Federal, State & Local Elections
Names and abbreviations on this page
US — United States. US$ denotes United States dollars.
Federal — national government
Federal elections include president and vice president, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
House members represent congressional districts. Senators represent their whole state. Presidential elections use the Electoral College.
State — state government
State elections can choose governors, state legislators and other state officials. The offices on the ballot depend on the state.
Local — your community
Local elections can choose mayors, city council members, county officials or school-board members. Some local offices serve districts; others are elected across the entire community.
The level and the stage are different
A congressional primary is a primary for a federal office. A mayoral primary is a primary for a local office. The word primary alone does not tell you the level of government.
Election schedules vary. A local election does not always happen on the same date as a presidential election.