Read About Election Day

In the United States, Election Day for many national and local races comes in November. On that day, eligible voters choose candidates for public office. A candidate is a person who is asking people to vote for them. Some voters go to a place where voting takes place. Others may vote by mail, depending on the rules where they live. At a polling place, a voter checks in and receives a ballot. The ballot lists the candidates and choices in the election. The voter marks the ballot privately and follows the instructions for turning it in. People may vote for leaders at different levels of government. A town may elect a mayor, while voters across the country choose a president in presidential election years. Elected leaders make decisions that affect their communities. Voting gives eligible people a way to help choose who will make those decisions. To vote in a U.S. election, a person generally must be a U.S. citizen, meet the age requirement, and be registered according to their state’s rules. Many people who are not old enough to vote learn about elections by talking with family, reading, or asking questions.