Straight-ticket voting
Encyclopedia
Straight-ticket voting or straight-party voting is the practice of voting for candidates of the same party for multiple positions. For example, if a member of the Democratic Party
in the United States votes for every candidate from President, Senator, Representative, Governor, state legislators and those running for local government that is a Democrat, this is considered straight-ticket voting. In general, straight-ticket voting was a very common occurrence up until around the 1960s and 1970s. Since that time, straight-ticket voting has declined in the United States among the general voting population; however, strong partisans, that is strong party identifiers, have remained straight ticket voters.
In the early days of the parties, it was nearly impossible not to vote on a straight party line vote. Voters would receive a colored ballot with that party's nominees on it. A split ticket vote would require two different colored ballots, which confused the voter. Often, the voter would choose a specific party, and vote for everyone from that party. Some states have had an option to select "vote straight-ticket Democrat" and "vote straight-ticket Republican" that voters can check instead of voting for each race; states that do so include Alabama
, Indiana
, Iowa
, Kentucky
, Michigan
, New Mexico
, North Carolina
, Oklahoma
, Pennsylvania
, Rhode Island
, South Carolina
, Texas
, Utah
, West Virginia
and Wisconsin
.
Voters in Michigan may vote a straight ticket, a split ticket (voting for individual candidates in individual offices), or a mixed-ticket vote. A mixed-ticket vote is cast when a voter chooses a party in the straight-ticket portion of the ballot, then votes for individual candidates for office. Votes for individual candidates for individual offices override a straight-ticket selection. For example, if a voter selects Party A under the straight-ticket portion, then proceeds to vote for the nominee of Party B for the United States Senate, a vote is counted for Party B's US Senate nominee while each of Party A's nominees for other offices in the partisan section each receive a vote in their races.
Straight-ticket voting only involves the partisan section of the ballot, meaning that if an individual wishes to vote in a non-partisan race, they must vote those offices individually. One area in which this issue receives attention is in races for the Michigan Supreme Court
. The Democratic and Republican parties each nominate candidates for Justice of the Supreme Court at their party conventions 2-3 months before the election; however, the races appear on the ballot in the nonpartisan section, meaning that a straight-ticket vote for either of these parties will not include a vote for that party's candidates for Supreme Court.
This idiosyncrasy on the North Carolina ballot is described by some as "a ballot flaw" that may confuse voters, potentially resulting in voters failing to cast a vote for President and Vice President when doing so was their intent. It was introduced in the 1960s to shore up Democrats at the state level as Republicans were gaining strength at the national level.
In the 2000 presidential election, there was a 3.15% "undervote" ((total voter turnout - total votes for President and Vice President) / total voter turnout); in the 2004 presidential election, there was a 2.57% undervote. This means that in raw numbers, more than 92,000 North Carolina voters in the 2000 election turned out to vote but did not vote for president; similarly, in 2004, more than 75,000 North Carolina voters turned out to vote but not vote for president.
A voter, however, may vote a straight-party ticket and subsequently cast an individual vote in a particular race. This may happen in cases where 1) the voter's party did not field a candidate in a specific race, and the voter wants to cast a vote in that race for one of the candidates from another party, and/or 2) the voter does not wish to support the party's candidate in a specific race, but wishes to vote for another candidate in that race. (However, Texas does not have a "none of the above" option; in a case where a voter wishes not to vote for any candidate in a race where his/her party is fielding one, the voter must cast a vote in each individual race separately and cannot choose the straight-party option.) An individual vote will "override" the straight-party vote, but only in those specific races where an individual vote is cast.
Straight-party voting is only available in the general election for partisan elections. It is not available for:
In those cases where a partisan election is combined with a non-partisan election and/or ballot issues, the voter can vote straight-party in the partisan portion, but then must vote individually in the other portion(s).
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the United States votes for every candidate from President, Senator, Representative, Governor, state legislators and those running for local government that is a Democrat, this is considered straight-ticket voting. In general, straight-ticket voting was a very common occurrence up until around the 1960s and 1970s. Since that time, straight-ticket voting has declined in the United States among the general voting population; however, strong partisans, that is strong party identifiers, have remained straight ticket voters.
In the early days of the parties, it was nearly impossible not to vote on a straight party line vote. Voters would receive a colored ballot with that party's nominees on it. A split ticket vote would require two different colored ballots, which confused the voter. Often, the voter would choose a specific party, and vote for everyone from that party. Some states have had an option to select "vote straight-ticket Democrat" and "vote straight-ticket Republican" that voters can check instead of voting for each race; states that do so include Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Straight-ticket voting in individual states
The straight-ticket voting option differs slightly from state to state.Michigan
General-election ballots in Michigan have three sections:- The partisan section, which includes candidates for partisan offices;
- The non-partisan section, which includes candidates for judgeships, municipal offices, and school boards; and
- The proposals section, which includes state and local ballot issues.
Voters in Michigan may vote a straight ticket, a split ticket (voting for individual candidates in individual offices), or a mixed-ticket vote. A mixed-ticket vote is cast when a voter chooses a party in the straight-ticket portion of the ballot, then votes for individual candidates for office. Votes for individual candidates for individual offices override a straight-ticket selection. For example, if a voter selects Party A under the straight-ticket portion, then proceeds to vote for the nominee of Party B for the United States Senate, a vote is counted for Party B's US Senate nominee while each of Party A's nominees for other offices in the partisan section each receive a vote in their races.
Straight-ticket voting only involves the partisan section of the ballot, meaning that if an individual wishes to vote in a non-partisan race, they must vote those offices individually. One area in which this issue receives attention is in races for the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
. The Democratic and Republican parties each nominate candidates for Justice of the Supreme Court at their party conventions 2-3 months before the election; however, the races appear on the ballot in the nonpartisan section, meaning that a straight-ticket vote for either of these parties will not include a vote for that party's candidates for Supreme Court.
North Carolina
In North Carolina, voting "straight party" (using the term from an NC ballot) does not include a vote for the President and Vice President of the United States. North Carolina voters therefore must make separate selections for the President/Vice President and the straight-party option .This idiosyncrasy on the North Carolina ballot is described by some as "a ballot flaw" that may confuse voters, potentially resulting in voters failing to cast a vote for President and Vice President when doing so was their intent. It was introduced in the 1960s to shore up Democrats at the state level as Republicans were gaining strength at the national level.
In the 2000 presidential election, there was a 3.15% "undervote" ((total voter turnout - total votes for President and Vice President) / total voter turnout); in the 2004 presidential election, there was a 2.57% undervote. This means that in raw numbers, more than 92,000 North Carolina voters in the 2000 election turned out to vote but did not vote for president; similarly, in 2004, more than 75,000 North Carolina voters turned out to vote but not vote for president.
Texas
In Texas, a vote for a straight-party ticket casts votes for all party candidates in all races where the party is fielding a candidate and the voter is eligible to cast a vote, from the President/Vice President (or Governor) to the county constable or justice of the peace.A voter, however, may vote a straight-party ticket and subsequently cast an individual vote in a particular race. This may happen in cases where 1) the voter's party did not field a candidate in a specific race, and the voter wants to cast a vote in that race for one of the candidates from another party, and/or 2) the voter does not wish to support the party's candidate in a specific race, but wishes to vote for another candidate in that race. (However, Texas does not have a "none of the above" option; in a case where a voter wishes not to vote for any candidate in a race where his/her party is fielding one, the voter must cast a vote in each individual race separately and cannot choose the straight-party option.) An individual vote will "override" the straight-party vote, but only in those specific races where an individual vote is cast.
Straight-party voting is only available in the general election for partisan elections. It is not available for:
- party primary elections
- non-partisan races (such as City Council or School Board elections); even if a "slate" of candidates is endorsed by a particular group (such as a local Chamber of Commerce) the "slate" cannot be elected on a single ticket, each candidate must be selected individually.
- ballot issues (such as an amendment to the Texas ConstitutionTexas ConstitutionThe Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Texas.Texas has had seven constitutions: the constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, the state constitutions of 1845,...
or a measure to approve bonds and assess taxes for their repayment), even if a political party officially endorses or opposes such an amendment.
In those cases where a partisan election is combined with a non-partisan election and/or ballot issues, the voter can vote straight-party in the partisan portion, but then must vote individually in the other portion(s).