During a presidential election, when millions of people exercise the right to vote, you might think that your single vote won't make a difference. Remember, every vote counts. Even if the candidates you support aren't elected, you've still had a hand in shaping the country's future. Once you've made the decision to vote, you'll need to register to vote in your state and find out where to go and what to do to cast your ballot. Each state can choose the voting methods that it will offer to its residents.
Smaller communities use paper ballots .
Each voter gets a slip of paper on which all of the candidates' names are written. With pens or pencils, the voters mark the candidates and issues they support and drop the slips in locked ballot boxes. Larger communities use punchcards , which are similar to paper ballots but have perforated boxes next to each candidate's name. Voters slip the ballots into special clipboards and use sharp pins to punch through the boxes for the candidates and issues they support. When done, the voters drop the ballots in locked ballot boxes.