent their party as the nominee in the upcoming election. Closed Primaries require that the voter only pick the candidate from the voter’s registered party. For example, a voter registered as a Republican could only pick their choice for the Republican nominee. Some states allow voters registered as independents to align themselves with a party on the day of the Primary Election so they may vote for a party candidate of their choosing. SEE YOUR STATE’S RULES ON PRIMARIES Check the DeadlinesPrimaries happen ahead of general elections, whether they’re for Presidential, state, or local elections. Any time two or more candidates from the same party run against each other, there’s a primary before the general election. Because of the lead time needed between Primaries and general elections, you’ll need to ensure you’re registered to vote at your current address as soon as possible if you want to participate. CHECK THE RULES IN YOUR STATE Registering with a partyAs mentioned above, Closed Primaries require voters to be registered with a specific political party before they can participate. You may have selected a party to align yourself with when you registered to vote. If you’re not sure what you selected, or you’d like to change your party alignment, you simply have to update your voter registration. (The same way you would if you moved or changed your name.) UPDATE YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION Up NextPrepare for Election Day in about 5 minutes Take the pledgeMake a plan and stay up-to-date on the election Plan Your ElectionReview your state's rules and prepare your ballot
Where do party members vote to choose a candidate for president?To become the presidential nominee, a candidate typically has to win a majority of delegates. This usually happens through the party's state primaries and caucuses. State delegates go to the national convention to vote to confirm their choice of candidates.
What is a local meeting of voters to select candidates to represent a political party in a general election or to choose delegates who select candidates at a convention?Today, in 48 states, individuals participate in primaries or caucuses to elect delegates who support their presidential candidate of choice.
What are the 3 different types of voting systems?According to a 2006 survey of electoral system experts, their preferred electoral systems were in order of preference: Mixed member proportional. Single transferable vote. Open list proportional.
What role does the popular vote play in the election of the president?When citizens cast their ballots for president in the popular vote, they elect a slate of electors. Electors then cast the votes that decide who becomes president of the United States. Usually, electoral votes align with the popular vote in an election.
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