LibGuides: Civic Engagement and Voting: Elections

Books and Videos

Bring It to the Table A fresh, provocative, even humorous study of political identity, Bring It to The Table features Americans from all walks of life sharing their beliefs and values about the hot-button topics of today. In this time of increasing hyperpartisanship, insults, and gridlock, Bring It to The Table offers an antidote to negativity and a hopeful way to move our democracy forward.

Direct Democracy in the United States by Shauna Reilly; Ryan M. Yonk The increased use of direct democracy measures across the United States has brought attention to the individual petitioner however their motivations and goals continue to be an enigma. Drawing on behavioral, historical and legal analysis to provide a more concrete depiction of these individuals, expert contributors examine the true personalities, motivations and expectations, successes and failures of petitioners in the direct democracy process and how they culminate in policy formation across the United States.
ISBN: 9780203106792
Publication Date: 2012-11-27

Investigating American Presidents Twelve eye-opening episodes guide you through the ins and outs of presidential investigations, using past events as a lens through which to make sense of current (and future) ones.
Mr. Cao Goes to Washington MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON follows the unexpected journey of Rep. Joseph Cao--the first Vietnamese American elected to the US Congress, the only non-white House Republican of the 111th Congress, and the only Republican to vote for President Obama's Health Care Reform Bill. Will Cao keep his integrity and idealism intact?
State Legislature- Day-to-Day Activities of the Idaho Legislature STATE LEGISLATURE shows the day-to-day activities of the Idaho Legislature during an entire session. Lobbyists, lawmakers and their constituents are seen debating and discussing the concerns of the electorate, on issues that range from violence in schools, mad cow disease and video voyeurism to illegal immigration, secondhand smoke and the deregulation of telephone rates. The film is an example of the achievements, values, constraints and limitations of the democratic process.
What is Democracy? A Philosophical Journey Exploring Coming at a moment of profound political and social crisis, WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? reflects on a word we too often take for granted. Director Astra Taylor's idiosyncratic, philosophical journey spans millennia and continents: from ancient Athens' groundbreaking experiment in self-government to capitalism's roots in medieval Italy; from modern-day Greece grappling with financial collapse and a mounting refugee crisis to the United States reckoning with its racist past and the growing gap between rich and poor.

Related Guides

Political Science
by Brittani Sterling Last Updated Jul 19, 2023 987 views this year

Election Types and Timelines

Not only are there various elections, there are also different contexts and timelines to consider for each.

Presidential Elections
- Presidential elections determine who represents you in the office of President of the United States
- We vote on the President of the United States every 4 years
Congressional Elections
- Congressional elections determine who represents your state in the United States Congress
- We vote on congressional members every 2 years
State and Local Elections
- These elections include voting for your state governor, city mayor, and other state representatives.
- State and local elections can take place any year and at various times throughout the year
  - The U.S. Vote Foundation (recommended by USA.gov) provides this useful election information tool where you can confirm state and local election dates and deadlines.

Photograph: Women registering to vote in Las Vegas, Nevada, 1966 from the Clinton Wright Photograph Collection. PH-00379. Special Collections and Archives, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Elections Explained

Presidential Election

While citizens cast a vote for who they want for President, it is the Electoral College who decides who will be President. The Electoral College is a process where selected electors from each state cast votes for President and Vice President. Each state's number of electors is determined by their Congressional representation. For example, Nevada has four House Representatives and two Senators which means that during a Presidential election Nevada is allocated 6 electors (equalling 6 electoral votes).

Why do the number of electors matter? Because out of the total 538 electoral votes possible, a successful President-elect is the candidate who has acquired at least 270 of the those electoral votes. A president-elect is the term used to describe the candidate who is presumed to be elected President based on this electoral process.

For a detailed overview of the Electoral College process, watch the TEDed video below. You can also check out the page on "What is the Electoral College?" from the National Archives. The website 270towin.com also has interactive forecast maps for Senate, House, Governor, and state elections, as well as a quiz to test your electoral college knowledge.

Congressional Elections

Congressional elections allow voters to choose one-third of U.S. Senators and every member of the House of Representatives. Congressional elections use the popular vote to decide who has won for each. These elections determine which political party holds a majority for both Congress and the House of Representatives for following two years after they are elected.

There's much to know and discover about the process and offices involved in Congressional elections, but here are some foundational resources you can reference as you approach fulfilling your civic duty:

U.S. House of Representatives - This page from US.gov details delegation information and requirements for becoming a Representative.
- Find Your Representative - Get your information directly from the source! You can search for your State Representatives through your ZIP code.
U.S. Senate - This same page from US.gov also details delegation information for the U.S. Senate, including requirements for becoming a U.S. Senator.
- Find Your Senators - Similar to the Find Your Representative tool included above, you can search for your State Senators through this tool by selecting your state in the "Choose your state" drop-down list.

State and Local Elections - Nevada

In addition to knowing who represents you in the House of Representatives and Senate, knowing who is elected into your local and state governments as well is also important. Researching Nevada representatives is an easy way to be a more informed and engaged Nevadan. Check out these resources below to learn more about who represents you here in Nevada!

GovTrack - GovTrack is a website that more information about Nevada district representatives, senators, and congressional district information. GovTrack also has a feature that allows you to search your address to show you who your representatives are.
ACLU Nevada - ACLU Nevada has information about Nevada district representatives and states representatives. ACLU Nevada also provides information for all of the county governments in Nevada.
Nevada Legislature - The Nevada Legislative website is one resource that you can reference to stay current on all things regarding the state's legislative body (offices related to areas of state and local government that impact the law-making process, operations, budgeting).
Clark County Elections Department - This is a great place to learn more about local Clark County elections, the Clark County Elections Department.

So What About Primaries and Caucuses?

Primaries & Caucuses

For some states, primary elections, or primaries, determine which candidates will be nominated to represent a political party in the general election. By general election, this simply means an election in which candidates are selected for offices, such as the Presidency or House of Representatives. To find upcoming primary election dates, you will need to check your specific state deadlines.

If the state you're voting in doesn't host primaries, then a caucus is how your state determines partisan candidates. These are meetings run by each partisan (political) party. Caucus participants separate into groups based on the candidate they want to support and deliver speeches to persuade undecided voters within the party to nominate a specific candidate for the general election. Discussions and voting from a caucus ultimately lead to the selection of a candidate for that political party for nomination. For more information about caucus dates for your state, reach out to your local state or election office.

Something to keep in mind is that there are three types of voting periods in primaries and caucuses: open, closed, and semi-closed. Below you can learn a bit more about each one!

Open - Open primaries or caucuses mean that anyone who is registered to vote can cast their vote for any political candidate regardless of the platform the candidate is running on. For example, someone who is registered as a Republican is able to vote for a candidate that is running on a Democrat platform.

Closed - Closed primaries or caucuses mean that that you can only vote for political candidates that are running on the platform of the party that you are registered with. For example, if you are a registered Republican, you will only be able to vote for the Republican candidate.

Semi-closed - Semi-closed primaries or caucuses are a combination of the other two primaries. In a semi-closed primary, voters who are registered as Republicans or Democrats have to vote for candidates who are running on the platform of the party they are registered with as they would during a closed primary, but if you are registered as an unaffiliated or nonpartisan voter or an independent voter, you can vote for either party.

Civic Engagement and Voting: Elections

Elections