Absentee Ballot Request for US-based and Overseas Voters Abroad, Election Dates / Deadlines, and How to Vote in your State

Who Gets Your Vote and What Do They Do? Election Season: What’s at Stake?

As the upcoming election approaches, voters across the country are preparing to cast their ballots for a variety of elected officials. While presidential races often attract the most attention, other positions—like state and municipal level officials—hold critical roles in shaping our government and everyday lives.

Understanding who these officials are, how they differ from federal level senators, congresspersons, and representatives, and what they do is key to making an informed decision at the polls.

October 28, 2025 is National Vote Early Day for the 2025 General Elections. Voters are encouraged to cast their ballots on or around this date if their state offers an early voting period for the 2025 elections.

“Early voting” is a form of voting in which all eligible voters of a state have the chance to cast ballots before Election Day without needing an excuse or a ballot application. Usually this is over the course of several days or weeks, but it can vary by state.

Voting early in-person can be just like voting on Election Day. The only difference may be the voter’s polling location in some states.

Civics Crash Course Lesson 7
The Supreme Court can strike down laws, shape national policy, and redefine your rights - but it wasn’t always this powerful. Born as “the least dangerous branch,” the judiciary has become one of the most influential forces in American life. Civics Crash Course Lesson 7 explains the courts’ constitutional structure and sources of power.

While advocating for the ratification of the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton asserted that the judiciary was “beyond comparison the weakest” as measured against the executive and legislative branches. After the Constitution was adopted, many of the leading statesmen of that era considered it more prestigious to serve in state legislatures rather than on the Supreme Court.

How, then, did the Supreme Court achieve the clout and influence it has today?