HAVING A VOICE Elections are an important part of life in the United States The Founding Fathers created a government that gave citizens the power to choose their leaders American citizens are given the right to vote by a special document called the Constitution Voting in elections also gives people a voice in what kind of laws they have and what kind of taxes they pay A democracy is a kind of Voters must sign a registration book before getting a ballot This makes sure everyone votes only once in that election 4
government that allows people to have this kind of voice in how it is run Most elections are for adults But kids get to vote sometimes too You might vote to choose the captain of your sports team Or perhaps your class is having a party Your teacher says you may have hot dogs or pizza but not both She has the class vote to decide This is a kind of election Most voting is done with ballots but students often vote by raising their hands in class or in a club Elections give people a voice How are elections for kids the same as elections for adults How are they different COMPARE AND CONTRAST 5
WHAT IS AN ELECTION An election happens when a group of people votes about something such as a new law or a new tax to raise money for schools People also vote for leaders like the mayor of their city or the governor of their state The people who want these jobs are called candidates Before an election each candidate tries to show voters that he or she is the best person for the job This is called campaigning During a campaign candidates During a campaign candidates tell voters what they will do if they are elected Barack Obama campaigned before he was elected U S president 6
often make speeches and put advertisements on television or on the radio Cities counties and states in the United States hold elections so people can vote for local and state issues and leaders Every two years elections are held so voters can choose their state’s representatives in Congress And every four years people vote for the next president Many candidates give speeches during their campaign Why is this helpful to voters THINK ABOUT IT Many voters get a sample ballot in the mail They can mark their choices at home and bring their sample ballot when they vote 7
