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"A system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect"
W.E.B Dubois
How Do My Local And State Elections Work And Matter?
Local and state positions are sometimes referred to as "down-ballot". When you go to the polls or fill out your ballot you will see these representatives on the ballot and each position has different roles and powers. Below are the key elected officials of cities or towns and states with the most direct and notable impact on an individual's lived experience. For parents and students, electing the correct people to the school board and as superintendent will directly impact the student's education as well as the parents' influence on said education. In the case of judges at all levels, these elected individuals may someday make a ruling about a case you're part or aware of, or even in the case of higher courts, they will have the ability to interpret the state constitution in a manner you may not agree with. Sheriffs, Coroners, and Prosecutors all directly engage in investigations, murders, and other crime-related scenarios that occur right in your communities.
How Do Presidential Elections Work?
Now for the presidential election, we have to discuss the Electoral College and why each vote truly does count. To be clear, the popular vote or the candidate with the most votes does not win the presidency. The candidate that reaches 270+ electoral college votes wins the presidency. Currently, there are 538 electoral college votes up for grabs and that number is separated per state based on population. Therefore as a state changes in population, the electoral value adjusts to reflect the population. All but two states (ME/NE) have a "winner takes all" rule which means that the popular vote in that state is how the electoral votes are earned.
For a candidate to gain the nomination for their respective party, states hold primaries or caucuses to decide who will represent them from each party. Primaries are held generally 6-9 months before the November election. Primaries are conducted in two ways, closed or open. During an open primary, voters do not have to be registered with a specific party whereas in a closed primary, only voters registered to that party can vote. Every state has specific ways in which they conduct their primaries or caucuses but their most valuable role after being selected is representing their state at national conventions (DNC & RNC). The names of representatives of each state present at these conventions are called delegates. The dates and locations of each convention are determined by the party and change every 4 years.
Map is not indicative of any specific election result, simply an example. Color of state represents which major party candidate won the total number (shown beneath the abbreviation) of electoral votes.
"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters."
Abraham Lincoln
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