Election is the process of selecting a person or party to public office. Often the word election is used to refer to a major event such as a presidential or legislative election, but it can also refer to smaller events such as local elections. Elections may also include referendums and other forms of ballots. Elections are important to democracy because they allow people to participate in government and influence policy decisions made by their representatives.
There are many different types of election systems in use around the world. Some of these are proportional, while others are majoritarian (i.e., single-winner plurality voting). Some are a mix of both, with the majority system being dominant.
Historically, elections were dominated by parties. The Constitution does not specify who can vote, but states were allowed to exclude women, minorities, and landowners from the polls. In the US, this practice was common until the 1970s and is still a problem in some places. Some politicians try to win reelection by making it harder for certain groups and neighborhoods to vote, a practice known as voter suppression.
Voters cast their votes on paper ballots, which may be single-choice or multi-choice. The ballots are then counted, and the results announced. This process can be complicated, and there are many ways that a result can be changed after the ballots are cast. Some of these methods are legal and legitimate, but others are not. It is not uncommon for authoritarian governments to intervene in elections once they have begun, by intimidating voters and manipulating the count of votes that have been freely cast.
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