CHAPTER 1 Choosing Leaders One of the most important days in America is known as Election Day This day is truly a lasting statement of the power of democracy Millions of people take part in the governing process through their right to choose their political leaders They do this by voting A vote is cast through a ballot which is submitted at a location known as a polling place For most people the polling place will be reasonably close to their home Sometimes an election is held for a local political office Examples of such an office include the positions of mayor judge city council member or school board member in a specific town or city There may even be a position open for the local dogcatcher 4 21st century skills library
People vote using ballots Some places use paper slips but most are counted electronically Photo Caption A CITIZEN’S GUIDE 5 5
Barack Obama campaigns for the 2008 presidential election which he eventually won Other elections are held at the state level The most important and powerful position is the state’s governor There are other elected positions for each state including senators representatives and judges Finally there are national elections for positions in our federal government The one you probably know best is for the office of President of the United States Every four years and always during a leap year in November an election is held for a new president It can be a very exciting event On those nights the 6 21st century skills library
votes are counted on television as the whole nation watches And while there is a kind of dramatic almost theatrical aspect to it the fact is that it’s the end result of a very long and complex process Regardless of how important or powerful the position may be electing a leader is a long difficult process It requires a group of dedicated and determined people months and sometimes years of organizing and planning and more hard work than you might imagine It takes a great deal of teamwork from both volunteers and paid professionals to make a political campaign a success Life and Career Skills To be a successful politician even in local government you need to spend time campaigning This means connecting with the people who will be casting their votes either for you or for the person running against you You will need to convince the voters that you’ll be able to help make their lives better Success ful politicians are charming present themselves well know how to give a strong speech and take the time to listen to voters in order to learn their greatest concerns A CITIZEN’S GUIDE 7
