Political Elections
The Elections channel includes information on topics related to elections, voting or running for political office. Learn more about presidential debates, the electoral college or the voting system.
From Human Skulls to Handguns, the Paris Lost and Found Has Seen It All
Running Antarctica's 'Penguin Post Office': Coolest Job Ever?
SCOTUS Is Back in Session With More Controversial Cases on the Docket
What's the Difference Between a Democracy and a Republic?
New Belgian Comic Strip Passports Increase Security and Fun
8 Fascinating Findings From the 2020 Census
Is the U.S. Prepared to Handle Natural Disasters During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
The Defense Production Act Was Designed for Emergencies Like Coronavirus
The Waffle House Index Is at Code Red; That's Not Good
Who Are the Sanctioned Russian Oligarchs?
How British Parliament Works
Nearly 1,000 U.S. Streets Named After MLK Jr. What Are They Like?
What Does the Speaker of the House Do?
Who Was the Worst President Ever in U.S. History?
When Abortion Was Illegal, Women Turned to the Jane Collective
How Does the U.S. Government Declassify Top Secret Documents?
How Does the U.S. Classify Its Most Sensitive Documents?
Why Data Encryption Remains a Really Complex Issue
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Apparently kids aren't the only ones influenced by stickers; they work on adults, too.
By Dave Roos
Think the Trump/Biden presidential campaign is the strangest? It'll seem par for the course when you see what crazy things have happened in previous elections.
Splits with the European Union have happened before, but that doesn't mean the U.K.'s Brexit will be easy, or even have much in common with past instances.
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Whether it's poll taxes, literacy tests, ID laws or limited polling hours, the U.S. has a long-running history of coming up with ways to restrict citizens' voting rights.
We buy airline tickets, transfer money and look for dates online. Why can't we vote?
By Alia Hoyt
A controversial recent study argues that the order of Google search results could determine an election's outcome. Could that really happen?
Decades ago, two political scientists predicted Americans would ultimately move away from establishment, two-party politics. Were they right, and what makes voters go independent in the first place?
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It took just about as much time for the ink to dry on the Declaration of Independence as it did for American politics to become another type of family business. What are 10 of the most successful political dynasties?
We always hear about major government figures like the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, but who are these people, and how do they help the president? Meet the ladies and gentlemen of the Cabinet.
By Dave Roos
When it comes to politics, men tend to dominate, with women accounting for only about 10 percent of government leaders internationally. Which female politicians have trail-blazed a path to close that gender gap?
All they had to do was sit back and count the votes. They thought they had the presidential election in the bag -- until they didn't. Here's our list of some of the biggest collapses in presidential campaign history.
By Dave Roos
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The use of political attack ads -- those that focus on rivals' shortfalls rather than preferred candidates' achievements -- has shot up in recent years. These negative ads may leave a bad taste in voters' mouths, but are they effective?
Presidential debates aren't really known for their fireworks, but these off-the-cuff moments definitely made sparks fly.
By Dave Roos
Historically in the United States, third parties have successfully steered political discourse and lawmaking, yet largely haven't stuck around long enough to get their own candidates into office. Which have had the best shot?
The probability of a single vote actually making a difference in a presidential election is one in 60 million. With those kinds of odds, what keeps people going out to the polls?
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Lobbying has a long and storied history in American politics, but does it also deserve the bad rap it's taken for so long?
By Dave Roos
For years, pollsters and pundits have puzzled over how U.S. adults decide to cast their votes. Party affiliations and personal stances on electoral issues have a lot to do with it, of course, but does gender play a role, too?
Campaign ads are designed to grab voters' attention, but what if an ad attracts eyeballs for all the wrong reasons? Here are five of the most offensive campaign ads ever produced.
By Dave Roos
Do you remember boring campaign ads? Of course not. That's why campaigns spend millions of dollars to send messages to voters. Here are five ads that worked -- and that's why we remember them.
By Dave Roos
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There may be no perfect way to cast a ballot. Human error, hanging chads, and hackable software -- it seems every voting system has some flaw.
Voter suppression has become a hot topic during the 2016 election season, but the practice has a frighteningly long and storied history in the U.S. What is it and how can it affect elections?
By Dave Roos
If the news is any indication, Americans have officially caught recall fever. Why (and how) are everyday voters taking the extraordinary step of recalling officials they've already elected to their posts?
By Dave Roos
The presidential election season is chock-full of straw polls, caucuses and primaries to determine the nominees for each party, but what's the difference between these things? Do they matter?
By Dave Roos
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Almost every day it seems like there is a new poll out tracking the president's performance or some political issue. But who selects the people who respond to these polls? And can you trust the numbers?
By Dave Roos
Sarah Palin has one, and comedian Stephen Colbert does too. But what exactly is a Super PAC, and how will they affect future elections?
By Chris Warren