Democracy Explainers
Explaining different definitions of elections:
This glossary includes nearly 1,300 terms and phrases related to elections in the United States. It is designed to help voters and election officials understand common election-related language. Using consistent terminology helps ensure clear communication about elections and voting.
The Freedom to Vote Act, introduced in 2021 aims to reform U.S. democracy through extensive updates to voting, election administration, and campaign finance. Building on earlier legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, it proposes new measures to enhance voting rights and access, such as protections for Native American voters, improved accessibility for disabled individuals, and the elimination of voter intimidation. It also seeks to standardize election administration across states with measures like automatic and same-day voter registration, increased early voting, and safeguards against voter roll purges. The Act targets gerrymandering by setting criteria for fair redistricting and aims to reduce the influence of big money in politics with stricter campaign finance rules and increased transparency. Despite passing the House, the bill faces hurdles in the Senate due to the filibuster, which has stalled its progress.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is a proposal to ensure that the U.S. President is elected based on the national popular vote rather than the Electoral College. Currently, the Electoral College, which allocates votes based on state representation, can result in a candidate winning the presidency without securing the majority of the national popular vote. The NPVIC aims to address this by committing member states to award their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote, but it only takes effect once states with a total of 270 electoral votes join the compact. As of mid-2023, 16 states and Washington, D.C., representing 205 electoral votes, have joined. The NPVIC would shift campaign focus from swing states to a nationwide strategy, potentially increasing voter turnout and ensuring that every vote carries equal weight in presidential elections.
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a system where voters rank candidates by preference. If no candidate receives over 50% of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on voters' next choices. This process continues until a candidate secures a majority. RCV aims to better reflect voter preferences compared to the current plurality system, where a candidate only needs the most votes, not a majority, to win. This often results in winners who lack broad support.
RCV can enhance democracy by increasing voter turnout, reducing negative campaigning, and allowing more diverse and independent candidates to compete. It also eliminates the need for separate runoff elections, saving costs and increasing participation. While RCV is used in several countries and some U.S. states like Maine and Alaska, its adoption is growing as a way to improve electoral representation and engagement.
The outcome of an election is not officially decided on election night. While unofficial results and projections may be available, the official results are confirmed after a detailed process. This includes a canvass of votes, where all ballots are reviewed for accuracy and completeness, followed by certification of the results.
Ballots, including absentee and mail-in votes, must first be processed—verifying identities and preparing ballots for counting. The actual counting of votes occurs after processing and varies by state. Certification, which can take from one to thirty days, confirms the accuracy of results.
Delays in election results can occur due to factors such as late-arriving ballots, increased absentee and mail-in votes, and legal challenges. In presidential elections, certification is followed by electors casting votes and a joint session of Congress counting Electoral Votes, with the inauguration occurring on January 20th. Voters should ensure their ballots are counted and stay informed about any potential runoffs or recounts.
Voter rolls are official lists of registered voters, crucial for ensuring that only eligible individuals can vote. Maintaining accurate rolls helps manage election logistics and prevents long wait times at polls. This process includes updating records for address changes, deaths, or other eligibility changes. Federal laws, such as the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), regulate how states should manage these lists, but issues arise when states improperly purge eligible voters, often using flawed data or outdated methods.
This problem has intensified since the 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision, leading to millions of voters being removed. Purges disproportionately impact voters of color and those in historically disenfranchised communities. Voters should regularly check their registration status to ensure their ability to vote and advocate for fair practices and policies to protect voter rights and prevent unjust purges.The Electoral College elects the U.S. President and Vice President. Instead of directly voting for these offices, Americans vote for electors who then cast their votes. The Electoral College has 538 electors, and a candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win. Most states use a "winner-take-all" system, awarding all their electors to the popular vote winner, though Maine and Nebraska allocate electors differently.
Problems with the Electoral College include the possibility of a candidate winning the presidency without the most popular votes, as has happened five times. It also leads candidates to focus on swing states, making votes in non-competitive states less impactful.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact aims to address these issues by ensuring that the candidate with the most nationwide popular votes wins, once enough states (totaling 270 electoral votes) join the compact. This would make every vote equally significant nationwide.
Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group, often resulting in oddly shaped districts.. The U.S. Census every decade helps redraw districts to ensure equal representation, but gerrymandering distorts this process. Racial gerrymandering dilutes or amplifies racial group representation, though the Supreme Court has historically opposed it. Partisan gerrymandering benefits one party over another and is currently permissible. Methods include "packing" (concentrating voters of one party into a single district) and "cracking" (spreading them thinly across multiple districts). Gerrymandering leads to underrepresentation and political monopolies, increasing partisanship. To combat it, hold legislators accountable, advocate for federal protections like the For the People Act, and vote for candidates who support fair redistricting.