ELECTION, in politics, the selection by voting of a person or persons to oc cupy some post or office. The most im portant elections are those of the mem bers of the supreme legislative assem blies of the different countries, and as to the manner in which these are carried out strict laws are in force. In such elections voting by ballot is now gen eral. The chief forms of election in Great Britain are parliamentary and municipal elections, in both of which the basis of the suffrage (or right of vot ing) is the payment of poor-rates. Mem bers of Parliament formerly required a property qualification in England and Ireland; but this restriction, which never existed in Scotland, has been abolished. In both parliamentary and municipal elections the ballot has been in opera tion since 1872. For the prevention of bribery and corrupt practices many acts have been passed, of which that now in operation came into force in October, 1883, and has been annually renewed since 1884.
Jurisdiction of election laws of the United States extends to such officers of Federal Government as are elective, viz., the President, Vice-President and mem bers of the House of Representatives. The election of officers of the State governments is regulated by the sev eral State codes. The President and Vice-President are elected by a col lege of electors, which college is com posed of as many electors as there are Senators and Representatives in Con gress at the time of the election of such electors. The people vote directly for
these electors. Members of Congress are elected as follows: Each State is en titled to two Senators in Congress, who are elected by the Legislatures of the sev eral States; members of the House of Representatives are elected directly by the people. In general, it may be said that all citizens of the United States are entitled to vote except those residing in the District of Columbia. In 1870 persons of African descent were given the right to participate in elections.
The several States have enacted laws for the regulation and management of their local elections, embracing the choice of the officers of the State, city and county. The constitutions of the several States secure to citizens the right of suf frage. The laws of each State provide the means of effecting the ends of the constitution, and prescribe the qualifica tions of voters, which vary somewhat in the different States. In all the States the following qualifications may be classed as universal: That the elector shall be over 21 years of age, neither a lunatic nor a pauper, and prepared to take, if necessary, an oath of allegiance to the Federal Government. The length of residence in the State previous to an election is fixed by the State law and varies in the different States. Some States require either property qualifica tion or ability to read and write.