Voting

透過投票

- the people's chance to decide who they want to run their country and represent their interests.

人民得以決定要由誰來管理他們的國家，並為他們的利益發聲

But how does it work in the United States of America?

但在美國，選舉是怎麼進行的呢?

Across the pond voting is quite different.

從英國跨越太平洋到美國，選舉制度大不同

Like the UK Parliament, the United States Congress has two houses; the House of Representatives

如同英國的議會，美國議會也分成兩部分: 眾議院

and the Senate. Unlike the UK there a public elections to both houses and a third separate election is held to choose a President.

以及參議院。在英國，兩院皆會公開選舉，然後再舉行總理大選

In the US the President

至於在美國，

is both the head of State and the head of Government.

總統是國家元首，也是政府之首。

In the UK these roles are carried out separately by the Monarch and the Prime Minister.

在英國，國家元首是君主，政府之首則是總理。

The House of Representatives in the US Congress is designed to give a voice to the

美國議會中的眾議院，

people of every local voting region in America.

是為了美國每個選舉區域的選民發聲

Members of the House of Representatives stand for re-election every two years. Each state is split into Districts and

眾議院議員每兩年能競選連任。每一州內分成幾個選區

each District votes for one representative. The number of Districts depends on the

而一個選區選出一位議員。 至於選區的數目則是

population of each State, for example California the most popular

根據每州的人口數而定的。舉例來說，加州是人口最稠密的州，

State is split into 53 Districts so has 53 Representatives, but Alaska which is huge

被分成53個選區，因此選出53位議員。但像阿拉斯加雖然面積廣大

but has a really small population, only has one District

但人口稀少，因此只有一個選區

and therefore only

因此，

one Representative in the House.

在眾議院裏只有一位議員代表阿拉斯加

Like the UK House of Commons the election system is first past the post so

和英國下議院選舉制度一樣，美國眾議院也是票數領先者當選

the candidate with the most votes in each District wins a seat in the House of

因此每個選區中贏得最多選票的候選人就得以進入眾議院

Representatives.

因此每個選區中贏得最多選票的候選人就得以進入眾議院

The party that wins a majority of seats in the house takes control.

眾議院中取得最多席次的政黨就有掌控權

The ideal situation for a President is that the house is controlled

對總統而言，最理想的情況就是自己所在的政黨對眾議院有掌控權

by their own party. However with elections held every

然而，由於眾議院選舉每兩年舉辦一次，

two years, theres always a midterm election in the middle of

選期落在總統在任期間，稱為中期選舉。

the President's time in office. If the public thinks the President is not

若選民不滿意總統的行政，

doing a great job, they can vote in more members of the

選民就可以投票給反對黨，致使總統通過法令的困難度增加

opposition party making it more difficult for the president to pass laws.

選民就可以投票給反對黨，致使總統通過法令的困難度增加

The Senate in the US Congress like the House of Lords in the UK Parliament is sometimes

美國的參議院和英國的上議院(也稱為元老院)相似

called the Upper House. George Washington described the Senate as the saucer that cools

美國總統喬治・華盛頓將參議院形容為「冷卻咖啡用的茶碟」

the coffee, meaning that it's their job to scrutinize and question all proposals made

意指，參議院的功能，就是在進行投票前，檢視並質問所有總統和眾議院的提案

by both the House of Representatives and the President before voting

意指，參議院的功能，就是在進行投票前，檢視並質問所有總統和眾議院的提案

to decide whether they should proceed as law.

才能決定這些提案能否成為正式的法條

Senators like members of the House of Representatives are also elected to their seats by the public.

和眾議院一樣，參議院同樣是透過公共選舉成立

Senators serve six year terms and elections are staggered so every two years

每位參議員任期為六年，而每兩年選舉一次，因此議員的選期會錯開

a third of the Senators run for re-election.

每次選舉有三分之一的參議員被重新選舉

Each State is represented by two Senators, regardless of it's population and

無論人口多寡，每個州皆有兩位代表參議員

again the first-past-the-post voting system is used so the candidate with the most

但同樣地，票數勝出者獲選

votes wins.

但同樣選票勝出者獲選

So how do Americans choose their leader?

那美國人是怎麼選出總統的呢?

Well Presidential elections take place every four years.

總統大選每四年舉辦一次

The two main parties; the Democrats and the Republicans, host big

當要提名總統候選人時，美國兩大政黨: 民主黨與共和黨

get-togethers where they choose their Presidential candidates, the person

會舉行大型聚會

they think will be the best leader for the nation.

選出他們認為最適合成為美國總統的候選人

The winning candidate then chooses their Vice Presidential candidate also known as their

被提名的黨內候選人會選擇一位副總統候選人，

Running Mate to help support the campaign.

也就是競選夥伴，支持總統候選人的競選活動

Presidential candidates usually choose someone with different areas of skill or

總統候選人通常會選擇具有不同領域專長與知識的人作為副總統候選人

knowledge so they present voters with the best

以呈現最佳組合

package. Together their known as a ticket.

兩人一組，代表黨部競選總統之位

Presidential candidates from both parties then start out

兩黨的總統候選人接下來就會開始

on massive election campaigns to gain as much voter support as

進行大規模的競選活動，盡可能贏更多選票

possible.

盡可能贏更多選票

They travel across the country and hold great big campaign rallies where they set

他們周遊美國，到處舉辦政策發表演說集會

out the policies and their ideas for the whole country.

他們周遊美國，到處舉辦政策發表演說集會

These campaigns cost money, lots of it, so both candidates have large campaign

競選活動很花錢，因此雙方的候選人背後都有龐大的

teams who helped raise the tens of millions of dollars needed to keep them afloat.

競選集團在支撐他們，募資數千萬美元以確保他們的曝光度

When it comes to election day the public go to the polls to

選舉當日，選民來到投票所

vote for one Presidential ticket.

選出心目中的候選人

So far so easy, however the public don't vote directly for their choice for President,

到目前為止都沒甚麼難懂的，但選民並非直接選出總通

instead a system called the Electoral College is used.

而是透過一項稱為選舉人團的制度

Each State is allocated a number of Electors that will make the final choice.

每個州指定幾位選舉人做出最終決定

A State has the same number of Electors

而每州的選舉人數是固定的

as it does Senators and Representatives. In most States all the Electors will vote

參議院和眾議院的選舉也適用這項制度。

for the Presidential ticket which received the most support and

大多數州的選舉人會投給支持率最高與得到最多公眾選票的候選人

public vote.

大多數州的選舉人會投給支持率最高與得到最多公眾選票的候選人

Finally, the Presidential ticket with the most Electoral College votes becomes President

最後，得到最多選舉人團票的候選人即成為美國總統與副總統

and Vice President of the

最後，得到最多選舉人團票的候選人即成為美國總統與副總統

United States of America.

最後，得到最多選舉人團票的候選人即成為美國總統與副總統

So that's how things work in the US, a Democracy like the UK but on a much larger

所以這就是美國的選舉制度，和英國十分相像，

scale.

但規模卻更大得多