A leader helps a group make choices and get things done. In our country, the people choose many of their leaders. They do it by voting.
Key idea
In a vote, each person gets one vote. We count all the votes, and the choice with the most votes wins.
Why it works
Voting is fair because every vote counts the same. It does not matter who is the loudest or the tallest. Grown-up citizens vote for leaders: a mayor leads a town or city, a governor leads a state, and the President leads the whole country. In the United States, citizens can vote when they are 18.
Worked example: Count the votes
A class votes for a class pet. Fish gets 7 votes. Hamster gets 9 votes. Which pet wins?
- Count the votes for each choice: fish 7, hamster 9.
- Find the bigger number: 9 is more than 7.
- The hamster has the most votes, so the hamster wins.
Answer: The hamster wins, 9 to 7.
Common mistake
Some children think the winner is the choice they like best, or the side that shouts the loudest. A vote is decided by counting. Count every vote, and the most votes wins.
For the grown-up: Hold a family vote on a game or a snack. Let each person vote once, count out loud and talk about how the side that lost still gets a turn next time.