Are representatives and electors same in American elections? And when people vote for Representatives and Senators, do they vote twice, one for representative and one for Senator? Please explain a bit about American elections.

Question

Please.

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

If you’re asking for what it looks like when you go to the polls, you’re normally given a single ballot that includes subheads for all the races you’re eligible to vote for: representative, senate, president, local officials. Each subhead gives you the name and party of each candidate including third party designations (Working Party, Independent, whatever). You won’t find representatives, senators or local candidates for other states or areas — If you live in Ohio, say, you’ll vote only for Ohio senators, representatives or local candidates. You can’t vote for California’s senators because they don’t represent you.

You mark each ballot with the person you are voting for (usually the polling place includes voting booths that are semi-private — walls between you and other people (in the old days there were booths that had curtains so nobody behind you could see what you were doing; my local polling place uses desks that you approach from the back, which remains open, but nobody stands behind you in a line like the old days). Once your ballot is marked, at least where I vote, you walk up to the box and put your ballot inside it. There are people at the polls that help you if you can’t figure it out, but nobody sees what’s on the ballot but you. Once you place your ballot in the box, you get a sticker that says I Voted! and sometimes the local school group is selling baked goods and you can pick up a doughnut.