Who is responsible for conducting elections in the United States?
In the United States, the responsibility of conducting elections falls on the individual states. Each state has a government office assigned to the task of administering the state’s election, such as the State Board of Elections in Illinois. This office is responsible for running all aspects of an election, including registering voters, organizing and circulating ballots, and ensuring all voter requirements are met. The Board itself is composed of appointed members, and in Illinois, the Board is composed of four members, two from the major political parties. The State Board of Elections is responsible for creating and implementing voting regulations and laws within the state, in accordance with the laws of the United States. Depending on the state, it may also be responsible for setting up and running polling places, training poll workers, counting and tallying the votes, and certifying the election results for the state. In addition to the state elected officials, several other federal entities are involved in the election process in the United States. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) oversees federal elections and administers campaign finance laws for federal candidates and political committees. The United States Department of Justice also has jurisdiction over certain aspects of the election process, including investigations of suspected violations of federal election laws. Finally, the United States Election Assistance Commission has the purpose of providing support to state and local elections officials in administering the election process and providing voter education initiatives.
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