Lesson Nine

Learning how Citizenship Works for You

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The Right to Vote: Electing your Government

Voting is one of the most important responsibilities of citizenship, and one of our most precious rights under the Constitution. By the process of voting, each individual has a say in who represents them, whether at the local level, the state level, or the federal level. This is known as the "consent of the governed" when with your vote, you say yes or no to policy makers.

One of the problems confronting our nation in recent years has been the lack of voter turnout on election days. This may occur because people don't realize how important even one vote can be: presidential elections have been won and lost by one vote in the past (President Andrew Johnson). And in 1776, only one vote determined that the English language would be the language of our country, instead of German.

Who is eligible to vote? In the United States, you must be a citizen, and at least eighteen years old to vote. You cannot be in prison, or on parole for a felony conviction, and must be deemed mentally competent. You must have been a resident of a precinct at least 30 days before the election, and you must be registered to vote at least 29 days before the election. If you meet these criteria, then you can vote in any election: local, state, or federal. This means you can have a say in who the next president and vice president of our country is; who your representatives in Congress will be, or who will sit on your local school board. You can also vote in primaries, which are special elections which help determine who the candidates for a political party will be.

Voter registration can be done by picking up an application that is usually available at places such as a local driver's licensing office, a post office, library, public assistance agency, office of the county commissioner of registration, or a county clerk's office. Once you are registered you can vote either at a polling booth in person, or by absentee ballot (which is mailed in early). You can also register as part of a political party when you register to vote. Normally, registration to vote is permanent, but you must re-register if you change your name (such as by marriage) or if you move and change your residence.

When the time comes to vote, you will normally go to a poll which is a special place located in your precinct (the voting area you live in). When you get to the poll, you will be given privacy while you vote. At the poll, there may be one of several methods used for voting:

• Paper (rare, except for absentee votes)
• Lever (pulling a bar)
• Optical scan (filling in ovals on a paper with a pencil that is scanned by a special machine)
• Punch card: use puncher to punch hole next to the candidate's name
• Direct Recording Electronic ("Touch Screen"): Touch a button or a name on a monitor to record vote

It is important before you go in to vote to ask any questions that you have about how to use the system your area has for voting (opening the curtain or leaving the booth will record the vote as final). Often there were be a "model" poll set up to practice with, and people manning the polls who will be happy to answer any questions.

Current Events: Becoming an Informed Constituent

One of the responsibilities of citizenship and voting wisely is becoming informed about current events, and the issues in your community and nation. The media, which includes television, newspapers, radio, the Internet, and magazines, are one of our primary means of becoming informed. But it is wise to be aware that the media at times may have its own bias, or agenda (especially if it is printed or run by a certain political group), and it may also try to sell ads by sensationalizing the news. This is why it is important to read and listen to a variety of media, and choose the sources that seem most balanced to you.

For instance, a newsletter put out by the Young Republicans may have an agenda that follows the ideals of the Republican party, and will have a bias in its articles or opinions. Editorials in newspapers are also often "opinion pieces", where one person gives their opinion on a topic.

On the other hand, the newspaper for a large city may cover what appear as more objective coverage of national events, but the headlines may use words that sensationalize to encourage readers to buy the paper.

During election years it is especially important to become informed about the issues. By reading, listening to the news, and watching televised debates, you will become aware of how the candidate feels about different topics. Often, the candidate will discuss how he or she will try to influence public policy, or how they will vote if elected.

They may also follow a "party platform", and it is important to become aware of what that it is. Our nation has two major political parties, the Democratic and the Republican parties, and also smaller independent parties. Each party may historically vote or stand for certain issues, and it is important to read, listen, and discuss this with others to find out what those issues are.

Sometimes candidates will print out special brochures or have ads on television that discuss how they stand on these topics. But it is important to realize that these brochures and ads are just that: ads for the candidate. A better source of information is one from an objective source, such as the League of Women Voters, or other voting information groups, who will often give a list of the different candidates and how they have voted in the past.

Learning about your Community: City and State Government

In the United States, our government has authority derived from the consent of the people.

Government at the local level accomplishes a variety of functions, including creating laws to establish schools, provide health services, sanitation, provide for public safety, require licenses for drivers to name a few. The local government also has the ability to enforce these laws, through the use of law enforcement (city police, or county sheriffs, for example). And another role of local government is to manage conflicts and disputes, such as through the local court system.

A local city council and mayor perform these functions for the community they live in. A city is a municipal corporation that operates under charter from the state, and is ultimately responsible to the state government.

City and local governments have the important task of ensuring that their community meets state and federal standards, and make the local laws which affect their citizens. A local government may have planning commissions that make recommendations about how to use local resources such as land and water. These commissioners are appointed by city or town councils. The city council listens to the recommendations of the commissions, then makes laws, regulations, ordinances, and codes about the use of these resources. These commission policy recommendations are usually made through public hearings, in which the wishes of the local citizens are also heard. Any local citizen can go to a hearing, and listen to the discussions and give their input as well. Here is the organization of a typical city government:

• Mayor: This is the chief executive over the city government. He can participate in council deliberations, and may vote to break ties on ordinances or resolutions. He can also veto ordinances passed by the council (but they can override his vote by a 2/3 majority vote). The Mayor is also the one responsible for appointing police chiefs, captains, and sergeants subject to the approval of the city council.
• City Council: this is the legislative body of a city, or municipality. It makes the laws and resolutions that govern the operation of the city, and normally will appoint officials of the municipality.

Normally town governments are set up in a similar manner.

If a town is very small, it may not be able to provide sufficient local services such as trash, sewage, police, fire, school, or other services. In this case, they will often join with other local communities, or they will contract these services from the state.

Most states in the United States (except Rhode Island and Connecticut) are divided up into counties. A county may include one or several cities, or be primarily rural and have only a few towns. Often the local country districts are responsible for road maintenance.

The State Legislature is made up of representatives who are elected by the people of the state. This legislature passes state laws which are considered standards for local governments to follow. These laws must also fall within the guidelines of federal laws that Congress has passed. Representatives also listen to recommendations from state agencies, and the wishes of their constituents when making decisions on laws. The state legislatures also decide the amount of money (revenues) that will be provided to state agencies to enforce state laws, the amount of money given to local governments to help them meet state standards, and attempt to balance the state budget. Here is the organization of a typical State Legislature:

The state legislature, like the national government, has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

• Governor: Chief executive of the state, he represents the executive branch
• State Congress: Includes the State Assembly and the State Senate, this represents the legislative branch of the state government
• State Supreme Court: This represents the judicial branch of the State government. Under it is the State Court of Appeals and the State Court system.

Learning about your Community: Local Municipal Functions/ Courts

Local Governments are concerned with working out in practice the public agenda for their community. This agenda includes issues such as public safety, public health, sanitation, education, child care, protection of the environment to name a few.

Your local community performs many important functions, including:

• Providing for schools. This will often be represented in your community by the local school board, whose members are elected. Normally both the local community and the state provide funding for public schools; the revenues are raised by taxes such as property taxes and state taxes. It is important to find out who the local school board members are, and if you have children, to consider going to open meetings to hear about the issues that affect your local schools.
• Providing for local road maintenance. This includes maintaining county and city roads. Often a district will take over this maintenance for its area.
• Provide a local fire department. This department is funded by local taxes such as land taxes, and provides for the equipment and personnel needed.
  
  The finance department for a city administrates and manages the cash flow for the municipality. It also authorizes purchases through its purchasing department. Its members are accountable to the local city council to whom they report.
• Provide a local police service. the chief, captains, and sergeants are often appointed by the city or town mayor.
• Provide local trash disposal. the local municipality often will contract the services of waste disposal companies who pick up trash. It also includes the cost of maintaining an area for disposing of trash, such as a landfill. There is often a monthly fee charged for this service.
  
  Sewage services are also provided by a local city or township. Often there is a monthly fee charged for this service. In rural areas, residents may be required by the county code to have a septic system in place.
• Provide a public health system. The local public health department helps to oversee the public health of its residents, including ensuring access to vaccinations, and oversees inspection of food services. It maintains a local epidemiology function which reports any outbreaks of disease. It also helps to ensure that violations of local sanitation standards does not occur. They may also provide community education and public health nurses who help ensure that the community receives adequate health and hygiene services.
• Provide areas for Parks and Recreation. This board in most communities is responsible for setting aside and maintaining local area parks for the enjoyment of residents.
• Provide a local court system. A local municipal court hears cases and trials that are under local jurisdiction. This will include family law cases, and cases involving breaking local municipal laws such as petty crimes, parking tickets, and minor driving offenses.
• Provide animal control. Animal shelters and Animal Control are responsible for preventing vagrant animals, and will often have adoption centers as well. They will also step in if an animal is being abused or neglected and provide it with temporary care.

Learning about your Community: Community Resources and How to Access them

Each community has important resources which its citizens can have access to. Some of the more important ones include:

• Emergency Services: In many communities, dialing "911" will activate local emergency services, whether you need police assistance, an ambulance, or the fire department.
• Hospitals: Most local communities will have a hospital. It may or may not provide a clinic with access to medical care. Many larger cities will also have a county hospital that provides assistance to individuals who do not have health insurance or who have Medicaid. There may also be a system of clinics that provide health care at a reasonable rate, include prenatal care and immunization of children. It is important to find out the local numbers for a hospital and/or clinics in your area, and have them available in case you need them. Many hospitals also have a poison control number which can be called in case of accidental poisoning which will give advice.
• Fire Department: All communities have a fire department. In rural areas, this may have local citizens who are volunteers who help out. Many fire departments are also the first responder in a medical emergency, and will have paramedics. Normally dialing "911" will bring the fire department to the scene of a fire, or there may be a local number which should be near the phone. Local fire departments also will do community education on preventing accidental fires, and will enforce fire bans in communities which are dry and at risk for fire.
• Police Department: the local police department has many functions, including upholding the local laws of the municipality, and ensuring the safety of the citizens. If a crime is committed, it should be reported to them for investigation. They are also responsible for ensuring that traffic laws are obeyed and that local anti-narcotics laws are enforced. They also will do some public education and outreach in the local schools. In an emergency, in many cities they can be reached by dialing "911". It is important to learn how to contact your local police, and keep their number in a safe place near your phone.
• Public Library: A local public library is often offered to residents of a city or town. It is easy to get a library card; normally a nominal fee and identification which proves residence is all that is needed. This can be a valuable resource for both reading material and research. Many libraries also offer special programs which encourage both adult and child literacy and reading, and activities for young children such as story hours.

See also our Citizenship USA Self-Help US immigration Kit