Election is a process where citizens choose members of a government or an authority. Usually, people vote for their preferred candidate or party in an open, closed, or semi-closed ballot system. Political parties may spend time organizing voters and advertising their platform. Political scientists often try to predict which candidate will win by using political forecasting methods.
In the United States, elections are held for the President and Congress every four years. Elections for state and local offices, such as sheriffs, county legislators, school board members and mayors are also held. Usually, these are held in even-numbered years but sometimes they may coincide with presidential or midterm elections as a convenience or cost savings measure.
After a nominee is chosen, the candidates begin campaigning. They travel across the country to meet with voters and explain their policies and ideas. Typically, each election is preceded by primary elections or caucuses where the voters decide which candidate will be on their ballot. Those who win the majority of votes in each primary become their party’s official nominee for the general election.
Most countries restrict who may vote based on age, residence and/or citizenship. It is not uncommon for authoritarian regimes to intervene once the balloting process begins by intimidating or manipulating voters and /or tampering with the count of votes. Some governments set fixed election dates (parliamentary systems) which can be problematic if the date falls at an inconvenient time, such as when war breaks out or other emergencies occur.
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