Title: Electoral Process in the United States | Scholastic
Headings: Electoral Process in the United States
Electoral Process in the United States
Content: Voting Procedures
On election day registered voters go to the polls to vote. This means they appear in person at the official polling place in their precint. Public schools are often used for this purpose. The polls are open from early in the morning until late in the evening. ( Members of the armed forces and civilians who are away from home may vote by absentee ballot and need not appear in person.) At the polling place, the voter identifies himself or herself and is checked off an official list of registered voters. Then the voter is led to a voting machine or handed a paper ballot, which lists the names of all the candidates from every party. Today most states use voting machines instead of paper ballots. Voting machines are either mechanical or computerized devices that keep count of the votes for each candidate. The voter makes his or her selections in a private voting booth.