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5 Big Questions About Voting

On November 5, tens of millions of Americans will cast their votes for president and many other important leaders. Here’s what you need to know. 

September 2, 2024
By Nicole Tocco

As You Read, Think About: Why is it important for Americans to vote?

1. Who is allowed to vote in the United States?

About 240 million people could be eligible to vote in this year’s presidential election. People are allowed to vote in the United States if they are:

  • U.S. citizens
  • at least 18 years old on Election Day
  • registered, or officially signed up, to vote.* To register to vote in a state, a person must be able to prove that they live there. 

*Not required in North Dakota

2. I hear adults talk about how important the right to vote is. Is it really that big a deal?

It’s a huge deal! Having the right to vote gives Americans a say in how the country, their states, and their towns are governed.

“Voting is really at the very heart of American democracy,” says Kim Wehle. She’s the author of the book What You Need to Know About Voting—and Why.

Many Americans faced a long struggle to gain this fundamental right. When George Washington was elected in 1789, only about 6 percent of the population was allowed to vote—mostly White men who owned land.

Over time, Black people, women, and Indigenous groups gained the right to vote. Still, they often faced obstacles. For example, racist laws in some states kept many Black people from voting for decades after they legally won the right.

Library of Congress/Interim Archives/Getty Images

Protesters call for equal voting rights at the March on Washington in 1963.

3. How will voters cast their ballots on Election Day?

On November 5, many voters will go to their local polling places, such as schools, churches, and firehouses. Throughout the day, people will cast votes for president, members of Congress, and state and local leaders. In some places, voters will fill out a paper ballot. In others, they will mark boxes for the candidates of their choice on a computer screen. 

On Election Day, some people may wait in long lines for hours for their chance to vote. But tens of millions of Americans might have already voted by then.

4. How can people vote before Election Day?

There are a few different ways. Nearly every state and Washington, D.C., offer early voting. People in those places can cast their votes at polling places on specific dates before November 5.

Also, every state allows some form of voting by mail. Eight states hold their elections almost entirely by mail. Voters receive their ballots a few weeks before Election Day. The ballots must be completed and returned on or before November 5. 

People who’ll be away from home, such as college students and members of the U.S. military, can also vote by mail. They use what’s called an absentee ballot. 

In the 2020 presidential election, 43% of voters cast ballots by mail.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

5. With so many ways to vote, does everyone do it?

Unfortunately, no. In the 2020 presidential election, for example, only about 67 percent of Americans who could have voted actually cast ballots. And that was the highest percentage to vote in a national election since 1900! 

“If we don’t vote, we’re allowing other people to decide who the leaders are,” Wehle says. “By voting, we honor the many people who came before us who fought so hard and sacrificed so much for us to be able to vote.”

Get More Election Resources!

Want to learn more about the election process, watch videos, and take fun interactive quizzes? CLICK HERE to do all that and much more!

 

 

1. Based on the article, what does it mean to be eligible to vote? What are the basic requirements to vote in the U.S.?

2. What are two ways that voting rights in the U.S. have changed over time, according to the article?

3. Describe two methods people may use to cast their votes on Election Day.

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