Civic Organization¶
Who Controls What: U.S. Election Administration Structure¶
| Level | Controls |
|---|---|
| Federal (Congress, FEC, EAC) | Limited role — national standards, reporting, some funding |
| State (Secretary of State, State Election Board) | Statewide election laws, candidate filings, registration systems |
| County (or township in some states) | Precinct boundaries, polling places, ballots, election-day operations, tabulation |
| Precinct (operational unit) | Polling place operations, managed by county election officials |
Federal Responsibilities¶
- Set national standards (Voting Rights Act, Help America Vote Act).
- Administer federal campaign finance (FEC).
- Provide guidance and limited funding through agencies like EAC.
- Federal government does not directly conduct elections.
State Responsibilities¶
- Define state election laws and calendars.
- Manage voter registration systems.
- Administer candidate filing processes.
- Certify county results for statewide and federal offices.
- Oversee recounts, audits, and legal challenges.
County Responsibilities¶
The county (or equivalent) is responsible for:
- Maintaining precinct boundaries.
- Assigning polling place locations.
- Preparing ballots (county races, ballot questions).
- Operating polling places on election day.
- Tabulating and reporting election results.
Some States Use Wards or Townships - Especially common in New England and parts of the Midwest. - In these states, townships may handle some functions counties typically manage elsewhere.
Precinct Responsibilities¶
- Precincts are the smallest official election units.
- Managed by county election officials for public elections.
- Each precinct determines:
- Which ballot each voter receives (districts, school zones, city wards, etc.)
- Where each voter is assigned to vote (polling place location).
On Election Day: - Poll workers staff the precinct polling locations. - Verify voter eligibility and check voter rolls. - Issue ballots and operate tabulators. - Report precinct-level results after polls close.
Precinct-level election officials (poll workers) are typically temporary, nonpartisan staff recruited for each election cycle.
Party Precinct Organization¶
Political parties also organize at the precinct level. Each party may:
- Hold precinct caucuses.
- Elect precinct chairs and vice chairs.
- Select delegates to attend higher-level conventions.
- Support voter outreach and party-building at the neighborhood level.
Party activities operate separately from official government election administration.
Each political party establishes its own internal rules for these roles and meetings.
Precincts and Counties Are Critical in Elections¶
- Most states have 50–100 counties (or county-equivalents).
- The U.S. has ~3,100 counties and ~200,000 precincts.
- The number of precincts (and their boundaries) may change each year. See your county for the most current information.
Typical Precinct Sizes
| Type of Area | Typical # of Voters per Precinct |
|---|---|
| Urban (dense cities) | 500 – 3,000 voters |
| Suburban | 1,000 – 2,500 voters |
| Rural | 100 – 800 voters |
| Extremely rural | Sometimes under 100 voters |
Why This Matters¶
- Elections are highly decentralized.
- Control is distributed across thousands of counties and hundreds of thousands of precincts.
- In many precincts, only a small number of participants attend local caucuses or meetings.
- Because each unit is small, every person attending makes a measurable difference.
- Many party precinct positions remain vacant simply because not enough people show up.