Elections in the usa

Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years old, and is registered to vote may vote. Each state has the right to determine registration procedures. A number of civic groups, such as the League of Women Voters, are actively trying to get more people involved in the electoral process and have drives to register as many as possible. Americans who want to vote must register, that is, put down their names in register before the actual elections take place. There are 50 different registration laws in the US – one set for each state. In the South, voters often have to register not only locally but also at the county seat.

Another important factor is that there are more elections in the US at the state and local levels than in most countries. Certainly, Americans are much more interested in local politics than in those at federal level. Many of the matters, such as those concerning education, housing, taxes, and so on, are made close to home, in the state or county.

The national presidential elections really consist of two separate campaigns: one is for the nomination at national party conventions. The other is to win the actual election. The nominating race is a competition between members of the same party. They run in a succession of state primaries and caucuses (which take place between March and June). They hope to gain a majority of delegate votes for their national party conventions (in July and August). The party convention then votes to select the party’s official candidate for the presidency. Then follow several months of presidential campaigns by the candidate.

In November of the election year (years are divided by four – leap years, e.g. 2000, 2004, 2008), the voters across the nation go to the polls. If the majority of popular votes in a state go to the presidential (and vice-presidential) candidate of one party, then that person is supposed to get all of that state’s ‘electoral votes’. These electoral votes are equal to the number of Senators and Representatives each state has in Congress. The candidate with largest number of these electoral votes wins the election. Each state’s electoral votes are formally reported by the ‘Electoral College’. In January of the following year, in a joint session of congress, the new President and Vice President are officially announced.

3. Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following words and expressions. Use them in the sentences or situations of your own.

Impartial Boundary Commission; to be placed on the electoral register; to serve a sentence of imprisonment; residence in the constituency; to prevent their recommendations from being highly controversial; to affect the electoral prospects; to support from different sections of the electorate; exclusion or inclusion; a safe seat; vice versa; to choose between rival candidates; to put strict limits on expenditure; to undergo a reselection process; election campaign; national propaganda; to draw their financial support mainly from the trade unions and industry respectively; to obtain a small percentage of the total vote; unevenly distributed; to obtain big majorities in some seats; to lose narrowly in other seats; vote for the party in power; to dissolve the Parliament; the dissolution of the Parliament; polling districts; a polling station; limits on expenditure; to prevent a problem of bribery and corruption; to fold the ballot paper to conceal the vote; a profound effect; to choose to form the Shadow Cabinet; to determine registration procedures; to involve in the electoral process; to have drives; the nominating race; a succession of state primaries and caucuses; to gain a majority of delegate votes; the party convention; electoral votes; the Electoral College; a joint session of congress.

4. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions.

відбувати строк тюремного ув’язнення; мати право бути обраним; включати постійних мешканців виборчого округу; збройні сили; схвалення обох палат парламенту; бути внесеним у списки виборців (2); включення та виключення; впливати на виборчі перспективи певної партії; електорат; місце, яке отримується найменьшою більшостю голосів; залучати фінансову підтримку; витрати на вибори; здобувати більшість голосів; загальні вибори; завадити хабарництву та корупції; вибирати між конкуруючими кандидатами; нерівномірно розподілений; віддати голос за кандидата партії; формувати уряд; партія їхнього вибору; позачергові вибори; йти у відставку (на пенсію); партія при владі; близький радник; розпускати парламент; проводити загальні вибори; день голосування (2); голосування (2); виборчий район; виборча дільниця; виборча скринька; кабіна для голосування; виборець; приховувати; тіньовий кабінет; бюлетень; президентські вибори; президентство; визначати процедуру реєстрації; залучати все більше людей у виборчий процес; реєстраційні закони; послідовність первинних виборів у партійних організаціях та первинних виборів на партійних форумах; висування кандидата на партійних з’їздах; голоси виборщиків; колегія виборщиків.

5. A: Fill in the appropriate word from the list below.

Launched, conceal, succession, residents, evenly, insisted, affect, distributed, marginal, respectively, vice versa

1. The hotel bar was only open to … . 2. He regards violence as a …. rather than a central problem. 3. I like her and …. 4. Throughout the trial, the prisoner… on his lack of guilt. 5. The police have …. an investigation into the incident. 6. The company's chief executive and chief financial officer were asked to retire and resign, … . 7. The paste should be spread …. upon the table to an exact depth. 8. The money that has been collected will be …. among all the children's hospitals in the area. 9. You cannot …. your guilt from the police. 10. She is now seventh in line of … to the throne. 11. The term …. denotes the emotional aspect of all mental activity.

B: Fill in the appropriate proposition or adverb where necessary.

1. I'm afraid I have to insist … the return of my book at once. 2. The books will be distributed free … local schools. 3. The race …. the presidency was run between well qualified candidates. . 4. A person who is serving a sentence … imprisonment is ineligible to be placed … the electoral register in a constituency. 5. Nothing will prevent us …. reaching our aim! 6. Our party tries to draw the support …. different sections of the electorate. 7. Will the changes in taxation affect …. you personally? 8. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies. 9. Voters are sent a polling card … advance. 10. Voting is held … secret ballot. 10. The voter marks the ballot paper … a cross … the box opposite the name … the candidate … his or her choice. 11. The nominating race is a competition between members of the same party. 12. The nominees hope to gain a majority … votes … their national party conventions. 13. The party convention then votes to select the official candidate … the presidency. 14. The electoral votes are equal … the number … Senators and Representatives each state has … Congress.

6. Read and say whether these statements are true or false.

1. People serving sentences of imprisonment cannot take part in elections. 2. British citizens who live abroad cannot be placed on the electoral register. 3. Before elections Parliament forms Boundary Commissions. 4. A voter can choose only between rival candidates. 5. According to the election law there are no strict limits on expenditure during an election campaign. 6. All political parties have firm financial base. 7. An MP is elected even if he obtains only one vote more than his rival. 8. The British government is elected for five years. 9. The Queen chooses the date of the next general election. 10. The place where people go to vote in the election is called a polling station. 11. The political party which wins the most seats in the House of Lords forms the Government. 12. The United Kingdom is divided into areas which are known as constituencies. 13. Each constituency is divided into a number of polling districts. 14. The Queen appoints MPs to become the Cabinet. 15. The Prime Minister opens the new Parliament. 16. The House of Lords is an unselected Chamber. 17. The federal government determines registration procedures in the USA. 18. Americans must register before the actual elections take place. 19. The registration law is common and obligatory throughout the US.

7. Word Choice. Choose word or phrase (a, b or c) which best complete the unfinished sentence:

1. The Boundary Commissions…. . a) decide the exact boundaries of constituencies; b) draw their support from different sections of the electorate; c) make recommendations about constituency boundaries which people do not always agree with.

2. Party candidates….. a) are chosen by the voters; b) are chosen differently in each party; c) reflect voters’ wishes in the Commons.

3. Expenditure during an election campaign …… a) officially includes national propaganda; b) encourages corruption; c) is strictly limited by law.

4. The money needed by political parties in Britain comes from …… a) different sources; b) industry; c) trade unions.

5. A ….. occurs when a Member dies, retires or disqualified. a) presidential election; b) general election; c) bye-election;

6. The second largest party becomes the official …. . a) Opposition; b) Cabinet: c) close advisers;

7. An election in the USA, in which qualified voters nominate or express preference for a particular candidate for political office, is called a ……… . a) presidential election; b) primary; c) caucus;

8. A meeting of the members of a political party to choose an official candidate for the presidency is …. . a) presidential election; b) primary; c) caucus;

9. The …. is a body of persons representing the states of the US, who cast votes for the election of the President. a) electoral college; b) electorate; c) electoral vote;

8. A. Match the definitions in the right column to the words given in the left. A):

1. eligible	a) a seat which an MP obtains if elected by only a small majority;
2. impartial	b) suitable, with the right qualifications; having right to be chosen;
3. chamber	c) a seat which it is certain to be obtained by a candidate of one particular party;
4. safe seat	d) dividing line that marks the limit between two areas;
5. boundary	e) a hall used by a group of legislators;
6. marginal seat	f) fair, not favouring one more than another;
7. cabinet	g) members of parliament who do not belong to the party in power;
8. candidate	h)someone who stands in an election;
9. by-election	i) an election in one constituency in contrast to a general election;
10. the opposition	j) to be a candidate in an election;
11. elect	k) to choose someone by voting;
12. stand / run for Parliament	l) a committee of the most important ministers in the government;

B): Find words and expressions in the text which mean:

1. an election in the whole country to elect a new Parliament; 2. an area of the UK for which a representative is elected to the House of Commons; 3. voting at the election; 4. a group formed by the Opposition, i.e. those who might form a new Cabinet if there is a change of government after a general election; 5. a locked box there ballots are deposited; 6. the place where people go to vote in the election; 7. to end the life of a Parliament by public announcement of the Sovereign, leading to the general election; 8. a body of persons entitled to vote; 9. a member of electoral college.

9. Choose a suitable word from the list below to complete each of the following sentences.

A. to appoint, prominent, local councils, minority, to elect (2), proportion (3), to appeal

Some people suppose that there are few women and members of the ethnic 1) __________ in Parliament. In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became the first Prime Minister, yet she never 2) ___________ a woman to her Cabinet, and until 1983 the 3) _____________ of women 4) ____________ to the House of Commons was under 5%. In the election in 1992, 59 women 5) ______________ to the House of Commons. This total is still below the 6) ____________ in other European countries.

Although the Conservatives choose few women as their candidates for the House of Commons’ seats, women are very active in the affairs of the party as a whole. The Labourites have also tried to 7) _____________ to women voters by giving women 8) _______________ positions. In all parties, a higher 9) _____________ of women is elected to 10) ____________ than the House of Commons.

B. constituency, private sector, opposition, inflation, manifesto, unemployment, general election

1. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary ______________. 2. A ______________ takes place every four or five years. 3. Before an election, each party prepares a ______________ which outlines their policy. 4. An important Conservatives’ policy was the return of state industry to the _______________. 5. During the period of Conservative government ______________ fell to 4% for the first time in nearly thirty years. 6. However, ______________ continued to be unacceptably high. 7. While the Conservatives were in power, Labour formed the official _________________ .

C. election campaign, support, polling day, ballot box, vote, predict, opinion poll, polling station, candidate.

People sometimes try to 1) ______________ the result of an election weeks before it takes place. Several hundred people are asked which party they prefer, and their answers are used to guess the result of the coming election. This is called an 2) ______________. Meanwhile each party conducts its 3) _______________ with meetings, speeches, television commercials, and party members going from door to door encouraging people to 4) _________________ their party. In Britain, everyone over 18 is eligible to 5) _____________. The place where people go to vote in an election is called a 6) __________________ and the day of the election is often known as 7) _____________________. The voters put their votes in a 8) ________________ and later they are counted. The 9) ____________________ with the most votes is then declares the winner.

9. Study the text more carefully and answer the following questions:

1. Do all British citizens aged 18 and over have the right to vote in the UK? 2. What is the role of Boundary Commissions in an election campaign? 3.Which candidates are elected at UK parliamentary elections? 4. What do the results of elections depend on? 5. What are the disadvantages of the British electoral system? 6. If there are two parties in Britain, when can the one which gains more than 50 per cent of the votes obtain less that 50 per cent of the seats in the House of Commons? 7. What are General Elections? 8. What are bye-elections? 9. How is the date of the election decided? 10. What is the procedure of voting in Britain? 10. What happens when all the results are known?

10. Fill in the gaps to complete this text about the political system in the United Kingdom. One word in each gap.

In the UK (1) ________ are held every five years. The (2) ____________ may decide to hold one after four years, but five years is maximum.

Some countries have a system of proportional representation: this means in theory, that a political party with 30% of the (3) __________ should get 30% of the seats in (4) ____________. In the UK, the political system is different: here the winner takes all. This means that the person with the most votes in each (5) ________ wins the seat; and the political (6) __________ which wins a (7) ____________ of the seat will (8) ____________ the government on their own. As a result of this system, it is possible for a party to be in (9) _________ with only 40% of the total vote. Some people think this system is unfair. What do you think? What possible reasons to justify this system?

11. Fill in a correct word or phrase from the list below:

Fourteen; electors (2); qualification; natural-born; senators; thirty-five; representatives; January 6; electoral collage; December; electoral (5); second Wednesday; President of the Senate; Monday (2); both houses; four; majority; November; three; Tuesday; two; Senate;

Voters do not vote directly for President and Vice President. They vote for (1) _______, who vote for them. A state has as many (2) _____ as it has (3)______ and (4)______ combined. They make up what we call (5) ______ _____. The (6)______ votes are counted and certified in the states and are then sent to the (7) _____ of the _______. They are then counted in the presence of (8) _______ ______ of Congress. If a presidential candidate does not get a (9) _______ of (10) ______ votes, the House of Representatives elects a President from among the (11) _______ candidates with the most (12) ______ votes. If a vice-presidential candidate does not get a (13) _______ of (14) ______ votes, the (15)_______ elects a Vice-President from the (16) _____ with the most (17) ______ voters.

The day electors are elected is the (18)______ after the first (19) _____ in (20)______ every (21) _____ years. The day the electors vote for President and Vice-President is the first (22) ______ after the (23) ______ _______ in (24) _____, and the day these votes are counted by Congress is (25) ______ _______.

The President must be at least (26) ______ years old, a (27)_____ - _____ citizen, and have lived in the United States for (28) ____ years. The Vice-President must meet the same (29) ______ .

12. Translate into English using the active vocabulary:

A. 1. Якщо електорат не схвалює політики кабінету міністрів, він може обрати опозицію. 2. Всі були здивовані, коли кандидата партії зелених було обрано, адже це місце вважалось забезпеченим для партії консерваторів. 3. Уряд втратив довіру палати громад, парламент було розпущено, і загальні вибори було оголошено. 4. Роль опозиції - критикувати міністрів і запропонувати виборцям обрати новий уряд. 5. У багатьох країнах представники збройних сил не мають права брати участь у виборах. 6. Наша школа часто використовується як виборча дельниця під час виборів. 7. Я хочу висунути Джейн Моррісон кандидатом у нашу місцеву раду. 8. Президент був обраний незначною більшістю. 9. Таким чином, Альянс отримав 25 відсотків голосів, але тільки 4 відсотка місць у парламенті. 10. Королева – неупереджена і діє за порадою своїх міністрів. 11. Загальні вибори у Британії проводяться, принаймі, кожні 5 років. 12. Голосування, яке є не обов’язковим (compulsory), проходить таємно. 13. Військовий уряд розпустив парламент країни та призупинив політичну діяльність всіх партій. 14. Результати виборів будуть транслюватися по телебаченню сьогодні вечером. 15. У деяких країніх день виборів – громадське свято.

B. Зміст багатьох актів про народне представництво дає змогу зробити висновок, що у Великій Британії діє загальне, рівне, пряме виборче право з таємним голосуванням та вільною участю у виборах. Активне виборче право стало належати британським громадянам, які досягли 18 років. Як правило, виборці здійснюють своє право вибору у тому виборчому окрузі, на території, якого вони постійно проживають. Пасивним виборчим правом володіють громадяни, які досягли 21 років. Реєстрація виборців здійснюється шляхом складання списків виборців Звично у парламентських виборах приймає участь 70-80 % виборців, а у місцевих – біля 40%.