Elections - US Government - Free Games & Activities for Kids (original) (raw)

Elections in the United States are held for government officials at the federal, state and local levels. At the federal level the president is elected by a process called the electoral college. The Congress is directly elected by the people of each state the congressperson represents. There are many elected offices at state levels. All the States have an elected governor and legislature. There are also elections in counties, cities, townships, and villages. In 2012 there were 519,682 elected officials in the United States. Citizens 18 and older of both genders and of all races may vote but this wasn't always true. African-Americans were not allowed to vote until February 3, 1870. The 15th amendment states that voting rights cannot be denied on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude. 50 years later the 19th amendment guaranteed American women the right to vote on August 18, 1920.