Elections in the usa
Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years of age, 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 people as possible. Voter registration and voting among minorities has dramatically increased during the last twenty years, especially as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.
There is some concern, however, about the number of citizens who could vote in national elections but could not. 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. In European countries, on the other hand, "permanent registration" of voters is most common.
Another important factor is that there are many more elections in the US at the state and local levels than there are in most countries. If the number of those who vote in these elections (deciding, for example, if they should pay more taxes so a new main street bridge can be built) were included, the percentage in fact would not be that much different from other countries.
Certainly, Americans are much more interested in local politics than in those at the federal level. Many of the most important decisions, 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 of candidates 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 or 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 candidates.
In November of the election year (years divisible by four, e.g. 1988, 1992, 1996, etc.), the voters across the nation go to the polls. If the majority of the 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 the 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.
WHAT IS LAW?
The English word "law" refers to limits upon various forms of behaviour. Some laws are descriptive: they simply describe how people, or even natural phenomena, usually behave, other laws are prescriptive - they prescribe how people ought to behave.
Law is a body of official rules and regulations. It is generally found in constitutions, legislation and judicial decisions. Law is used to govern a society and to control the behaviour of its members.
The nature and functions of law have varied throughout history. In modern societies, some authorized body such as a legislature or a court makes the law. Law is not completely made by humans; it includes natural law.
In all societies, relations between people are regulated by prescriptive laws. Some of them are customs - that is informal rules of social and moral behaviour. Some are rules we accept if we belong to particular social institutions, such as religious, educational and cultural groups. And some are precise laws made by nations and enforced against all citizens within their power.
Customs need not to be made by governments, and the need to be written down. We learn how we are expected to behave in society through the instruction of family and teachers, the advice of friends, and our experiences in dealing with strangers. Sometimes, we can break these rules without suffering any penalty. But if we continually break the rules, or break a very important one, other members of society may ridicule us, act violently toward us or refuse to have anything to do with us. The ways in which people talk, eat and drink, work, and relax together are usually called customs.
Law serves a variety of functions. Laws against crimes, for example, help to maintain a peaceful, orderly, relatively stable society. Courts contribute to social stability by resolving disputes in a civilized fashion. Property and contract laws facilitate business activities.
Laws limit the powers of government and help to provide some degree of freedom that would not otherwise be possible. Law has also been used as a mechanism for social change; for instance, at various times laws have been passed to improve the quality of individual life in matters of health, education, and welfare.
Members of every community have made laws for themselves in self-protection. If it were not for the laws, you could not go out in daylight without the fear of being kidnapped, robbed or murdered. In the absence of law you could only rely upon the law of the jungle.
Every country tries, therefore, to provide laws, which will help its people to live safely and comfortably. This is not at all an easy thing to do. No country has been successful in producing laws, which are entirely satisfactory. But the imperfect laws are better than none.
BRANCHES OF LAW
Each country in the world has its own system of law. Law is an important part of culture of any society. Like its language, law reflects values, history and current problems of a society. Law is found in constitutions, statues, cases decided by courts, regulations and ruling of administrative agencies.
Each country in the world has its own system of law. Law is an important part of culture of any society. Like its language, law reflects values, history and current problems of a society. Law is found in constitutions, statues, cases decided by courts, regulations and ruling of administrative agencies.
There are two main traditions of law in the world. One is based on English Common law and has been adopted by many Commonwealth countries and most of the USA. The other tradition, or Roman law, has developed on most continental Europe, Latin America and many countries in Asia and Africa.
At an English university Law is divided into different subjects or "branches" for study. There is a list of subjects students study in the Law Faculty at Cambridge University: Roman Law (Civil Law), Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Land Law, International Law, Commercial Law, Labour Law, Conflict of Law, E. E. Law, Criminology, Criminal Procedure and Criminal Evidence, Equity.
Administrative Law is the area of Law relating to the functions and powers of government organizations and how they operate in practice to administer government policy.
Constitutional Law is the law relating to the legal structure of government in a State. It defines the principal organs of government and their relationship to each other and to the individual.
Private Law. In general, private law is the part of the law which deals with relations between ordinary individuals and also between ordinary individuals and the State in circum stances where the State has no special rights or powers.
Public Law. In general, public law is the part of legal system which deals with the State and also with relations between the State and ordinary individuals in circumstances where the State has special rights or powers.
Family Law is the area of law relating to the organization of the family and the legal relations of its members.
Labour Law is the area of law relating to the employment of workers. It includes their contracts and conditions of work, trade unions and the legal aspects of industrial relations. It is also called Industrial Law.
Criminal Law is the law relating to crime. It means illegal conduct for which a person may be prosecuted and punished by the State.
Land Law is the area of law which deals with rights and interests related to owning and using land. Land is the most important form of property.
International Law is the system of law which regulates relations between states. It is a special system of legal rules which is not part of any nation system of law.
The Law of Contract is the law relating to contracts.
The Law of Tort is the law relating to torts.