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 very well understood and have a sense of mystery
tied to them. 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 your vote is real and valid, and the process of
electing government officials is no secret.
So where does it all start?
Registration
It all starts by you registering to vote, either online or with a voter registration form you mail to
your state election office. The most important thing you can do to be part of this political system
is to register to vote. If you are not registered to vote, you wont be allowed to vote and if you
cant 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 electoral system. Your state will either have a caucus or a primary election in
which you will be able to participate.
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 and allow 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. It is done in smaller districts. States that hold caucuses
are Iowa, Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, and
Wyoming.
Primary
The Primary is an election to appoint delegates to the national convention just as caucuses, but
it is done in a secret ballot instead of the district meetings. All other states hold primaries. Super
Tuesday is the day most states hold their primary election, it usually happens in March.
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 candidate for president and vice-president is and their platform.
Election Day
The first Tuesday in November is when the official election day is held. 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 states population. Each state has as many electors
as it does senators and representatives. There is a grand total of 538 electors.
Most states have the winner-take-all electoral college. This means that whichever candidate gets
the majority of the electors votes in the state wins that state and gets all the votes for that state.
The winner must win more than half of all the electors (270) to be president.
And 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 dont get lost in the unicorns
and mermaids, voice your opinion.

Sources:
"Caucus vs Primary." - Difference and Comparison. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<http://www.diffen.com/difference/Caucus_vs_Primary>
"How Do Caucuses Work?" HowStuffWorks. 2004. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<http://people.howstuffworks.com/question721.htm>
"Primaries - FairVote." FairVote. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<http://www.fairvote.org/primaries#open_and_closed_primaries>
"The Voter's Self Defense System." Project Vote Smart. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<https://votesmart.org/education/presidential-primary#.VrZMT8dln6A>