Supervisor of Elections. Registering to Vote Sample Criteria Student Voter Registration Application. Running for Office Announcing Your Candidacy

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1 Registering to Vote Sample Criteria Student Voter Registration Application Supervisor of Elections 136 North Florida Avenue DeLand, Florida / Running for Office Announcing Your Candidacy Dear Educator: One of my goals as the Supervisor of Elections is to provide Volusia County students with an opportunity to experience the elections process first-hand. Throughout the years, Volusia County students have voted on actual elections Department equipment, learned how to set up a campaign and pre-registered to vote. The School Elections Program is designed to assist students, teachers and administrators with student elections. The wonderful part of this program is its flexibility. We understand that each school is unique and what may work for one school is not feasible for another. On this website, we offer suggestions on conducting student elections with or without the assistance of the Elections Department. Let me remind you that the Elections Department staff is available to assist with conducting school elections. From designing and ordering ballots to the use of the actual voting equipment, to providing guest speakers, we are here to help! In an effort to mirror the real world elections process, we recommend that students register to vote, candidates qualify by having a designated number of students sign an official petition supporting their candidacy and the Elections Department provide the ballots, privacy booths, and actual Accu-Vote equipment. An Elections Department staff member will be available to assist with the election, answer any questions and provide students with valuable information. This website offers actual election s forms that can be downloaded and copied, historical information and many valuable suggestions for conducting student elections. We are very grateful to the many fine teachers of Volusia County who have, given us their input and recommendations on student elections. If you would like more information or assistance in setting up a student election, please contact our Outreach Division at (386) or cgagnier@co.volusia.fl.us Very sincerely, Becoming a Responsible Voter Understanding the Issues and the Candidates Gathering Information Student Election Day Polling Places Announcing the Winners Election Time Line (For Teachers & Election Coordinators) When Is The Elections Dept. Available The Democratic Process The Importance of One Vote Who Can Register To Vote Volusia County Elections Process Support Material Forms to be Copied High School Senior Voter Registration Program Presentation Handouts Supervisor of Elections

2 REGISTERING TO VOTE Requiring students to register to vote in a student election provides them with a better understanding of the actual elections process. There are several ways that a Student Voter Registration Program can be designed. (Please remember that the items on this site are merely suggestions. Each school is unique, and an election program must reflect the individual needs of your school.) The most important aspects in developing a Student Voter Registration Program for your school elections are accessibility to the Student Voter Registration Forms and defining a registration time line. Students need to understand that there is a deadline for registering to vote. In the state of Florida a newly registered voter can vote in an election in which they are eligible as long as they registered to vote in that county 29 days before the election is held. Someone who moves to another county after the registration book closing may request a special absentee ballot containing Federal elections only from their former county of residence. Time Line & Distribution: Specify a time period for students to register to vote. Several schools have designated a week for voter registration. An alternative to a week-long event is a Voter Registration Day. When choosing a one-day registration, determine in advance how you will accommodate students who were unable to register because of illness of absence due to participation in extracurricular activities. One-week Event: Designate several locations where voter registration applications can be obtained (e.g., Media Center, campus office, home room/study hall teachers, English or History teachers). Students can be required to pick up, complete and return the application to a designated drop-off site before the end of the registration period. Voter Registration Day : Setting up a day-long event requires additional promotion through fliers, posters and announcements. Place a table with voter registration applications in a common area of campus (e.g., Media Center, lunch area or auditorium). The table should be set up to assist students in registering to vote and be supervised throughout the day. (This is a good project for the Student Government Association.) Examples of Student Voter Registration Criteria 1. Voters must be enrolled as a student of the school and the grade holding the election. 2. Voters must be a student in good standing with the school. 3. Voters must have completed the Student Voter Registration Application accurately. 4. Voters must have turned in the Student Voter Registration Application to a designated official or drop-site by the registration deadline.

3 Voter Precinct Lists: In a Volusia County election, eligible voters are listed on a Precinct Register. A Poll Worker confirms a voter s eligibility through the voters listing on the Precinct Register. Once the voter has shown proof of identification and his or her name is located on the Precinct Register, the voter is given a ballot. A student voter Precinct List would include the names of students who completed the Student Voter Registration process and meet the school s established registration criteria. There are several ways that this list can be developed. Two ideas for developing Precinct Lists come from teachers in Volusia County Schools. 1. Develop a precinct list from the Student Voter Registrations. This list is alphabetized and separated by grade. -or- 2. Using a current student enrollment list, highlight the names of students who have properly registered. The highlighted enrollment list is then used as a Precinct Register on election day. STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION This is an example of how you can design a Student Voter Registration Application. (Please go to the Support Material section for the copy-ready forms) Student Voter Registration Application I am a student of School. Last Name First Name Middle Name Sex M or F Address (where you live) Apt./Lot# City/Town Zip Code Date of Birth Grade Oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that: All information on this form is true. Signature Date

4 Voter Registration Cards: Providing students with Student Voter Identification cards can be beneficial but time consuming for the teachers and/or advisors coordinating the student election. To conserve time, blank registration cards could be distributed to eligible student voters, and each student would be responsible for completing the card. On election day, the student voter would show this Student Voter Identification Card before obtaining a ballot. (Remember that the Department of Elections will allow registered voters to vote as long as the voter can produce some type of acceptable identification or complete an affirmation form.) If you are an eligible registered voter in Volusia County, you are required to provide a photo ID with your signature on it. (Acceptable ID s, approved by the Department of Justice, can be a Florida Driver s License, Florida ID Card, U.S. Passport, Employee Badge or ID, Buyers Club ID s such as Sam s Club, Costco, or Price Club, Debit/Credit Cards with photo, Military ID, Student ID, Retirement Center ID, Neighborhood Association ID, Entertainment ID s such as theme park annual passes and bingo). There are times when a voter has no identification. In those instances, the poll worker has the voter sign an Affirmation Form swearing that they are who they say, and then the voter is given a ballot. STUDENT VOTER IDENTIFICATION CARD This is an example of how you can design a Student Voter Identification Card. (Please go to the Support Material section for the copy-ready form of the Student Voter Identification Card.) Student Voter Identification Card Volusia County, Florida I, Print Name am a qualified elector for school. Signature of Student

5 RUNNING FOR OFFICE On a local and state level, candidates running for political office are required to abide by a Code of Ethics. Many student governments already have in place their student candidates bylaws. This section offers some additional ideas for student candidates. The state of Florida has been a leader among other states in establishing ethics and standards for public officials, to protect the public s trust. Adopted in 1976, the Florida Sunshine Amendment was the first successful constitutional initiative that provided additional guarantees concerning ethics in government. The main objective of the Code of Ethics is to promote the public interest and maintain the respect of the people for their government. Students can participate by signing a Loyalty Oath as a part of their candidate qualifying procedure. They also are encouraged to sign a Florida Voluntary Code of Fair Campaign Practices. These forms, developed by the Florida Department of State provide students with an understanding of the seriousness of running for office. Today many candidates are choosing the petition process in lieu of paying a qualifying fee to have their name placed on the ballot. The petition process requires that a candidate sign the Loyalty Oath and obtain a designated number of registered voters signatures within their district or county. The voter s signature represents the voter s support of that candidate. Florida Statute Qualifying fee of a candidate, notification of Department of State Each person seeking to qualify for nomination or election to any state or county level office, except a person seeking to qualify pursuant to s and except a person seeking to qualify as a write-in candidate, shall pay a qualifying fee, which shall consist of a filing fee and election assessment...and any party assessment levied...(the amount of the filing fee is 3 percent of the annual salary of the office; the assessment is 1 percent and party assessment, if levied, is 2 percent.) Florida Statute Municipal candidates; election assessment Each person seeking to qualify for nomination or election to a municipal office shall pay, at the time of qualifying for office, an election assessment. The election assessment shall be an amount equal to 1 percent of the salary of the office sought. Florida Statute Alternative method of qualifying A person seeking to qualify for nomination to any office may qualify to have his name placed on the ballot for the first primary election by means of the petitioning process...a person qualifying by this alternative method shall not be required to pay the qualifying fee or party assessment required...when a candidate has filed the oath prescribed in subsection (1), and after the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January of the election year, they may begin to seek signatures on petitions supporting their candidacy. Several schools have recently adopted the Candidate Petition Process. Students wishing to have their name placed on the ballot are required to pick up a Candidate Petition Form and obtain signatures from fellow students supporting their candidacy. In one school election, candidates were required to obtain signatures only from students within the grade for which they were running for office. Further, candidates wishing to run for the office of president or mayor were required to obtain more signatures than the candidate seeking other offices. (Each school would determine the candidates criteria.)

6 BECOMING A RESPONSIBLE VOTER Though voting is not like taking a test, it can be overwhelming if you do not know who the candidates are or what issues are going to be on the ballot. The Volusia County Department of Elections prints sample ballots and polling locations in the newspapers the Sunday before an election. Voters who want to see a sample ballot before it is printed in the newspaper may obtain one from the Department of Elections. KNOWING THE CANDIDATES AND THE ISSUES There are many ways to obtain information on political candidates and issues. Several sources of information are local newspapers, websites, radio and television talk shows, League of Women Voters, and the candidates themselves. Before an election, many newspapers will print profiles on the candidates and offer a critique of the candidate. The League of Women Voters regularly sponsors candidates debates before an election. Did You Know? In a Presidential or Gubernatorial Election there can be more than 100 names and issues on the ballot. Many people mark their preferences on a sample ballot ahead of time. Then they can bring the sample ballot into the privacy booth to help them remember how they wanted to vote.

7 STUDENT ELECTION DAY The Department of Elections recommends the following procedures when it conducts a student election. The Department will provide, free of charge: A ballot box and Accu-Vote Unit, sufficient privacy booths to accommodate student voters, ballots and pens. Polling Place: Designate a common area as a polling place (e.g. an auditorium, media center). The polling place must be inside an air conditioned building and accessible to electricity. If the students are required to register to vote, or they are to show identification and be checked off on a list, a table would be needed for each grade voting. A student poll worker or adviser for each grade would distribute ballots and confirm student voters on the precinct lists. Students would need to be informed of the opening and closing times of the polls. Once the polls have closed, a Department of Elections Official would secure the ballot boxes and run a tape of the election results for each precinct. The election results would be available shortly after the polls close. Ballots and Supplies: The Department of Elections, Outreach Division staff will deliver the ballots to the school the day of the election, including the Accu-Vote equipment. Arrangements will be made with the advisor/teacher to deliver the ballot box(es) and privacy booths the day before the election. Immediately after the election, the school will receive a detailed tape of the election results and all voted and blank ballots. All equipment will be removed either after school on election day or the next day. Ballot In real elections, all ballots and paper records are retained by the Department of Elections for a period of 22 months.

8 ELECTION TIME LINE For Teachers and Election Coordinators Time Table: Begin planning your student elections as soon as possible. During a major election year, there are several times when the Elections Department staff and equipment are unavailable. Following is an example of a student election time line. You will want to adjust your time line to fit your school s calendar. Keep in mind, you need to submit your request form as soon as possible to secure your election date. It is best to have a backup date in case your first choice is unavailable. Keep in mind we must have the candidate s names no later than three weeks prior to the election date. To Do List Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4: Week 5: Week 6: Week 7: - Contact the Outreach Division via request form, or phone call to schedule Election Day - Schedule Guest Speakers (optional) - Set criteria to become a Candidate - Begin setting parameters of Election - Register students to vote - Qualify Candidates - Candidates can begin campaigning - Notify the Outreach Division (via or fax) with: Î A list of names, in alphabetical order, of the Candidates who are to be placed on the ballot Ï Number of ballots needed - Proof Student Ballot - Compile List of Registered Voters (optional) - Select Student Poll Workers - Stage Candidate Forums (optional) - Election Day

9 HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR VOTER REGISTRATION PROGRAM In an effort to register our young residents to vote, the Volusia County Department of Elections recommends a Voter Registration Day. This program gives high school students who are at least 17 years old the opportunity to register to vote, obtain voter information material and discuss with an Elections staff member voting laws in Volusia County and the State of Florida. To set up a Voter Registration Day please contact our Outreach Division. Several schools have conducted Voter Registration Day on the same day as student elections, while other schools have set aside from 30 minutes to 1 hour in a history or government class to conduct voter registrations. The Department of Elections will be happy to provide all the necessary materials and staff for a Voter Registration Day. A copy of an actual Voter Registration Application form used for registering voters in Volusia County.

10 WHO CAN REGISTER TO VOTE? To register to vote, you must be 18 years of age. However, you may pre-register at 17 years of age. When pre-registering, you will not be issued a voter s identification card or be allowed to vote until your eighteenth birthday. You must be a U.S. citizen and a legal resident of Florida and the county where you intend to vote. (Florida Statute ) National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) Implemented in Florida on January 1, 1995, NVRA provides for a national and statewide mail-in voter registration form and makes registering available at drivers license offices, libraries, human resources offices and recruiting offices. The act was signed into law by President Clinton in 1993 and the Florida Legislature passed conforming legislation in NVRA is sometimes referred to as the motor voter bill, since the State Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Driver s Licenses is one of the offices which now automatically offers voter registration. NVRA did not change the eligibility requirements to become a registered voter. An individual must be 18 years of age, a resident of the State of Florida, a United States citizen and in possession of their voting rights. NVRA did increase the number of voter registration sites to make registering to vote more convenient. Persons wishing to register to vote no longer have to complete the Voter Registration Application in the presence of a Deputy Registrar. Furthermore, NVRA standardized the Voter Registration Application used statewide and lifted the ban on registering voters on Sunday. The Florida Division of Elections has created voter registration forms in English and Spanish that are available in every county. The Florida Legislature also changed the book closing. The book closing date for voter registration has been changed from 30 days before the election to 29 days before the WHEN CAN YOU REGISTER TO VOTE? A person who meets the age and citizenship requirements, can register at any time; however, registration books will be closed on the 29th day before each election held and will remain closed until after that election. (Book Closing is where the Department of Elections cannot process any new voter registration applications or changes in party affiliation for people wanting to vote in the upcoming election.) A person must be registered for at least 29 days before voting in an election. If the voter s application is complete and they meet the criteria (18 years of age, U.S. citizen, legal resident of Florida and the county in which they are registering in), a voter s registration identification card will be mailed to the address listed on the application.

11 WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?! Persons who have been found by a court in any state to be mentally incapacitated with respect to voting and who have not had their right to vote restored.! Persons who have been convicted of a felony in any court and who have not had their rights restored. (A person convicted of a felony who wants the right to vote restored must apply to the State Division of Clemency.)! Voters who have not voted or updated their voter registration in two years will be sent a notice. If the notice is returned by the Post Office as undeliverable or reporting a new address that is not within the county the voter is registered in, the voter will be sent a final notice. If the final notice is not returned within 30 days, the voter will be placed on an inactive list. All inactive voters who do not vote by the second federal general election or update their voter registration will be removed from the registration records and must re-register to regain their voting privilege. DID YOU KNOW? Florida Voter Registration Applications are universal for any county in Florida. Florida Voter Registration Applications are available in English and Spanish. Falsifying information on a Voter Registration Application is punishable by law. A person found guilty of falsifying information can be convicted of a felony of the third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to five years. A valid Voter Registration Application must have the following sections filled out: U.S. citizenship question, felony question, mentally incapacitated with respect to voting question, the voter s full legal name, date of birth, legal residence address, last four digits of their social security number, and the voter s signature. If a voter has left the Party Affiliation section blank, the voter will be listed as NPA (No Party Affiliation) and a letter will be sent to the voter explaining the Florida closed primaries. Registered voters may change their party affiliation as many times as they wish.

12 ELECTION DAY On election day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The people who work at the polls are called poll workers. A poll worker is an employee of the Department of Elections and is responsible for verifying voters, distributing ballots and making sure that the election in that precinct follows the letter of the law. A precinct will have between 5 and 8 poll workers for each election. A poll worker s day begins at 6 a.m. and goes until the election is over, the election results have been transmitted and the ballots delivered to the Department of Elections. A poll worker is not allowed to leave the polling place during election day. Precincts: In Volusia County there are more than 250,000 registered voters. Because of the large number of voters, the Department of Elections divides the county into small areas called precincts. In Volusia County there are approximately 170 voting precincts. Registered voters are assigned a precinct according to the location of their permanent address. In Volusia County, there are usually fewer that 2,000 registered voters assigned to a precinct. Voters are required to vote in the precinct assigned to them. If they are unable to vote at that specific precinct on election day, they will need to vote by absentee ballot. Absentee Voting: When registered voters are not going to be in their voting precinct on election day, they can vote by absentee ballot. The most frequent absentee ballot voters are students away at college, persons serving in the military and persons who are ill or physically unable to go to the polls. A registered voter or someone designated by the voter may request an absentee ballot from the office of the Supervisor of Elections in person, by mail, by fax or by telephone. They can also download an absentee ballot request form from our website, One request can cover all elections within a calendar year. All voted absentee ballots must reach the Supervisor of Elections before 7 p.m. on election day, in order to be counted. Voting at the Polls: When voters arrive at the polls, they are asked to produce a photo ID with signature. If the voter does not have any of the acceptable forms of photo ID approved by the Department of Justice, they will be asked to complete and sign an Affirmation Form. All eligible registered voters will have their names printed on a voter s registration list at their precinct. Once they have shown identification, they will be asked to sign their name on the registration list. After completing this process, they will be given a ballot in a secrecy sleeve and directed to a privacy booth to mark the ballot. Once they have marked their ballot, they will return the ballot to the secrecy sleeve and carry it to the ballot box where they will take the ballot out of the secrecy sleeve, lay the marked ballot on top of the Accu-Vote unit and slide the ballot forward. The ballot will be read when it passes through the optical scan system and the votes recorded onto a computer disk. The ballot will then drop into the ballot box and remain in the ballot box until the polls close, at which time it will be delivered to the Department of Elections.

13 osupport Materialso The following section contains forms that can be downloaded, copied and utilized in your Student Election Program. We hope that you find these materials useful and educational. Below is a list of the forms available for your use. Student Election Request Form Student Voter Registration Application Student Voter Identification Card Loyalty Oath Official Candidate s Petition Florida Voluntary Code of Fair Campaign Practices by the Florida Department of State

14 opresentation Handoutso The following section contains informational handouts used at school presentations and public appearances that can be downloaded, copied and utilized in your own lessons. We hope that you find these materials useful and educational. Below is a list of the handouts available for your use. The Democratic Process Election Facts & Voter Turn-Out Election Schedule Web Site & Addresses Offices To Be Filled (Volusia County) (available only for county-wide & federal elections) Volusia County Candidates List (For City Elections contact City Hall or visit their websites for Candidate Information) Electoral College Things We Should Know Make Every Vote Count Elections & Voting Word Search Coloring Page Dot To Dot

15 School Election Request Form Please complete this form and return to the Elections Department, attn: Outreach Division. Date of Your Request: School: Contact Person: Alternate Contact: Telephone #: Fax #: School Address: Students will be voting for: Street City Zip (Election Title) Election Date: Election Times: (1 st Choice) (2 nd Choice) (start & end times for voting) Number of Ballots To Order: Student Helpers: ` (# of Students Eligible To Vote) (#of student helpers to assist with the elections) usually SGA members - need a minimum of three Location on Campus: (indoor location where elections will be held, such as media ctr, multi-purpose room, etc...) To Be Completed By The Elections Office Date Request Received: (by Outreach Division personnel) Outreach Division Contact: Date Request Confirmed: Confirmed By: Equipment Delivery Date/Time: Set-Up Date/Time : Equipment Pick Up Date/Time : Names for Ballot Due On: (must be received on or before this date and in alpha order) Ballot Boxes Needed: Privacy Booths Needed: Approval of this request is not final until you have received this request back from our office with confirmation signature and date. Revised May 23, 2001

16 Student Voter Registration Application I am a student of School. Last Name First Name Middle Name Sex M or F Address (where you live) Apt./Lot# City/Town Zip Code Date of Birth Grade Oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that All information on this form is true. Signature Date Student Voter Registration Application I am a student of School. Last Name First Name Middle Name Sex M or F Address (where you live) Apt./Lot# City/Town Zip Code Date of Birth Grade Oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that All information on this form is true. Signature Date

17 Student Voter Identification Card Volusia County, Florida I, Print Name am a qualified elector for school. Student Voter Identification Card Volusia County, Florida I, Print Name am a qualified elector for school. Signature of Student Signature of Student Student Voter Identification Card Volusia County, Florida I, Print Name am a qualified elector for school. Student Voter Identification Card Volusia County, Florida I, Print Name am a qualified elector for school. Signature of Student Signature of Student

18 LOYALTY OATH For Student Candidates Running for Office STATE OF FLORIDA VOLUSIA COUNTY I,, a student of school in Volusia County, Florida and of the United States of America,...and a candidate for student government, grade...do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States, of the State of Florida and the school of. Signature of candidate ******************************************************************************** OATH OF CANDIDATE Before me, an officer authorized to administer oaths, personally appeared,, to me well known, who, being sworn, says he/she is a candidate for the office of, that he/she is a qualified elector of school, Volusia County, Florida; that he/she is qualified under the regulations of school to hold the office to which he/she desires to be nominated or elected. UNDER PENALTIES OF PERJURY, I DECLARE THAT I HAVE READ THE FOREGOING LOYALTY OATH AND OATH OF CANDIDATE AND THAT THE FACTS STATED IN EACH ARE TRUE. SIGN HERE V

19 Official Candidate s Petition School, Volusia County, Florida We, the undersigned, duly-registered electors of the school of do hereby present the name of of the school of Florida, grade, for the office of, commencing immediately upon canvassing of the ballots, and we respectively petition that the name of the above candidate by placed on the ballot for the election to be held on, Print Name Grade Signature

20 Florida Voluntary Code of Fair Campaign Practices by the Florida Department of State Political campaigns are meant to expose candidates views on major issues facing society. Many campaigns are sidetracked by disputes over relatively insignificant issues and unfounded attacks on candidates personal lives. The goal of the Florida Voluntary Code of Fair Campaign Practices is to persuade politicians to be more accountable to the public and to make the candidates more aware of the ethical standards set by the state of Florida. The key to making the change in campaigns is your involvement. These are some things you can do to help get things started: < Withhold your vote for politicians who do not sign and adhere to the code. < Spread the word to your school about the code. < Withhold support of candidates who do not sign and adhere to the code. < Encourage candidates to sign and adhere to the code. As I,, seek student office, I honor the following principles as a guide to conduct which the public is entitled to expect of me: 1. I will address valid issues in my campaign, will tell the truth as to my intentions if I am elected and will fight fairly in any contest with my opponent(s). 2. I will shun demagoguery that sees to deflect the public s attention to sham issues that obscure real concerns of the electorate. 3. I will limit my attacks on an opponent to legitimate challenges to that person s record, qualifications and positions. 4. I will neither use no permit the use of malicious untruths or scurrilous innuendos about an opponent s personal life, nor will I make or condone unfounded accusations discrediting that person s integrity. 5. I will take personal responsibility for approving or disavowing the substance of attacks on my opponent that may come from third parties supporting my candidacy. 6. I will not use or permit the use of campaign material that falsifies, distorts or misrepresents facts. 7. I will neither use nor permit the use of appeals to bigotry of any form, and specifically to prejudice based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or national origin. 8. I will neither use nor permit the use of last-minute changes made without giving any opponent reasonable time in which to respond before election day. 9. I will demand that persons or organizations supporting me maintain these standards of fairness. 10. I will repudiate any abuses of this code. Signature of Candidate Date

21 THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS The Importance of Just One Vote The one excuse heard most often for not voting in an election is, My one vote won t make a difference. Yet history has proven the enormous power of one single vote. In many cases, the course of a nation s history has been changed because one individual ballot was cast - or not cast! Consider This: In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German. In 1923, members of a recently-formed political party met a beer hall in Munich to elect a leader. By a majority of just one vote, they chose a soldier named Adolf Hitler. In the Presidential election of 1960, one additional voter per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have denied John F. Kennedy the Presidency and placed Richard Nixon in the White House eight years sooner. By a margin of just one vote, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho became states. England s King Charles I literally lost his head when the vote to behead him was 67 against and 68 for. The ax fell because of one vote. One of the greatest political trials in America s history ended in May 1868, when an impeachment vote in the U.S. Senate against President Andrew Jackson failed by just one vote. Thomas Jefferson won the Electoral College Vote in 1800 by only one vote. In 1941, one vote kept the selective service in operation just weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese.

22 How the Electoral College Works The current workings of the Electoral College are the result of both design and experience. As it now operates: Each State is allocated a number of Electors equal to the number of its U.S. Senators (always 2) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives (which may change each decade according to the size of each State s population as determined in the Census). The political parties (or independent candidates) in each State submit to the State s chief election official a list of individuals pledged to their candidate for president and equal in number to the State s electoral vote. Usually, the major political parties select these individuals either in their State party conventions or through appointment by their State party leaders while third parties and independent candidates merely designate theirs. Members of Congress and employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving as an Elector in order to maintain the balance between the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. After their caucuses and primaries, the major parties nominate their candidates for president and vice president in their national conventions traditionally held in the summer preceding the election. (Third parties and independent candidates follow different procedures according to the individual State laws). The names of the duly nominated candidates are then officially submitted to each State s chief election official so that they might appear on the general election ballot. On the Tuesday following the first Monday of November in years divisible by four, the people in each State cast their ballots for the party slate of Electors representing their choice for president and vice president (although as a matter of practice, general election ballots normally say Electors for each set of candidates rather than list the individual Electors on each slate). Whichever party slate wins the most popular votes in the State becomes that State s Electors-so that, in effect, whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in a State wins all the Electors of that State. [The two exceptions to this are Maine and Nebraska where two Electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each Congressional district]. On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December (as established in federal law) each State s Electors meet in their respective State capitals and cast their electoral votes-one for president and one for vice president. In order to prevent Electors from voting only for favorite sons of their home State, at least one of their votes must be for a person from outside their State (though this is seldom a problem since the parties have consistently nominated presidential and vice presidential candidates from different States).

23 The electoral votes are then sealed and transmitted from each State to the President of the Senate who, on the following January 6, opens and reads them before both houses of the Congress. The candidate for president with the most electoral votes, provided that it is an absolute majority (one over half of the total), is declared president. Similarly, the vice presidential candidate with the absolute majority of electoral votes is declared vice president. In the event no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives (as the chamber closest to the people) selects the president from among the top three contenders with each State casting only one vote and an absolute majority of the States being required to elect. Similarly, if no one obtains an absolute majority for vice president, then the U.S. Senate makes the selection from among the top two contenders for that office. At noon on January 20, the duly elected president and vice president are sworn into office. Occasionally questions arise about what would happen if the pesidential or vice presidential candidate died at some point in this process.for answers to these, as well as to a number of other what if questions, readers are advised to consult a small volume entitled After the People Vote: Steps in Choosing the President edited by Walter Berns and published in 1983 by the American Enterprise Institute. Similarly, further details on the history and current functioning of the Electoral College are available in the second edition of Congressional Quarterly s Guide to U.S. Elections, a real goldmine of information, maps, and statistics.

24 Things We Should Know How many branches are there in our government? Answer: Three (3) 2. What are the three branches of our government? Answer: Legislative, Executive and Judiciary. 3. What is the Legislative part of our government? Answer: Congress. 4. Who makes the laws in the United States? Answer: Congress. 5. What is the Congress? Answer: The Senate and the House of Representatives. 6. For how long do we elect the representatives? Answer: Two years. 7. What is the executive branch of our government? Answer: The President, The Cabinet and Departments under the cabinet members. 8. What is the Judiciary branch of our government? Answer: The Supreme Court. 9. What are the duties of the Supreme Court? Answer: To interpret the law. 10. What is the Supreme Law of the United States? Answer: The Constitution. 11. What is the Bill of Rights? Answer: The first ten Amendments of the Constitution. 12. What is the Capitol of Florida? Answer: Tallahassee. Elections Department, Outreach Division Revised April 2, 2001

25 Volusia Votes MAKE EVERY VOTE COUNT! Many voters go to the polls, cast their ballot for President and other National Candidates, but fail to vote for local Candidates and issues. Your single vote can be even more important in state and local races. Remember the things that count most in YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE - schools, highways, water supplies, bus service, business development, beaches, police and fire protection. HISTORY HAS PROVEN EVERY VOTE COUNTS The one excuse heard most often for not voting in an election is, My one vote won t make a difference. Yet history has proven the enormous power of one single vote. In many cases, the course of a nation s history has been changed because one individual ballot was cast or not cast! The Importance of One Vote In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. In 1649, by just one vote, England s King Charles I literally lost his head when the vote to behead him was 67 against and 68 for. The ax fell because of one vote. In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German. In 1800, one vote won Thomas Jefferson the Electoral College Vote. In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union. In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic. In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the U.S. By just one vote, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho became states. In 1923, one vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party. In 1941, one vote saved Selective Service just weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1960, one additional voter per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have denied John F. Kennedy the Presidency and placed Richard Nixon in the White House eight years sooner. In 1988, on a local level, our current Supervisor of Elections, Deanie Lowe, won a seat on the Volusia County Council by only 22 votes. Vicky Jackson was also elected to the Council by a margin of only 6 votes! In 1995, in the City of Deltona District 4 race, Wayne Gardner won by 11 votes. Elections Division, Outreach Division Created April 3, 2001

26 Elections and Voting The word election comes from a Latin word that means to choose. You make choices every day about what to eat, what to wear, or what television program to watch. When a group of people get together to make a choice, we call that an election. When you choose what you want in an election, you are voting. In an election your choice may not win, but everyone accepts what the most people want. Volusia County Elections Department

27 DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS WORD SEARCH Find the hidden message: C O U N T Y C O U N C I L G P W F L A G O T O W N A A C C U V O T E V O E E R R H P E L E C T I N E M T N M E O N E L R U N G T I I O U N N H A N B V P H Y V Y L G R E O N P I T M T L L O E O B D H I A E E P A U R C C N T R S N A E I B N R I U E C T I S S U E S E E T R E I L A R E T M P A C L P A A G O N O P I S S I E T V A C Y L I U A L E A E N T N O V A L A S I O V A A T I T P C D R P E T N D N F M A Y O R O B N O T C U L I O A N T R G I D I E E F F O N U R N A G S Y R B C L L E I E A O E D S D E M O C R A T E L B B E U E I P R S C R N N A E E E C A L P G N I L L O P P F T A E A I F O T T R R R X O B T O L L A B O A E T I R F N N F H O E P A E G O V E R N M E N T T R P C T E E C U V O P E L L E S E N A T E X X H R E D S Y R E T S I G E R Word List accu vote ballot ballot box blue campaign candidate Canvassing Board choice city Congress council county count Democrat elect election federal flag general government Governor Independent issues Legislature mayor no non partisan oath one oval political party politics polling place precinct primary privacy booth red referendum register representative Republican runoff secret senate state suffrage tabulation town volusia vote white yes Bonus: Word Scramble - m c d c y e o a r _

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