【Surprisesoftencomeinboxes.Birthdaypresentswrappedincolorfulpaperbrownpaperpackagesmailedfromafriend.Nomatterwhatkindofboxitispeopleliketoopenitupandseewhat'sinside.InAmericaandinmanyothercountries】

　　Surprisesoftencomeinboxes.Birthdaypresentswrappedincolorfulpaperbrownpaperpackagesmailedfromafriend.Nomatterwhatkindofboxitispeopleliketoopenitupandseewhat'sinside.InAmericaandinmanyothercountriesonespecialkindofboxcontainsthefuture.It'scalledaballotbox.Whatpeopleputintotheboxonelectiondaycanchangethecourseofhistory.

　　Electionsarethelifebloodofademocracy.Theworddemocracyliterallymeans"thepeoplerule"animportantconceptinAmericanhistory.Inthemid-1700sEnglandbeganpassinglawsthatmadetheAmericancoloniesangry.Thecolonistshadtopaymoreandmoretaxesandenjoyedlessandlessfreedom.TheyfeltthegovernmentofEnglanddidn'trepresenttheirinterests.OnJuly41776thecoloniesdeclaredtheirindependencefromEngland.Theywantedtoestablishademocracywherepeoplecouldhaveavoiceingovernment.

　　Aneffectivedemocracyholdsregularelections.InAmericaelectionsareheldeverytwoyearsformembersofCongress.IntheseelectionsallseatsintheHouseofRepresentativesandone-thirdoftheSenateseatsareupforgrabs.Inadditioneveryfouryearsvotersgotothepollstoelectthenation'spresidentandvice-president.Votersalsoregularlycasttheirballotsforstateandcitygovernmentleadersandlocalschoolboardmembers.Sometimestheyalsohavetovoteonaproposedlaw.

　　IntheAmericanelectoralsystempeopledon'treallyvoteforpresidentialcandidates.Insteadvoterscasttheirballotsfor"electors"whosupporteachcandidate.EachstatehasasmanyelectorsasthetotalnumberofitsrepresentativesinCongress.ThisequalstwosenatorsperstateplusthenumberofitsrepresentativesintheHouse(whichisbasedonthestate'spopulation).Thecandidatewhohasthemostvotesinastatewinsallofthestate'selectors.Towinthepresidentialelectionacandidatemustgainatleast270ofthe538totalelectoralvotes.

　　OvertheyearstheU.S.hasmadeanumberofelectionreforms.Someearlyreformsoutlawedcheatinggivingbribesandthreateningvoters.Theyalsolimitedtheamountofmoneycandidatescouldreceivefromdonorsandspendontheircampaigns.In1870blackpeoplegainedtherighttovoteandin1920thatrightwasextendedtowomen.Inrecentdecadeslawsagainstu