A Blog that Actually Explains How to Vote in the United States

Allison Wood

Jul 30

3 min read

In the United States, we have a problem. Not enough young people are voting or even understand how to vote. We have been fed propaganda for a very long time about how our voices don't matter, how we need to look out for ourselves because it's a dog-eat-dog world. But the very core of what the United States is built on is that we, the people, ALL PEOPLE, all ages, colors, races, etc.—come together to help each other. That means using your vote.

Whatever you believe about these fundamental pieces of our political economy, it is no secret that many of us are undereducated about exactly where, when, and why our vote even matters in the grander scheme. After facing many of my own questions, I decided I would help others understand this in a simpler, actionable way so you can actually use your vote. (See bottom of page for more resources)

Read Term Glossary First:

General Election: The election where voters choose who will hold an elected office. The presidential election would be considered a general election.

Primary Election: An election held before a general election that generally determines which candidates will represent a political party in the general election.

Presidential Election: A general election held every four years where voters choose a presidential ticket. It can also include other federal, state, and local elections.

Midterm Election: A major general election held halfway through a presidential term. It includes all U.S. House seats, about one-third of U.S. Senate seats, and potentially many state and local races.

Local Elections: Elections for offices below the federal level, such as mayors, city council members, county officials, school board members, and local judges.

Special Districts: Local government entities created to provide specific services, such as fire protection, water, libraries, or transportation. Some have elected boards or officials.

Ballot Measures: Questions or proposals placed directly on the ballot for voters to approve or reject, such as laws, constitutional amendments, bonds, taxes, or other government proposals. in many states, voters can use petitions to put a proposed law or constitutional amendment directly on the ballot. This is generally called a ballot initiative.

All Right now you're ready for the breakdown:

Election Cycle:

2024 → 2028

In the 2024 presidential election, 56% of voters were age 50 or older

Presidential Election 2024

it starts with the presidential election, but you vote for more than the president during this time. Depending on your individual state, you may have more on your ballot. But here is what most will look like.

☐ President

☐ U.S. House of Representatives— ALL House seats. (House of Representatives officials serve 2-year terms)

☐ U.S. Senator — if your state's Senate seat is part of that election cycle. Senators serve 6-year terms. Senate seats are divided into three groups, with roughly one-third of the seats up for election every 2 years.

☐ Local Schedule—Check local elections that may appear on your ballot. You can use TurboVote to automatically find your upcoming elections.

☐ Ballot Measures: You may see ballot measures if applicable

Midterms 2026

64% of voters in the 2022 midterms were 50 or older.

During 2026 year two of this cycle, there's another important election called midterms

☐ U.S. Senator — if your state's Senate seat is part of that election cycle.
☐ U.S. House of Representatives — ALL House seats
☐ Local Schedule—Check local elections that may appear on your ballot. You can use TurboVote to automatically find your upcoming elections.
☐ Ballot Measures: You may see ballot measures if applicable

No Major Elections 2027

Check your local schedule for local elections

Presidential Election Leading Up to 2028

Although I couldn't find one definitive percentage for how many people vote in presidential primary elections, we do know that significantly fewer younger voters participate in them.

Presidential Primaries

If you don't want to get stuck with only a few options in the general election, now is the time to USE THAT VOTE. If you only participate in the general election, you may find yourself choosing between candidates who have already made it through the primary process. Voting in primaries allows voters to influence which candidates make it to the general election in the first place.

Notes on Primaries

Every general election has a primary; however, primary rules vary by state. Some states have closed primaries, some have open or partially open systems, and some use different election systems altogether.

Primaries can get confusing, so here's a link with more information on where you can find the primary rules for your state.

VOTE411