Types of Elections

There are many different types of elections in the U.S. Are you registered to vote in any happening in your area? 

Federal Elections

Elections for offices within the federal government, i.e. president & vice president, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives. These happen in even-numbered years, but there may be special elections in your state in 2021.

State Elections

Elections for offices or ballot initiatives within state government. These include offices such as governor, lieutenant governor, state senator, state representative, state auditor, insurance commissioner, comptroller, secretary of state, and attorney general. Not all states have the same elected state officials.

Municipal Elections

Elections for sub-state municipalities (like a county government or city government). Mayors, council members, city attorneys, school boards, and sheriffs are some of the people who may be elected by municipal elections. Many of these are happening this year.

Partisan Party Elections

Elections that select nominees for political parties, like the Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, and Green Parties.

Non-partisan Elections

Primary elections that select two finalists, regardless of political party. The top two vote-getters will then face each other in a general election.

Caucuses

Type of primary elections where voters gather in public locations at a prescribed time and openly vote for their preferred candidate. Caucuses use ranked-choice voting, but don’t feature a private ballot and have restrictive voting hours.

General Elections

Elections that decide the actual officeholders within a government. Some general elections contain a choice of two candidates for each contested office. Others contain multiple candidates per office, each of whom is the official nominee of a political party.

Annexation Elections

Proposition elections that present the option to enlarge the boundaries of an unincorporated municipality.

Incorporation Elections

Proposition elections used by residents of any unincorporated area who wish to present the option to formally incorporate as a municipality.

Source: masterclass.com